Al-Tafsir wa al-Mufassirun (3 Volume Set) التفسير والمفسرون 1/3

About the Author: Dr. Fadl Hasan Abbas

Dr. Fadl Hasan Abbas was one of the foremost contemporary Palestinian-Jordanian scholars of Quranic sciences, Arabic linguistics, and rhetoric (balaghah). A distinguished professor at the University of Jordan and Yarmouk University, he was widely recognized throughout the Muslim world for his expertise in Tafsir, Quranic eloquence, and the linguistic miracle (i'jaz) of the Quran. His writings combine deep respect for the classical tradition with rigorous contemporary scholarship, making them standard references in universities and advanced Islamic studies.

About the Book

This comprehensive three-volume encyclopedia is one of the most important modern studies of Quranic exegesis (Tafsir). Expanding upon the pioneering work of earlier scholars such as Dr. Muhammad Husayn al-Dhahabi in Al-Tafsir wa al-Mufassirun, Dr. Fadl Hasan Abbas offers a broader, more critical, and up-to-date examination of the history, principles, methodologies, and contemporary developments of Tafsir.

Beginning with the Prophetic era, the work traces the evolution of Quranic interpretation through the contributions of the Sahabah, particularly Ibn 'Abbas, the Tabi'un, and the classical period of compilation. It explains the qualifications and methodological principles required of a mufassir and explores the development of the major schools of exegesis throughout Islamic history.

The work provides a detailed study of the principal approaches to Tafsir, including transmitted exegesis (al-Tafsir bi al-Ma'thur), reasoned exegesis (al-Tafsir bi al-Ra'y), linguistic, rhetorical, legal, theological, thematic, scientific, educational, social, and reform-oriented interpretations of the Quran. Throughout, Dr. Abbas evaluates each methodology with scholarly balance, highlighting both its strengths and its limitations.

One of the distinguishing features of this encyclopedia is its extensive critical review of the methodologies and contributions of the leading classical and modern exegetes. Among those examined are Muhammad 'Abduh, Rashid Rida, 'Abd al-Qadir al-Maghribi, Mustafa al-Maraghi, Mahmud Shaltut, 'Abd al-Jalil 'Isa, Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi, Sayyid Qutb, Muhammad Farid Wajdi, Hasanayn Makhluf, 'Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Sa'di, Jamal al-Din al-Qasimi, Muhammad al-Tahir Ibn 'Ashur, Muhammad al-Amin al-Shanqiti, Abu al-A'la Mawdudi, Sa'id Hawwa, Muhammad 'Izzat Darwazah, 'Abd al-Qadir Mulla Huwaysh, 'Abd al-Karim al-Khatib, Muhammad Abu Zahrah, Wahbah al-Zuhayli, 'Abd al-Hamid Ibn Badis, Hasan al-Banna, Muhammad al-Khidr Husayn, Ibrahim al-Jabali, Badi' al-Zaman Said Nursi, Mahmud al-Sawwaf, Muhammad Mutawalli al-Sha'rawi, 'Abd al-Hamid Kishk, Hasan Janka, and many others.

The encyclopedia also includes comparative discussions of major Shi'i exegetes, most notably Muhammad Husayn al-Tabataba'i and Muhammad Husayn Fadlallah, enabling readers to appreciate the diversity of modern Quranic interpretation while remaining firmly grounded in the Sunni scholarly tradition.

Combining classical scholarship with contemporary academic rigor, this three-volume work serves as both a university textbook and an indispensable reference for graduate students, researchers, teachers, and serious students of Quranic studies. Its comprehensive treatment of the history, principles, methodologies, and major exegetical works makes it one of the most valuable modern references on Tafsir in the Arabic language.