Tafseer Al Quran - 21 Apr 2010

Ustaz Rahmat continues Muqaddimah by cautioning the ummah that harfiah (translating the quran word for word) is haram in Islam as there are linguistic conditions to be adhered to by scholars of tafseer and hadith al-Quran. In essence, tafseer (translation) is different from Qiraat (literal reading) of the al-Quran so it does not mean that one who knows the arabic language can do tafseer. Truly there is Manhaj Tafseer (Methodology in Tafseer)  i.e. Usool al-Tafseer.

Usool al-Tafseer refers to the branches of knowledge necessary for providing an accurate interpretation of the Quranic texts, such as Arabic grammar and syntax, Arabic literature and Quranic sciences (Uloom al-Quran). Familiarity with modern fields of learning, like the pure sciences and social sciences is also necessary for a commentator in this era to make the Quraanic explanations relevant to human society...hmm suddenly I feel so insignificant for not knowing so much, subhan Allah!

Ustaz also covers the 4 faces of tafseer which I've posted in my blog under Fiqh al-Quran and Hadith on 20 Apr 2010 :)

Afternote: He reinforces that all 'ilm belong to Allah Azza wa Jalla (Haq mutlaq) [Surah al-Baqarah: 255 i.e. Ayat-ul-Kursî].