The Exegetic Method of Ibn Jawzī and His Exegetic Status

Ibn Jawzī’s commentary Zād al-masīr fī ‘ilm al-tafsīr is a narrative and oration-based commentary belonging to the 6th century LH. According to its author, this commentary is one that is not too brief or too voluminous, but is an average-sized one. Therefore, this article is to express the method and status of Ibn Jawzī’s commentary. Zād al-masīr commentary is a summary of his larger commentary titled “Al-Mughnī fī tafsīr al-Qur’ān” that covers all verses of the Qur’ān. The dominant method of this commentary is narrative, i.e., it relies on the narrations of the Prophet (s), the Companions, and the Successive Companions. In his commentary, Ibn Jawzī provides general information about each chapter; he starts with giving a given chapter’s name, merit, revelation order, and number of verses, and then presents its occasion of revelation, discussion of language and its related evidences, the meaning of words, and the opinions of other exegetes in a satisfactory manner. Finally, he addresses the rulings derived from the verses, the abrogating and abrogated verses, and their different readings. At the end, it is concluded that Ibn Jawzī’s commentary is among the high-status Sunnī commentaries of the 6th century LH.