Tafsir al-Qurtubi, volume 1

804 Pages·46.899 MB·English

TAFSIR AL-Q_URTUBI
of
Classical Commentary the Holy OJ!!'an
TRANSLATED BY
AISHA BEWLEY
VOLUME
I
OAR AL-TAQ_WA
© Dar AI Taqwa Ltd. 2003
ISBN 1-870582-22-5
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, elec
tronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the
prior permission of the publishers.
The Qur'an translation is taken from The Noble Qur'an:A New
Rendering of its Meaning in English, by Abdalhaqq and Aisha Bewley,
and the copyright of that translation is held by them.
Translation: Aisha Bewley
Editor: Abdalhaqq Bewley and
Printed and Bound by The Bath Press
Production: Bookwork, Norwich
Cover design by Sohail Nakhooda
Floral ornament by Ibrahim Batchelder
Published by:
Dar Al Taqwa Ltd.
7 A Melcombe Street
Baker Street
London NW I 6AE
In the name of God, most Gracious, most Merciful

The publisher of lmam Al-Qurtubi inspiring book, Tafseer Al
Qurtubi are deeply grateful to the Professor Jibril Aminu, for his
generosity in making the publication of the book possible.
HADIYYAT
DISTRIBUTED FEE SABEELILLAH BY
PROFESSOR JIBRIL AMINU
NIGERIA

FOREWORD
I am delighted to have this opportunity to contribute in some way
to the publication of al-Qurtubi's Tafsir, which represents a
landmark in the history of commentaries on the Holy Qur'an in the
English language. The appearance of this translation will give
English-speaking readers access to one of the great classical
commentaries and the wealth of knowledge that it contains.
Authoritative exposition of the meanings of the Qur' anic text
requires consideration of many different aspects including the
spiritual, linguistic, legal and historical ones. Imam al-Qurtubi's
Tafsir is remarkable in many ways, but he was especially interested
in the legal interpretation of the Scripture. This is clear from the
original title of his work, which is al-Jami 'li-ankam al-Qur'an
("The Compendium of Qur' anic Decrees"). I congratulate the
publishers of this work, Dar al-Taqwa, and the translators on their
initiative in making available a major classic of Islamic literature.
May Allah Most High accept their efforts, and may this work
inspire the ambitions and aid the efforts of many students and
scholars in their research on the meaning of the Glorious Qur' an.
Professor Jibril Amino.
Nigeria.
ix

Table of Contents
Preface xv
Introduction 1
The General Virtues of the Qur'an
and encouragement to study it 4
How to recite the Book of Allah and what is
disliked and forbidden in it 10
Cautioning the people of the Qur'an and scholars
against showing off 18
What the one who knows the Qur'an must do
and not neglect to do 21
The syntax of the Qur'an, learning it and studying
it and the reward for the one who recites the
Qur'an with proper inflections 24
What is reported about the excellence of tajsfr
of the Qur'an and those who do it 27
What is reported about the one who is a bearer
of the Qur'an, who he is and those who are
hostile to him 28
The respect and esteem for the Qur'an which is
mandatory for someone who recites and
bears the Qur'an 28
What is reported regarding threats against
engaging in tajsfr of the Qur'an by means
of opinion (ra 'y) or being bold in that, and
the ranks of the commentators 34
The Book being explained by the Sunna, and
what has been transmitted about that 40
How to learn and understand the Book of Allah
Xl
Contents xu
and the Sunna of His Prophet. It is reported
that it used to be easier to act by it than to
memorise it 42
The meaning of the words of the Prophet,
"The Qur'an was revealed in seven
al:zruf (dialects/modes)." 43
Section on the seven readings 47
Section: The J:tadith of 'Umar and Hisham 48
The collection of the Qur'an and the reason
'Uthman had copies of the Qur'an copied
out and burned rest. The memorisation of
the Qur'an by the Companions in the time
of the Prophet 51
What has come about the order of the suras and
iiyatsof the Qur'an, its vowelling and dots, its
J:tizbs and tens, the number of its letters,juz's,
words and iiyats 58
The meaning of the words sura, iiyat, kalima
(word) and J:taif(letter) 64
Does the Qur'an contain words which are
not Arabic? 66
Points about the inimitability of the Qur'an,
preconditions of the miracle and its reality 67
Information about aJ:tiid!th forged about the
excellence of the suras of the Qur'an
and other matters 71
What has come on the refutation of those who
attack the Qur'an and oppose the text of
'Uthman by adding to it or removing some of it 73
Seeking Refuge with Allah from Shaytan 74
TheBasmala 78
1 Siirat al-Fiiti!Ja 93
Its Virtues 94
Its Names 97
Its Revelation 100