Ibn Atiyyah’s Singularities (Tafarrudat) in Weakening Opinions in his Tafsir Al-Muharrar Al-Wajiz

Abstract

This research investigates the critical methodology of the Andalusian scholar Imam Ibn Atiyyah (d. 541 AH) in his renowned Quranic exegesis, Al-Muharrar Al-Wajiz. The paper focuses specifically on "Tafarrudat"—instances where Ibn Atiyyah stood alone in classifying certain exegetical opinions as "weak" when other scholars did not. The study is divided into two main parts. It provides a biography of Ibn Atiyyah, his scholarly upbringing in Granada, and an overview of his Tafsir. It highlights his methodology of combining traditional narration (Ma'thur) with linguistic analysis, his rejection of baseless Israelite narratives (Isra'iliyyat), and his commitment to the Ash'ari creed and Maliki jurisprudence. The paper analyzes specific examples from Surah Al-Fath and Surah Al-Hujurat where Ibn Atiyyah weakened specific interpretations. In Surah Al-Fath, he rejected the view that verse 22 referred to Romans or Persians, arguing based on context that it referred to the Quraysh. In Surah Al-Hujurat, he critiqued specific linguistic derivations of the word "Qawm." The research concludes that Ibn Atiyyah’s unique instances of weakening opinions were not arbitrary but were grounded in strong linguistic evidence, Arabic grammar, and the context of the verses. His approach demonstrates a high level of critical thinking and independence in Quranic interpretation.

Keywords: Ibn Atiyyah, Al-Muharrar Al-Wajiz, Tafarrudat, Surah Al-Hujurat, Surah Al-Fath

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18113379