The Lights of Revelation and the Secrets of Interpretation

Gibril Fouad Haddad’s masterly English translation of part of al-Baydawi’s Anwar al-Tanzil ranks as a major event in both Muslim scholarship and Qur’anic studies. Characterized by perfect scholarly apparatus, this work stands out as an enviable feat of diligent erudition. Haddad has been remarkably successful in presenting before readers an authoritative edition of this valuable tafsir which enables them to learn all that is available about both al-Baydawi and his tafsir. The comprehensive contents of the work (pp. xi-xx) testify to Haddad’s meticulous and wide-ranging scholarship. Take the following as illustrative: alBaydawi’s bio-bibliographical details (pp. 1–18); the sources and salient features of his tafsir (pp. 19–61); its reception in the Muslim world and the West (pp. 62–81) and the history of its editions worldwide (pp. 82–120). In addition to all this is Osman Bakar’s insightful Foreword (pp. xxv-xli). Likewise, the following helpful Appendices appearing at the end of the translation add to the scholarly value of the volume: Glossaries of terms and persons (pp. 681–774), and Bibliography and Indexes (pp. 775–854). Special mention should be made of the Index to the Ahadith cited in the tafsir (pp. 792–810). Far from just listing references, the book contains also a brief description of each hadith. This may inspire one to study in particular the function of Hadith in this and other tafasir. Not only is the quantum of the background information massive, it is also neatly and imaginatively arranged. These reader-friendly features place Haddad’s work in the category of the definitive texts produced by Western scholars.