Course outline #3: Approaching the Qur’an [tafsir and building sound constructs]

Course outline #4: Approaching the Qur’an [Tafsir and building sound constructs]

What is tafsir and the need for it

• The meaning of tafsir
• Tafsir and t’awil
• The need for tafsir
• Four types of tafsir
• The honorable status of ‘elm al-tafsir
• The virtues of tafsir and its importance

 

Between source based tafsir and tafsir based on opinion

• Source based tafsir
• Tafsir based on opinion
• When it tafsir based on opinion acceptable and what are its limits
• Understanding the hadith “Whoever speaks about the Qur’an based on his opinion, then let him take his seat in the fire of Hell.”
• Understanding the statements of the salaf that rejected tafsir based on opinion
• Imam al-Zarkashi’s response

 

8 guidelines when approaching tafsir

• Combining tafsir between dirayah and riwayah
• Tafsir of Qur’an by Qur’an
• Tafsir of Qur’an by the Sunna
• Benefiting from the tafsir of the Companions and the Tab’in
• Benefiting from the Arabic language
• Given precedence to context
• The importance of context in assigning meaning
• The word kitab
• The word ayah
• The appearance of a concept with different words to describe it

Noting the causes for revelation

• How do we know the cause of revelation
• Specific cause and general word usages
• Deriving meaning from the general
• The response of al-Suyuti on those who negated the importance of asbab al-Nazul