Tafsir: In the Light of the Holy Qur’An and Sunnah

Abstract

This paper explains what is tafsir and shows that It is evident that the Holy Qur’an is an exhaustive book containing all principles and basic realities and truths. These usul/اُصُوۡل and kulliyyat/ کُلِّیَّات have been stated in the Holy Qur’an with much brevity. To make these usul/اصول and kulliyyat/ کلیات there is much need of tashrih/تشریح, taudih/توضیح and 'tafsir/تفسیر”. It was this requirement that the Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ و آ لہ وسلم) himself explained the kulliyyat and had he (صلی اللہ علیہ و آ لہ وسلم) not explained the difficult words the people could not have comprehend their meanings. Hence it is rational that difficult words be explained wherever the need is felt and this is the function of a competent and pious Mufassir.