There are conditions which a Mufassir, i.e. the commentator of the Holy Qur’an must meet before embarking on the study. Since the Holy Qur’an itself is a compendium of knowledge, its interpreter must also possess some qualities and qualifications so that he does not mislead the Muslims. The one who undertakes to comment on the Holy Qur’an must first and foremost be well versed in the holy book. In other words, he himself must have mastered the Holy Qur’an as a book of guidance for the Muslims.
A Mufassir must be well grounded in the knowledge of Arabic and its rules as a language. Since the Holy Qur’an was revealed and written in Arabic, the person to comment or explain it must be well versed in the language. Although Qur’an has been translated into various languages of the world, the translation cannot be adequate representation of the original source – Arabic. Thus, one basic quality of a Mufassir is the working knowledge of Arabic language.
In addition, a Mufassir must be well grounded in other sciences associated with the study of the Holy Qur’an such as ‘ilm ar-riwaya’. This is the practice of using Qur’an to interprete the Qur’an. One can only do this if he has a wide understanding of the Qur’an. In doing so, a Mufassir should avoid the use of mere opinion in the interpretation of the Qur’an.
A Mufassir must have solid comprehension ability. An absent-minded person cannot be a good Mufassir. In doing so, he should refer to the reports of the Sahaba (companions of the prophet) as well as the generations after them (i.e. the tabi’un). A Mufassir must consult the opinions of other eminent scholars on tafsir who had written in the past. The hallmark of the duty of a Mufassir is that he must read and consult wide before making any major pronouncements on issues of Islam (Fatwa) which are the results of the interpretations of the Qur’an.
For example, while the Qur’anic injunctions on the observance of daily prayers is clear, the tafsir on the issue of family planning or reproductive issues in Islam may demand wide consultations of other Mufassir. The same goes for the issue of inheritance of a deceased with estates across various continents and many currencies
A Mufassir must be well grounded in the knowledge of Arabic and its rules as a language. Since the Holy Qur’an was revealed and written in Arabic, the person to comment or explain it must be well versed in the language. Although Qur’an has been translated into various languages of the world, the translation cannot be adequate representation of the original source – Arabic. Thus, one basic quality of a Mufassir is the working knowledge of Arabic language.
In addition, a Mufassir must be well grounded in other sciences associated with the study of the Holy Qur’an such as ‘ilm ar-riwaya’. This is the practice of using Qur’an to interprete the Qur’an. One can only do this if he has a wide understanding of the Qur’an. In doing so, a Mufassir should avoid the use of mere opinion in the interpretation of the Qur’an.
A Mufassir must have solid comprehension ability. An absent-minded person cannot be a good Mufassir. In doing so, he should refer to the reports of the Sahaba (companions of the prophet) as well as the generations after them (i.e. the tabi’un). A Mufassir must consult the opinions of other eminent scholars on tafsir who had written in the past. The hallmark of the duty of a Mufassir is that he must read and consult wide before making any major pronouncements on issues of Islam (Fatwa) which are the results of the interpretations of the Qur’an.
For example, while the Qur’anic injunctions on the observance of daily prayers is clear, the tafsir on the issue of family planning or reproductive issues in Islam may demand wide consultations of other Mufassir. The same goes for the issue of inheritance of a deceased with estates across various continents and many currencies