مغلیہ دور کی منتخب تفاسیر کا منہجی مطالعہ

A Methodological Study of Selected Commentaries (Tafasir) of the Mughal Era

Abstract

This research paper presents a methodological study of selected Qur'anic commentaries (Tafasir) produced during the Mughal era in the Indian subcontinent (1526–1857 CE). The Mughal period is widely recognized as a golden age of Islamic scholarship, during which Qur'anic exegesis received unprecedented patronage from Mughal emperors, leading to the creation of a rich and diverse corpus of Tafasir. These commentaries were not limited to mere translation and lexical explanation; rather, they integrated multiple disciplines including jurisprudence (fiqh), theology (kalam), mysticism (tasawwuf), literature, and linguistics. This study examines six prominent complete Tafasir from this era: Tafsir Muhammadi by Shaykh Hasan Muhammad Gujarati, Tafsir Husayni by Shah 'Abd al-Razzaq Dihlawi, Tafsir Nimat-i Uzma by Ni'mat Khan 'Ali, Zib al-Tafasir by Safi ibn Wali Qazvini, Zubdat al-Tafasir by Mulla Mu'in al-Din Kashmiri, and Zubdat al-Tafasir by Qadi 'Abd al-Wahhab Gujarati. The research analyzes their methodological approaches, including their reliance on tafsir bi'l-ma'thur (tradition-based exegesis), tafsir bi'l-ray (reason-based exegesis), incorporation of hadith, linguistic and grammatical analysis, jurisprudential deductions, theological discussions, and mystical interpretations. The study reveals that while each exegete followed his own intellectual and spiritual orientation, their works collectively reflect a rich, diverse, and sophisticated tradition of Qur'anic interpretation. These Tafasir served not only as academic resources but also as tools for public guidance, moral reform, and the propagation of Islamic teachings. The study concludes that Mughal-era Tafasir represent an invaluable scholarly heritage that continues to inform contemporary understanding of the Qur'an in the subcontinent.