Tafsir Al-Qur’an: A Complete English Translation of Classical Qur’anic Commentaries

The Tafsir Al-Qur’an presents a simple, but complete English translation of the major classical commentaries on the Qur’an. These tafsir works are foundational to Islamic scholarship, each offering a distinct methodology and historical perspective:

Tafsir al-Tabari (923 CE) – One of the earliest and most comprehensive tafsirs, authored by Imam al-Tabari. Based on tafsir bi’l-ma’thur (interpretation through transmitted reports) and includes extensive narrations from the Prophet (pbuh), the Sahabah, and early scholars.
Tafsir al-Baghawi (1122 CE) – Known for its conciseness and reliance on authentic hadith and narrations. Widely used in Sunni circles as a balanced and straightforward commentary.
Tafsir al-Qurtubi (1273 CE) – Focuses on fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and legal interpretations. Essential for scholars studying Qur’anic law.
Tafsir al-Baidawi (1286 CE) – A concise and refined commentary with valuable linguistic analysis and summarization of earlier tafsirs like al-Zamakhshari’s.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (1372 CE) – Emphasizes tafsir bi’l-ma’thur and use of hadith and narrations from the Sahabah. One of the most widely read tafsirs today.
Tafsir al-Jalalayn (1505 CE) – Brief yet highly regarded, written by Jalal al-Din al-Mahalli and completed by Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti. A widely studied introductory tafsir.
Tafsir al-Suyuti (1505 CE) – A rich source of tafsir bi’l-ma’thur, incorporating extensive hadith and historical reports.
Fath al-Qadir (1834 CE) – Written by Imam al-Shawkani, combines narrative-based and rational analysis with legal insights. A comprehensive and independent work.

This book is an essential resource for students, researchers, and general readers seeking a comprehensive understanding of the Qur’an through classical scholarship. As part of a 34-volume complete translation, it aims to make these monumental commentaries accessible to English readers for the first time.

Our research at Al Sadiqin required a tafsir translation allowing easy searching, comparison between similar ahadith, and reference to the original Arabic for non-fluent readers. This publication meets that need.

The online format allows easy copy-paste of ahadith for research. The printed version supports locating original Arabic references without needing fluency.

Portions were translated using AI and post-edited. While accuracy was prioritized, minor errors may exist. Please email tafsir@alsadiqin.org with corrections or suggestions.

The latest version of the book can be downloaded at http://alsadiqin.org/tafsir.

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License

This work is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL), Version 1.3 or later. Permission is granted to copy, distribute, and modify this document under the terms of the GFDL, provided the following information is included in any derivative works:

# Tafsir Al-Qur’an: A Complete English Translation of 
# Classical Qur’anic Commentaries (Version 0.2)
# Copyright (C) 2025 Al Sadiqin Institute and Ben Abrahamson (abrahamson@alsadiqin.org)
# License: GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL), Version 1.3 or later
#
# This tafsir provides an English translation of classical tafsir (commentaries) 
# on the Holy Qur'an, allowing easy searching, comparison between similar ahadith, 
# and immediate reference to the original Arabic text for those not fluent in Arabic.
#
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I offer dua that this work, and all the publications of Al Sadiqin Press, may increase iman in the world.

Sincerely
Ben Abrahamson