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Bell & Howell information and Leaming 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346 USA T~AL-MIQBÂS~rmTAFSISR IBN~ABBLS: ITS PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION Inna Muthmainnah A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Institute of Islamic Studies McGill University July 1998 National Library Bibliothèque nationale (*Iof Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON KI A ON4 Ottawa ON KIA ON4 Canada Canada Vour Me Votre rderence Our file Notre 19lriretU8 The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sel1 reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microforni, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantid extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. Dedicated to my parents for their endless love and encouragement iii ABSTRACT Author : Inna Muthmainnah. Title : ~anw;al-Miqbiil; min ~afi;Ibn 'AbbE :Its PRnciples of Interpretation. Department : Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University. Degree : Master of Arts. .. This study investigates the principles of interpretation in T'anwG al-Miqbril; min Ibn 'AbbriS, focusing on its approach and method, sources and points of view. To accornplish this purpose, both histoncal and literary analysis are employed. Nevertheless, this study does not attempt to resolve the well-known dispute over its authentiuty or ascription. Like other Qur'ànic commentaries produced in the classical period, ~nnw6 al-MiqbG relies heavily on philological analysis in the sense that it provides an intqretation of Qur'anic verses based on their literal meaning and in very simple terms. Similarly, it ernploys sources that were comrnonly used in classical tafifi, namely, Qur'ànic cross-reference, hadsh, Arabic poetry and isrân~a3. However, due to its simplistic approach, it is diffidt to extract any guiding principles behind its interpretation. In fact, there is little to indicate that this Qur'anic exegesis represents the views of any particular Islamic sect, let alone of any individual person. Nevertheles, with ifs simple presentation, am& al-MiqbG brings up many interesthg and challenging issues which deserve greater scholarly attention. Further and deeper research into these issues may help us to situate the work within the broader exegeticd tradition in Islam. Auteur : Inna Muthmaimah Titre : Le Tmw8 al-Miqb% min Tafi& 16n 'i1bb;IÎ:Ses principes d'interprétation. Département : Institut des Études Islamiques, Université McGill. Diplôme : Maîtrise ès Arts. -------------------- Cette étùde explore les principes de l'interprétation dans le Tanw3 al-Miqb% min Tafi* Ibn 'ilbbZ.r, en se concentrant sur son approche et sa méthode, ses sources et ses points de vue. Afin d'atteindre cet objectif, les analyses historiques et littéraire seront employées. Cependant, cette recherche ne tentera pas de résoudre la dispute bien connue concernant I'authenticité et l'attribution du texte. Tout comme bien d'autres commentaires qurY8niquesproduits durant la période classique, le TanwF aLMiqbrLF dépend étroitement de I'analyse philologique en ce sens qu'il apporte une interprétation des versets qur'àniques fondée sur leur signification littérale et ce, dans des termes très simples. De la même manière, le texte emploie les sources communément utilisées dans le fafi3 classique tels que les références qur'âniques, les l~udïth,la poésie arabe et I'isr$iI@il't. Toutefois, étant donné son approche simpliste, il est dificile d'extraire les principes conducteurs de cette interprétation. En effet, très peu d'indices peuvent indiquer que cette exégèse qur'ànique représente les vues d'une quelconque secte islamique, de même que celles d'une personne en particulier. Cependant, malgré sa présentation simple, le Tunwi r al-MiqbB soulève plusieures questions intéressantes et qui méritent une plus grande attention académique. Des recherches plus poussées et approfondies de ces questions pourraient peut-être nous aider à situer l'ouvrage à l'intérieur d'un cadre plus large de la tradition exégète de I'Islam. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ........................... ....................................................... iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................... .. ...................................... vii ACKNOWLEDGMENT ................................................................... viü NOTESONTRANSLITERATION. ABBREVIATIONS AND DATING .......... Cr-LAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ..................................................... 1 CHAPTER. TWO: TEXTUAL ISSUES OF TANWRAL-MIQBKS m TARIR IBN 'ABBAS ................... ............. ...................................................... 7 ~.~anw&al.~i~b&rnin~afs;~bn'AbbriS.............................................. 7 B .A Biography of Ibn 'Abbas ............................................................ 13 1. Family Background ...................... ...... .............................. 13 2. Ibn 'Abbas in md#h and Qur'anic Exegesis ................................... 18 3 .Ibn 'Abbas's Political. and Military. Career ..................................... 30 C .A Biography of al-FirÜzZbidi ....................... .............................. 32 1. His Life .................................................................................. 32 2. His Works ...............................................-.. :.. ......................... 38 CHAPTER THREE: THE PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION OF TMR AL-MIQBLSm TAFSIR IBN 'ABBLS.................... .... .................. 40 A . Approach and Method of ~anwFal-MiqbZ min ~ufs6Ibn 'Abbas ........... 40 B .Sources of Interpretation .................... .... ............................... 51 C. Points of View .................................................... ,. .. .................... 67 CONCLUSION ........................................... .................................. 74 APPENDICES. 1. Al-FküzibZdi's Works ................................................................. 77 2. Number of Verses, Words and Letters in ~nnwi?al-Mi@& min ~afs5Ibn viii ACKNOWLEDGMENT First of all, I would iike to extend my sincerest thanks to Dr. Issa J. Boullata, my academic advisor and the supervisor of this thesis, for his continual guidance and invaluable help throughout my period of research. He devoted much time to advising and encouraging me in my studies. 1am very grateful to him for his close observations and valuable criticism which have resulted in signihca.improvements to my thesis. 1am also very grateful to Dr. Üner Turgay, the Director of the Institute of Islamic Studies, for his concem and moral suppoa during my study at the Institute. 1would Iike also to extend my appreciation to the Faculty of Education (Tarbiyah), State Institute of Islamic Studies "Antasai" Banjarmasin, hdonesia for allowing me to take a two-year leave of absence to study at the Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University. The list of people who helped me in the course of my thesis research is endless, and all of them have my thanks. However, speaal gratitude is due to the staff of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), as well as the staff of the McGU Indonesia IAIN Development Project partidarly its Director Wendy Allen, its former Director Dr. Howard M. Federspiel, and Drs. Mumi Djamal, M.A, of the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs. My appreciation and thanks also go to the staff of the Islamic Studies Librq, espeaally Ms. Salwa Ferahian for her invaluable help in providing materials, and Wayne St. Thomas, for his Mendly and efficient service. 1would like also to thank Steve Millier, in particular, Yasmine