A simple presentation that shares about: 1) Qualities that a Mufassir should possess. 2) Reasons why some people misinterpret Qur'anic verses. 3) Best Tafsir Methodology Source: Ta'rif al-Darisin by Salah Al-Khalidi & Asbabul Khata' Fi al-Tafsir Dirasah Ta'siliyyah by Mahmud Muhammad Ya'qub

1. Misinterpretation of
Qur’anic Verses
Muhammad Huzaifah Bin Mohd Amin
Qur’an & Sunnah Studies
Year 4

2. Definition of Tafsir
Comes from ‘fassara’, which means, to explain,
to expound, to elucidate, to interpret.
The word ‘tafsir’ is the verbal noun
of ‘fassara’, and means the explanation or
interpretation of something.

3. The word ‘tafsir’ is a transposition from (‫س،ف،ر‬) ,
which means, to expose, to uncover. Thus, a
woman who uncovers her face is called
a ‘saafirah’, and the act of uncovering her face
is called ‘sufur’.
Therefore, according to this
definition, ‘tafsir’ would mean uncovering the
meanings and exposing the secrets of the
Qur’an.

4. In Islamic sciences, ‘tafsir’ is defined to be:
The science by which the Qur’an is understood, its
meanings explained, and its rulings derived.

5. Qualifications to be a Mufassir
 Proper intention
 The correct Islamic beliefs
 To be free from practising or believing in innovations
 a pious heart
 A thorough and proper understanding of the
fundamentals of religion
 Following the proper methodology of tafsir

6.  Knowledge of the Arabic language and its vocabulary,
grammar, morphology, basis of Arabic words and word
structures (ishtiqaq), rhetoric, eloquence and manners of
oratory.
 The knowledge of the sahih, da’if, syadz and batil
qira’ats
 The knowledge of the principles of fiqh
 The knowledge of fiqh itself
 The knowledge of asbab an-nuzul, and related sciences
 The knowledge of nasikh from its mansukh, and related
sciences
 The knowledge of the hadith of the Prophet (s.a.w)
 The knowledge of all the other branches of Ulum al-
Qur’an

7. Proper Methodolgy of Tafsir
Qur’an with Qur’an
Qur’an with Sunnah
Qur’an with the sayings of sahabah
Qur’an with sayings of tabi’in
Qur’an with Arabic language

8. Reasons for the misinterpretation of the
Qur’an
1- Interpreting the Qur’anic verse with personal reasoning
even though the interpretation has been explained by
authentic nas.
Eg. Denying the idea of seeing Allah in paradise
(Muktazilah).
﴿
َ‫ين‬ِّ‫ذ‬َّ‫ل‬ِّ‫ل‬‫ا‬‫و‬ُ‫ن‬َ‫س‬ْ‫َح‬‫أ‬‫ة‬َ‫اد‬َ‫ي‬ِّ‫ز‬َ‫و‬ َٰ‫َن‬ْ‫س‬ُْ‫اْل‬﴾
“For them who have done good is the best [reward] and
extra”
[Yunus: 26]

9. 2- Using weak and fabricated hadith in interpreting the Qur’an
3- Using israiliyyat as a source in interpreting the Qur’an
4- Fanatic of mazhab
Eg. Woman can get married without wali (Hanafi)
﴿َ‫ت‬ َّٰ‫َّت‬َ‫ح‬ ُ‫د‬ْ‫ع‬َ‫ب‬ ‫ن‬ِّ‫م‬ ُ‫ه‬َ‫ل‬ ُّ‫ل‬َِّ‫َت‬ َ‫َل‬َ‫ف‬ ‫ا‬َ‫ه‬َ‫ق‬َّ‫ل‬َ‫ط‬ ‫ن‬ِّ‫إ‬َ‫ف‬ُ‫ه‬َ‫ر‬ْ‫ي‬َ‫غ‬ ‫ا‬ً‫ج‬ْ‫و‬َ‫ز‬ َ‫ح‬ِّ‫نك‬ۗ‫ا‬َ‫ه‬َ‫ق‬َّ‫ل‬َ‫ط‬ ‫ن‬ِّ‫إ‬َ‫ف‬‫َن‬‫أ‬ ‫ا‬َ‫م‬ِّ‫ه‬ْ‫ي‬َ‫ل‬َ‫ع‬ َ‫اح‬َ‫ن‬ُ‫ج‬ َ‫َل‬َ‫ف‬
‫ا‬َ‫ع‬َ‫اج‬َ‫ر‬َ‫ت‬َ‫ي‬﴾
“And if he has divorced her [for the third time], then she is not lawful to him
afterward until [after] she marries a husband other than him. And if the latter
husband divorces her [or dies], there is no blame upon the woman and her former
husband for returning to each other”
[Al-Baqarah: 230]

10. 5- Trying to be a reformist
﴿
ُ‫ح‬ِّ‫انك‬َ‫ف‬ ٰ‫ى‬َ‫ام‬َ‫ت‬َ‫ي‬ْ‫ل‬‫ا‬ ِّ‫ِف‬ ‫ا‬‫و‬ُ‫ط‬ِّ‫س‬ْ‫ق‬ُ‫ت‬ َّ‫ََّل‬‫أ‬ ْ‫م‬ُ‫ت‬ْ‫ف‬ِّ‫خ‬ ْ‫ن‬ِّ‫إ‬َ‫و‬َٰ‫َن‬ْ‫ث‬َ‫م‬ ِّ‫اء‬َ‫س‬ِّ‫الن‬ َ‫ن‬ِّ‫م‬ ‫م‬ُ‫ك‬َ‫ل‬ َ‫اب‬َ‫ط‬ ‫ا‬َ‫م‬ ‫ا‬‫و‬َ‫ث‬ َ‫َل‬ُ‫ث‬َ‫و‬
َ‫اع‬َ‫ب‬ُ‫ر‬َ‫و‬َ‫ل‬َ‫م‬ ‫ا‬َ‫م‬ ْ‫َو‬‫أ‬ ً‫ة‬َ‫د‬ِّ‫اح‬َ‫و‬َ‫ف‬ ‫ا‬‫و‬ُ‫ل‬ِّ‫د‬ْ‫ع‬َ‫ت‬ َّ‫ََّل‬‫أ‬ ْ‫م‬ُ‫ت‬ْ‫ف‬ِّ‫خ‬ ْ‫ن‬ِّ‫إ‬َ‫ف‬ْ‫م‬ُ‫ك‬ُ‫ن‬‫ا‬َْ‫َْي‬‫أ‬ ْ‫ت‬َ‫ك‬َّۗ‫ََّل‬‫أ‬ َٰ‫َن‬ْ‫َد‬‫أ‬ َ‫ك‬ِّ‫ل‬َٰ‫ذ‬‫ا‬‫و‬ُ‫ل‬‫و‬ُ‫ع‬َ‫ت‬﴾
“And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those
that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will
not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right hand possesses. That is more
suitable that you may not incline [to injustice]”
[an-Nisa’: 3]

11.  According to some people, if you want to practice polygamy, your
subsequent wife must be an orphan
 According to some others, this verse prohibits the act of polygamy
and they link it with another verse.
﴿
َ‫و‬ ِّ‫اء‬َ‫س‬ِّ‫الن‬ َْ‫ْي‬َ‫ب‬ ‫ا‬‫و‬ُ‫ل‬ِّ‫د‬ْ‫ع‬َ‫ت‬ ‫َن‬‫أ‬ ‫ا‬‫و‬ُ‫يع‬ِّ‫ط‬َ‫ت‬ْ‫س‬َ‫ت‬ ‫ن‬َ‫ل‬َ‫و‬ْ‫و‬َ‫ل‬ْ‫م‬ُ‫ت‬ْ‫ص‬َ‫ر‬َ‫ح‬﴾
“And you will never be able to be equal [in feeling] between wives,
even if you should strive [to do so]”
[an-Nisa’: 129]

12. General Example
﴿
ْ‫ر‬َ‫ض‬َ‫ف‬ ‫ا‬‫و‬ُ‫ر‬َ‫ف‬َ‫ك‬ َ‫ين‬ِّ‫ذ‬َّ‫ل‬‫ا‬ ُ‫م‬ُ‫يت‬ِّ‫ق‬َ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬َ‫ذ‬ِّ‫إ‬َ‫ف‬َ‫ب‬ِّ‫اب‬َ‫ق‬ِّ‫الر‬﴾
“So when you meet those who disbelieve, strike [their]
necks”
[Muhammad: 4]
So, should we kill the the disbelievers whenever we
meet them? The above verse literally says so.
The answer is: CHECK THE TAFSIR BOOKS. Majority of
the scholars refer meet as meet in battlefield and
not any other meet.

13. Examples of Reliable Tafsir Books
Tafsir at-Tabari (Jami’ul Bayan fi Ta’wili Aayil
Qur’an)
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Tafsir al-Qur’an al-’Azim)
Tafsir al-Qurtubi (al-Jami’ li Ahkamil Qur’an)