Mujahid ibn Jabr
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| Persian scholar Medieval era |
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|---|---|
| Name: | Mujahid ibn Jabr |
| Birth: | |
| Death: | 104 AH (722–723)[1] |
| School/tradition: | |
| Influences: | |
| Influenced: | |
Mujahid ibn Jabr (Arabic: مجاهد بن جبر) (d.722CE) was a Tabi‘in and one of the major early Islamic scholars [2].
Contents |
[edit] Name
Abu al-Hajjaj Mujahid ibn Jabr al-Makhzumi [2]
[edit] Biography
Was of Iranian origin, and was one of the leading Qur'anic commentators of the generation after that of the Prophet Muhammad and his Companions. He is the first to compile a written exegesis of the Qur'an. He is said to have studied under Amir al-Mu'minin 'A1i ibn Abi Talib until his martyrdom. At that point he began to study under Ibn Abbas, a Companion of the Prophet known as the father of Qur'anic exegesis. Mujahid Ibn Jabr was known to be willing to go to great lengths to discover the true meaning of a verse in the Qur'an, and was considered to be a well-traveled man [3] .
[edit] Works
It is related by Ibn Sa'd in the Tabaqat (6:9) and elsewhere that he went over the explanation of the Qur'an together with Ibn 'Abbas thirty times [2].
Mujahid Ibn Jabr is said to have consulted the works of the People of the Book, and thus some consider his work to be untrustworthy. In addition, he is associated with the use of ra'y or reason, and thus some are wary of his interpretations of the Qur'an [4].
His exegesis in general followed these four principles [3]:
- That the Qur'an can be explained by other parts of the Qur'an. For example, in his interpretation of Q 29:13, he refers to Q 16:25.
- Interpretation according to traditions
- Reason.
- Literary Comments.
There is not enough information to link Mujahid Ibn Jabr to one single historical persona, though Al-Tabari's Jami' al-bayan attributes a significant amount of exegetical material to Mujahid [4].
[edit] Legacy
[edit] Sunni view
He has been classed as a Thiqah hadith narrator [2].
Al-A'mash said:
- "Mujahid was like someone who carried a treasure: whenever he spoke, pearls came out of his mouth." [2].
After praising him in similar terms al-Dhahabi said: "Mujahid has certain strange sayings pertaining to knowledge and commentary of Qur'an which are rejeted and condemned [2].
[edit] Shi'a view
Shi'a have a very positive view of him [3]
[edit] Non-Muslim view
Gregor Schoeler calls him “an eminent representative of the school of Mecca” and whose Tafsīr was nothing more than personal notes [5]
[edit] References
- ^ http://web.mit.edu/CIS/www/mitejmes/issues/200310/br_lane.htm
- ^ a b c d e f http://www.livingislam.org/o/mujah_e.html
- ^ a b c http://www.quran.org.uk/articles/ieb_quran_mujahid.htm
- ^ a b Bosworth, C.E., Van Donzel, E., Heinrichs, W.P., Pellat, C. ed. The Encyclopaedia of Islam. Brill: Leiden, 1993. v. 7, p. 293.
- ^ http://web.mit.edu/CIS/www/mitejmes/issues/200310/br_lane.htm
