COMMENTATORS OF THE QURAN IN THE 3RD CENTURY AH

1. Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Idrees ash Shafi (d. 204 AH)

Born in Ghaza, at the age of 13 he went to Medina to be a disciple of Imam Malik. After a short while he went to Mecca and then to Iraq where he became a disciple of Imam Muhammad. In due course he became an authority on hadith and Islamic jurisprudence. He compiled a commentary on the Quran entitled 'Ahkam al Quran'.

2. Ruh bin Ibada Abu Muhammad al Qaisi al Basri (d. 205 AH)

He was a disciple of Ibne Aun and Ibne Jarih. His own disciples included Imam Ahmad and Ishaq bin Rahvai. He wrote many books which included a commentary of the Quran.


3. Abu Ali Muhammad bin Al Mustaneer bin Ahmad (d. 206 AH)

He was a well known scholar of Basra, and one of the favorite disciples of Seeboyah. He wrote several books. Of these, 'Maanu ul Quran' and another book are commentaries of the Quranic text.


4. Hajjab bin Muhammad Abu Muhammad al Masees (d. 206 AH)

Born in Basra he was a disciple of Ibn Jareeh and Umru bin Zar. He was a famous teacher and scholar of his time. Among his disciples were such illustrious persons as Imam Ahmad and Zafrani. He wrote down a commentary which was dictated by Ibn Jareeh.


5. Abu Ubaida (d. 207 AH)

He was born into a slave family, and achieved fame later as a great scholar. He wrote two books, a commentary 'Ghareeb al Quran' and 'Majaz ul Quran'.


6. Abu Zakaria Yahya bin Zaid bin Abdullah Manzur al Aslami (d. 207 AH)

Born in Kufa his nickname was Farra. During the rule of Caliph Mamoon Abbasi he went to Baghdad to teach religion. His reputation was so great that even scholars came and sat to listen to his lectures. He dictated a commentary of the Quran which exceeded over a thousand pages. He wrote several other books which dealt with various other aspects of the Quranic text. He died on his way to Mecca.


7. Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Umar al Waqdi (d. 207 AH)

Born in Medina, Caliph Haroon ur Rashid met him during his pilgrimage and took him to Baghdad where he appointed him a Judge. He wrote a number of books which included a commentary of the Quran.


8. Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abd al Hakam (d. 208 AH)

Born in Egypt, he achieved a great reputation for his scholarship. He compiled a commentary known as 'Ahkam al Quran'


9. Al Imam Hafiz Abdur Razzaq bin Hamam bin Nafe al Humeri (d. 211 AH)

He belonged to the Humeri tribe and was a disciple of Maamer. He wrote several books and also compiled a commentary of the Quran which is known as 'Tafseer I Abdur Razzaq'.


10. Abdul Hasan Saeed bin Musadatul Nahvi (d. 215 AH)

He was born in Basra and was a distinguished disciple of Seeboya. He wrote several books dealing with Arabic literature. He also wrote a commentary entitled 'Tafseer Maani ul Quran'


11. Abdullah bin Zubair Hamidi (d. 219 AH)

Born in Mecca and was a disciple of Sufiyan Ibn Ainiya and Imam Shafi. He wrote a famous book on hadith 'Musnad I Hamidi' as well as a commentary of the Quran.


12. Qasim bin Salam (d. 244)

Born in Hirat, he lived in Baghdad where he studied under great scholars such as Ibn Arabi, Asmai and Abu Zaid. He travelled to Mecca, Medina and Egypt. He is considered an authority on hadith, Quranic interpretation, jurisprudence, and literature. He wrote several books on different subjects and also explanatory books on the Quran like 'Kitab al Nasikh wal Mansukh', 'Kitab Adad Aytul Quran', and 'Kitab Fazail ul Quran'. His book 'Maani al Quran' is a collection of the writings of the Companions of the Prophet, the Tabiens, and jurists dealing with the interpretations of the Quran. He died in Mecca.


13. Al Hafiz Saneed bin Daud (d. 226 AH)

His real name was Hussein and he became known as Aby Ali al Masisi. He was a disciple of distinguished scholars such as Ibn Mubarik and he compiled a commentary of the Quran.


14. Abdur Rahman bin Musa Hawari (d. 228 AH)

He was a famous Spanish scholar and jurist who compiled a commentary.


15. Abu Bakr Abdullah bin Muhammad (Ibn Abi Shaiba) (d. 235 AH)

He was a disciple of Wakee and also gained knowledge from scholars such as Ibn Mubarik. His disciples included Abu Zara, Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Daud and Ibn Majah. He wrote two books on hadith 'Musnad' and 'Musannaf' and he compiled a commentary on the Quran.


16. Muhammad bin Hajim bin Maimoon Abu Abdullah Al Mirozi (d. 235 AH)

He was popularly known as Al Sameen. He was a disciple of Ibn Ulya and Wakee, and he taught Muslim, Abu Daud and Ibn Majah. He gave regular lectures on Quranic learning in Baghdad and compiled a commentary.


17. Ishaq bin Ibrahim bin Makhlad (Ibne Rahwai) (d. 238 AH)

He was a disciple of Imam Ahmad and achieved eminence as a scholar of Hadith and Quranic interpretation. His disciple, Ahmad bin Salma, said about him, 'Ibne Rahwai used to dictate a commentary of the Quran from memory'.


18. Abdal Malik bin Habib bin Sulayman Al-Slimi (d. 238 AH)

Born in Tulitala, he was known for his research and scholarship. He wrote a large number of books which included sixty books of commentary and Quranic interpretation.


19. Usman bin Abi Shaiba (d. 239 AH)

He was a distinguished scholar. Imam Bukhari was one of his disciples. And he compiled a commentary of the Quran.


20. Ahmad bin Hanbal (d. 241 AH)

Born in Baghdad, his father died when he was 3 years old. He travelled to Basra, Makkah, Medina, Syria and Yemen to gain knowledge. His teachers included Imam Shafi, Abu Yusuf, Sufyan bin Ainia. He was an authority on hadith and Quranic interpretation, a swell as on jurisprudence. He taught the Quran and hadith for forty years. And he suffered persecution under the hands of Caliph Mustasim Billah.


21. Ali bin Hajar bin Ayas (d. 244 AH)

He was known as Saadi. He lived in Baghdad but shifted to Merv and settled there permanently. He was a disciple of Ibne Mubarak. His own disciples included some eminent scholars of hadith. He wrote several books, one which was entitled, 'Ahkum al Quran'.


22. Abd bin Humaid bin Nasr (d. 249 AH)

He was the first commentator of the Quran from the Indian sub-continent. He travelled to Arabia to seek knowledge and studied the Quran and hadith under the guidance of Yazeed bin Haroon, Ali bin Asim, Abu Usama and Abdur Razzaq. He wrote two books on hadith, 'Musnad-Sagheer' and 'Musnad-Kabir'. He also compiled a commentary on the Quran which has been popular with scholars since with scholars such as Tirmidhi citing his commentary.


23. Muhammad bin Ahmad Al Samar Qandi Al Safdi (d. 255 AH)

He wa sone of the eminent scholars of Samarqand and possessed a deep knowledge of the Quran. Acording to Suyuti, he compiled a commentary.


24. Abu Muhammad Abdullah bun Abdur Rahman bin Al-fadal Al-Tamimi Al-Darimi (d. 255 AH)

Born in Samarqand, he travelled to Makkah, Medina, Syria and Iraq to gain knowledge. He was a distinguished disciple of Imam Bukhari. His own disciples includd Imam Muslim, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawood. He was appointed The chief Judge of Samarqand but resigned after deciding his first case. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal said, 'Worldly riches were offered to Darimi but he declined to accept them'.


25. Muhammad bin Sakhoon Qairwani (d. 256 AH)

He was born in Qairwan. He travelled to Medina in quest of knowledge and studied under the guidance of Imam Zahri and Salma bin Shabib who were eminent commentators of the Quran and experts on hadith. He compiled a commentary of the Quran under the title 'Ahkam al Quran'.


26. Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ismail Bukhari (d. 256 AH)

He is one of the best known men of history. His collection Sahih of Bukhari is considered second to the Quran. Born in Bukhara, he gained knowledge from scholars such as Ishaq bin Rahu, Ali Ibnul Madini, Ahmad bin Hanbal and Yahya bin Mueen. He travelled to Egypt, Syria, and Iraq several time sin his quest for knowledge. It took him 16 years to compile his famous, Sahih of Bukhari. He also compiled a commentary of the Quran.


27. Abdullah bin Saeed Askandari (d. 257 AH)

He belonged to Kufa and was an eminent scholar of hadith. He compiled a commentary.


28. Ahmad bin Al-Firat (d. 258 AH)

He was known as Abu Masod al-razi. He was a disciple of Abu Usama and other scholars. Besides being a religious scholar he was also a writer, and compiled a commentary of the Quran.


29. Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Al-Hakam (d. 268 AH)

He belonged to Egypt and was a distinguished religious scholar. He spent much time with Imam Shafi and he wrote a commentary.


30. Muhammad bin Yazeed bin Majah (d. 272 AH)

He was born in 209 AH and travelled to Makkah, Basra, Kufa, Baghdad and Egypt in his quest for knowledge. He spent most of his time in the company of Abu Bakr bin Abi Shaiba. He is known for compiling the book 'Sunan ibn Majah' but he also wrote a commentary of the Quran.


31. Imam Abu Dawood Sajistani (d. 275 AH)

Born in Seestan, he was a disciple of Imam Ahmad and Ishaque bin Rahwia. He travelled to Egypt and Syria and compiled his famous book 'Sunan Abu Dawood' . He was a person of great piety, and amongst his many books were 'Kitab at Tafseer', 'Nazm al Quran' and 'Kitab Fadl ul Quran' all of which deal with Quranic interpretation.


32. Baqi bin Makhlad (d. 276 AH)

Born in Qartaba he was a man of great learning known for his piety and righteousness. He took part in several battles in the cause of Islam. He compiled a book of traditions of the Prophet and wrote a commentary of the Quran.


33. Abu Muhammad Abdullah bin Muslim bin Qaitaba (d. 276 AH)

Born in Baghdad, he acquired knowledge from his father, Muslim, and other scholars of the time. He was a well known writer and wrote several books on a variety of subjects. He wrote several books dealing with Quranic interpretation and also a complete commentary.


34. Jafar bin Muhammad razi Zafrani (d. 279 AH)

He belonged to Baghdad. Details of his life are not available other than knowing he wrote a commentary of the Quran.


35. Imam Abu Isa Tirmidhi (b. 209 AH)

Born in Tirmiz in Khurasan, he travelled to Egypt, Syria and other places gaining knowledge from Bukhari, Muslim, and Darimi. He was known for his piety and righteous living. He compiled a famous book on hadith 'Sunan Trimidhi' and he wrote a commentary of the Quran known as 'Tafseer Tirmidhi' The date of his death is unknown.


36. Ismail bin Ishaque (d. 282 AH)

Born in Basra he enjoyed a great reputation as a scholar of Arabic
literature and for his religious learning. He wrote a 25 volume commentary of the Quran. He was appointed the Chief Judge of Baghdad and stayed in this position until death.


37. Abu Muhammad Sahl bun Abdullah Tastari (d. 283 AH)

Born in Iraq, he was known for his religious slearning and pious living. He wrote a commentary of the Quran in Arabic.


38. Abdul Abbas Muhammad bin Yazeed Masood Ba Mubarrad (d. 285 AH)

Born in Baghdad he was a man of vast learning. He wrote two books dealing with Quranic interpretation under the titles "Maani al Quran' and 'Arab al Quran'.


39. Ahmad bin Daud Deenwari (d. 282 AH)

Born in Deenwar in Hamdan, he was a scholar of great distinction in the firld sof religious knowledge, history and philosophy. His commentary which is in thirteen volumes is entitled 'Tafseer al Deenwari'


40. Aby Yahya Zakaria bin Daud bin Bakr Al-Khaffaf (d. 286 AH)

Born in Neishapur, he was a disciple of Abu Bakr bin Ali Shaiba and other scholar sof his time. He wrote a commentary.


41. Abu Ali Ahmad bin Hafar Deenwari (d. 289 AH)

He was a well known scholar of his time. He compiled a summary of Farra's bok, 'Maani al Quran' under the title 'Zamair al Quran'.


42. Abdullah bin Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hambal (b. 212 AH)

He was a disciple of his father and other scholars. He himself achieved fame as an authority for the commentary on the Quran. The date of his death is unknown.


43. Abdul Abbas Ahmad bin Yahya Al Shaibani (d. 291 AH)

Known as Saalab, he was born in Kufa and acquired knowledge from scholars such as Ibn Arabi, Zubair bin Bak. He was recognised as an authority on Arabic language and literature. He wrote thre ebooks dealing with Quranic interpretation. Their titles are 'Maani al Quran', 'Aarab al Quran' and 'Ghareeb al Quran'.


44. Ibrahim bin Maaqi bin Al Hajjaj (d. 295 AH)

Known as Abu Ishaque. He was a distinguished scholar of Quranic learning and jurisprudence, and was appointed as Judge of Nasaf. He compiled a book on the traditions of the Prophet and also wrote a commentary on the Quran.


45. Abu Jafar Muhammad bin Usman Abi Shaiba (d.297 AH)

Born in Kufa, he wrote a commentary of the Quran.