A Brief Introduction to Qur'anic Exegesis

Generating precise comprehension of the Quran and the true meaning of its verses is arguably the essence of the most important of the Islamic sciences: Qur'anic exegesis or tafseer. Since the passing of the Prophet many scholars have worked hard to bring a proper understanding of the meaning of the Qur'an to Muslims, and indeed to the world at large, as fully as possible, in an attempt to widen knowledge of the guidance contained therein, and how to live life in accordance with its principles. The result has been a wealth of historical Muslim literature on the subject which has come to be known as Ulum al-Tafseer or the sciences of tafseer, a systematic exegesis of the Qur'an following several methodologies. This work traces the evolution of Qur'anic exegesis, from the time of the Prophet, the Companions, the Successors, the early mufassirun (exegetes) with independent tafseer works, to the present day. In doing so, it addresses some major issues including to what extent has tafs