What is the ruling of Tafseer in Shariah?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu `alaykumwa-rahmatullāhiwa-barakātuh.

The Science of Tafseer is from among the most important Islamic Sciences because it expounds and propounds the purport of the Qur’aan in accordance to the Shariah.

The great Exegete, Ibn Abbas (Radhiyallahu Anhu) says regarding the verse:

(He gives wisdom to whomsoever he wills)

Hikmah refers to “Knowledge of the Qur’aan, the abrogator and abrogated, the obsolete and allegorical, the preceded and anteceded, permissible and non-permissible.

Hadhrat Ibn Abbas (Radhiyallahu Anhu) says that Hikmah in the Qur’aan refers to the Tafseer of the Qur’aan.

There is consensus among the Ulema that Tafseer is Fardh – e - Kifaayah.

Allamah Jalaal al- Deena Al- Suyooti (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) says: “Tafseer is from among those Sciences which are Fardh – e – Kifaayah and the most honorable of the Three Sciences.”

And Allah knows best.

Ismail Desai,

Durban, South Africa

Takhassuss Fil Tafseer

Specialty in Tafseer and Qur’aanic Sciences

Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved

Mufti Ebrahim Desai

daruliftaa.net