Jawami Al-Jami; Third Quran Exegesis by Sheikh Tabarsi

TEHRAN (IQNA) – The Jawami Al-Jami Quran Exegesis is an abridged Quran interpretation whose major feature is being a literary work that explains the verses of the Quran with short phrases and includes all verses of the Holy Book.

Jawami Al-Jami is by Fadhl ibn Hassan Tabarsi, known as Sheikh Tabarasi and Amin al-Islam, a great Shia interpreter of the Quran. He wrote it at the request of his son. It includes excerpts from his two previous Quran exegeses “Majma al-Bayan and al-Kafi al-Shafi. He started writing it two years after the conclusion of the previous exegeses and finished it in one year.

About Author

Fadhl ibn Hassan Tabarsi is a renowned Shia Quran interpreter who lived in the 6^th Hijri century. He was also a narrator of Hadith, Faqih (Islamic jurisprudent) and theologian. A’alam al-Wari is also among his major works.

As for his motivation to write Jawami Al-Jami, Sheikh Tabarsi says when he finished writing Majma al-Bayan, which includes different Quranic teachings and sciences, he received a copy of the book Kashshaf by Zamakhshari and decided to use its points. He did so and wrote the book Al-Kafi al-Shafi. Both books were received very well. Then his son Abu Nasr Hassan urged him to write an abridged version of the two in one book so that everyone can benefit from their points.

“Although I was over 70 and it was a difficult thing for me to do,… I agreed and with the blessing of God managed to write it and name it Jawami Al-Jami.”

Interpretation Method

This exegesis is not ordered like Majma al-Bayan but is more like Kashshaf which has no table of content. It is very summarized and one of its major features is being literary and explaining the verses with short phrases.

It discusses issues related to words, readings, and literary and rhetorical points. The author has tried to offer a precise and subtle work and that is why it is taught in Islamic seminaries as a textbook.

In this exegesis, first the name of the Surah, it being Makki or Madani, the number of verses and the virtue of the Surah is discussed. It then talks about the readings, words, grammatical points and further discusses the meaning of the verse and offers interpretational views.

It also mentions literary and rhetorical points as well as those related to theology and Fiqh. As for Ayat al-Ahkam, it very briefly offers Fiqhi points and then refers the reader to Majma al-Bayan.