Chapter Seven:

Conformity of My Conclusions with the View of Ibn ’Abbās It has been authentically reported from Ibn ’Abbas (may Allāh be pleased with him) that he interpreted the disbelief (kufr) mentioned in the Āyah, “And whoever does not judge by what Allāh has revealed, then it is those who are the disbelievers.” [Al-Mā'idah 5:44], as minor disbelief (kufr aṣghar), which does not take one out of the fold of Islam.(1) This is transmitted by ’Abdur-Razzāq in his Tafsīr from Ma’mar, from Ibn Ṭāwūs, from his father, from Ibn ’Abbās, who said: «هي به كُفْر» “It is disbelief (kufr),” and Ibn Ṭāwūs (may Allāh have mercy on him) added: «وليس كمن كَفَرَ بالله وملائكته وكتبه، ورسله» “But it is not like the one who disbelieves in Allāh, His angels, His books, and His Messengers.” This chain of narration is authentic and beyond criticism. There are three issues related to this chapter: --- (1) Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allāh have mercy on him) stated: “If we do not find the Tafsīr in the Qur'ān or the Sunnah, we refer to the statements of the Companions, for they are the most knowledgeable about it, given what they witnessed of the Qur'ān and the circumstances that were unique to them, as well as their complete understanding, sound knowledge, and righteous actions—especially their scholars and leaders, such as the four rightly guided caliphs and the rightly guided imams, like ’Abdullāh ibn Mas’ūd...and among them was the great scholar of the ummah, ’Abdullāh ibn ’Abbās, the cousin of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ and the interpreter of the Qur'ān, due to the blessing of the Prophet’s supplication for him: «اللهم فقهه في الدين، وعلّمه التأويل» ‘O Allāh, grant him understanding of the religion and teach him the interpretation.’ Ibn Jarīr narrated: Muḥammad ibn Bashshār told us, Wakee’ told us, Sufyān told us, from Al-A’mash, from Muslim, from Masrūq, who said that ’Abdullāh (meaning Ibn Mas’ūd) said: «نعم ترجمان القرآن ابن عباس» ‘What an excellent interpreter of the Qur'ān Ibn Abbas is.’ He then narrated it from Yaḥyā ibn Dāwūd, from Is-ḥāq Al-Azraq, from Sufyān, from Al-A’mash, from Muslim ibn Ṣubayḥ Abu Aḍh-Ḍhuḥā, from Masrūq, from Ibn Mas’ūd, who said: «نعم ترجمان القرآن ابن عباس» ‘What an excellent interpreter of the Qur'ān Ibn ’Abbas is.’ He also narrated it from Bundar, from Ja’far ibn ’Awn, from Al-A’mash, with the same chain. This is an authentic chain of narration to Ibn Mas’ūd, who made this statement about Ibn ’Abbās. Ibn Mas’ūd passed away in the year 33 AH, according to the correct view, and Ibn ’Abbas lived for thirty-six years after him. Imagine what knowledge he would have acquired after Ibn Mas’ūd’s passing. Al-A’mash narrated from Abu Wā’il: «استخلف عَلِيٌّ عبد الله بن عباس على الموسم، فخطب الناس، فقرأ في خطبته سورة البقرة (وفي رواية : سورة النور)؛ ففسرها تفسيراً لو سَمِعَتْهُ الروم، والتُّرْك، والديلم؛ لأسلموا» ‘Ali appointed ’Abdullāh ibn ’Abbās as his deputy during the pilgrimage season, and he delivered a sermon in which he recited Sūrah Al-Baqarah (in another narration: Surah An-Nūr) and interpreted it in such a way that if the Romans, Turks, and Daylam had heard it, they would have embraced Islam.’” [Al-Fatāwā (13/364)].