The word tafseer (also written tafsir) comes from the Arabic root f-s-r, meaning to uncover or make clear. In the Quranic sciences it refers to the discipline of explaining the Book of Allah. A translation tells you roughly what the words say. Tafseer tells you what they mean.

Why tafseer is needed

The Quran was revealed over twenty-three years, in response to real events, in a rich classical Arabic. Many verses are clear on their own. Others need context: who was being addressed, what had just happened, how the Prophet ﷺ explained it. Allah describes the Prophet's role this way: وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ, "We sent down the Reminder to you so that you may make clear to people what was sent down to them" (an-Nahl 16:44). Tafseer continues that work of making clear.

The sources of tafseer

Scholars rank the sources in this order:

1. The Quran explaining itself. A verse in one place is often explained by another. For example, "the friends of Allah" in Yunus 10:62 are described in the next verse as "those who believed and were mindful of Him".
2. The Sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ explained many verses directly, in word and practice. The details of salah, for instance, come from his example.
3. The Companions. They witnessed the revelation and knew its context. Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn Mas'ud and Ubayy ibn Ka'b are among the most cited.
4. The Successors (Tabi'un). The students of the Companions, such as Mujahid, Qatadah and Sa'id ibn Jubayr.
5. The Arabic language. Vocabulary, grammar and rhetoric as the Arabs used them at the time of revelation.

The two main approaches

Tafseer bil-ma'thur (by narration)

This explains the Quran mainly through the transmitted sources above: Quran, Sunnah and the reports of the early generations. Jami' al-Bayan by Imam at-Tabari and Tafsir al-Qur'an al-'Azim by Ibn Kathir are classic examples.

Tafseer bir-ra'y (by scholarly reasoning)

This uses informed reasoning grounded in the transmitted sources, the Arabic language and the principles of Islamic law. Scholars distinguish between praiseworthy reasoning, done by qualified scholars within these limits, and blameworthy opinion, which interprets the Quran without knowledge. Works such as al-Qurtubi's al-Jami' li-Ahkam al-Qur'an, which focuses on legal rulings, fall in the first category.

Other kinds of tafseer you may hear about

• Legal tafseer focuses on verses of rulings (ayat al-ahkam).
• Linguistic tafseer focuses on grammar and eloquence, like az-Zamakhshari's work on rhetoric.
• Thematic tafseer gathers all verses on a single topic, such as patience or the stories of the prophets.
• Short or simplified tafseer, like Tafsir al-Jalalayn or modern abridged works, aimed at general readers.

Who is qualified to give tafseer?

Classical scholars list requirements for a mufassir, including strong Arabic, knowledge of hadith, the principles of jurisprudence, the reasons for revelation, abrogation, and the qira'at, alongside sound belief and good character. This is not gatekeeping for its own sake. The Companions themselves were cautious; Abu Bakr is reported to have said he would not want to say something about the Book of Allah that he did not know.

For a learner, this means two things. You can and should read reliable tafseer and reflect on it. But for explaining verses to others, or drawing rulings, rely on established scholarship rather than personal impressions.

Famous books of tafseer

How to start studying tafseer

• Begin with the short surahs you recite in prayer. Our guides to al-Fatiha, al-Ikhlas and Ayat al-Kursi are a good start.
• Use a translation and one trusted short tafseer side by side. See how the two differ.
• Study with a teacher who can answer questions and keep you anchored to established understanding.

Our one-on-one Tafseer course is taught by Hafiz Muhammad Ashar and Hafiz Qurban Raza, and goes surah by surah at your pace. If you want to know why it is worth the effort, read the benefits of studying tafseer.