Understanding the Quran: where to start with tafsir

The Quran speaks to beginners too

Many Muslims have recited surahs since childhood without really knowing what they say. Others, who are discovering Islam, open a translation and quickly feel lost. Yet the Quran presents itself as a Book made to be understood and pondered:

The word لِيَدَّبَّرُوا (li-yaddabbaru, “so that they may reflect”) comes from تدبّر (tadabbur): to think about the deeper meaning, to ask what a verse changes in one’s life. Elsewhere, the Quran repeats that Allah has made it easy for remembrance (surah al-Qamar, verse 17). No one is too much of a “beginner” to start.

The Prophet ﷺ also encouraged those who advance slowly:

Translation and tafsir: what is the difference?

The word تفسير (tafsir) comes from a verb meaning “to explain, to uncover.” Tafsir is the science that explains the meaning of the verses: the words, the context, the lessons and the rulings that follow from them.

A translation, for its part, cannot render all the richness of Arabic. That is why we speak of a “translation of the meaning”: the translator has already made choices of interpretation. In Tawakoul, we use the translation of Muhammad Hamidullah. Look at this verse from surah al-An‘am:

The translator added the word “association” in brackets. Why? Because the Prophet ﷺ explained it that way. When this verse was revealed, some Companions were worried: “Which of us has never wronged himself?” The Prophet ﷺ answered them that this was not what was meant, but rather association, as Luqman said to his son:

This account, reported by Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him), is found in al-Bukhari and Muslim. It shows in a single scene what tafsir is: a verse illuminated by another verse, with the explanation of the Prophet ﷺ.

Where does the explanation of the verses come from?

Scholars of tafsir rely, in order, on several sources:

1. The Quran by the Quran: a brief passage is often detailed elsewhere, as in the example above.
2. The sunna: the words and actions of the Prophet ﷺ, whose mission was to explain the Revelation.
3. The Companions: they lived the revelation and knew its circumstances. Ibn ‘Abbas and Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with them) are among the most cited.
4. The Arabic language: the meaning of words and expressions at the time of the revelation.

To these must be added the أسباب النزول asbab an-nuzul, the “circumstances of revelation.” The Quran was revealed in parts over some twenty years, often in connection with an event or a question asked. Knowing whether a surah is Meccan or Medinan, or on what occasion a passage came down, avoids many misreadings. Al-Wahidi devoted a famous book to this subject.

Which tafsirs to start with?

There is no need to begin with the great encyclopedias. Here are recognized works, often recommended to beginners:

• The tafsir of as-Sa‘di (Taysir al-Karim ar-Rahman): clear, focused on the general meaning and life lessons.
• The tafsir of Ibn Kathir: it explains the Quran by the Quran and by hadiths. It is generally read in an abridgement, more accessible than the original.
• At-Tafsir al-Muyassar, published by the King Fahd Complex in Medina: a few lines per verse, ideal for a first reading.

To go further, one can then discover older and vaster works, such as those of at-Tabari, a reference for the explanations of the first generations, or of al-Qurtubi, very rich on legal rulings.

A simple method to begin

Here is a realistic approach, a few minutes a day:

Studying with others is a particular grace. The Prophet ﷺ described what happens to those who gather around the Book:

And whoever passes on what he has learned receives one more honor:

As a family, you can read a short surah in the evening, then ask everyone: “What are you taking away from it?” Children will also find landmarks in the guide to learning the Quran.

Pitfalls to avoid

Cutting a verse off from what follows. This is the most frequent mistake. Read these two verses of surah al-Ma‘un:

Stopping at “Woe to those who pray” would give an absurd meaning: the reproach is aimed at those who neglect their prayer. Likewise, the beginning of a verse of surah an-Nisa’ says “do not approach the prayer,” but what follows specifies “while you are intoxicated” (verse 43).

Stopping at one word of the translation. A single word does not always cover the Arabic meaning; comparing two translations and reading a tafsir helps avoid misunderstandings.

Confusing clear verses and more difficult verses. The Quran itself indicates that it contains verses of evident meaning, which are its foundation, and others that lend themselves to several interpretations (surah Al ‘Imran, verse 7). The latter are understood in the light of the former, with the help of scholars.

Drawing legal rulings on your own. A ruling is built by gathering all the verses and hadiths on a subject. This is the work of scholars; for a personal question, turn to a qualified person.

Following explanations without a source. An interpretation that cites neither the Quran, nor a hadith, nor a recognized scholar deserves caution.

Going further

• Read and listen to the Quran with its translation: surah al-Fatiha.
• Pronounce well what you recite: Tajwid, first steps.
• Retain what you understand: Memorizing the Quran, a realistic method.
• The other source of explanation: Understanding a hadith.