Introduction

I. The meaning of the word exegesis

1. Linguistically: exegesis (explanation) means demonstration and clarification. The Almighty Allah said: «And whenever they bring you any argument, We bring you the Truth and the best explanation». [Al-Furqân, 33]

He also said: «… And We revealed to you the Qur’ân; that you may make clear to mankind what was sent for them, and they may reflect». [An-Nahl, 44]

2. Its technical term: It is the science that searches for the meanings of the Noble Qur’ân according to human's capacities.[1]

II. The merits of the exegesis science

1. To know the essence of faith.

2. To know the legal Islamic injunctions.

3. To know the way of Allah.

III. The types of exegesis: the types that the majority of the Ulemas agreed on are:[2]

1. The exegesis transmitted by narration

This type of exegesis relies on the Qur’ânic verses, the prophet' Sunna and the sayings of the prophet's companions (Sahaba).

The famous exegetes among the Sahaba

§ Abu Baker Essadik.

§ Omar Bnu El-khatab.

§ Othman Bnu Afân.

§ Ali Bnu Abi Taleb.

§ Abdul Allah Bnu Abass.

§ Abdul Allah Bnu Messaoud.

§ Abdul Allah Bnu Ezoubir.

§ Abu Mussa El Ash-Shari.

Among the famous books of exegesis of this kind, the following ones:

§ Bahr El-Ulum (The Sea of Sciences) of Imam Es-Samarqandi.

§ The Exegesis of the Noble Qur’ân of El-Hafidh Bnu Katheer.

§ Addur El Manthour (The Scattered Pearls) of Imam Esayouti.

2. The exegesis that relied on reason.

It is the one that depends on reason and intelligibility within the meanings of the Arabic words, and on the light of the main aims (objectives) of the Islamic Sharia.

Some of the famous books of exegesis of this type are:

- Mafateeh Al-Ghaib (The Keys of the Unseen) of Er-Razi.

- The exegesis of Imam El-Baydawi.

- The exegesis of Imam El Khâzin.

- The exegesis of Imam An-Nassafi.

3. The exegesis that gathers the two previous types: among the books of this type, we mention:

§ Tafsir El-Manar of Sheikh Mohamad Rachid Reda.

§ Safwatu Et-tafasser (The Best of the Exegesis) of Muhammad Ali Essabouni.

IV. The definition of the Qur’ân

It is the word of Allah, revealed to the prophet Muhammad -may peace be upon him- in the Arabic language, recited during prayer, transmitted to us by narration and written down in books (Masâhif).

V. The Meccan and the Medinan Qur’ân

1) The Meccan Qur’ân: It is the part that revealed in Mecca before the Prophet's Hegira. It deals generally with the principles of Islam.

2) The Medinan Qur’ân: It is the other part that is revealed after the Prophet's Hegira. It deals with the practical injunctions of worships and transactions.

VI. Numeric information about the Noble Qur’ân[3]

1) The number of its Surats (Qur’ânic chapters) is 144.

2) The number of its parts is 30 and each part is composed of two Hizbs.

3) The number of its Hizbs is 60.

4) The number of its verses is 6,236.

5) The number of its words is 77,439.

6) The number of its letters is 340,740.

7) The Surats that start with "Praise be to Allah" are:

-Al-Fatiha: «All praise to be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds (1) ».

-Al-An'âm: «All praise to be to Allah, the One who created the heavens and the earth, and made the darkness and the light, yet those who disbelieve ascribe equals to their Lord(1)».

-Al-Kahf: «All praise to be to Allah, the One who revealed the Book to His servant and has made therein no deviation (1) ».

-Saba': «All praise to be to Allah, to Whom belongs all that is in the heaven and on the earth, and to him be praise in the Hereafter, and He is All-Wise, All-Aware (1) ».

-Fâtir: «All praise to be to Allah, the Originator of the Heavens and the earth, who has made the angels to be messengers with wings, two three, four, He increases creation as He pleases. Indeed Allah has power over all things (1) ».

8) The Surats that start with Hâ- Mîm are:

-Ghâfer: «Hâ- Mîm (1) The revelation of the Book is from Allah the Almighty, the All-Knowing(2)».

-Fussilat: «Hâ- Mîm (1) The revelation from Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful (2) ».

-Ash-shuarâ': «Hâ- Mîm (1) Ain, Seen, Qâf (2) Thus Allah the QAlmighty, All Wise, reveals to you and those before you (3) ».

-Az-Zukhruf: « Hâ- Mîm (1) And the Book that expounds (2) ».

-Ad-Dukhân: «Hâ- Mîm (1) By the Manifest Book (2) ».

-Al-Jâthia: « Hâ- Mîm (1) The Revelation of the Book is from Allah the Almighty, the All-Wise (2) ».

-Al-Ahqâf: « Hâ- Mîm (1) The Revelation of the Book is from Allah the Almighty, the All-Knowing (2) ».

9. The Surats that are given the names of the prophets are: Al-Anbiyâ', Yunus, Hood, Yusuf, Ibrahîm, Muhammad, Nooh.

10.The Surats that start with a call are: An-Nissâ': «O mankind! Fear Allah the One who fashioned you from a single person, and of the same kind He created many men and women. And fear Allah to whom you are answerable and the rightS of the womb relationships. Indeed Allah is ever watching over you (1) ».

-Al-Mâ'ida: «O you who believe! Fulfill the pledges. All kinds of cattle-like animals have been made lawful to you except those which are now recited to you; you should not make hunting lawful when you are in pilgrim sanctity. Indeed Allah ordains whatever He pleases (1) ».

-Al-Hajj: «O people Fear your Lord! Indeed, the shaking of the Hour is a mighty thing (1) ».

-Al-Hujurât: «O you who believe! Do not put forward proposals before Allah and His messenger and fear Allah, Allah is All- Hearing, All-Knowing (1) ».

-Al-Mumtahana: «O you who believe! Do not take My enemies and yours for friends, offering them friendship, while they have rejected the Truth that has come to you, and expelling the messenger and you only because you believe in Allah your Lord. If you go forth to strive in My cause and seeking My good pleasure, holding secrets converse of friendship with them, while I am best aware of what you hide and what you reveal, and whoever of you does that, has truly gone astray from the Right Path (1) ».

-At-Talâq: «O prophet! When you divorce women, divorce them at their prescribed periods, and account accurately their prescribed periods. And fear Allah your Lord. Do not expel them from their houses, nor shall they leave unless it is proven that they have committed an indecency. And those are the limits set by Allah, and whoever transgresses the limits set by Allah, surly has been unjust to his own soul. You do not know! Allah may change the situation (reconciles between them) after that (1) ».

-At-Tahrîm: «O prophet! Why do you prohibit what Allah has made lawful to you, seeking the good pleasure of your wives? And Allah is All Forgiving, Most Merciful (1) ».

-Al-Muzamil: «O you enwrapped in your garments (1) Stand in prayer at night, but not all the night (2) ».

- Al-Mudathir:  «O you encovered (1) Arise and warn (2) ».

11. The Surats that start with oath are:

As-Sâfât: «By those who range themselves in ranks. (1) ».

-Ath-Thariât: «By the winds that scatter, scattering (1) ».

-At-Tur: « By the mount tour (1) ».

-An-Najm: «By the star when it falls down (1) ».

-Al-Murssalât: «By the (wind) sent forth one after the other (1) ».

-An-Nâzi'ât: « By those who pluck out vehemently (1) ».

-Al- Burudj: « By the sky of the constullations (1) ».

-At-Târiq: « By the sky and the Night visitor! (1) ».

-Al-Fajr: « By the down (1) ».

-Ash-Shams: « By the sun and its forenoon (1) ».

-Al-Leil: « By the night as it veils over (1) ».

-Adhuha: «By the afternoon (1) ».

- At-Tin: «By the fig and the olive (1) ».

- Al-Adiât:«By the snorting courses(1) ».

- Al-Asr: «By the era. Most surely mankind is a certain loser (1) ».

12.  The Surats that start with Order are:

-Al-Jinn: «Say: "It has been revealed to me that a company of Jinn listened (to the Qur’ân) and said: "We have heard a wonderful Qur’ân" (1) ».

-Al-Alaq: « Read: in the Name of your Lord Who created (1) ».

-Al-Kâfirun: « Say: "O unbelievers; (1) ».

-Al-Ikhlâs: «Say: "He is Allah, the One and Only (1) ».

-Al-Falaq: «Say: "I seek refuge in the Lord of the Daybreak (1) ».

-An-Nâs: «Say: "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind (1) ».

13.  The names of the Noble Qur’ân: the Almighty Allah gave many names to the Noble Qur’ân among them:[4]

- El-Kitâb (the Book): «Alif, Lâm, Mîm. This is the Book (Qur’ân) there is no doubt about it, a guidance to the Muttaqûn (Pious) » [Al-Baqara, 1, 2].

- Kalâm Allah (the word of Allah): «…So that will hear the word of Allah, then take him to the place of his safety». [At- Tawba, 6]

- Al- Furqân (the Creterion): «Blessed is the One who revealed the Furqân to His servants; that they may be a warner to the worlds». [Al-Furqân, 1]

- El-Hikma (the Wisdom): «Far reaching wisdom, but warnings are of no avail». [El-Qamar, 5]

- Eth-Thikr (the Blessed Qur’ân): «And this a blessed Qur’ân which We have revealed, do you then deny it? ». [Al-Anbiyâ', 50]

- An-Noor (the Light): «O people! Indeed an evident proof has come to you from your Lord and We have revealed to you manifest Light». [An-Nissâ', 174]

-Ahssan El-Hadith (the Best Statement): «Allah has revealed the best Statement, a Book…». [Az-Zumar, 23]

- As-Sidq (the Truth): «And he who came with the Truth and believes firmly in it, those are the pious». [Az-Zumar, 33]

- Al-Burhân (the Proof): « O people! Indeed an evident proof has come to you from your Lord…». [An-Nissâ', 174]

-Al-Hujja (the Evidence): «Say: "with Allah the perfect evidence and argument…». [Al-An'âm, 149]

- Ash-Shifâ' (the Healing): «O people! There had come to you an admonition from your Lord, and a Healing for what is in the chests…». [Yunus, 57]

- Al-Bayân (the Plain Statement): «This is the Plain Statement to the people, and a guidance and admonition to the pious». [Âl-Imrân, 138]

-Al-Fassl (the Decisive Message): «Surely, this is the decisive message». [At-Târiq, 13]

- Al-Hukm (the Final Command): «And thus We revealed it (Qur’ân) to you in Arabic as the Final Command, and if you follow their desires after the knowledge you have received, you shall have no guardian or protector from Allah». [Ar-R'ad, 37]

-El-Wahy (the Revelation):«It is nothing but a revelation revealed». [An-Najm, 4]

-An-Naba' (the Momentous tiding): «Say: it is a momentous tiding». [Sâad, 67]

-Al-Urwatu Al-wuthqa (the Trustworthy Handhold): «…Whoever disbelieves in Taghut (what is worshipped instead of Allah) and believes in Allah has taken a firm support that never gives away». [Al-Baqara, 256]

14) The number of commands is 1000.

15) The number of prohibitions is1000.

16) The number of promises is1000.

17) The number of threats is 1000

18) The number of narration and news 1000.

19) The number of parables and regards 1000.

20) The number of stances of lawful (Halal) and unlawful (Haram) things is 500.

21) The number of verses of invocation is 100.

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