Lesson 20

Exegesis of the Qur’an

Exegesis is to learn how to utter the

Qur’anic words, understand their meanings in the context of the verse structure, explain the meanings of the verses, and deduce the rulings and wisdom behind them.

As for “figurative interpretation”, it is the scholar’s opinion, through deduction, on obscure words and verses.

Methods of Exegesis

Methods of exegesis are:

• Explaining the Qur’an with the Qur’an

• Explaining the Qur’an with Hadith

• Explaining according to the opinion of those who have mastered linguistics, the sciences of the Qur’an, the fundamentals of fiqh (jurisprudence), and the methods of the previous interpreters.

Exegesis through Religious Texts

  Examples are the books of exegesis by At-Tabariyy, Ibn-Kathir, and As-Siyutiyy

Exegesis by Opinion

     

Among the scholars of exegesis by opinion are: Ar-Razi, Al-Baydawi, As-Siyutiyy, Az-Zamakhshariyy, Al-Qurtubi, Al-Alusi, An-Nasafiyy, Al-Khazin, and Ash-Shawkaniyy.

    Of the famous contemporary exegesis books are those by the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, Cairo, Muhammad Rasheed Rida, Sayyid Qutb, Abul-A`la Al-Mawdudi, `A’ishah `Abdur-Rahman, Al-Jaza’iriyy and As-Sabouniyy.

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The text of the Qur’an can never be translated into another language, i.e., to be used in worship or to deduce rulings therefrom.

However, the meanings of the Qur’an can be translated according to the

translator’s command of understanding and conveying the meaning.