The Method of Imam Ibn Ajiba in Guiding Qur’anic Readings through His Tafsir Al-Bahr Al-Madeed (Selected Models)

Abstract

This study examines the methodology of Imam Ibn Ajiba in guiding Qur’anic readings through his tafsir entitled Al-Bahr Al-Madeed fi Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Majeed. The research aims to highlight Imam Ibn Ajiba’s scholarly stature and his approach to handling and directing Qur’anic readings. The study includes an introduction to Imam Ibn Ajiba, covering his lineage, upbringing, death, teachers, and students, while also shedding light on his most prominent works. Furthermore, the research elucidates his method in guiding Qur’anic readings by demonstrating his reliance on mutawatir readings, his engagement with the statements of earlier Qur’anic reciters and exegetes, and his use of different readings to enrich the exegetical meaning. The study relies on the analysis of selected practical examples from Al-Bahr Al-Madeed, through which the manner in which the Imam addressed differences in readings and the impact of this approach on broadening Qur’anic interpretation is inferred. The study concludes that Imam Ibn Ajiba’s guidance of readings was grounded in the works of earlier scholars, benefiting from their efforts to direct readings and clarify their meanings, which endowed his approach with considerable scholarly depth. The selected examples further reflect Imam Ibn Ajiba’s scientific standing and demonstrate the excellence of his methodology in guiding Qur’anic readings.