Tafseer of Imaam Ibn Al-Jawzi Fatwa No: 124290
- Fatwa Date:30-6-2009
Assalamu Alaikum, someone told me that the tafsir of Imam ibn Jawzi is good and reliable is that true? JazakumAllahu kheirun.
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
“Zaad Al-Maseer” of Imaam Abu Al-Faraj ibn Al-Jawzi is one of the valuable books in Tafseer, and the knowledge seekers could benefit from it. However, Ibn Al-Jawzi is known for his confusion concerning the Names and Attributes of Allaah, as mentioned by Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah . He sometimes follows the method of the Ashaa‘irah in the interpretation of some of the Quranic verses that are related to the Divine Attributes of Allaah. So, the knowledge seeker should take heed of such a thing.
Ibn Al-Jawzi was influenced by his Shaykh Ibn ‘Aqeel Al-Hanbali thereupon he adopted the arguments of the advocators of T‘aweel (i.e. interpreting Allaah’s Names and Attributes in a manner that changes their words from their true context). For further information about the method of the righteous predecessors concerning the Divine Names and Attributes of Allaah, refer Fataawa 89980 and 88618.
Allaah Knows best.