Mujahid ibn Jabr
| Mujahid ibn Jabr | |
|---|---|
| Born | 642 |
| Died | 722[1] |
| Era | Medieval era |
Mujahid ibn Jabr (Arabic: مُجَاهِدْ بِنْ جَبْر) (645-722 CE) was a Tabi‘in and one of the major early Islamic scholars.[2]
Name
Mujahid
Biography
He was one of the leading Qur'anic commentators of the generation after that of the Prophet Muhammad and his Companions. He is the first to compile a written exegesis of the Qur'an. He is said to have studied under Amir al-Mu'minin 'Ali ibn Abi Talib until his martyrdom. At that point, he began to study under Ibn Abbas, a companion of the Prophet known as the father of Qur'anic exegesis. Mujahid ibn Jabr was known to be willing to go to great lengths to discover the true meaning of a verse in the Qur'an, and was considered to be a well-travelled man.[3]
Works
It is related by Ibn Sa'd in the Tabaqat (6:9) and elsewhere that he went over the explanation of the Qur'an together with Ibn 'Abbas thirty times.[2]
Mujahid ibn Jabr is said to be relied upon in terms of tafsir according to Sufyan al-Thawri.
His exegesis in general followed these four principles:[3]
- That the Qur'an can be explained by other parts of the Qur'an. For example, in his interpretation of Q 29:13, he refers to Q 16:25,
- Interpretation according to traditions,
- Reason,
- Literary comments.
Al-Tabari's Jami' al-bayan attributes a significant amount of exegetical material to Mujahid .
Legacy
Sunni view
He has been classed as a Thiqah (i.e. very reliable) hadith narrator.[2]
Al-A'mash said:
- "Mujahid was like someone who carried a treasure: whenever he spoke, pearls came out of his mouth."[2]
After praising him in similar terms al-Dhahabi said: "The Ummah is unanimous on Mujahid being an Imam who is worthy in Ihtijaj .
Shi'a view
Shi'a have a very positive view of him.[3]
Non-Muslim view
Gregor Schoeler calls him "an eminent representative of the school of Mecca" and whose Tafsīr was nothing more than personal notes.[4]
References
- ↑ Manna' al-Qattan, Mabahith fi Ulum al-Quran, Maktaba al-Ma'arif, 1421H, p. 393
- 1 2 3 4 Mujahid
- 1 2 3 The Tafsir of Mujahid - The Earliest of Qur'anic Commentaries
- ↑ Mit-Ejmes