TAFSIR IBN KATHIR (10 VOLS. SET) (ENGLISH)

Tafsir Al-Qur’an Al-Azim, which is famous by the title Tafsir Ibn Kathir, by Al-Hafiz. Abu Al-Fida’ ‘Imad Ad-Din Isma’il bin ‘Umar bin Kathir Al-Qurashi Al-Busrawi (d. 774 H.), is the most popular interpretation of the Qur’an in the Arabic language, and the majority of the Muslims consider it to be the best source based on Qur’an and Sunnah. This Arabic work spans three thousand and two hundred pages in four volumes. To cover all of the references, Ibn Kathir has also collected some weak Ahadith and Israelitish stories. Some repetitions also occur in it, as and when the topics required these.

As Darussalam has made a policy to publish only such works which are based on Qur’an and authentic Ahadith we appointed a board of Islamic scholars to summarize Tafsir Ibn Kathir in the original Arabic language. Shaykh Abu Al-Ashbal Ahmad Shagif of Rabitah Al-‘Alam Al-Islami, Makkah, and Shaykh Safi-ur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri, Head of the Research Committee of Darussalam worked with a team of other scholars for about two years on this project. We published this summarized version in the Arabic language titled as Al-Misbah Al-Murur fe Tahdhib Tafsir Ibn Kathir.

This summarized version was prepared for the sole purpose of translation into all the major languages of the world. First of all, it is being presented in the English language as it is the most widely written and spoken in the world.

To translate a book in another language is a task requiring great skill, and when it comes to the translation of Tafsir and Hadith, then it becomes a greater responsibility, requiring the skills of both languages and the knowledge of religion and religious terms. The help, advice, guidance and cooperation of many persons was sought for the various steps of the project. The translation was done by Mr. Jalal Abualrub (USA), Mr. Nasir Khitab, his wife Mrs. Huda Khitab (Canada), Mr. Aqeel Walker (USA), Dr. Muhammad Al-Jibali (USA) and Mr. Sami Ayoub (USA). The translation was edited by Mr. Abu Khaliyl (USA), Mr. Muhammad Farooq (Pakistan), Mr. Abdul Ahad (India) Mrs. Jalal Abualrub (USA), Mr. Abdul-Mun’im (Egypt), Mr. Sidheeque M.A. Veliankode (India). Qari Muhammad Iqbal (Pakistan), Mr. Shakil Ahmad As-Salafi (India) and Hafiz Abdul-Matin (Pakistan). Layout planning and computer programming in an advanced publishing software was voluntarily carried out by Mr. Muhammad Munawar (Pakistan).

The typesetting and correction of manuscript was done by Mr. Abdus-Samad (India), Syed Ali Haider (India) and Mr. Hassan Ajami (Egypt). Some valuable suggestions were made by Mr. AlArabi bin Razduq (UK) and Mr. Omar Johnson (USA).

We have tried our best not to include any weak Hadith in this presentation. All the authentic sayings of the Prophet (S) have also been presented in the Arabic language along with diacritics. The only sections of the Arabic that were not translated are some discussions pertaining to Arabic words which were not pertinent to the English readers, such omissions are very few to mention. Topic headings were added throughout the Tafsir to help the readers better understand the discussion of the Verses of the Qur’an. The language and style adopted for the translation is very plain and simple. The translation of the meanings of the Verses is from the translation of Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali and Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan published by Darussalam. The editors have made some changes in it at some places where it was necessary to comply with the Tafsir.
I am thankful to all the workers, helpers and advisers who cooperated with us in the completion of this great project. And I am especially thankful to Shaykh Safi-ur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri, who is a great scholar of the time and from whom all of us at Darussalam benefit seeking his advice and valuable suggestions regarding our research projects and problems. We have tried our best to make it a faultless work, but human weakness may render any error in it. We ask the readers to forgive us for such errors and to inform us of that in order to remove it from the following editions.

In the whole project, the errors are from our side and from Satan while all the good is from the blessings of Allah. If the people benefit from this translation in the understanding of the Qur’an, we will consider it a great blessing and we pray to Allah for the best reward in the Hereafter.