An Overview of Imām Ṭabrī's Perspective on the Number and Significance of the Names of the Qur’ān

اسماء قرآن کی تعداد اور ان کے معانی کے بارے میں امام طبری رحمہ اللہ کےنقطہ نظر کا تعارفی جائزہ

Abstract

Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī is widely regarded as the foundational work of Qur’ānic exegesis, and its author, Imām al-Ṭabarī (may Allah have mercy on him), is rightfully titled Imām al-Mufassirīn (the Imam of the Qur’ānic exegetes). His commentary is highly esteemed for its depth, comprehensiveness, and methodological rigor. At the outset of his Tafsīr, Imām al-Ṭabarī penned a profound introduction in which he explored various disciplines of Qur’ānic sciences. This introduction includes discussions on the meanings of Qur’ānic verses, Qur’ānic vocabulary (lugha), the concept of the seven aḥruf (saba‘a aḥruf), the necessity of understanding the principles of interpretation (tafsīr), the prohibition of interpreting the Qur’ān based purely on personal opinion (ra’y), and other foundational sciences and principles related to Qur’ānic exegesis. Among these topics, he also addressed the names of the Qur’ān, presenting various perspectives and evidences before offering his own well-reasoned opinion. Despite the foundational nature of his insights, later works such as al-Itqān fī ʿUlūm al-Qur’ān do not include a detailed mention of the Qur’ānic sciences as outlined by Imām al-Ṭabarī, particularly his discussion on the names of the Qur’ān. While these later texts may refer generally to the names of the Qur’ān, they often omit the specific arguments and interpretations presented by Imām al-Ṭabarī.This research paper aims to fill that gap by exploring Imām al-Ṭabarī’s perspective on the names of the Qur’ān as presented in his introduction to Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī. It seeks to highlight the originality and scholarly significance of his contributions in this domain and to establish their relevance as a foundational reference in the study of Qur’ānic sciences.