How many Tafseer are there of the Quran?

What is Tafsir

Tafsir is the Arabic word for exegesis, usually of the Quran. It the science of explanation of the Qurʾān, the sacred scripture of Islam, or of Qurʾānic commentary. The one who writes a detailed Tafseer of Quran is called a Mufassir. A Quranic tafsir attempts to provide elucidation, thorough explanation, detailed interpretation, context, and commentary for definite understanding and conviction of God’s will.

The issues of linguistics, jurisprudence, and theology are dealt with in the tafseer of a Holy Quran for better understanding the Holy text. Quran is a mysterious Holy bok of Allah and in order to absorb its message clearly and completely people need the help of scholars and their interpretation of the Holy Book. Many people join academies and madrassa to learn Quran. However, with the advancement of technology and with the exceptional rise in the use of the internet, the online teaching and learning is possible. There are many websites that are great sources of learning. Online Quran teaching academy is one of the ways to learn the Quran and its tafsir online.

Origin of the word Tafsir

The word tafsīr is derived from the three-letter Arabic verbal root of ف-س-ر F-S-R (fa-ssa-ra, ‘interpret’). The literal meaning of the word refers to interpreting, explaining, expounding, or disclosing. However, in Islamic contexts, it is a thorough understanding of the Quranic text. The exegesis of the Holy Book of Allah is defined as uncovering God’s will which has been conveyed by the Quranic text, by means of the Arabic language and one’s own knowledge. Which requires a complete grasp of the Arabic language.

History of Tafsir

The tafsir of the Holy Quran underwent different stages to reach its modern stage today.

Muhammad; the first-ever Mufasir (First Stage):

So long as Muhammad(PBUH), the Prophet of Islam, was alive, no other authority for interpretations of the Quranic revelations was recognized by Muslims. So, indeed Muhammad(PBUH) is the first-ever Mufasir of the Quran. According to Islamic belief, as the Quran was revealed to him, he followed the common practice of reciting the verses to his companions. Along with the recitation, he explained the verses to them teaching them their meanings and translating them. This was one of his responsibilities to interpret the holy verses to his companions for their understanding of the Holy Quran.

Elements of Muhammad’s explanations including clarifying verses whose intents are not understood, the indication of names, places, times etc. which have not been mentioned in the verse, restriction of meanings which have been given as absolute and reconciliation of expressions which seem contradictory. The bottom line, to teach them what they were unable to comprehend so that they would know what was the true message and the reasons behind it.

Companions of Muhammad(PBUH) as Mufasir (Second Stage):

The companions(sahabah) of Muhammad(PBUH) took the responsibility of interpreting the Quran based on the teachings of Muhammad(PBUH). It was a new age in tafsir. Most of the sahabah, including Abu Bakr, refrained from commenting based on their personal views. They only narrated the comments by Muhammad (PBUH). Others including ibn Abbas used their own knowledge from the Arabic language to interpret the Quran. Tafsir at this stage was selective and concise regarding its coverage. This stage covered only certain words, phrases, and verses in the explanation. The Quran was still not fully interpreted, and commentaries were to validated with references from hadith. Tafsir was yet to be written separately at this stage.

Successors and scholars of Sahabah as Mufasir (Third Stage):

After Sahabah, the responsibility of tafsir was passed on to their successors and the merging scholars at the time. They started using a wide range of sources for tafsir. They interpreted the whole of the Quran. There was a separate book of tafsir at this stage. Narrations were separated from tafsir into separate books and literature. Grammatical explanations and historical data are preserved within these books; personal opinions are recorded, whether accepted or rejected. The time period of the third stage gave rise to a whole range of schools of tafsir in different scholastic centers, including Mecca, Medina, and Iraq. Iraqi schools of tafsir not only used the transmitted reports but also relied on their personal judgments.

It was during this period that musfasir came to be known as a separate domain. Until this stage, it was transmitted orally and had no independent copy as a book. It used to be a special domain the books of ahadith. The emergence of mufassireen in the age of successors helped tafsir develop into an independent discipline.

Classification of Tafsir

Tafsir can be broadly divided into two categories in terms of perspective and approach namely,

Tafsir bi-al-ma’thur: It means received tafsir, and is transmitted from the early days of Islam through the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his companions. It is also known as afsir bi-al-riwaya.
Tafsir bi-al-ra’y: It literally means. tafsir by opinion. It is a type of tafsir which is transmitted through personal reflection or independent rational thinking. This is also commonly called tafsir bi-al-diraya.

Various Tafsir Works

There are different characteristics and traditions for each of the tafsirs representing respective schools and doctrines, such as Sunni Islam, Shia Islam, and Sufism. There are also general distinctions between classic tafsirs compiled by authoritative figures of Muslim scholarship during the formative ages of Islam and modern tafsir which seeks to address a wider audience, including the common people. There are numerous tafsir works available on the internet. You can also learn the tafsir of the Quran on any online Quran teaching academy. Where you will be provided with a large number of tafsir works done by great numbers of mufassireen. Some of the famous Quranic tafsir are:

At-Tafseeru-l-Wadweehu-l-Muyassar by Shaikh Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali As-Sawbooni Al-Hanafi
Aysaaru-t-Tafaaseer li Kalaami-l-‘Aliyyi-l-Kabeer by Aboo Bakr Jabeer Al-Jazaa’ree Muhaajir Maddnee
As Siraawju-mm-Muneer fi-l-I’aanti ‘alaa Ma’rifati Ba’d Ma’aanee Kalaamu Rawbbana-l-Hakeemu-l-Khawbeer by Al-Khaṭīb ash-Shirbīniy Ash-Shafi’i.
Anwaaru-l-Qur’aan wa Asraawru-l-Furqaawn by Mullah Ali al-Qari

Badaa’i’u-t-Tafseer and At-Tibbyaanu fee Aymaani-l-Qur’aan by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah Al-Hanbali
At-Tahseel li-‘Uloomi-t-Tanzeel by Muhammad Ibn Abi Al-Qaawsim Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Juzayy al-Kalbi al-Gharnati Al-Andalusi Al-Hanbali