“Windows To Spirituality”
Tafhim-ul-Quran ( تفہيم القرآن, Tafheem-ul-Quran, lit. ‘Towards Understanding the Qur’an’) is a 6-volume translation and commentary of the Qur’an by the Pakistani Muslim philosopher, activist, and scholar Syed Abul Ala Maududi. Maududi began writing the book in 1942 and completed it in 1972.
The Tafhim is a combination of orthodox and modernist interpretations and has deeply influenced modern Islamic thought. It differs from traditional exegeses in several ways.
1. Surah Al Fatihah (The Opening) Name This Surah Al-Fatihah is named because of its subject-matter. Fatihah is that which opens a subject or a book or any other thing. In other words, Al-Fatihah is a sort of preface. Period of Revelation It is one of the very earliest Revelations...
Abul A’la Al-Maududi Abul A’la Al-Maududi (ابو الاعلی مودودی, Abul Alā Al-Mawdūdī – alternative spellings of last name Maudoodi, Mawdudi; 25 September 1903 – 22 September 1979) was an Islamic scholar, Islamist ideologue, Muslim philosopher, jurist, historian, journalist, activist, and scholar active in British India and later, following the partition, in Pakistan. Described by Wilfred Cantwell...
83. Surah Al Mutaffifin (Those Who Deal in Fraud) Name The Surah Al Mutaffifin name is derived from the very first verse; Wayl-ul-lil mutaffifin. Period of Revelation The style of the Surah and its subject matter clearly show that it was revealed in the earliest stage at Makkah, when surah after...
77. Surah Al Mursalat (The Winds Which Are Sent) Name The Surah Al Mursalat takes its name from the word wal-mursalat in the first verse. Period of Revelation Its subject matter bears full evidence that it was revealed in the earliest period at Makkah. If this Surah is read together with...
76. Surah Al Insan (Man) Name The Surah Al Insan is called Ad-Dahr as well as Al-Insan after the words occurring in the first verse. Period of Revelation Most of the commentators, including Allama Zamakhshari, Imam Razi, Qadi, Baidawi, Allama Nizam ad-Din Nisaburi, Hafiz Ibn Kathir and many others, regard it as a...
60. Surah Al Mumtahina (The Woman Under Questioning) Name In verse 10 of Surah Al Mumtahina it has been enjoined that the women who emigrate to dar al-Islam (the Islamic State) and claim to be Muslims, should be examined hence the title Al-Mumtahinah. The word is pronounced both as mumtahinah and as mumtahanah, the meaning...
49. Surah Al Hujaraat (The Private Apartments) Name The Surah Al Hujaraat takes its name from verse 4 in which the word hujurat has occurred. Period of Revelation Traditions show and the subject matter of the Surah also supports the same that this Surah is a collection of the commandments and...
43. Surah Az Zukhruf (The Ornaments of Gold) Name It is derived from the word zukhruf-an which occurs in verse 33 of the Surah Az Zukhruf. Period of Revelation It could not be known from any authentic tradition, but a study of its subject matter shows that this Surah also was...
37. Surah As Saaffat (Those who set the ranks) Name The name is derived from the word was saaffat with which the Surah As Saaffat begins. Period of Revelation The subject matter and the style show that this Surah probably was sent down in the middle of the Makkan period, or perhaps...
73. Surah Al Muzzammil (The One Who is Covered Up) Name The Surah Al Muzzammil has been so designated after the word al-muzzammil occurring in the very first verse. This is only a name and not a title of its subject matter. Period of Revelation The two sections of this Surah...
114. Surah An Nas (Mankind) Please note that the following introduction is for both Surah Al Falaq (113) and Surah An Nas (114). Name Although these two Surahs of the Qur’an are separate entities and are written in the Mushaf also under separate names, yet they are so deeply related mutually and...
113. Surah Al Falaq (The Daybreak) Please note that the following introduction is for both Surah Al Falaq (113) and Surah An Nas (114). Name Although these two Surahs of the Qur’an are separate entities and are written in the Mushaf also under separate names, yet they are so deeply related mutually...
Tafhim-ul-Quran Tafhim-ul-Quran ( تفہيم القرآن, Tafheem-ul-Quran, lit. ‘Towards Understanding the Qur’an’) is a 6-volume translation and commentary of the Qur’an by the Pakistani Muslim philosopher, activist, and scholar Syed Abul Ala Maududi. Maududi began writing the book in 1942 and completed it in 1972. The Tafhim is a combination of orthodox and modernist interpretations and...
112. Surah Al Ikhlas (The Purity) Name Al Ikhlas is not merely the name of this Surah but also the title of its contents, for it deals exclusively with Tauhid. The other Surahs of the Quran generally have been designated after a word occurring in them, but in this Surah the word Ikhlas has...
111. Surah Al Lahab (The Flame) The Surah Al Lahab takes its name from the word Lahab in the first verse. Period of Revelation Although the commentators have not disputed its being a Makki Surah, yet it is difficult to determine in which phase of the life at Makkah precisely...
110. Surah An Nasr (The Help) Name The Surah An Nasr takes its name from the word nasr occurring in the first verse. Period of Revelation Hadrat Abdullah bin Abbas states that this is the last Surah of the Quran to be revealed, i. e. no complete Surah was sent down...
109. Surah Al Kafirun (The Disbelievers) Name The Surah takes its name from the word al-kafirun occurring in the first verse. Period of Revelation Hadrat Abdullah bin Mas’ud, Hadrat Hasan Basri and Ikrimah, say that this Surah, is Makki, while Hadrat Abdullah bin Zubair says that it is Madani. Two different views...
108. Surah Al Kauthar (The Abundance) Name The Surah Al Kauthar has been so designated after the word al-kauthar occurring in the first verse. Period of Revelation Ibn Marduyah has cited Hadrat Abdullah bin Abbas, Hadrat Abdullah bin az-Zubair and Hadrat Aishah as saying that this Surah is Makki. Kalbi and...
107. Surah Al Ma’un (The Small Kindnesses) Name The Surah Al Ma’un has been so designated after the word al-ma`un occurring at the end of the last verse. Period of Revelation Ibn Marduyah has cited Ibn Abbas (may Allah bless them both) as saying that this Surah is Makki, and the...
106. Surah Quraish Name The Surah Quraish has been so entitled after the word Quraish in the very first verse. Period of Revelation Although Dahhak and Kalbi regard it as a Madani Surah, yet a great majority of the commentators are agreed that it is Makki, and a manifest evidence of...
