Introduction to Tafsīr Rūḥ al-Maʿānī and ʿAllāmah Ālūsī’s Method of Critiquing Isrāʾīlī Narrations: A Research Overview

تفسیر روح المعانی کا تعارف اور علامہ آلوسی ؒکا اسرائیلی روایات پر طریقۂ نقد ایک تحقیقی جائزہ

Abstract

In the field of Islamic exegesis, Tafsīr bi’l-Ma’thūr refers to the interpretation of the Qur'an based on narrations attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ,( his Companions (Ṣaḥābah), and the Successors (Tābiʿīn). It is a methodology that emphasizes the transmission of tafsīr through reliable chains of narration (isnād), ensuring the authenticity of the interpretations provided. This approach seeks to preserve the understanding of the Qur'an as conveyed by the earliest generations of Muslims, making it a cornerstone of classical Islamic scholarship. In the domain of Isra’īliyyāt narrations originating from Jewish and Christian traditions early scholars like Imām al-Baghawī and ʿAllāmah Khāzin included such accounts in their works of tafsīr but with varying degrees of scrutiny. These narrations often entered Islamic literature as supplementary explanations, particularly in the context of historical or eschatological topics, where the Qur'an provided less detail. While these scholars did define and acknowledge Isra’īliyyāt, they typically transmitted them without extensive critique. In contrast, ʿAllāmah Maḥmūd al-Ālūsī (1270 AH) in his seminal work Tafsīr Rūḥ al-Maʿānī, took a more critical stance toward these narrations. Unlike many of his predecessors, al-Ālūsī did not merely transmit Isra’īliyyāt; rather, he actively evaluated and critiqued them, assessing their compatibility with Islamic principles and textual evidence. His work represents a significant development in the treatment of Isra’īliyyāt within the tradition of tafsīr, as he built upon the efforts of earlier scholars, particularly Imām Ibn Kathīr (774 AH), who was among the first to systematically reject many of these narrations. This research paper aims to explore ʿAllāmah al-Ālūsī’s method of critiquing Isra’īliyyāt within the broader framework of tafsīr. By examining his approach, this study seeks to highlight his contributions to the discipline of Qur'anic exegesis and his role in safeguarding the authenticity of Islamic interpretive tradition.