Tafsir Naeemi


Tafsir Naeemi, originally titled Ashraf al-Tafasir, is a comprehensive tafsir in Urdu by Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi. It consists of 11 volumes, each covering one juz of the Quran. The work incorporates material from classical Sunni tafsirs such as Tafsir al-Kabir, Tafsir Ruh al-Bayan, Tafsir al-Baydawi, Tafsir al-Jalalayn, Tafsir Khazin and others. Its distinctive feature is that under each Qur'anic verse, the following eleven points are included in detail, which are generally not found in other Urdu tafsirs:
  1. The Arabic text of the verse
  2. A literal translation
  3. An idiomatic translation
  4. The connection of each verse to preceding verses
  5. Occasions of revelation
  6. Detailed scholarly commentary
  7. A summary of the interpretation
  8. Extracted lessons
  9. Jurisprudential rulings
  10. Responses to objections and criticisms
  11. A mystical commentary
This multi-layered approach made the work accessible to scholars, jurists, sufis, preachers and lay readers alike. The author continued writing until his death in 1971, completing commentary on the first eleven parts.

Style and methodology

The books is characterized by:
  • Extensive use of classical Arabic tafsirs, with quotations and comparative interpretations.
  • Explanations of multiple possible meanings of a single phrase; for example:
Number of interpretationsVerse Volume & Page
9 interpretationsVol. 6, p. 465
7 interpretationsVol. 5, p. 35
10 interpretationsVol. 5, p. 478

  • Lexical and semantic distinctions between near-synonyms:
Words distinguishedVolume & Page
muwaddat, mahabbah and khullah Vol. 5, p. 430
darak and darajah Vol. 5, p. 509
khatm, ikhfa and sir Vol. 5, p. 73

  • Use of analogies and parables to explain complex concepts.
  • Frequent inclusion of Arabic, Persian and Urdu poetry.
  • Engagement with objections from various religious and sectarian perspectives, providing counter-arguments in a structured manner:
TopicVolume & Page
objections on faith and guidanceVol. 1, p. 153
objections on intercessionVol. 1, p. 366
objections on abrogation Vol. 1, p. 621
objections on fastingVol. 2, p. 213

History

Writing

The writing of Tafsir Naeemi was completed over a period of twenty-eight years. Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi began with Volume 1 in 1363 AH and concluded with Volumes 10 and 11 in 1391 AH.
Vol.Juz’
Year
Year
1113631944
2213641945
3313651946
4413811961
5513831963
6613861966
7713871967
8813881968
9913901970
101013911971
111113911971

Publication (year 2009 edition)

Many editions of Tafsir Naeemi have been published in different cities across the world over the years. The table below provides the details of one such edition, the 2009 publication by Naeemi Kutub Khanah at Lahore.
Vol.Pub. datePages
12009701
2ND582
32009630
4ND650
52010616
62012646
7ND673
82009592
92009561
102014568
112011568

Reception

The tafsir is widely referenced in Urdu scholarship. Contemporary scholars have praised its blend of traditional exegesis with accessible explanations. It continues to be cited in religious seminaries and among Sunni scholars of South Asia.

Primary sources

  • 1971: Qazi Abdul Nabi Kokab,, Maktaba Islamia, Gujrat. .
  • 2004: Sheikh Bilal Ahmad Siddiqui,, Naeemi Kutub Khana, Gujrat.
  • 2012: Mufti Iqtidar Ahmad Khan,, Naeemi Kutub Khana, Lahore.

Secondary sources

  • Muhammad Shoaib Attari, "", al-Tafsir, Karachi, Vol. 8, Issue 23, Jan–Jun 2014, pp. 169–192.
  • Maulana Muhammad Naveed Kamal Madani,, Maktaba A‘la, Lahore, 1439 AH/2018 CE.
  • Shafqat Ali, "", Mirrat al-Arifeen International, May 2020.
  • Dr. Mahmood Ahmad, Dr. Muhammad Ziaullah, and Muhammad Amjad Rizvi, "", al-Mahdi Research Journal, Vol. 5, Issue 2, Oct–Dec 2023, pp. 507–524.
  • Mufti Ata-ur-Rehman, Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Mudassir Shafiq, and Asma Asghar, "", Jahan-e-Tahqeeq, Vol. 6, Issue 4, Mar 2023.
  • Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Mudassir Shafiq, Durr Nayab Haider, and Maryam Bibi, "", Jahan-e-Tahqeeq, Vol. 7, Issue 1, Mar 2024.
  • Ali Muhammad, Dr. Muhammad Naveed, and Dr. Muhammad Ansar, "", al-Hameed Islamic Studies Research Journal, Vol. 3, Issue 1, 2024, Lahore. ISSN: 2959-1767, 259-1759.
  • Muhammad Shoaib, Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Mudassir Shafiq, and Hafiz Muhammad Anas, "", al-Idhaat Research Journal, Vol. 4, Issue 1, Jan–Mar 2024.
  • Mufti Ata-ur-Rehman, Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Mudassir Shafiq, and Dr. Shah Nawaz, "", al-Hameed , Vol. 3, Issue 1, Mar 2024.
  • Mufti Ata-ur-Rehman, Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Mudassir Shafiq, and Dr. Farhan Akhtar, "", al-Manhal Research Journal, Vol. 4, Issue 1, Jan–Mar 2024.
  • Mufti Ata-ur-Rehman, Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Mudassir Shafiq, and Dr. Farhan Akhtar, "", al-Mahdi Research Journal, Vol. 5, Issue 2, Jan–Mar 2024, pp. 178–190.
  • Sajid Mahmood Abid, "", Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan.
  • Faisal Munir, "", Imperial College of Business Studies, Lahore.
  • Muhammad Irfan,, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan.