The Methodology of the Prophet Muḥammad’s (PBUH) Elucidation of Qurʾānic Vocabulary in al-Thaʿlabī’s Tafsīr

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Quran and Hadith Sciences, Faculty of Theology, law and Islamic Studies, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Shia History, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Neyshabur, Neyshabur, Iran

3 Master’s graduate in Qur’an and Hadith Sciences, Faculty of Theology, Law and Islamic Studies, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, and faculty member of the Ministry of Education of Afghanistan.

Abstract

 
Prophetic exegetical narrations constitute one of the principal sources for understanding the Qur’an, as the Prophet Muḥammad (PBUH) played a central role in clarifying its meanings by explicating general rulings, resolving ambiguities, specifying general expressions, and qualifying absolute statements. Among the classical Sunni exegetical works preserving these narrations, al-Kashf wa al-Bayān ʿan Tafsīr al-Qurʾān by Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Thaʿlabī occupies a prominent position. This study investigates the Prophet’s methodology for explaining Qur’anic vocabulary through the exegetical narrations recorded in this work. Adopting a descriptive-analytical design with a narratological approach, the study identifies and analyzes Prophetic reports concerning lexical clarification according to established methodological criteria. The findings show that lexical explanations constitute a substantial proportion of the Prophet’s exegetical narrations and exceed other categories of Prophetic exegesis in frequency. The Prophet frequently clarified Qur’anic vocabulary by providing concrete exemplifications and, in many instances, interpreted the Qur’an through the Qur’an by elucidating lexical meanings with parallel verses. His explanations further demonstrate consistent reliance on Arabic linguistic conventions, sensitivity to the audience’s level of comprehension, and the use of diverse semantic and contextual strategies. The findings suggest that the Prophet’s lexical exegesis reflects a coherent and systematic interpretive methodology. They further indicate that an accurate understanding of Qur’anic vocabulary depends fundamentally on the Prophetic tradition, particularly as preserved in classical exegetical sources such as al-Kashf wa al-Bayān.

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References

 
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Biannual Journal of research in the interpretation of Quran
Volume 12, Issue 24
August 2025
Pages 363-390

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History

  • Receive Date: 24 November 2025
  • Revise Date: 02 May 2026
  • Accept Date: 09 August 2026

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