Tafseer-e-Kabeer
Encyclopedia
For other uses, see Tafsir al-Kabir
.
Tafseer-e-Kabeer (Urdu: تفسير کبير, tafsīr-e-kabīr, "The Extensive Commentary") is a 10 volume exegesis
of the Quran containing the lectures, writings and notes on Quranic verses by Mirza Mahmood Ahmad
, the second Caliph
of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
, and took over 20 years to compile. It is often seen as his Magnum opus
. A significant part of the text, especially that of the later volumes was dictated by Mirza Mahmood Ahmad.
The first of the 10 volumes was published in 1940 by Zia ul Islam Press, Qadian
. Mirza Mahmood Ahmad was the second Head of the modern Islamic messianic movement known as the Ahmadiyya Muslim community
. The author considered this commentary to be the next step ahead in Quranic studies. In the preface to the first volume, he writes that classical commentators like Ibn Kathir
, Zamakhshari and Abu Hayyan did a great service for the Quran.
Throughout the commentary he suggests the vital importance of the order in which chapters were arranged in the present form. The contextual relationship of the text of the entire Quran and of each sura to the preceding Sura i.e. the themes of the Qur'an are connected and all chapters, verses and words are perfectly arranged.
The writer has given much importance to this aspect in his commentary, which was a novel approach at the time of its publication.
, William Muir
and William Montgomery Watt
. The author has frequently dismissed the views of these writers in favour of more linguistic approach towards understanding the meanings of the Quran. As compared to other classical texts, this commentary seems to rely less on "Asbab al-nuzul
" or reasons of revelation of verses. This approach greatly reduces the impact and validity of negative remarks and allegations made on the Quran by non-Muslim theologians.
Each verse is explained separately in two sections. The first section gives different translations of the words in the verse according to major classical Arabic lexicons along with their different uses derived from classical Arabic prose and poetry. The second section contains detailed commentary.
A detailed bibliography of references and index are provided at the end of each volume.
Tafsir al-Kabir
Tafsir al-Kabir may refer to:*Tafsir al-Kabir by Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, commonly known as Tafsir al-Kabir*Tafsir al-Tabari by Ibn Jarir al-Tabari*Tafseer-e-Kabeer, by Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad...
.
Tafseer-e-Kabeer (Urdu: تفسير کبير, tafsīr-e-kabīr, "The Extensive Commentary") is a 10 volume exegesis
Tafsir
Tafseer is the Arabic word for exegesis or commentary, usually of the Qur'an. Ta'wīl is a subset of tafsir and refers to esoteric or mystical interpretation. An author of tafsir is a mufassir .- Etymology :...
of the Quran containing the lectures, writings and notes on Quranic verses by Mirza Mahmood Ahmad
Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad
Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad , was Khalifatul Masih II, head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and the eldest son of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad from his second wife, Nusrat Jehan Begum...
, the second Caliph
Khalifatul Masih
Khalifatul Masih sometimes simply referred to as Khalifah is the elected spiritual leader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and is the successor of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian...
of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the larger of two communities that arose from the Ahmadiyya movement founded in 1889 in India by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian . The original movement split into two factions soon after the death of the founder...
, and took over 20 years to compile. It is often seen as his Magnum opus
Masterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
. A significant part of the text, especially that of the later volumes was dictated by Mirza Mahmood Ahmad.
Background
Qadian
Qadian is a small town and a municipal council in Gurdaspur District, north-east of Amritsar, situated north-east of Batala city in the state of Punjab, India....
. Mirza Mahmood Ahmad was the second Head of the modern Islamic messianic movement known as the Ahmadiyya Muslim community
Ahmadiyya
Ahmadiyya is an Islamic religious revivalist movement founded in India near the end of the 19th century, originating with the life and teachings of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad , who claimed to have fulfilled the prophecies about the world reformer of the end times, who was to herald the Eschaton as...
. The author considered this commentary to be the next step ahead in Quranic studies. In the preface to the first volume, he writes that classical commentators like Ibn Kathir
Ibn Kathir
Ismail ibn Kathir was a Muslim muhaddith, Faqih, historian, and commentator.-Biography:His full name was Abu Al-Fida, 'Imad Ad-Din, Isma'il bin 'Umar bin Kathir, Al-Qurashi, Al-Busrawi...
, Zamakhshari and Abu Hayyan did a great service for the Quran.
Throughout the commentary he suggests the vital importance of the order in which chapters were arranged in the present form. The contextual relationship of the text of the entire Quran and of each sura to the preceding Sura i.e. the themes of the Qur'an are connected and all chapters, verses and words are perfectly arranged.
The writer has given much importance to this aspect in his commentary, which was a novel approach at the time of its publication.
Contents of the Commentary
Although the work is very detailed, it does not contain all chapters of the Quran.- Volume 1: Surah 1 and portion of Surah 2.
- Volume 2: Surah 2 (remaining portion)
- Volume 3: Surahs 10-14
- Volume 4: Surahs 15-18
- Volume 5: Surahs 19-21
- Volume 6: Surahs 22-25
- Volume 7: Surahs 26-29
- Volume 8: Surahs 78-90
- Volume 9: Surahs 91-104
- Volume 10: Surahs 92-114
Features and Themes
The commentary is written in the style of an argument for Islam. Repeated references and comments are made on the works of famous orientalists like Theodor NöldekeTheodor Nöldeke
Theodor Nöldeke was a German Semitic scholar, who was born in Harburg and studied in Göttingen, Vienna, Leiden and Berlin....
, William Muir
William Muir
Sir William Muir, KCSI was a Scottish Orientalist and colonial administrator.-Life:He was born at Glasgow and educated at Kilmarnock Academy, at Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities, and at Haileybury College. In 1837 he entered the Bengal Civil Service...
and William Montgomery Watt
William Montgomery Watt
William Montgomery Watt was a Scottish historian, an Emeritus Professor in Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Edinburgh...
. The author has frequently dismissed the views of these writers in favour of more linguistic approach towards understanding the meanings of the Quran. As compared to other classical texts, this commentary seems to rely less on "Asbab al-nuzul
Asbab al-nuzul
Asbāb al-nuzūl , an Arabic term meaning "occasions/circumstances of revelation", is a secondary genre of Qur'anic exegesis directed at establishing the context in which specific verses of the Qur'an were revealed...
" or reasons of revelation of verses. This approach greatly reduces the impact and validity of negative remarks and allegations made on the Quran by non-Muslim theologians.
Each verse is explained separately in two sections. The first section gives different translations of the words in the verse according to major classical Arabic lexicons along with their different uses derived from classical Arabic prose and poetry. The second section contains detailed commentary.
A detailed bibliography of references and index are provided at the end of each volume.