Juz Three: Charity, Jesus, and the People of the Book

Course Overview

This course concludes Sura al-Baqara by encouraging believers to give charity and to spendin the way of Allah. To balance this, the harms of Riba (Interest) are made clear, lest anyone seeks a purely material increase in this life at the cost of punishment in the next. Following this, Sura Al ‘Imran begins its focus on the meanings of Tawhid (Divine Oneness) and its many facets. The false narratives about Mary and Jesus are rebutted, and some of the corrupt practices of the Banu Isra’il are laid bare.

About the Text

This tafsir is primarily based on a classical and a contemporary work.

‘‘Tafsir Abi al-Su’ud,” by Shaykh al Islam Abu al-Su’ud al ‘Imadi, the great Ottoman Judge, Mufti, and Mufassir. This work is authoritative in the science of tafsir. It was built upon the greatest tasfirs that came before it and had an undeniably strong influence on those which came after it.

“Al-Tafsir al-Wasit,” by Shaykh al Azhar, Muhammad Sayyid Tanwati, the Grand Mufti of Egypt. This tafsir was written over ten years and is based on some of the most influential works in this science, including the tafsirs of Tabari, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, and Alusi. It summarises many of the nuanced and detailed discussions found in other works.

About the Author

Shaykh al-Islam Abu al-Su‘ud al ‘Imadi was the 16th century Ottoman Supreme Judge, Mufti and Qur’anic exegete. He worked closely with Sultan Sulieman “The Magnificent” to play an important political role for the Muslims of his time and a critical religious function in preserving the Islamic tradition.

Shaykh al-Azhar Muhammad Sayyid Tanwati was a contemporary scholar who recently passed away in 2010. He was a Qur'anic exegete, the Grand Mufti of Egypt and the Grand Shaykh of Al-Azhar University. He helped clarify the Islamic legal positions of the many contemporary issues that arose due to technological advances and the rapid changing of the world. He is also the author of a 7000-page exegesis of the Qur'an—a significant work in helping preserve the Islamic tradition for the future generations of Muslims.