Complete tafsir | Ibn Kathir, At-Tabari, Al-Qurtubi

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What a complete tafsir is

A complete tafsir covers the text from the first verse to the last, and it does so in several volumes because it reports the views of earlier generations, discusses the language, and treats the legal questions each passage raises. These are not books read cover to cover: you open them at the sura you are working on. This is the shelf of the work you keep for twenty years.

The major titles

Jami' al-bayan by At-Tabari: the oldest of the great surviving tafsirs, built on transmission. It is the source the others draw from.
Tafsir al-Quran al-azim by Ibn Kathir: the most requested, because it stays readable while citing abundantly. Available complete and in many abridgements.
Al-Jami' li-ahkam al-Quran by Al-Qurtubi: the legal angle, useful if you work on fiqh starting from the verses.
Ma'alim at-tanzil by Al-Baghawi: shorter than the above, often described as a reasoned abridgement of the exegetical tradition.
Fath al-Qadir by Ash-Shawkani: brings together the approach by transmission and the approach by linguistic analysis.

Complete or abridged: settle this before buying

Most of these titles exist as a mukhtasar. An abridgement of Ibn Kathir in one or three volumes is not the same work as the eight-volume edition: the chains of transmission and part of the reported views disappear. Neither is better in the abstract, but that is where the price gap comes from. Each product page states whether it is the original or an abridgement, and who made the abridgement.

What to check

The editor, since on At-Tabari and Al-Qurtubi the difference between two editions is considerable. The volume count, which must be consistent with the title announced. The paper, because a fifteen-volume set printed on paper that is too thin shows through as you read. And the binding, preferably sewn on a work with that lifespan.

Related shelves

For a first continuous reading, Concise tafsir. For one sura in particular, Partial tafsir. For the rules governing this work, Foundations of tafsir and Quranic sciences. For the rare vocabulary met along the way, Quran lexicon. Overview: Quranic sciences.

Order and shipping

Real stock displayed, dispatch within 24 to 48 working hours, delivery to France, Europe and the rest of the world. For a volume set, write to us before ordering: we confirm the editor and the volume count of the copy in stock.

Which major tafsir should I choose first?

Ibn Kathir, for a simple reason: he cites abundantly while staying readable, where At-Tabari requires familiarity with chains of transmission. If your interest is legal, Al-Qurtubi answers better. And if you want the shortest of the major works, Al-Baghawi runs to fewer volumes.

How can I tell whether an edition is an abridgement?

The volume count first: an Ibn Kathir in one or three volumes is necessarily an abridgement, the original running to far more. Then the name of the abridger, which appears on the cover of serious editions. We state on each product page whether it is the original or a mukhtasar, and whose.

Does an abridgement lose anything important?

It loses the chains of transmission and part of the reported views, which is precisely what gives At-Tabari or Ibn Kathir their documentary value. For continuous reading that loss is no obstacle. For checking where an opinion comes from it is disqualifying. Both have their use.

Why does the editor matter so much on these works?

Because a fifteen-volume tafsir rests on hundreds of manuscripts and citations. The editor establishes the text, traces the quotations, and flags the weak reports. Between two editions of At-Tabari the gap in reliability can be considerable, and that accounts for most of the price difference.

Can I order an incomplete volume set?

We do not sell an incomplete set without saying so. If a title is available in odd volumes, the product page states it and the price reflects it. Before ordering a complete set, write to us: we confirm the editor and the exact volume count of the copy in stock.

Complete and encyclopaedic tafsir