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سنن سعید بن منصور
Sunan Sa'id
كتاب التفسيرBook of Tafsir (Quranic Exegesis)
الْآيَةُ (26) قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: {لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا الْحُسْنَى وَزِيَادَةٌ}Verse (26) His saying, Exalted is He: {For those who have done good is the best [reward] and extra}
Hadith 1061
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ سُفْيَانَ يَقُولُ: لَيْسَ فِي تَفْسِيرِ الْقُرْآنِ اخْتِلَافٌ، إِنَّمَا هُوَ كَلَامٌ جَامِعٌ يُرَادُ بِهِ هَذَا وَهَذَا .
Saeed (may Allah have mercy on him) says: I heard Sufyan (may Allah have mercy on him) say: There is no disagreement in the interpretation of the Qur'an; in fact, it is comprehensive speech from which this meaning can be taken and that as well.
Brief Explanation
The statement of Sufyan rahimahullah lays down a fundamental principle which is very important in the exegesis of the Qur’an. Its meaning is as follows:
When the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) or the Tabi‘in (rahimahumullah) interpret a verse of the Qur’an and there appear to be differing statements among them, this difference is not one of contradiction. Rather, it is such that the words of the Qur’an possess such breadth and comprehensiveness that more than one meaning can simultaneously be intended. For example, within a single verse there may be a ruling, an admonition, and a lesson all included. Thus, if one exegete explains one meaning and another exegete explains another meaning, then both statements can be correct, provided that both are in accordance with the words and context of the Qur’an.
This also teaches us that, when interpreting, we should not insist on restricting the meaning to only one interpretation, but should acknowledge the breadth of the verse.
➤ Example: The verse: «وَاللَّهُ أَنبَتَكُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ نَبَاتًا» [نوح: 17]
Someone said that its meaning is that man was created from clay, and someone else said that man’s sustenance is produced from clay (i.e., grain comes forth from the earth). So both meanings can be correct, because both are in accordance with the tenor of the Qur’an.
When the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) or the Tabi‘in (rahimahumullah) interpret a verse of the Qur’an and there appear to be differing statements among them, this difference is not one of contradiction. Rather, it is such that the words of the Qur’an possess such breadth and comprehensiveness that more than one meaning can simultaneously be intended. For example, within a single verse there may be a ruling, an admonition, and a lesson all included. Thus, if one exegete explains one meaning and another exegete explains another meaning, then both statements can be correct, provided that both are in accordance with the words and context of the Qur’an.
This also teaches us that, when interpreting, we should not insist on restricting the meaning to only one interpretation, but should acknowledge the breadth of the verse.
➤ Example: The verse: «وَاللَّهُ أَنبَتَكُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ نَبَاتًا» [نوح: 17]
Someone said that its meaning is that man was created from clay, and someone else said that man’s sustenance is produced from clay (i.e., grain comes forth from the earth). So both meanings can be correct, because both are in accordance with the tenor of the Qur’an.
