Tafseer on the basis of narrated texts and tafseer on the basis of individual understanding
Question

                I have heard that it is not permissible to interpret the meanings of the Qur’an on the basis of one's individual understanding. Can you explain what is meant by this?
Praise be to Allah.
      
      When explaining the meanings of a verse of the Qur’an, the mufassir 
      (scholarly commentator on the meanings) follows one of two methods:

    The 
    first method 
    is to see whether there is anything in the texts of the Qur’an or the 
    Prophet’s Sunnah, or in texts narrated from the righteous early generations, 
    that explains this verse. If there is an explanation of it in these sources, 
    he follows it and is content with it. This is what is called “tafseer on the 
    basis of narrated texts”; it is of several types: 

    1.
    
    Tafseer of the Qur’an by the Qur’an: as some parts of the 
    Qur’an explain other parts.

    
    Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in 
    Muqaddimah fi Usool at-Tafseer (p. 93): 

    If 
    someone were to ask: what are the soundest ways of interpreting the meanings 
    of the Qur’an? The answer is that the soundest way of doing that is to 
    interpret the Qur’an by the Qur’an, because sometimes it may refer to a 
    matter in brief, then explain it in more detail elsewhere, or it may state 
    something in a few words in one place, then expand upon it elsewhere. End 
    quote. 

    Some 
    examples of that: 

    Al-Bukhaari 
    (4236) narrated from ‘Alqamah (may Allah have mercy on him) that ‘Abdullah 
    ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When the verse “…and 
    confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong)…” [al-An‘aam 6:82] was 
    revealed, his companions (i.e., the companions of the Prophet (blessings and 
    peace of Allah be upon him) said: Which of us has not done wrong? Then the 
    verse “Verily! Joining others in worship with Allah is a great Zulm 
    (wrong) indeed” [Luqmaan 31:13] was revealed. [From the latter verse it 
    is understood that the zulm referred to in the first verse is the zulm of 
    shirk (joining others in worship with Allah), and not any lesser 
    wrongdoing.] 

    But 
    although interpreting the Qur’an by the Qur’an may sometimes be unambiguous 
    and clear, as in the example mentioned above, in which case it is binding 
    proof that must be followed and not opposed, sometimes it is based on the 
    mufassir’s own ijtihaad and understanding, when he is trying to put together 
    similar verses. Undoubtedly this is of a lesser status than the above, 
    because the one who engages in ijithaad may be wrong or right. 

    2.
    
    The tafseer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be 
    upon him), explaining the meanings of the Qur’an, because he (blessings and 
    peace of Allah be upon him) came to both convey and explain to us what is 
    said in the holy Qur’an. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of 
    the meaning): “With clear signs and Books (We sent 
    the Messengers). And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad blessings 
    and peace of Allah be upon him) the reminder and the advice (the Quran), 
    that you may explain clearly to men what is sent down to them, and that they 
    may give thought” [an-Nahl 
    
    16:44]. 

    An 
    example of that: 

    Al-Bukhaari 
    (4510) narrated concerning the interpretation of the verse in which Allah, 
    may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “and eat and 
    drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from 
    the black thread (darkness of night)” [al-Baqarah 2:187]. 

    It 
    was narrated that ‘Adiyy ibn Haatim (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I 
    said: O Messenger of Allah, what is the meaning of the white thread being 
    distinct from the black thread? Are they two threads? He said: “The back of 
    your heard must be very broad if you want to watch the two threads.” [‘Adiyy 
    was thinking in terms of threads in a literal sense, which he wanted to put 
    under his pillow and examine to see when they became distinct from one 
    another with the approach of dawn, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of 
    Allah be upon him) pointed out that if he wanted to put the two threads – 
    which in fact refers to the light of dawn being distinct from the darkness 
    of night – under his pillow, then his pillow must be very big indeed, in 
    which case he must have a very large head! – Translator’s note]. Then he 
    said: “No; rather it is the darkness of the night and the light of the 
    day.” 

    If an 
    explanation of a verse or a word in the Qur’an has reached us from the 
    Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), it is obligatory for us 
    to adhere to it and be content with it. 

    The 
    interpretation of a verse may be understood from the Sunnah of the Prophet 
    (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), from his actions and words, and 
    from the things that he approved of. 

    The 
    Sunnah came to explain the Qur’an. Allah, may He be exalted, has instructed 
    us to pray, give zakaah, perform Hajj, carry out the hadd punishments and so 
    on, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), through his 
    Sunnah – his actions and words – has explained to us in detail what is meant 
    by these words. But if the mufassir cannot find any explanation for a verse 
    in the Sunnah, he should look at the sayings of the Sahaabah. 

    3.
    
    Tafseer based on reports from the Sahaabah (may Allah be 
    pleased with them):

    Their 
    tafseer takes precedence over that of anyone else, because their tafseer is 
    likely to be based on what they learned from the Prophet (blessings and 
    peace of Allah be upon him), as Ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) 
    said: One of us would learn ten verses then he would not move on (and learn 
    more) until he understood their meaning and put them into practice. Narrated 
    by at-Tabari in his Tafseer (1/80); its isnaad was classed as saheeh 
    by Shaykh Ahmad Shaakir (may Allah have mercy on him). 

    In 
    some cases the tafseer of the Sahaabah was based on their own ijtihaad and 
    understanding, and their ijtihaad takes precedence over that of those who 
    came after them, because they accompanied the Prophet (blessings and peace 
    of Allah be upon him) and were aware of the circumstances in which the 
    verses of the Qur’an were revealed, such as the reasons for revelation and 
    the place where revelation came down. They were contemporaries who were well 
    aware of the reality of the circumstances in which the Qur’an was revealed 
    and how people were at that time. Moreover, they had a greater understanding 
    than others of the language in which the Qur’an was revealed; they had 
    deeper knowledge, were less complicated (i.e., they were straightforward 
    people), and the furthest removed from misguidance and error in terms of 
    their knowledge and deeds. 

    
    Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said in Muqaddimah fi Usool at-Tafseer 
    (p. 95): Then if you do not find the explanation of the meaning in either 
    the Qur’an or the Sunnah, you should refer to the words of the Sahaabah, 
    because they had greater knowledge of that, because of what they witnessed 
    of the Qur’an, and because of the advantages they had, and what they had of 
    perfect understanding and sound knowledge, especially the scholars and 
    leading figures among them… End quote. 

    The 
    views of the Sahaabah concerning tafseer take precedence over the views of 
    anyone else, unless the Sahaabah differed concerning it, in which case the 
    mufassir must try to work out which view is most correct. 

    4.
    
    Tafseer based on reports from the Taabi‘een

    If 
    the mufassir does not find anything in the words of the Sahaabah to explain 
    the meaning of the verse, then he should look at the tafseer of the 
    Taabi‘een, who acquired their knowledge from the companions of the Prophet 
    (blessings and peace of Allah be upon them), because in their circumstances, 
    words, deeds and time they were – naturally – closer to the Sahaabah and to 
    their teachings and were able to learn from them directly. 

    
    Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in 
    Muqaddimah fi Usool at-Tafseer (p. 102): if you do not find the 
    explanation of the meaning in either the Qur’an or the Sunnah, and you do 
    not find it in what is reported from the Sahaabah, in that case many of the 
    imams (leading scholars) turned to the views of the Taabi‘een… End quote. 

    He 
    (may Allah have mercy on him) also said (p. 37): 

    Among 
    the Taabi‘een are some who learned all their tafseer from the Sahaabah, as 
    Mujaahid said: I showed the Mushaf to Ibn ‘Abbaas, pausing at each verse and 
    asking him about it. Hence ath-Thawri said: If the interpretation of the 
    meaning of a verse comes to you from Mujaahid, it is sufficient for you. 
    Hence ash-Shaafa‘i, al-Bukhaari and other scholars relied on his (Mujaahid’s) 
    tafseer. End quote. 

    If 
    the scholars of tafseer among the Taabi‘een are agreed upon a view 
    concerning the meaning of a verse, then undoubtedly it is obligatory to 
    follow it. But if they differed, the view of one of them is not necessarily 
    stronger than that of another and cannot be given precedence over another or 
    be regarded as the ultimate proof. Rather it must be examined and his proof 
    may be quoted or referred to, (but it is not binding proof). 

    
    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

    
    Undoubtedly the Taabi‘een differed, but those who learned tafseer from the 
    Sahaabah are not equal to those who did not do so. 

    
    However, if they did not state that they learned it from a Sahaabi, then 
    their view is not proof against those who came after them, if they differed 
    in their views, because they are not of the same status as the Sahaabah, but 
    their views are more likely to be closer to the truth. The closer people are 
    to the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), the 
    more likely they are to be correct than those who come after them. This is 
    very clear, because of the prevalence of whims and desires in subsequent 
    periods, and because of the presence of numerous intermediaries between them 
    and the time of the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). 
    Undoubtedly this distance detracts from the value of their opinions; hence 
    we know that referring to the view of earlier generations is very important.

    End 
    quote from Sharh Muqaddimat at-Tafseer, p. 140 

    The 
    second method 
    is for the mufassir who has knowledge of tafseer to use his understanding to 
    interpret the meaning of the verse of the Qur’an, and his ijtihaad must be 
    based on the proper method, following the guidelines and principles of 
    tafseer. This is what is called tafseer on the basis of individual 
    understanding and ijtihaad. 

    
    Az-Zarqaani (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his book Manaahil al-‘Irfaan 
    fi ‘Uloom al-Qur’an (2/43): 

    With 
    regard to the permissible type of tafseer on the basis of one's 
    understanding, it is essential to be aware of what has been narrated from 
    the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his companions 
    that may give the mufassir some insight into how he should interpret the 
    meaning on the basis of his understanding. The one who does that must also 
    have extensive knowledge of the rules of the Arabic language and its styles 
    and manner of expression, as well as deep insight into the rules of 
    sharee‘ah, so that he will be able to interpret the words of Allah on the 
    basis of what is well established of the rules and regulations of His 
    sharee‘ah. End quote. 

    
    Tafseer that is based on one’s individual understanding is blameworthy in 
    the following scenarios: 

    1.
    
    When the one who is seeking to interpret the meaning is not 
    qualified to do so, and he is trying to explain the words of Allah without 
    knowledge. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
    “Say (O Muhammad blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): ‘(But) the 
    things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are Al-Fawahish (great evil sins, 
    every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse, etc.) whether committed openly or 
    secretly, sins (of all kinds), unrighteous oppression, joining partners (in 
    worship) with Allah for which He has given no authority, and saying things 
    about Allah of which you have no knowledge’” [al-A‘raaf 7:33]; “O mankind! 
    Eat of that which is lawful and good on the earth, and follow not the 
    footsteps of Shaitan (Satan). Verily, he is to you an open enemy” [al-Baqarah 
    2:168-169].

    2.
    
    When he is following his own whims and desires and his aim is 
    to support his bid‘ah (innovation) and opinion, even if that is by twisting 
    the meanings of the words or not paying attention to the proper way of 
    understanding, the ways in which the Arabs express different ideas in their 
    language, and the guidelines of sharee‘ah, as some innovators among the 
    Raafidis and others did, when they interpreted some verses in a manner that 
    is contrary to what is indicated by the guidelines of sharee‘ah and 
    knowledge of the Arabic language.

    
    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    
    Interpretation of the Qur’an based on individual opinion: sometimes, in 
    order to be in harmony with his preconceived ideas, as the followers of 
    whims and desires do, a person may say that what is meant by a given word or 
    phrase is such and such – saying something that is in harmony with his 
    preconceived ideas. That includes some later scholars who interpreted the 
    Qur’an in such a manner as to be in harmony with the latest scientific 
    discoveries – whether astronomical or terrestrial – when the Qur’an does not 
    indicate that. In that case they are interpreting the Qur’an on the basis of 
    their own preconceived views, because the Qur’an does not indicate that, 
    either on the basis of the text or of what is indicated by the language. 
    This is their own opinion, and it is not right to interpret the Qur’an on 
    that basis. 

    
    Similarly, if a person does not understand the linguistic meaning or the 
    shar‘i meaning indicated by the verse, if he then says something without 
    knowledge, he is sinning, such as if one of the common folk were to 
    interpret the verse of the holy Qur’an according to his understanding, 
    without basing it on proper understanding of the linguistic or shar‘i 
    guidelines, in which case it is haraam for him to do that, because the one 
    who interprets the meanings of the Qur’an is testifying that Allah meant 
    such and such. This is a very serious matter, because Allah has forbidden us 
    to say about Him that which we do not know.

    “Say 
    (O Muhammad blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): ‘(But) the things 
    that my Lord has indeed forbidden are Al-Fawahish (great evil sins, every 
    kind of unlawful sexual intercourse, etc.) whether committed openly or 
    secretly, sins (of all kinds), unrighteous oppression, joining partners (in 
    worship) with Allah for which He has given no authority, and saying things 
    about Allah of which you have no knowledge’” [al-A‘raaf 7:33]. 

    Any 
    person who says about Allah that which he does not know about the meaning of 
    His words or any of His rulings has made a serious error. 

    End 
    quote from Muqaddimat at-Tafseer, p. 142 

    And 
    Allah knows best.