Zaad al-Maseer fi 'ilm at-Tafseer - Ibn al-Jawzi

Zad al-Masir is a standard book in Tafsir (Interpretation of the Qur’an) in which the author has collected the sayings of the early interpreters and others. Sometimes he does not mention the owner of the saying, but he says: Regarding the following Qur’an Verse (he mentions the Verse), there are two or three sayings” and then he relates them in detail. Sometimes he gives preference to one over the others and sometimes he does not. He also discusses the Qur’an recitations, jurisprudence and linguistic issues.

This book has some characteristics, among them the following:

-   It was written with words that are exactly to the level of the meaning, and in some cases the words were used to carry the maximum range of meanings possible. He said in the introduction: I have exaggerated in shortening its wording.

-   When explaining each Qur’an Verse (mentioned in this book), he lists all the narrations regarding the reasons for their revelation, which will benefit the reader, because knowing the reason for the revelation of the Verse will enable the reader to have a deep understanding about its circumstances.

-    He listed some personalities about whom some Verses were revealed

-    He mentioned the famous recitations and sometimes the “abnormal” ones.

- He made reference to the abrogated Verses, which scholars differed about whether they were repealed or not? He cited the sayings of the scholars on the subject.