Allah says in Al-Quran (15:9):

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا ٱلذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَـٰفِظُونَ

Verily We: It is We Who have sent down the Dhikr and surely, We will
guard it (from corruption)

Every young Muslim who opens the Qur’an feels the same wonder: How do I truly understand what I’m reading? Is tafseer only for great scholars, or is there a path that even a beginner can take with confidence?

This book begins with that question and shines light on the principles of tafseer, so that anyone, young or old, student or seeker of knowledge, can begin engaging the Qur’an with understanding. It takes the reader, step by step, through how the Prophet ﷺ explained the Qur’an, how the companions learned, and how scholars after them preserved their insights. It is a summary of Ibn Taymiyyah’s Muqaddimah fee Usool at-Tafseer, presented with a modern touch by incorporating contemporary issues in tafsir.

Simple, structured, and rooted in evidences from Quran and authentic Hadith, this book is for young readers and for anyone, of any age, who wishes to approach the Qur’an with clarity and confidence.

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🌿 Why should you read this book

  • It’s a beginner-friendly introduction to the science of Usul at Tafsir.
  • It clears away the myth that tafseer is “locked” for specialists only, and clears up path on how to approach it.
  • It shows how the Qur’an itself explains its verses, and how the Prophet ﷺ and his companions lived its meanings.
  • It equips readers to spot common errors, avoid opinion-based tafseer, and balance study with personal reflection (tadabbur).

✨ Who is this book for?

  • Young Muslims and Students beginning Islamic sciences who need a roadmap before the longer journey.
  • Teachers and instructors looking for a simple, trustworthy guide to share with learners.

💫 How You Will Benefit from this Book

This book is written with a clear purpose: to give you the keys to approach the Qur’an correctly. In a time when personal opinions, sectarian readings, and modernist claims often cloud people’s understanding, this work draws you back to the original sources, the Prophet ﷺ, his Companions, and the earliest scholars.

Here’s what you will gain from it:

  • Clarity on what Tafseer really is. You will learn the difference between explanation (tafseer) and reflection (tadabbur), so you don’t confuse heartfelt pondering with scholarly interpretation. Both have their place, but they are not the same.
  • Confidence in authenticity. By studying how the Prophet ﷺ explained the Qur’an, how the Sahabah carried those explanations, and how the Tābi‘īn preserved them, you’ll see why tafseer is not guesswork but a transmitted science.
  • Awareness of common mistakes. The book doesn’t just teach what is right it shows what is wrong. Deviant tafsīrs are exposed, so you can recognize false readings and protect yourself from confusion.
  • Understanding of delicate issues. Topics like Isra’īliyyāt (Judeo-Christian reports), “scientific tafseer,” and theories of Qur’anic coherence (nazm) are explained with balance: what is useful, what is harmful, and what limits must be respected.
  • Guidance on where to start. For those who want to continue beyond this summary, the book points you towards authentic tafsīrs like Ibn Kathīr, As-Sa‘di, and Tafseer al-Muyassar — so you know your next steps.

Note: This book equips you with the summary of principles of tafseer, not to make you a mufassir, but to make you a safer reader of the Qur’an. It teaches you how to recognize authentic explanations, avoid misleading ones, and approach the Qur’an with both heart and discipline.

📖 Table of Contents

1. What is Tafseer?

Definition and purpose of tafseer in Islam.

2. Types of Tafseer

Explaining the Qur’an by Qur’an, Hadith, Companions, and language.

3. Asbāb an-Nuzūl (Reasons for Revelation)

Understanding why verses were revealed.

4. How the Prophet ﷺ Explained the Qur’an

His verbal explanations and practical example.

5. Tafseer of the Companions and Tābi‘īn

Early authorities and why their insights matter.

6. Differences Among the Salaf

How apparent variations in tafseer are reconciled.

7. Isra’īliyyāt in Tafseer

When reports from earlier scriptures can or cannot be used.

8. Misguided Approaches to Tafseer

Warnings against deviant or opinion-based tafseer.

9. The Danger of Speaking Without Knowledge

Early scholars’ cautions on interpreting without evidence.

10. Tafseer vs. Tadabbur

Clarifying the difference between explanation and reflection.

11. Scientific Tafseer

Benefits and risks of linking tafseer to modern science.

12. Nazm al-Qur’an (Coherence)

Understanding the Qur’an’s thematic and structural unity.

13. Authentic Books of Tafseer

Trusted works for further study.

14. Appendix: Tafseer Attributed to Ibn ‘Abbās

Clarifying works falsely linked to him.

🤝 Conclusion

This book is not a polemic; it is a friendly, evidence-based guide. It asks you to read responsibly, to verify, and to reflect. If you are young and curious about how the Qur’an can be studied honestly, with objective principles, and without fancy tricks or hollow rhetoric, this book is for you.

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