Page-39- Tafsir of Sura Al-Fatiha (تفسير سورة الفاتحة)What are Makki and Madani Surah? What is Tafsir? Can anyone interpret the Quran with his own opinion?Why does one need to know Tafsir?

 Tafsir of Sura Al-Fatiha (تفسير سورة الفاتحة)

Surah Al-Fatiha is a Makki Surah:

Jalaluddin As-Soyuti described in his book:

" سورة الفاتحة " الأكثرون على أنها مكية وإستدل لذالك بقوله تعالى " ولقد أتيناك سبعا من المثانى " وقد فسرها صلى الله عليه وسلم بالفاتحة كما فى الصحيح البخارى وسورة الحجر مكية بإتفاق

“Surat Al-Fatihah” is considered by most scholars as Makki Surah. They accepted as evidence for that the saying of Allah the almighty ولقد أتيناك سبعا من المثانى “And indeed, I have given you seven repeated Ayats.” (Surah Al-Hajr-87) Our beloved Prophet (Sm.) interpreted this “Sab’a Al-Mathai” as Al-Fatihah, as it is reported in Sahih Bukhari and    Surat Al-Hijr is a Makki Sura with the agreement of the scholars. (It proves that Surah Al-Fatiha is a Makki Surah). (Ref.1)

What are Makki and Madani Surahs

قبل الهجرة والمدنى ما نزل بعدها سواء نزل بمكة أم بالمدينة عام الفتح أو عام حجة الوداع أم بسفر من الأسفار    أن المكى ما نزل                                                                                                                                     

(Indeed Al-Makki  Sura is a Sura that was revealed before Hijrah, and the Madani is a Sura that was revealed after Hijrah, whether it was revealed in Makkah or Medina, in the year of the Conquest of Makka, or the year of the Farewell Pilgrimage, or  revealed in any one of the travels of our beloved prophet (Sm.).” (Ref.2)

What is Tafsir?

Az-Zahabi described in his book:

ألتفسير هو الإيضاح والتبيين ومنه  قوله تعالى " ولا يأتونك بمثل إلا جئناك بالحق وأحسن تفسيرا (ألفرقان- 33) وهو مأخوذ من الفسر وهو الإبانة والكشف 

Tafsir means –to make clear and to explain, and from that view is the saying of Allah the High: " ولا يأتونك بمثل إلا جئناك بالحق وأحسن تفسيرا (ألفرقان- 33) “And they do not bring you an example (To oppose or to find fault in you or this Quran) except that I bring to you the truth and the best explanation” (Al-Furqan -33) The wordتفسير is derived from فسر which means – to describe clearly and to explain.

وذكر فى كتابه: "ويكفى فى إيضاح التفسير بأنه بيان كلام الله أو أنه ألمبين لألفاظ القران ومفهوماتها "

“He also described in his book: It is sufficient to make clear the word "Tafsir", that it is a clarification of the word of Allah or that it clarifies the words of the Qur'an and its concepts.” (Ref.3)

Badruddin Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Az-Zarkshi said in his book:

التفسير علم يعرف به فهم كتاب الله المنزل على نبيه محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم وبيان معانيه وأستخراج أحكامه  وحكمه وأستمداد ذالك من علم اللغة والنحو والتصريف وعلم البيان وأصول الفقه والقرأة ويحتاج لمعرفة أسباب النزول والناسخ والمنسوخ

“Tafsir is a knowledge by which is known the matter of comprehension of Allah’s book (Devine scripture) revealed to His Prophet Muhammad (Sm.), the explanation of its meanings, and taking out its rules and its sagaciousness with the help of a dictionary knowledge, Nahu ( Arabic grammar),  Saraf, The Knowledge of Eloquence, Usulul Fiqh, and Qirat, while one needs to know the reasons for its revelation, Nasekh,(Abrogator) and Mansukh,(Abrogated)”. (Ref.4)

Can anyone interpret the Quran with his own opinion?

To interpret the Quran with the mere opinion is Haram.As Abul Fida Imaduddin Ismail Ibn Umar Ibn Kathir Al –Qurashi Ad-Damashqi, known as Ibn Kathir described in in his Tafsir-

فأما تفسير القرأن بمجرد الرأى فحرام لما رواه ألأمام محمد إبن جرير رحمه الله تعالى حيث قال : حدثنا محمد بن بشار حدثنا يحيى بن سعيد حدثنا سفيان حدثنى عبد الاعلى هو إبن عامر الثعلبى عن سعيد إبن جبير عن إبن عباس عن النبى صلى الله                                                                    وسلم     قال :" من قال فى القران برأيه أو بما لا يعلم فليتبوأ مقعده من النار "وهكذا أخرجه الترمذى والنسائى من طرق عن سفيان الثورى به ورواه ابو داؤد عن مسدد عن أبى عوانة عن عبد الاعلى به مرفوعا وقال الترمزى هذا حديث حسن    

“But the interpretation of the Qur’an by mere opinion is Haram( Forbidden) because it was narrated by Imam Muhammad Ibn Jarir (Rah), where he said: Muhammad bin Bashshar told us, he said Yahya bin Sayeed told us, he said Sufyan told us, he said: Abdul Al-A’la told me, he is Ibn Aamer At -Tha’labi, described Hadith on the authority of Sayeed Ibn Jubair, on the authority of Ibn Abbas, (R.) from Nabi (Sm.), he said. "Whoever says about the Qur’an according to his opinion or what he does not know, let him make his abode in Jahannam." Likewise Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi and Al-Nisa’i through various chains of narration on the authority of Sufyan Al-Thawri, and Abu Dawood narrated it on the authority of Musaddad, on the authority of Abi Awana, on the authority of Abd Al-A’la with a chain of narration reached up to Nabi (Sm.), and Al-Tirmidhi said: This is a Hasan Hadith.”(Ref.5)

Why does one need to know Tafsir?

Badruddin Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Az-Zarakshi said in his book-

أن القران أنما أنزل بلسان عربى مبين فى زمن أفصح العرب وكانوا يعلمون ظواهره وأحكامه أما دقاْءق باطنه فأنما كان يظهر لهم بعد البحث والنظر مع سوالهم النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فى الاكثر كسوالهم لما نزل " ولم يلبسوا  إيمانهم بظلم "ففالوا أينا لم يظلم نفسه ففسره النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم بالشرك واستدل عليه بقوله تعالى "إن الشرك لظلم عظيم"   

“The Qur’an was revealed in a clear Arabic language at the time of the Arabs who knew the purest Arabic while they knew its outward meanings and its rules. But its secret meanings appear to them after research and observation deeply and in most cases they understand that with their question to the Prophet (Sm.), as their question was to Prophet (Sm.) when Ayat revealed -" ولم يلبسوا إيمانهم بظلم " “They do not mix up their Iman with  Zulm(Oppression)”. (Al- Anam -82) Then Sahaba-e-Keram (R.) said: among us who didn’t oppress himself? Nabi (Sm.) interpreted Ayat with Shirk. It means here Zulm means Shirk. (To make anything or being associated with Allah)  He (Sm.) presented evidence for it by Allah’s saying "إن الشرك لظلم عظيم"   “ Surely the Shirk is a great oppression ” ( Luqman -13)”. So, without Hadith, no one can understand the Quran properly”. (Ref-6)

References :( المراجع)

1. ألإتقان فى علوم القران, Page no- 32   فصل فى تحرير السور المختلف فيها, Author Jalaluddin As-Soyuti.

2. ألإتقان فى علوم القران, Page- no- فصل فى تحرير السور المختلف فيها - 37, Author Jalaluddin As-Soyuti.

3. ألتفسير والمفسرون   , Volume-1- -ألمبحث الأول, page12 -author-Dr.Muhammad Hussain Az-Zahabi .

4. Al-Burhan Fi Ulumil Qur'an, فصل فى علم التفسير, Volume-1, page-13, Author- Badruddin Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Az-Zarakshi

5. Tafsir Ibn Kathir , Named “Tafsirul Quranil Azeem” Volume-1, ألمقدمه , Page-11

6. Al-Burhan Fi Ulumil Qur'an, فصل فى علم التفسير, Volume-1, page-14 &15, Author- Badruddin Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Az-Zarakshi

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