The Reality of "Tafsīr Ibn ‘Abbās (Tanwīr al-Miqbās)" in the View of Ḥadīth Scholars
Source: Fatāwā ‘Ilmiyyah, Volume 3 — Usūl, Takhrīj al-Riwāyāt and Their Rulings, Page 245❖ A Critical Examination of the Scholarly Status of “Tanwīr al-Miqbās”
❖ Question:
Nowadays, some individuals from the Barelwī and Deobandī sects quote from the book “Tanwīr al-Miqbās”, famously attributed to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās رضي الله عنه, in their writings and speeches.
What is the scholarly authenticity of this tafsīr? Kindly provide a detailed response with evidence and research.
❖ Response:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh, ammā ba‘d:
The tafsīr known as “Tanwīr al-Miqbās”, attributed to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās رضي الله عنه, has been transmitted via Abū Ṭāhir Muḥammad ibn Ya‘qūb al-Fayrūzābādī al-Shīrāzī al-Shāfi‘ī (d. 817 AH).
However, the final narrators in its chain of transmission are:
"Muḥammad ibn Marwān al-Suddī al-Ṣaghīr → al-Kalbī → Abū Ṣāliḥ"
This chain, commonly known as “al-Suddī from al-Kalbī”, has been declared by the scholars of ḥadīth to be a "Silsilat al-Kadhib" — a chain of lies.
As a result, this tafsīr holds no scholarly or Shar‘ī reliability.
For further detailed research, refer to:
Mahnāmah al-Ḥadīth, Hazro, Issue 24, Pages 49–61
Evidences from Barelwī and Deobandī Fatāwā
➊ Fatwā of Aḥmad Riḍā Khān al-Barelwī:
Aḥmad Riḍā Khān gave the following fatwā:
“This tafsīr, attributed to Sayyidunā Ibn ‘Abbās رضي الله عنه, is neither his book nor is it established from him. It is narrated via the chain: ‘Ibn Marwān from al-Kalbī from Abū Ṣāliḥ’, and the imāms of religion say that this is a ‘Silsilat al-Kadhib’ (chain of lies).”
To support this, the following quote from Tafsīr al-Itqān is cited:
"وأوهى طرقه طريق الكلبي عن أبي صالح عن ابن عباس فإن انضم إلى ذلك رواية محمد بن مروان السدي الصغير فهي سلسلة الكذب"
(Al-Itqān, 2/497)
Translation:
The weakest of the chains used to narrate from Ibn ‘Abbās is that of al-Kalbī from Abū Ṣāliḥ from Ibn ‘Abbās. If the narration of Muḥammad ibn Marwān al-Suddī al-Ṣaghīr is added to it, it becomes a chain of lies (Silsilat al-Kadhib).
(Ref: Fatāwā Riḍawiyyah, Vol 29, Pg 396)
➋ Fatwā of Mawlānā Muḥammad Taqī ‘Uthmānī al-Deobandī:
He states:
*“As for ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās رضي الله عنه, though he is unanimously regarded as an imām in tafsīr, there is no known reliable tafsīr established from him in book form. The present copy of ‘Tanwīr al-Miqbās’, attributed to him, has an extremely weak chain, as it is transmitted via the chain ‘Muḥammad ibn Marwān al-Suddī al-Ṣaghīr from al-Kalbī from Abū Ṣāliḥ’, which has been declared by the scholars of ḥadīth to be a ‘Silsilat al-Kadhib’.”
(Ref: Fatāwā ‘Uthmānī, Vol 1, Pg 215)
Conclusion
❖ The tafsīr titled “Tanwīr al-Miqbās” and attributed to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās رضي الله عنه is not authenticated by any reliable sanad (chain).
❖ The tafsīr is based upon a chain labeled by ḥadīth experts as “Silsilat al-Kadhib” (a chain of fabrication and falsehood).
❖ Therefore, even scholars from Barelwī and Deobandī backgrounds have clearly stated that using this tafsīr as a source of evidence is invalid and unacceptable.
🗓 Date of Writing: 12 July 2011
ھٰذَا مَا عِنْدِي، وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
