ABOUT TAFSÎR

Hadrat Imâm-i Rabbânî says in the 101st letter of the third volume of his Maktûbât:

This letter, written to Shaikh ’Abdullah, informs that it is not permissible to interpret or explain away the âyats of the Qur’ân as philosophers understand them:

May Allâhu ta’âlâ give you safety and protect you against disasters! You sent the book named Tabsîr-ur-Rahmân. I have read some parts of it. I am sending it back. [Tabsîr-ur-rahmân wa Teysîr-ul-menân is a book of Tafsîr. It was written by Zayn-ud-dîn ’Alî bin Ahmad Ermewî ‘rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ ’alaih’, one of in savants of the Hanbalî Madhhab. He died in the year 710.]

My dear brother! It is understood that the author of this book has deviated into the way of philosophers. He almost holds them equal to Prophets. The meaning which he gave to an âyat of Hûd Sûra has caught my eye. He interprets the âyat like philosophers, disagreeing with Prophets’ teachings. He holds Prophets’ word and philosophers’ word equal as if they were of the same value, and says: “According to the unanimity of Prophets and philosophers” about the âyat, “For them there is nothing in the Hereafter” and says: “By feeling, or mentally, theoretically...” concerning the âyat, “Torment by fire only.” What value would philosophers’ unanimity ever have at a place where there is Prophets’ ‘’alaihimus-salawât-u wa-t-tehiyyât’ unanimity? What importance could their words have which inform of the torment in the next world, especially when they disagree with Prophets’ statements? Philosophers say that Hell torment is mental and theoretical, and he says so, too. These words of theirs show that they deny the fact that the torment will be felt physically! However, Prophets have stated unanimously that torment will be felt. The book, also in its other parts, writes about the âyats of the Qur’ân so as to agree with philosophers’ statements. On account of its writings which disagree with those who follow Prophets’ way, the book bears hidden harm; nay, its harm is quite obvious. Seeing that it would be necessary to inform you of this fact, I have caused your head to ache with a few words. I send my salâm.