Sayyid Muḥammad-ʿAlī Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Rūykard-i Mufassirān-i Imāmiyya bih Kutub-i Muqaddas-i Pīshīn (The Approach of Imāmī Exegetes to the Previous Scriptures), 1st ed., 1 vol., Qom: Dār al-Ḥadīth Publications, 1401 SH (2022 CE), 464 pp.
Rūykard-i Mufassirān-i Imāmiyya bih Kutub-i Muqaddas-i Pīshīn (The Approach of Imāmī Exegetes to the Previous Scriptures) is a thought-provoking and scholarly work that dives deep into the historical evolution of Qurʾānic exegesis, with a specific focus on the Imāmī (Shīʿī) tradition. This book stands at the intersection of Islamic hermeneutics, interreligious dialogue, and the history of sacred texts. Far from being a reiteration of traditional tafsīr (exegesis) literature, it redefines tafsīr-pazhūhī (Qurʾānic exegesis studies) through a modern lens, relying heavily on historical analysis and cross-religious comparisons.
Published in 2022 (1401 SH) by Dār al-Ḥadīth, this 464-page Persian-language volume challenges readers to think critically about how Muslim exegetes have interacted with and interpreted the Tawrāt (Torah) and Injīl (Gospel) over the centuries. By contextualizing exegetical trends in light of intellectual developments, the author takes readers on a captivating journey across centuries of interpretive heritage.
Dr. Sayyid Muḥammad-ʿAlī Ṭabāṭabāʾī (b. 1984 / 1363 Sh.), the author of this book, is an Assistant Professor at the Research Center for Qurʾānic Studies, affiliated with the Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies (Pazhūhishgāh-i ʿUlūm-i Insānī wa Muṭāliʿāt-i Farhangī) in Iran. He holds a PhD in Qurʾān and Ḥadīth Studies from the University of Tehran, an M.A. in Abrahamic Religions from the University of Religions and Denominations, and a B.A. in Qurʾān and Ḥadīth Studies from the Razavi University of Islamic Sciences.
Ṭabāṭabāʾī is recognized for his rigorous interdisciplinary research, particularly in comparative religion, historical linguistics, and scriptural hermeneutics. Some of his notable academic articles include:
- A Methodological Critique of Daniel Madigan’s Theory on the Meaning of “Kitāb” (Book) in the Qurʾān
- A Historical-Linguistic Analysis of the Meaning of “Taḥrīf” (Textual Distortion) in the Qurʾān
- A Comparative History of the Concept of Biblical Distortion in Sunni and Shīʿī Exegesis
- The Historical Development of the Idea of Biblical Distortion in Muslim-Christian Polemics
The central thesis of the book is that Qurʾānic exegesis, particularly in the Imāmī tradition, is best understood not merely as a static body of religious commentary but as a dynamic historical phenomenon. Dr. Ṭabāṭabāʾī seeks to explore how Imāmī exegetes have interpreted references to previous scriptures, namely the Torah and the Gospel, and how these interpretations have evolved under various historical and intellectual influences.
Unlike classical tafsīr literature that often presents views as timeless truths, this book adopts a historiographical methodology. It treats tafsīr as a product of its socio-political and cultural context. The framework used is a four-paradigm theory that categorizes different interpretive traditions within Shīʿi tafsīr. However, as the author demonstrates, certain themes in the Qurʾān—especially those concerning the status and content of previous scriptures—often exhibit trans-paradigmatic characteristics that challenge this model.
Through this nuanced approach, the book attempts to identify the subtle theological, polemical, and epistemological shifts that have occurred in how Muslim exegetes, particularly Imāmīs, have dealt with the legacy of Jewish and Christian sacred texts.
The book is organized into six chapters, each exploring a specific aspect of the Qurʾānic discourse on the Torah and Gospel:
- The Nature, Qualities, and Examples of the Previous Scriptures:
This chapter lays the foundation by discussing how classical and modern exegetes have defined and identified the previous scriptures, including references in the Qurʾān to the ṣuḥuf, Tawrāt, and Injīl.
- The Significance and Role of the Torah and Gospel in Islam:
Here, the author delves into theological discussions surrounding the importance of these texts in Muslim thought, and their perceived relationship with the Qurʾān.
- The Bible and the Qurʾān: Intertextual Exegesis:
This is perhaps the most innovative chapter, examining how Muslim exegetes have interpreted biblical narratives and how these interpretations reflect broader intellectual and religious currents.
- The Content of the Torah and Gospel:
The focus here is on how exegetes have engaged with the actual content (when available) of the Bible, including narratives, laws, and moral teachings, and how these have been evaluated from within an Islamic theological framework.
- The Historical Background of the Torah and Gospel:
Drawing from archaeology, textual criticism, and historiography, this chapter situates the Jewish and Christian scriptures within their own historical evolution, contrasting modern academic perspectives with classical Muslim views.
- Torah and Gospel: Authenticity or Distortion?
The final chapter addresses the long-standing Muslim belief in the taḥrīf (distortion) of the previous scriptures. Ṭabāṭabāʾī evaluates the different interpretations of taḥrīf—textual, interpretive, or contextual—and how these beliefs have shaped Muslim-Christian polemics and exegesis.
Dr. Ṭabāṭabāʾī’s work is a remarkable contribution to the field of tafsīr studies and interfaith scholarship. The book excels in multiple ways:
- Methodologically Rigorous: The use of historical analysis and comparative frameworks gives this work an academic edge sometimes missing from traditional Islamic studies. The four-paradigm model is both analytical and flexible, allowing for critical engagement with complex exegetical material.
- Scholarly yet Readable: The book’s language, while academic, remains accessible to graduate-level students and scholars in Islamic Studies, Religious Studies, and Theology.
- Interdisciplinary Insight: By integrating insights from biblical studies, archaeology, and historical linguistics, the author breaks new ground in Shīʿi Qurʾānic scholarship.
Overall, The Approach of Imāmī Exegetes to the Previous Scriptures is a work that invites both Muslim and non-Muslim scholars to reconsider the Qurʾān’s relationship with earlier revelations in a historically grounded and intellectually open manner.
In an age where religious identity and interfaith understanding are more important than ever, Dr. Ṭabāṭabāʾī’s book offers an invaluable resource. It provides not only a scholarly map of a crucial exegetical tradition but also a bridge between Islamic and Judeo-Christian scriptural legacies.
