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The Commentary On The Quran Vol. 2 By Al-tabari May 2026

Providing a useful review of The Commentary on the Quran Vol. 2 by Al-Tabari requires understanding both the specific content of this volume (which generally covers Surah Al-Baqarah and Al-Imran) and the monumental status of the work as a whole.

Here is a detailed review structured for students, researchers, and general readers.

Diving into the Deep End: A Look at Al-Tabari’s Commentary on the Quran, Vol. 2

For any serious student of Islamic thought, the name Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (838–923 CE) is synonymous with foundational scholarship. His Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk (History of Prophets and Kings) is a cornerstone of historiography. But his true magnum opus, the one that set the rules of engagement for every exegete who followed, is his Jami' al-Bayan fi Ta'wil Ay al-Qur'an—commonly known as Tafsir al-Tabari. The Commentary On The Quran Vol. 2 By Al-tabari

Today, we are going to roll up our sleeves and look specifically at Volume 2 of this monumental work. While Volume 1 typically covers Al-Fatiha and the beginning of Al-Baqarah, Volume 2 is where the engine of Tabari’s methodology truly kicks into high gear.

2. The Laws of Fasting and Jihad

Unlike modern devotional booklets, Al-Tabari’s Volume 2 is a legal minefield. He dissects Al-Baqarah 183-187 (fasting) with granular detail: Providing a useful review of The Commentary on

  • What nullifies the fast?
  • The permissibility of intimacy at night during Ramadan.
  • The definition of Fajr (dawn).

Similarly, when discussing Jihad (Vs. 190-195), Al-Tabari provides the classical Sunni view on defensive warfare, "Fighting is prescribed for you..." He meticulously distinguishes between the Meccan period (where fighting was forbidden) and the Medinan period (where it was legislated).

1. The Change of the Qibla (Al-Baqarah 142-150)

Volume 2 begins in medias res with the controversy of the Qibla shift from Jerusalem to Mecca. Al-Tabari dedicates dozens of pages to the reactions of the Jews of Medina and the hypocrites. He brilliantly collates reports explaining why the change occurred—testing the faithful versus the faint-hearted. He explores the linguistic root of Qibla (direction) and even includes a map-like description (in text) of the Kaaba’s position relative to Medina. Diving into the Deep End: A Look at

Purpose and scope

  • Volume 2 covers a sequence of sūras (specify which sūras if known for the edition you mean).
  • Al-Tabari’s work aims to collect earlier exegetical traditions (qiraʼat, tafsir bi al-ma'thur), linguistic analyses, variant readings, and juridical or theological remarks, offering multiple explanations rather than a single, fixed meaning.

1. The Linguistic Deep-Dive (Verse 2:44)

"Do you enjoin righteousness upon the people while you forget yourselves?"

Tabari spends nearly ten pages on the Arabic word Tansawna (you forget). He brings pre-Islamic poetry to prove that the root word Nasiya can mean both "to forget" and "to abandon deliberately." He argues that the verse actually means the hypocrites deliberately abandoned their own souls while preaching to others. This shifts the verse from a mere memory lapse to a harsh indictment of hypocrisy.

The Method: Why Tabari is the "Father of Tafsir"

To appreciate Volume 2, you must appreciate Tabari’s radical (for his time) methodology. He did not believe in offering his own opinion (Ra'y) on the Quran without evidence. Instead, he built a pyramid of authority.

  1. The Chain (Isnad): Before every single interpretation, Tabari lists his chain of narrators. "So-and-so told me, from so-and-so, from Ibn Abbas, who said..." This is the Hadith methodology applied to Quranic interpretation.
  2. The Gathering: He then brings all the major opinions from the early generations (Salaf) regarding a single word or phrase. He doesn't cherry-pick.
  3. The Adjudication: After presenting the evidence, Tabari acts as the judge. Using Arabic linguistics and logic, he says, "The correct opinion in this matter is..." (Wa al-Asahh 'inda fi al-qawl...).

Example from Volume 2: When discussing the "strike" command in the story of the cow (Baqarah 2:73), Tabari doesn't just explain the miracle. He records four different scholarly opinions on what kind of strike it was (a branch, a piece of the cow, etc.), traces each back to a Companion, and then chooses the strongest narration.