TAFSIR IBN KATHIR: BIOGRAPHY OF WRITER AND SPECIALIST IN TAFSIR

Abstract

Tafsir or Quran is the principal and first source of the shariah. Islamic jurists analyzed this source in extracting and introducing legal decisions. Alongside the Mufassir the Muhaddis (experts of Hadith) also exerted tremendous efforts in finding and extracting legal decisions. Although the Mufassir study within the scope of the Quran, collecting the Quran, managing compilation, scrutinizing the chain of narration and accuracy of the text. Abul Fida Ismail ibn Umar Ibn Kathir (707-774) was one of those who studied vigorously the application of Quran, in deriving shariah ruling. Along with the compilation of the Quran, illustration, he also played a vital role in deriving shariah ruling in the light of the Quran. He authored many worthy books in this field too on top of that he was also a great scholar of the Quran. This paper presents his invaluable contribution to deriving shariah ruling. The narrative method was applied in writing this paper. Many documents including the Quranic text and Hadith and major books in this field were also referred. The current paper ultimately evaluates the huge contribution of Abul Fida Ismail ibn Umar ibn Kathir in the field of Shari ‘ah ruling.