The Qur'an is the greatest miracle for mankind, yet how many of us truly understand its beautiful message and the sciences that surround it?
This book is one of many written on this topic. In it, the renowned author Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah outlines the principles employed by the scholars in understanding the verses of the Qur'an. What makes this book unique is that it is combined with Shaykh Ibn Al-'Uthaymeen's detailed explanation of the original text — so the reader benefits from both the original work and its explanation, in an easy-to-follow, accessible format.
Why Tafsir Needs Principles at All
Because without them, interpretation becomes whatever the reader wants it to be. Every group that has departed from the sound understanding of the Qur'an has done so, at some point, by interpreting a verse without regard for how meaning is properly established — by the Qur'an itself, then by authentic Sunnah, then by the understanding of the Companions.
Ibn Taymiyyah's treatise sets out that hierarchy of sources explicitly, which is what makes it foundational rather than merely useful.
About the Author
Shaykh al-Islam Ahmad ibn Abdul-Halim ibn Taymiyyah came from a scholarly family and was born in Harran in the year 661 AH. He and his family later fled to Damascus due to the Tartar occupation.
From a young age, Ibn Taymiyyah excelled in his studies and was especially noted for his memory, intelligence and understanding. He mastered the various sciences of Islam, began to give religious rulings at the age of 19, and first started teaching at 22. His life was distinguished by his jihad against the Tartars and his struggle against the people of innovation, which led to many imprisonments — the last of which lasted until his death in 728 AH.
Who It Is For
Students of tafsir, and any Muslim who wants to understand not just what a verse means but how that meaning is properly established.
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