Standing on the Tall Shoulders of Seyyed Hossein Nasr

Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times He has presented a beautiful commentary on the Quran that nicely covers all the traditional commentaries. Here is the list of the 41 traditional commentaries that he and his team have covered: AF Abu’l-Futuh Husayn Ibn Ali al-Razi (d. 525/1131), Rawh al-jinan wa ruh…

March 19, 2025

3–4 minutes

allah, hadith, history, islam, Quran

Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times

He has presented a beautiful commentary on the Quran that nicely covers all the traditional commentaries.

Here is the list of the 41 traditional commentaries that he and his team have covered:

AF Abu’l-Futuh Husayn Ibn Ali al-Razi (d. 525/1131), Rawh al-jinan wa ruh al-janan

Aj Ahmad ibn Ajibah (d.1224/1809), al-Bahr al-madid fi tafsir al-Qur’an al-majid

Al Shihab al-Din al-Alusi (d. 1270/1854), Ruh al-masani fi tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘azim wa’l-sab’ al-mathani

As Muhammad al-Tahir ibn ‘Ashur (d.1393/1973), al Tahir wa’l-tanwir

Bd Abd Allah ibn Umar ibn Muhammad al-Baydawi (d.685/1286), Anwar al-tanzil wa asrar al-ta’wil

Bg Al-Husayn ibn al-Farra al-Baghwawi (d.516/1122), Ma’alim al-tanzil

Bq Burhan al-Din Abu’l Hasan Ibrahim al-Biqa’i (d.885/1480), Nazm al-durar fi tandsub al-ayat wa’l-suwar

IA Qadi Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn al-‘Arabi (d.543/1148), Ahkam al-Qur’an

IH Isma’il Haqqi al-Burusawi (d. 1137/1725), Ruh al-bayan

IK ‘Imad al-DinAbu’l-Fida’ Isma’il ibn ‘Umar ibn Kathir (d.774/1373), Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘azim

Is Al-Raghib al-Isfahani (d.502/1108), Mufradat alfaz al-Qur’an

It Abu Muhammad ‘Abd al-Haqq ibn ‘Attiyah al-Andalusi (d.541/1147), al-Muharrar al-wajiz fi tafsir al-kitab al-‘aziz

JJ Jalal al-Din al-Mahalli (d.864/1459) and Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (911/1505), Tafsir al-Jalalayn

K ‘Abd al Razzaq al-Kashani (d.736/1336), Ta’wil al-Qur’an al-karim, known by many as Tafsir ibn ‘Arabi

Ka Muhammad Muhsin al-Fayd al-Kahsani (d.1091/1680), tafsir al-safi

Kl Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Juzayy al-Kalbi (d.741/1340), al-Tashil li- ‘ulum al-tanzil

M Abu Mansur Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Maturidi (d.333/944), Ta’wilat ahl al-sunnah

Mu Muqatil ibn Sulayman (d.150/767), Tafsir Muqatil ibn Sulayman

Mw ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al-Mawardi (d.450/1058), al-Nukat wa’l-‘uyun fi Tafsir al-Qur’an

My Rashid al-Din al-Maybudi (d.ca.520/1126), Kashf al-asrar wa ‘uddat al-abrar

N ‘Abd Allah ibn Ahmad al-Nasafi (d.710/1310), Madarik al-tanzil wa haqa’iq al-ta’wil

Q Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Qurtubi 9d671/1272), al Jami li-ahkam al-Qur’an

Qm ‘Ali ibn Irahim al-Qummi (d. 328/939), Tafsir al-Qur’an

Qu Abu’l Qasim al-Qushayri (d. 465/1072), Lata’if al-isharat

R Fakr al-Din al-Razi (d.606/1201), al Tafsir al-kabir, also known as Muftih al-ghayb

Rb Ruzbihan al-Baqli al-Shirazi (d.606/1209), Ara’is al-bayan fi haqa’iq al-Qur’an

Sa Nasr ibn Muhammad al-Samarqandi (d.373/983), Bahr ul-‘ulum

Sh Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Shawkani (d.1250-55/1834-39), Fath al-qadir

ST Sahl ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Tustari (d. 283/896), Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim

Su ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami (d.412/1021), Haqa’iq al-tafsir

Sy Jalal al-Din al–Suyuti (d.911/1505), al-Durr al-manthur fi tafsir al-ma’thur

T Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (d.310/923), Jami’ al-bayan ‘an ta’wil ay al–Qur’an

Tb Muhammad Hysayn Tabataba’i (d.1401/1981), al-Mizan fi tafsir al-Qur’an

Th Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Tha’labi (d.427/1035), al-Kashf wa’l-bayan ‘an tafsir al-Qur’an

Ts Abu ‘Ali al-Fadl ibn al-Hasan al-Tabrisi (or al-Tabarsi; d. 548/1153-54), Majma’ al-bayan fi tafsir al-Qur’an

Tu Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Tusi (d.460/1067), al-Tibyan fi tafsir al-Qur’an

W abu’l Hasan ‘Ali ibn Ahmad al-Wahidi (d. 468/1076), Asbab nuzul al-Qur’an

Z Abu’l Qasim Mahmud ibn Umar al-Zamakhshari (d. 538/1144), al-Kashshaf an ghawamid haqa’iq al-tanzil wa ‘uyun al-aqawil fi wujuh al-ta’wil

The second fantastic quality of his commentary is that he collected a team from different sects, so his commentary does not have a sectarian bent but a universal quality—a non-sectarian Islam if you will. It is possibly Islam, as the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be on him, gave to the world before the differences crept in.

I feel privileged that he has nicely covered the traditional materials so I can stand on his tall shoulders and begin to understand the Glorious Quran in the modern scientific light and present that in our website. To that end we have presented dozens of articles as you can see on the Homepage and in the top menu of the website:

Now, without further ado, let me present below the PDF file of the wonderful commentary he has compiled with his team of editors. It has a collection of more than a dozen excellent articles about the Quran from different authors at the end as well:

The Study Quran