An İntroduction To ’Uloom Al-Qur'ân

**Prof. Dr. Sinsi** · 10-11-2012

III

The History of ’Uloom al-Qur'ân

Like all the sciences of Islâm, the knowledge of ’Uloom Al-Qur'ân initiated with the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) himself

The Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) about any concept that they did not understand in the Qur'ân

For example concerning the verse,

{{Those who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice, only they will have security, and they are guided

}} (Quran, 6:82)

They asked, "O Messenger of Allâh! Who amongst us does not do injustice (to his soul)?" They had understood that the verse was referring to those believers who did not commit any injustice, or sin

The Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) replied that the injustice referred to this verse was shirk, or the association of partners with Allâh

[3]

Such was the enthusiasm of the Companions in seeking this knowledge that they were able to not only explain any verse in the Qur'ân, but also give its history and the cause of its revelation

Ibn Mas’ood said, "I swear by Allâh, besides whom there is no other god, there is no soorah in the Qur'ân except that I know where it was revealed! And there is not a single verse in the Qur'ân except that I know the reason behind its revelation! If there were any person that knew more about the Qur'an than I did, and it was possible for me to reach him, I would ride (on my camel) towards him (to get his knowledge

" [4]

Alee ibn Abee Taalib told his students, "Ask me! For I swear by Allâh, there is nothing that you will ask me except that I will answer you

Ask me concerning the Book of Allâh! For I swear by Allâh, there is not a single verse in the Qur'ân except that I know whether it was revealed at night or during the day, or on a mountain or on a plain!" [5]

There were many Companions who were famous for their knowledge of the Qur'ân, among them were the four Khulafaa ar-Raashidoon, [6] ’Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (d

32 A

H

), ’Abdullaah ibn ’Abbaas (d

68 A

H

), Ubay ibn Ka’ab (d

32 A

H

), Zayd ibn Thaabit (d

45 A

H

), Aboo Moosaa al-Ash’aree (d

50 A

H

), ’Abdullaah ibn Zubayr (d

73 A

H

) and ’Aa'ishah (d

57 A

H

)

The generation that came after the Companions, the Successors, studied eagerly under the wise guardianship of the Companions

These students took over their predecessors’ responsibilities, and passed this knowledge faithfully to the next generation

Ibn ’Abbaas’ students, Sa’eed ibn Jubayr (d

95 A

H

), Mujaahid ibn Jabr (d

100 A

H

), ’Ikrimah al-Barbaree (d

104 A

H

), Taawoos ibn Kaysaan (d

106 A

H

), and ’Ataa' ibn Rabaah (d

114 A

H

), were all famous in Makkah; Ubay ibn Ka’ab's students, Zayd ibn Aslam (d

63 A

H

), Aboo al-’Aaliyah (d

90 A

H

) and Muhammad ibn Ka’ab (d

120 A

H

), were the teachers of Madinah; and in Iraq, ’Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood left behind his great legacy to ’Alqamah ibn Qays (d

60 A

H

), Masrooq ibn al-Ajda’ (d

63 A

H

), al-Hasan al-Basree (d

110 A

H), and Qataadah as-Sadoosee (d

110 A

H

)

These three places, Makkah, Madinah, and Koofah, were the leading centres of all the sciences of Islâm, including tafseer and ’uloom al-Qur'ân

10-11-2012	#2
Prof. Dr. Sinsi	An İntroduction To ’Uloom Al-Qur'ân III The History of ’Uloom al-Qur'ân Like all the sciences of Islâm, the knowledge of ’Uloom Al-Qur'ân initiated with the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) himself The Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) about any concept that they did not understand in the Qur'ân For example concerning the verse, {{Those who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice, only they will have security, and they are guided}} (Quran, 6:82) They asked, "O Messenger of Allâh! Who amongst us does not do injustice (to his soul)?" They had understood that the verse was referring to those believers who did not commit any injustice, or sin The Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) replied that the injustice referred to this verse was shirk, or the association of partners with Allâh [3] Such was the enthusiasm of the Companions in seeking this knowledge that they were able to not only explain any verse in the Qur'ân, but also give its history and the cause of its revelation Ibn Mas’ood said, "I swear by Allâh, besides whom there is no other god, there is no soorah in the Qur'ân except that I know where it was revealed! And there is not a single verse in the Qur'ân except that I know the reason behind its revelation! If there were any person that knew more about the Qur'an than I did, and it was possible for me to reach him, I would ride (on my camel) towards him (to get his knowledge" [4] Alee ibn Abee Taalib told his students, "Ask me! For I swear by Allâh, there is nothing that you will ask me except that I will answer you Ask me concerning the Book of Allâh! For I swear by Allâh, there is not a single verse in the Qur'ân except that I know whether it was revealed at night or during the day, or on a mountain or on a plain!" [5] There were many Companions who were famous for their knowledge of the Qur'ân, among them were the four Khulafaa ar-Raashidoon, [6] ’Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (d32 AH), ’Abdullaah ibn ’Abbaas (d68 AH), Ubay ibn Ka’ab (d32 AH), Zayd ibn Thaabit (d45 AH), Aboo Moosaa al-Ash’aree (d50 AH), ’Abdullaah ibn Zubayr (d73 AH) and ’Aa'ishah (d57 AH) The generation that came after the Companions, the Successors, studied eagerly under the wise guardianship of the Companions These students took over their predecessors’ responsibilities, and passed this knowledge faithfully to the next generation Ibn ’Abbaas’ students, Sa’eed ibn Jubayr (d95 AH), Mujaahid ibn Jabr (d100 AH), ’Ikrimah al-Barbaree (d104 AH), Taawoos ibn Kaysaan (d106 AH), and ’Ataa' ibn Rabaah (d114 AH), were all famous in Makkah; Ubay ibn Ka’ab's students, Zayd ibn Aslam (d63 AH), Aboo al-’Aaliyah (d90 AH) and Muhammad ibn Ka’ab (d120 AH), were the teachers of Madinah; and in Iraq, ’Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood left behind his great legacy to ’Alqamah ibn Qays (d60 AH), Masrooq ibn al-Ajda’ (d63 AH), al-Hasan al-Basree (d110 AH), and Qataadah as-Sadoosee (d110 AH) These three places, Makkah, Madinah, and Koofah, were the leading centres of all the sciences of Islâm, including tafseer and ’uloom al-Qur'ân