What Is the Difference Between Thematic and Analytical Tafsir of the Quran?
Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa
Question
What is the difference between al-Tafsir al-Mawdu‘i (thematic/topical) and al-Tafsir al-Tahlili (analytical) of the Quran?
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.
Thematic Exegesis (al-Tafsir al-Mawdu‘i)
This is a method of Quranic interpretation that addresses topics based on the Quran’s overarching objectives, often by examining one or more suras to understand a specific subject in depth. [Mustafa Muslim, Mabahith fi al-Tafsir al-Mawdu‘i]
Unlike the traditional verse-by-verse approach, thematic tafsir organizes its analysis around key concepts like faith, disbelief, hypocrisy, morals, or financial issues (such as riba, or usury) across the Quran.
This approach is relatively modern and was not as commonly used by early scholars in standalone works, although early interpretations did analyze Quranic terminology in a general sense. An example of thematic tafsir is Abdul Hamid Tahmaz’s tafsir, and there is an online thematic tafsir resource developed by the “Markaz Tafsir al-Direst al-Quraniyya” (Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies), available in 36 volumes. [al-Muqaddimat al-Asasiyya fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]
Analytical Exegesis (al-Tafsir al-Tahlili)
This approach interprets verses sequentially within their suras, examining each verse individually and as part of a whole, revealing the various values and theological, legal, and social rulings within. [Fadl ‘Abbas, al-Tafsir wa al-Mufassirun]
Analytical tafsir is the predominant method in traditional Quranic exegesis, where the scholar provides detailed analysis, including the verse’s context of revelation, explanations of uncommon words, grammar, and overall meaning.
The exegete delves into the linguistic aspects of each verse, starting with syntax, then rhetorical analysis, followed by uncovering the intended meaning, insights, and relevant applications. Examples of analytical tafsir include “al-Muharrar al-Wajiz” by Ibn ‘Atiyya al-Andalusi, “Ruh al-Ma‘ani” by Alusi, and “Fath al-Qadir” by Shawkani. [Tayyar, Fusul fi ’Usul al-Tafsir]
Summary
Analytical tafsir emphasizes linguistic and rhetorical precision, employing deep linguistic sciences to support the exegete’s analysis. Contemporary scholars refer to this as “analytical tafsir,” relying mainly on classical sources of interpretation by opinion (tafsir bi al-ra’y). [See: ‘Itr, ‘Ulum al-Quran; Mustafa Muslim, Mabahith fi al-Tafsir al-Mawdu‘i]
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.