Ma'arif al-Quran

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Ma'arif al-Quran
AuthorMuhammad Shafi
Original titleمعارف القرآن
LanguageUrdu
SubjectTafsir
GenreClassical
Publication placePakistan
Media typePrint
297.1227
Websitemaarifulquran.net

Ma'arif al-Quran (Urdu: معارف القرآن) is an eight-volume tafsir of the Quran by Pakistani scholar Muhammad Shafi, primarily written in Urdu. Methodologically, it draws from Ashraf Ali Thanwi's Bayan al-Quran.

Background

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The work on Ma'arif al-Quran began after Radio Pakistan requested Muhammad Shafi to present Qur’anic explanations. He first declined the offer, but later agreed to give weekly talks on selected verses related to daily life. The program started in 1954 and continued until the commentary of Surah Ibrahim, after which it stopped. The purpose of these talks was to help ordinary people understand the Qur’an. After the series ended, ulama and the public repeatedly requested Shafi to write a complete tafsir. In response, he began the full commentary that later became known as Ma'arif al-Quran.[1]

After writing the commentary of Surah al-Fatiha, Shafi became seriously ill and was unable to continue his work. His condition worsened, and he even suffered from heart disease. Believing he might not recover, he entrusted the remaining work to his son, Taqi Usmani. However, he later regained his health and resumed writing. Within about three months, he restarted the tafsir from where he had stopped. He began this final phase of work at the start of his seventy-eighth year.[1]

Overview

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In Ma'arif al-Quran, Shafi used the translations of Mahmud Hasan Deobandi, Shah Abdul Qadir, and Ashraf Ali Thanwi. Shafi relied on these established translations rather than creating a new one. Methodologically, it draws from Ashraf Ali Thanvi's Bayan al-Quran, with explanations of difficult words to make the text accessible. The tafsir presents legal rulings according to the Hanafi school of thought in a section titled “Ma’arif wa Masail” (Insights and Issues). Each ruling is explained clearly for scholars and general readers. The tafsir relies on transmitted reports, showing the relationship between the Qur’an and Hadith.[2]

Bengali translation

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The Islamic Foundation Bangladesh undertook the Bengali translation of Ma'arif al-Quran and assigned the task to Muhiuddin Khan, editor of the monthly Madina. He completed the eight-volume translation between 1977 and 1984.[3]

The first volume, published in June 1980, covered Surah al-Fatiha to Surah al-Baqarah. The second volume, published in 1980, included Surah Aal-e-Imran to Surah An-Nisa. The third volume appeared in 1981, covering Surah al-Ma’idah to verse 93 of Surah al-A’raf. The fourth volume, published in 1982, included Surah al-A’raf (verse 94 to the end), Surah At-Tawba, Al-Anfal, Yunus, and Hud.[3] The fifth volume, also in 1982, covered Surah Yusuf, Ar-Rad, Ibrahim, Al-Hijr, An-Nahl, Bani Isra’il, and Al-Kahf. The sixth volume, published in 1983, included Surah Maryam, Taha, Al-Anbiya, Al-Hajj, Al-Mu’minun, An-Nur, Al-Furqan, Al-Qasas, Al-Ankabut, and Ar-Rum. The seventh volume, also in 1983, covered Surah Luqman to Al-Ahqaf (15 surahs). The eighth and final volume, published in 1984, included Surah Muhammad to An-Nas. The complete Bengali translation was published by Islamic Foundation Press, Dhaka.[3]

While Muhiuddin Khan was the main translator, several scholars and staff contributed to editing, reviewing, and supporting the project, including Abdus Salam, Rafiqul Ahmad, Sahabuddin Ahmad, Moinul Islam, Muhammad Muksad, Usman Gani Farooq, Muhammad Abdul Aziz, Obaidul K. Jalalabadi, Syed Zahirul Haq, Abdul Mannan, Muhammad Yahya Rahman, Abdul Latif Mahmudi, Hafiz Maulana Abu Ashraf, Shamim Hasanain Imtiaz, A.Z.M. Shamsul Alam, M. Sobhan, Professor Abdul Ghafoor, and Lutfor Haq.[4]

Studies

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Hanif 2020.
  2. ^ Hanif 2020, p. 4.
  3. ^ a b c Azad, Md. Abul Kalam (2013). Tafsir in the Bengali Language – Highlighting Tafsir Nur al-Quran (PDF) (PhD thesis) (in Bengali). Bangladesh: University of Dhaka. pp. 206, 207.
  4. ^ Azad 2013, p. 210.
  5. ^ Azad 2013, pp. 205–210.
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