1. In The Prophet Muhammad and His Companions
Era
It
is no doubt that tafsīr has gone
through many phases so that it incarnates
in various essays that can be encountered today, whether printed or
which is
still in the form of
manuscript. Tafsīr has actually grown
at the time
of Prophet. It
became the first
explanation for the book
of God to
men what has
been handed to
him. As for the
Companions of the Prophet, they did not dare to interpret of al-Qur'an as the
Prophet was still
in the midst
of them. It was he
who bore the great burden and communicates
truthfully. When the Prophet invoked Allah to face to Him, then none of the
friends who know the book of Allah and
its secrets and
who receive guidance
of the Prophet
more than they do,
such are to
explain what they
know and explain
what they understand.[1]
Among companions,
there are ten people
who are well-known as
commentators, they are
four of Khulafā
al-Rāshidīn, Ibn Mas’ūd, Ibn
‘Abbās, Ubayy bin
Ka'b, Zaid bin
Thābit, Abu Mūsā
al-Ash'arī, and Abdullah bin Zubair.[2]
In essence,
the Prophet understood
al-Qur'an globally and in
detail when he
gave assurance to
him to be
able to memorize
and explain al-Qur'an:
إِنَّ عَلَيْناَ جَمْعَهُ وَ قُرْآنَهُ فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَاهُ فَاتَّبِعْ قُرْآنَهُ
Verily,
We are going to collect (in chest) and read it. When we have finished
reading it to
read it then
follow. (Al-Qiyāmah: 17-18).[3]
The companions
of the Prophet
Muhammad understood al-Qur'an globally. Meanwhile explaining
al-Qur'an in detail and find out which small of them, it is not an easy thing
for them moreover merely knowing
the language of
al-Qur'an.
However, they must
do the research and understanding
and returning it to the Prophet Muhammad for
something that is
difficult to understand.
That is because
in al-Qur'an there
are mujmal pronunciation, mutashābih
and others where necessary to know other things that
become a point of reference.
The Interpretation in
the time of
the Prophet era
and his companions has the
following privileges:[4]
a. Al-Qur'an has
not been interpreted as a whole,
but such are only a partial understanding
that is still
a mystery. This
mystery always increases with
time away from
the life of
the Prophet and Companions. Therefore, the tafsīr
is always evolving
as it follows the increase of this mystery to
interpret the verses of al-Qur'an as a whole.
b. The lack of dispute between them in
understanding the meanings of al-Qur'an.
c. They are more often considered sufficient
with global meaning and do not force
theirself with understanding
the word of
God for example wa fākihatan wa
abban they simply understand that it is a blessing of God given to His
servants.
d. For
an explanation of
the etymology meaning
they want to understand, they
simply use the
shortest pronunciation. For example,
following the word of God: ghairu
mutajānifin li ithmin. They say: That is not to do evil.
e. The scarcity of scientific
istinbāt to the
laws of jurisprudence
the verses of al-Qur'an
and the absence
of a defense
of religious sects remembering their
opinion is still
one in aqeedah,
because the differences of
madhhab did not
occur until after
the life of the
companions.
f. It
has not recorded
any kind of
tafsīr, as codified
the hadith occurred in the second
century.
g. In this period, tafsīr still takes the form
of hadith, even tafsīr is part of
the hadith and
branches of hadith,
have not taken
a systematic form. Even these
tafsīr are reported in scattered for several separate verses.
This is the
state of tafsīr in the
Prophet's life and companions. And this
is the first
period of a
period of growth
and development of tafsīr.
It seems clear
that a variety
of systemic study
has not yet appeared.
2. In Tābi’īn Era
After
that, came the second period, the tafsīr in tābi'īn era. The first period
has been completed
by the expiry
of the life
of companions. The second
period began for
the tafsīr of
the life of tābi'īn,
disciples of the
companions, who have
received most of
their information.
As famous of
some of companions in the field of tafsīr and to clarify some
references in the
book of Allah,
it is well
known the scholars of
tafsīr among tābi'īn.
They talk in
the field of
tafsīr and explain the
mystery of the
meanings of al-Qur'an
to people in
their time.[5]
Dr. Muhammad
Husain al-Dhahabī said
that tafsīr in the
second period is still in the form of acceptance and transmission, only a
reception and transmission with a concrete meaning, as generally in a specific
form. Therefore, the population of Egypt in particular wants to reception and
transmission must be from a priest in their time, like the people of
Mecca from Ibn
Abbas, the people
of Madinah from
Ubay, the people of Iraq from Ibn Mas'ud and so on.
This second
period raises the
seeds of the
dispute of schools and many disputes in the field of
tafsīr among the companions, as well as
the emergence of
isrāīliyyāt stories about
anything related to
early human events, the secrets that are a form of something, the beginning of the
universe and the
various stories. Meanwhile
something related to the
laws of personality
does not exist
in isrāīliyyāt story.[6]
Similarly, something
related to the
aqeedah. In this
period, the systemic studies in
the field of tafsīr have not emerged as happened in the first period.
3. In Codification Era
After that
we move in
the third period
or periods of
tafsīr in codification era.
And this period
begins from the
very birth of codification that
is in the
last period of
Bani Umayyad and
early Abbasid period. At the beginning
of the codification
that tafsīr becomes part from
hadith as it did in the first and second periods.
In
this period, tafsīr has stepped twice, as follows: First, on the first period
and second period.
Tafsīr on the second
period moved by means of transmission that is from the Prophet to his companions and to the
tābi'īn.
Second, in the third period means the tafsīr in codification era as mentioned
above. After that,
tafsīr has stepped
third foot means separating tafsīr from hadith, then
became an independent science and interpret
every verse of
al-Qur’an and manuscripts
prepared in accordance to
the order. It
happened at the
hands of the
scholars of among them:
a. Ibnu Mājah (w. 273 H.)
b. Ibnu Jarīr al-Ṭabarī
(w. 310 H)
c. Abu Bakar bin Mundhir al-Naisāburī (w. 318 H)
d. Ibnu Abī Hātim (w. 327 H)
e. Abū Syekh bin Hibbān (w. 369 H)
f. Al-Hākim (w. 405 H)
g. Abū Bakar bin Mardawaih (w. 410 H)[7]
Tafsīr written
by the scholars
mentioned above is
related to sanad (chain of
transmission) - to the Prophet Muhammad, tābi'īn, and tābi'i al-tābi'īn. And in
which there are no more tafsir from tafsir bi al-ma'tsur except
Ibn Jarīr that
mentions various opinions
then selects some from
others, in addition
i'rāb of sentences
when needed, and explore the laws that may take from the
verses of al-Qur’an.[8]
Then move
to the fourth
step. On this
time tafsīr does
not exceed the limits
of tafsīr bi
al-ma'thūr. Many scholars
write tafsīr. They summarize
sanad-(chain of transmission)
as well as
quoted the opinions of experts
drawn from the previous interpretation, but without mentioning who
said it. Then put
a fake on
the interpretation and confound
right and wrong.
People who look
at these books think that everything is
correct. So many junior
commentators quoted it in their interpretations. They are quoting
stories of isrāīliyyāt is in these books and
take it as
truth remains. And
this was the
beginning of falsehood danger and isrāīliyyāt in
interpretation.[9]
Tafsīr
continues on its way. Then take another step of the fifth which are
wider and width,
extending from the
Abbasid period until now. After the first codification
tafsīr is limited what is quoted on the transmission of
the Salaf, with
the pace that
is broad tafsīr
can go beyond codification
in which there
is the understanding
of reason (‘aqli) with tafsīr
naqli and it happens gradually.
First
of all, it starts by trying to understand the personal and the selection of the
opinions of one another. And this is acceptable as long as aspect
of reasoning is
returned to the
limits of language
and instructions sentences of
al-Qur’an. Then effort
to understand the personal
is always growing
and growing along
with the presence
of a variety of
science, opinion and
aqeedah so it
appears a book of
tafsīr that collects a
lot of things
that almost nothing
to do with
the tafsīr itself.
Finally it
was recorded the
linguistic, science of ṣaraf and nahwu,
and branched sects
of differences fiqh,
and there are
also matters of theology. There
were also fanaticism
schools that stand
on their feet in
the Abbasid period.
Stands are also
groups that spread Islam
and preached his
teachings. There are
also many philosophical books translated.
Thus science is
mixed with the
anything related to the discussion of tafsīr, so that
eventually these sciences surpass tafsīr itself
and aspects of
aqli can beat
naqli aspects. The
most visible in these books is the aqli although it does
not get out of manqūl that have ties with al-asbāb al-nuzūl or other ma'thūr.
This
is the development of tafsīr gradually and authored books on interpretation which
leads to all
kinds of directions.
Scientific terminology and madhhab
beliefs become dominant
in terms of
al-Qur'an. Then come
the influences of
culture, philosophy and
science on the Muslims
in the interpretation of
al-Qur'an, as appears
also influences religious and mysticism clearly.[10]
Something that
needs attention, the
scholars that did
the interpretation of al-Qur'an in this step, their tafsīr is almost
confined to the sciences into
their specifications, for
example nahwu, jurisprudence,
history, mysticism, philosophy, faith and conviction and so on. So
who is experts
in nahwu have
no interest other than
i'rāb a sentence and
possibilities mentioned in i'rab, quoting nahwu problems, its affiliates, and
its differences. They are Such as al-Hajjāj, al-Wāḥidī
in his book al-Bāsith and Abu Hayyān in his book al-Baḥr
al-Muḥīṭ.
Likewise
what was conducted by experts of
logic like al-Rāzī, who is experts of fiqh such as al-Qurṭubī
and al-Jaṣṣaṣ,
and historians such as al-Tha'labī each
person focuses his commentary on his skills.
After
reviewing the works written by the senior expert in tafsīr by
researching and studying
it, Dr. Muhammad
Husain al-Dhahabī said that
senior commentators does
not leave for
their juniors great efforts
in interpreting the
book of Allah
and not to
reveal his goals, because they
(seniors) when looking
at al-Qur'an as
the constitution with regard to
collect happiness of the world and
hereafter, they have been studying
tafsīr taḥlīlī since the beginning.[11]
Al-Dhahabī called
their study of
al-Qur'an as "Tafsīr
Taḥlīlī". After that, he mentioned that they were in his
study included research and study
of various aspects,
namely linguistic, balaghah,
literature, nahwu, fiqh, schools, philosophy of the universe freely.[12]
If
we look at all study of the commentators we can find a study of taḥlīlī. Therefore,
there are taḥlīlī studies
which are based
on language, the balaghah,
literature, nahwu, fiqh, madhhab, philosophy. If we
look at all
everything as a
single study that
consists of many aspects it means taḥlīlī
study.
[3] Muhammad Hussein al-Dzahabī,
Al-Tafsīr wa al-Mufassirūn, Juz I, p. 33.
[4] Muhammad Hussein al-Dzahabī,
Al-Tafsīr wa al-Mufassirūn, Juz I, p. 98.
[5] Muhammad Hussein al-Dzahabī,
Al-Tafsīr wa al-Mufassirūn, Juz I, p. 99.
[6] Muhammad Hussein al-Dzahabī,
Al-Tafsīr wa al-Mufassirūn, Juz I, p. 130-131.
[7] Muhammad Hussein al-Dzahabī,
Al-Tafsīr wa al-Mufassirūn, Juz I, p. 141.
[8] Muhammad Hussein al-Dzahabī,
Al-Tafsīr wa al-Mufassirūn, Juz I, p. 142.
[9] Muhammad Hussein al-Dzahabī,
Al-Tafsīr wa al-Mufassirūn, Juz I, p. 145.
[10] Muhammad Hussein al-Dzahabī,
Al-Tafsīr wa al-Mufassirūn, Juz I, p. 147.
[11] Muhammad Hussein al-Dzahabī,
Al-Tafsīr wa al-Mufassirūn, Juz II, p. 495.
[12] Muhammad Hussein al-Dzahabī,
Al-Tafsīr wa al-Mufassirūn, Juz II, p. 495.
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