Tafseer Soorah al-Hujurat: A Commentary on the 49th Chapter of the Qur’an is a treasury of divine advice, commandments, and prohibitions regarding common problems in social relations, including gossip, spying, arguing, and bigotry. To make the best use of this chapter, the believer needs a detailed explanation of the meanings of the verses.

Dr. Bilal Philips has based his tafseer (exegesis) on the methodology used in the classical works of tafseer. He has relied first of all on the explanations found within the Qur’an itself, then on explanations found in the Sunnah and related incidents which occurred at the time of the revelation of the verses in question. Beyond these primary sources, Dr. Philips has relied on the interpretations made by the Prophet’s Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who were noted for their ability to interpret and comment on the Qur’an. ‘Abdull├óh ibn ‘Abb├ós, for example, was called ‘The interpreter of the Qur’an’ by Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Finally, the author has made use of the grammatical explanations given in the classical tafseer works. Wherever possible, Dr. Philips has tried to apply the derived meanings of the verses to the problems of contemporary society.

Reviews of This Book:

Bilal Philips’ Tafseer Soorah al-Hujur├ót is worth reading for any serious and sincere reader of the Qur’an. The meaning and history of the science of tafseer contained in the book’s introduction add to its readability. As Bilal explains in the foreword, the core of the tafseer and the introduction to the science of tafseer were originally prepared for a course in tafseer which he taught during the Imam’s Training Course held by D├ór al-Ift├ó in Trinidad in September 1981. The present tafseer is an edited and revised version of the course material.

The two-page summary at the end helps easy and ready recapitulation of the soorah, and the index of hadiths is a welcome addition. (Habib Shaykh, Arab News, 11/4/1989)