The following is a list of tafsir works. Tafsir is a body of commentary and explication, aimed at explaining the meanings of the Quran, the central religious text of Islam. Tafsir can broadly be categorized by its affiliated Islamic schools and branches and the era it was published, classic or modern.
According to American scholar Samuel Ross, there are 2,700 Quran commentaries extant in manuscript form, and 300 commentaries have been published. Considering that around 96% of the Arabic-language manuscripts remain unstudied, Ross argues that "by extrapolation there may be thousands of additional commentaries still waiting to be discovered."Samuel J. Ross, "What Were the Most Popular tafsīrs in Islamic History? Part 1: An Assessment of the Manuscript Record and the State of tafsīr Studies", Journal of Qur'anic Studies, Volume 25 Issue 3, Page 1-54, ISSN 1465-3591
Early tafsir
Arabic Tanwir al-Miqbas (Tafsir Ibn Abbas) attributed to Abd Allah ibn Abbas (d. 68/687) although there is a dispute about its authenticity (as stated by Islamic Scholars) Tafsir al-Kabir (The Great Interpretation) by Muqatil ibn Sulayman (80-150AH). The first full tafsir attributed to Muqatil ibn Sulayman ibn Bashiral-Balkhi. Tafsir Ibn Jurayj by Ibn Jurayj (80-150 AH). Published for the first time in 2019, after a partial manuscript of the work was identified. Tafsir Saʿīd ibn Bashīr al-Shāmī al-Dimashqī (?-168AH). An excerpt of two and a half folio of his Tafsir was found in 2020. Ma’ani al-Qur’an (The Meaning of The Qur’an) by Abu Zakaria al-Farra (207AH). Tafsir Sufyan al-Thawri by Sufyan al-Thawri (161 AH/778 CE)
English Original work
"The Message of the Qur’ān" by Muhammad Asad (Leopold Weis) 1940. "The Meaning of the Glorious Quran" by Marmaduke Pickthall 1929 "The Koran: Commonly Called the Alkoran of Mohammed-with large commentary, by George Sale. "Quran to English" by Arab born American Talal Itani.
Translation
Tafsir Ibn 'Abbas: Great Commentaries of the Holy Qur'an translated by Mokrane Guezzou. Fons Vitae, Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought. "The Meaning of the Glorious Quran" by Marmaduke Pickthall 1929 "The Koran: Commonly Called the Alkoran of Mohammed, by George Sale
Sunni
Arabic "Tafsir al-Tabari" by at-Tabari, a very popular tafsir, along with those of Qurtubi, Baghawi, Sa'di, ibn Kathir, and al-Jalalayn.
"tafseer al- - Qurtubi, by al Qurtubi.
"tafseer e saadi تفسير السعدي : تيسير الكريم الرحمن في تفسير القرآن" by al-Sa'adi . "Tafseer al-Tha'labi" by al-Tha'labi. Tafsir Muqatel by Muqatil ibn Sulayman (80-150AH). The first full tafsir attributed to Muqatil ibn Sulayman ibn Bashir al-Balkhi.
"Tafseer Ibn Ashur/Tafsir al-Tahrir wa'l-Tanwir/Liberation and enlightenment تفسير التحرير والتنوير" by Muhammad ibn Ashur An-Nukat wa al-'Uyun by Al-Mawardi (d. 450/1058) — the author was an Islamic jurist of the Shafi'i school. Al-Muharrar al-Wajiz (The Concise Record), commonly known as Tafsir ibn 'Atiyyah after its author, Ibn Atiyyah (d. 541 or 546AH), a Maliki judge from al-Andalus. This Quranic commentary is popular in North Africa. Zad al-Masir Fi Ilm al-Tafsir by the Hanbali Ash'ari polymath Abu'l-Faraj ibn al-Jawzi (d. 597AH). Mafatih al-Ghayb (The Keys to Unseen) by Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (1149—1209 CE/606 AH) also known as Tafsir al-Kabir (The Great Exegesis) Tafsir al-Qur’an Al-'Azim by Izz al-Din ibn 'Abd al-Salam Anwar al-Tanzil wa Asrar al-Ta'wil by Al-Baydawi (d. 685 AH/1286 CE), also famous as Tafsir al-Baydawi — a shortened version of Al-Kashshaf, with Mu’tazili references altered; printed in two volumes. In Turkey it is often published with marginal notes by a Turkish scholar called 'al-Qunawi' in seven volumes. Madarik al-Tanzil wa Haqa'iq al-Ta'wil by Abu al-Barakat al-Nasafi (d. 710) Tafsir ibn Kathir (Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim) by Ibn Kathir (1301—1373 CE/ 774 AH). A summary of the earlier interpretation by al-Tabari. Available online. It has been summarized as Mukhtasar Tafsir Ibn Kathir in 3 volumes by Muhammad 'Ali As-Sabuni. Lubab al-Ta'wil Fi Ma'ani at-Tanzil by Ala al-Din al-Khazin (d. 741), which is an abridgement of Ma’alimal-Tanzil by Hasan been Mas’ud al-Baghawi. Futuhal-Ghawyb Fi Kashfi 'an Qina'i-r-Rawyb (Sharh 'ala Al-Kashshaf) by Shaeawfal-Din al-Husain Ibn 'Abdullahi-tt-Twibi (743 AH) Al-Bahr al-Muhit by Abu Hayyan al-Gharnati (d. 745 AH/1344 CE) is a linguistic commentary on the Qur’an primarily from the standpoint of Arabic grammar and rhetoric. Bada'i' al-Tafsir and At-Tibbyanu Fi Aymani al-Qur'an by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya (d. 751 AH/1350 CE) At-Tahsil li-'Ulumi al-Tanzil by Ibn Juzayy (758 AH/1357 CE) Tafsir al-Khazin by Ala al-Din al-Khazin Nazm al-Durar fi Tanasub al-Ayi wa al-Suwar (Tafsir al-Biqa'i) by Burhanuddin Ibrahim bin Umar al-Biqa'i Jalaluddin al-Suyuti completed: Fath al-Rahman Fi Tafsir al-Qur'an by Mujir al-Din (d. 927 AH) - the exegete was a Palestinian judge, historian and Hanbali jurist from Jerusalem. Not to be confused with the Persian translation and commentary written by the Muhaddith Shah Waliullah Dehlawi. Irshad al-'Aql as-Salim ila Mazaya al-Qur’an al-Karim by Ebussuud Efendi (d.951 AH/1505 CE). Also known as Tafsir Abi Sa’ud. Al-Sirawju al-Munir by Al-Khatib al-Shirbini . Anwar al-Qur'an wa Asrar al-Furqan by Ali al-Qari, 1004AH, 5 Volumes, published by Daral-Kutub Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon. Al-Wahidi's three exegetical works: Tafsir al-Wajiz (2 Volumes), Tafsir al-Wasit (4 Volumes), Tafsir al-Basit (25 Volumes) Legal Tafsir Ahkam al-Qur’an ('The Commands of the Quran') by Al-Jaṣṣās (d. 370 AH/981 CE). Based on the legal rulings of the Hanafi school of Islamic law. This was published in three volumes and remains popular amongst the Hanafis of India, the Middle East and Turkey. Ahkam al-Qur’an ('The Commands of the Quran') by Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi (d.543 AH/1148 CE). The author is also known as 'Qadi ibn al-Arabi' (ibn Arabi, the judge) to distinguish him from the famous Sufi Ibn Arabi. He was a jurist from Andalusia (Muslim Spain) His interpretation has been published in three volumes and contains commentary on the legal rulings of the Quran according to the Maliki school. Al-Jami' li-Ahkam al-Qur’an ('The collection of Qur’anic Injunctions') by Al-Qurtubi (1214—1273 CE/671 AH), the famous Maliki Ash'ari jurist of Cordoba, in Andalusia. This 10-volume tafsir is a commentary on the Qur’anic verses dealing with legal issues. Although the author was a Maliki, he also presents the legal opinions of other major schools of Islamic jurisprudence; thus it is popular with jurists from all of the schools of Islamic law. One volume of this tafsir has been translated into English by Aisha Bewley. Available online. Nukat al-Qur’an al-Dallah ala al-Bayan by Al-Qassab (d. 360AH/970CE)Ahmad Al-Saiid Zaki Hemeidah, Repentance as a Legal Concept, pg. 26. Master's thesis for the University of Arizona's Department of Near Eastern Studies, 2011.Hussein Abdul-Raof, Theological Approaches to Qur’anic Exegesis: A Practical Comparative-Contrastive Analysis, pg. 282. Abingdon-on-Thames: Routledge, 2012. a commentary primarily from the viewpoint of applied Islamic law.
Partial and Unfinished Tafsir Ma'ani Al-Qur'an al-Karim (unfinished) by Abu Jaʿfar an-Nahhas (d. 338 AH/949 CE) - It contains tafsir from Surah Al-Fatihah to Surah Al-Fath. It has been edited and annotated by Muhammad 'Ali As-Sabina. Al-Bustanu Fi I'rawbi Mushkilati al-Qur'an (unfinished) by Ahmad Ibn Ahnaf Abi Bakr Al-Yamani Ibn 'Umar Al-Hanbali (717 AH). Rawa'i' al-Tafsir by Ibn Rajab (795 AH) Tafsir Ibn 'Arawfah (unfinished) by Ibn Arafa (d. 800/803 AH/ 1400 CE) Tafsir Ibn Kamal Basha (unfinished) by Ibn Kemal (d. 940 AH/1536 CE) At-Tafsirat al-Ahmadiyyah Fi Bayani al-ayati-sh-Shar'iyyah by Mulla Ahmad Jiwan (d. 1130 AH / 1718 CE). This is the Hanafi tafsir of only those ayat which are concerned with matters of Fiqh. Mushkilat al-Qur’an by Anwar Shah Kashmiri, edited with references and one of the introductions by Ahmad Bijnuri, and another introduction by the author's favourite student Muhammad Yusuf Banori. The book predominantly in Arabic but passages in Persian also appear throughout the work. The main objective for undertaking to write this work was to interpret only those verses of the Quran which are generally considered to be difficult to understand. A special feature of this particular work is that the author has, in addition, set aside 190 verses that, in his opinion, required further discussion and repeated consideration. Published posthumously in Maligaon, Surat, Gujarat, India, by Majlis al-'Ilmi in 1974.
Modern Hashiyah ala Tafsir al-Qadi al-Baydawi by Ibn 'Abidin (d. 1252 AH/1836 CE) Tafsir Ash-Sharawi by Muhammad Metwali Alsharawi (1911—1998), a famous Egyptian scholar. Al-tafsir al-waset by Muhammad Tantawy (28 October 1928 — 10 March 2010), Grand Imam of Al-Azhar al-Tafsīr al-Bayānī Iil-Qurʾān al-Karīm by Aisha Abd al-Rahman (1913 – 1998), first work written by a woman. Fi Zilal al-Quran ('In the Shade of the Quran') by Sayyid Qutb (1906—1966) Muhammad Ali al-Sabuni completed: Safwat al-Tafasir At-Tafsir al-Wadwih al-Muyassar Rawa'i' al-Bayan Tafsir ayati al-Ahkam mina al-Qur'an Minhat Al-Jalil Fi Bayan ma Fi Ma’alimal-Tanzil by Aziz-ul-Rahman Usmani (d. 1928) Tafsir al-Qur'an bi-Kalamal-Rahman by Sanaullah Amritsari Ruh al-Ma'ani (The Spirit of Meanings on the Exegesis of the Sublime Qur’an) by Mahmud al-Alusi (d.1270 AH/1854 CE) Mawahib al-Rahman Fi Tafsir al-Qur'an by Abdul Karim Mudarris (1980 CE) - the mufti of Iraq and a Shafi'i jurist Al-Anwaral-Muttaqin (Asayyid al-Tafasir) - This is the combination of five Tafsirs by six Ash'ari scholars Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, Shams/Shahabal-din AhmadIbn Khawlil Al-Khauli/Khau'i Ad-Dimashqi/Najjmal-Din Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Abal-Hazm Al-Makhzumi Al-Qawmuli Al-Missri, Al-Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Ebussuud Efendi, and Mahmud al-Alusi, edited by Anwar Shah Kashmiri, Muhammad Yusuf Banori, and Taqi Usmani Aysar al-Tafasir li Kalami al-'Aliyyi al-Kabir by Abu Bakr al-Jazaeri al-Iklil ʻala Madarik al-tanzil wa-ḥaqaʼiq al-taʼwil lil-Imam al-Nasafi by Muhammad Abdul Haq bin Shah al-Hindi al-Hanafi (d. 1915 AD) - A commentary of An-Nasafi's Tafsir, with elements ofTafsir al-Baydawi by al-Baydawi and Tafsir Al-Kashshaf by Al-Zamakhshari, which is famous for its linguistic analysis, some of which al-Baydawi and then an-Nasafi amended and some omitted. Nahw tafsir mawdu`i li-suwar al-Qur'an al-Karim by Muhammad al-Ghazali Tafsir Al-Nabulsi by Mohammed Rateb al-Nabulsi Al-Mo'jamul Mufahras Li Alfadh Al-Qur'an Al-Kareem by Mohammad Fuad Abdul Baqi al-Tafsir al-Bayan lil Quran al-Karim by Aisha Abd al-Rahman Nazarat fi Kitab Allah by Zaynab al-Ghazali Al-Mubasir al-Nur al-Quran by Nayla Hashem Sabri Taysir al-Tafsir by Fawkiya Ibrahim al-Shirbini
Persian Translations Tafsir-e-Tabari: a 10th-century translation of the Tafsir al-Tabari in Persian. Tafsir-e-Nasafi: an 11th-century translation and tafsir by Abu Hafs Umar an-Nasafi.
Original Mawaheb-e-'Aliyya (Tafsir al-Husaini): by Husayn Kashifi Mushkilat al-Qur’an by Anwar Shah Kashmiri, edited with references and one of the introductions by Ahmad Bijnuri, and another introduction by the author's favourite student Muhammad Yusuf Banori. This partial commentary is predominantly in Arabic but passages in the Persian language also appears throughout the work. The main objective for undertaking to write this work was to interpret only those verses of the Holy Quran which are generally considered to be difficult to understand. A special feature of this particular work is that the author has, in addition, set aside 190 verses that, in his opinion, required further discussion and repeated consideration. Published posthumously in Maligaon, Surat, Gujarat, India, by Majlis al-'Ilmi in 1974.
Urdu Original