Laying the Foundations: Scrutinizing Qur anic Exegesis in the First Three Hijri Centuries

Tafsir, the interpretation of the Qur’an, holds significant importance in Islamic studies. Its origins trace back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad, who provided interpretations of certain Qur’anic verses. The companions whom the Prophet trained also played a crucial role in the development of tafsir. Tabi’in, the successors of the companions, were the students of the students of the Prophet, so their efforts also contributed to tafsir. In the first three centuries of the hijri calendar, tafsir developed a lot, and its foundation was laid down. The paper examines the evolution of tafsir in the first three centuries. It begins by defining tafsir and its historical background. It then delves into the details of tafsir during the first, second and third centuries, highlighting the dominant schools of interpretation, the process of compiling tafsir, known as tadwin, and how it evolved from being part of the literature of hadith to becoming a separate field of study. It also addresses important issues such as the influence of Israeliyyat in tafsir and how tafsir developed into a distinct part of Islamic sciences. Overall, this paper sheds light on the significant role played in the first three centuries in the development and evolution of tafsir.