Required knowledge on the subjects to be a Mufassir

Many brothers and sisters (with good intention) write commentary on Quraanic verses without having the required knowledge to do so. Rasulullah (saw) warned us about this kind of mere self opinion

"Whosoever says anything in matters of The Quraan without knowledge should prepare his abode in Jahannam." [Sunan At Tirmidhi]


Anyone who attempts to write a commentary on the Noble Quraan must be well versed in the following subjects:

1. LUGHAT : This refers to philology of the language, which helps to understand the appropriate meanings of words.

2. NAHW: This the the syntax, a branch of grammar, which helps to understand the relation of a sentence with another. It also refers to I'raab (vowel sounds) of a word. A change in I'raab often means a change of meaning.

3. SARF: This is the etymology, the study of the sources and derivation of words and conjunctions. The meaning of a word is determined by the source and its conjugation.

4. ISHTIQAAQ: This refers to the derivatives. It is necessary to have the knowledge of derivatives and their sources, because if a word has been derived from two different sources, it will have two different meanings.

5. ILM UL BAYAAN: This refers to semantics. The meanings of phrase constructions are understood from a the knowledge of figures of speech, like similes and metaphors, which express shades of meaning.

6. ILM UL BADEE: This refers to the knowledge of rhetoric, which reveals the beauty of a language and its implications.

7. ILM UL QIRAA'AH: This refers to the knowledge of the art of pronunciation, because different methods recitation sometimes convey different meanings.

8. ILM UL AQAAID: This refers to the fundamentals of faith. This is necessary to explain certain analogies.

9. USUL UL FIQH: This refers to the knowledge of the principles of Islaamic jurisprudence.

10. ASBAAB UN NUZOOL: This refers to the knowledge about the particular events and circumstances in history that are related to the revelation of particular passages from the Qur'an. 

11. AL NASIKH WA AL MANSUKH: This refers to the particular commandments that have subsequently been annulled or changed so that the cancelled commandments may be distinguished from the standing ones.

12. ILM UL FIQH: This refers to the knowledge Islamic jurisprudence. It is only through this knowledge that we arrive at a complete understanding of general principles.

13. ILM UL HADEETH: This refers to the knowledge of such Ahaaheeth that provide commentaries on certain verses of the Quraan.