Tafsir began with revelation: Tafsir did not begin with books — it began the moment the Quran was revealed. The Prophet (SAW) was the first Mufassir, and the history of Tafsir has five eras.
Era 1 — the Prophet (610–632 CE): The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was the living Tafsir of the Quran. He explained verses by word, by action, and by context. The Companions memorised both the Quran AND his explanations. Allah says in Surah Al-Nahl (16:44), "…so YOU explain it to people." This era was oral — there were no written Tafsir books, only direct understanding from the source.
Era 2 — the Companions (632–661 CE): After the Prophet (SAW), the Companions explained the Quran using other Quranic verses and the Prophet's (SAW) Hadith. The leading interpreters were Ibn Abbas — called "the Translator of the Quran" — Ali ibn Abi Talib (as), Ibn Mas'ud, and Ubayy ibn Ka'b. Tafsir was still mostly oral, but Ibn Abbas began teaching Tafsir formally in Makkah.
Era 3 — the Tabi'in and the schools (661–750 CE): Three schools emerged: Makkah (the students of Ibn Abbas), Madina (the students of Ubayy), and Iraq (the students of Ibn Mas'ud). The first written collections began. In the Shia tradition, this era belongs to the Imams: Imam Sajjad (as), Imam Baqir (as), and Imam Sadiq (as) continued the Tafsir lineage of the Ahlul Bayt (as).
Era 4 — the classical era (750–1500 CE): Great Tafsir encyclopedias were written. Among them were Tabari's Jami al-Bayan, Zamakhshari's Al-Kashshaf, and Fakhr al-Din al-Razi's Mafatih al-Ghayb. In the Shia tradition came Tafsir al-Qummi and Majma al-Bayan of Tabarsi. Methods diversified: linguistic, theological, Sufi, and Shia Imami.
Era 5 — the modern era (1800 CE to today): Scientific Tafsir, social Tafsir, and reform movements appeared. The greatest Shia contribution of this era is Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran by Allamah Tabataba'i (20 volumes, 20th century) — considered the most comprehensive Shia Tafsir in history.
Example
Think of a family recipe passed down through generations. First, the grandmother cooks it and her children watch and learn. Then the children teach their own children. Later, someone writes it down in a book. Finally, a great chef writes the complete version with every tip and variation. Tafsir grew the same way: from the Prophet's (SAW) living explanation, through the Imams (as) and the schools, to the great written books, and finally to Al-Mizan.
Key Terms
- Tabi'in (تابعین) — the generation after the Companions, who learned from them
- Ibn Abbas (ابن عباس) — the Companion called "the Translator of the Quran" for his Tafsir
- Classical era (العصر الکلاسیکی) — the great age of written Tafsir, 750–1500 CE
- Al-Mizan (المیزان) — Allamah Tabataba'i's 20-volume Tafsir, the greatest Shia work of the modern era
Quran or Hadith
Quran, Surah Al-Nahl 16:44 — "…so YOU explain it to people." — to be checked. Allah gave the Prophet (SAW) the task of explaining the Quran — the first era of Tafsir began with him.
Fresh diagram to be drawn: A horizontal timeline with five coloured blocks: Prophet (610–632) → Companions (632–661) → Tabi'in (661–750) → Classical (750–1500) → Modern (1800–today), with Al-Mizan at the end.
- Tafsir began with the Prophet (SAW), the living Tafsir, not with books.
- The five eras are: Prophet, Companions, Tabi'in, classical, and modern.
- In the Shia tradition, the Imams (as) carried the Tafsir lineage, and Al-Mizan is its modern crown.