What Are the Most Prominent Schools of Tafsir in Islamic History?
Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa
Question
What are the most prominent schools of tafsir (Quranic exegesis) in Islamic history?
Answer
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.
The topic of tafsir schools is extensive, as it involves a deep exploration of the history of tafsir, which began with the revelation of the Quran and continues to this day. These schools span various regions, including Makka, Madina, Iraq, the Levant, Egypt, Andalus, North Africa, and other centers of the Islamic world.
Here is a brief overview of the most prominent tafsir schools:
The School of Tafsir in Makka
The leading figure of this school was the noble Companion ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (Allah be pleased with him). Among his most prominent students from the tabi‘in (successors) were:
- Mujahid Ibn Jabr
- Sa‘id Ibn Jubayr
- ‘Ikrima, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbas
- ‘Ata’ Ibn Abi Rabah
- Tawus Ibn Kaysan
The School of Tafsir in Madina
Its leader was the noble Companion Ubayy Ibn Ka‘b (Allah be pleased with him). His most notable students were:
- Muhammad Ibn Ka‘b al-Qurazi
- Abu al-‘Aliya al-Riyahi
- Zayd Ibn Aslam
The School of Tafsir in Iraq
This school was led by the noble Companion ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas‘ud (Allah be pleased with him). His prominent students included:
- Masruq Ibn al-Ajda‘
- Hasan al-Basri
- Qatada Ibn Di‘ama al-Sadusi
- Murra al-Hamdhani
In conclusion, familiarizing oneself with the various schools of tafsir provides multiple perspectives on understanding Quranic texts, enriching and deepening the comprehension of Allah’s words.
May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.
[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa
Shaykh Anas al-Musa, born in Hama, Syria, in 1974, is an erudite scholar of notable repute. He graduated from the Engineering Institute in Damascus, where he specialized in General Construction, and Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Usul al-Din, where he specialized in Hadith.
He studied under prominent scholars in Damascus, including Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri and Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, among others. Shaykh Anas has memorized the Quran and is proficient in the ten Mutawatir recitations, having studied under Shaykh Bakri al-Tarabishi and Shaykh Mowfaq ‘Ayun. He also graduated from the Iraqi Hadith School.
He has taught numerous Islamic subjects at Shari‘a institutes in Syria and Turkey. Shaykh Anas has served as an Imam and preacher for over 15 years and is a teacher of the Quran in its various readings and narrations.
Currently, he works as a teacher at SeekersGuidance and is responsible for academic guidance there. He has completed his Master’s degree in Hadith and is now pursuing his Ph.D. in the same field. Shaykh Anas al-Musa is married and resides in Istanbul.