APPROACH OF TABI’UN IN TAFSIR WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO SA’ID BN JUBAIR

BAYERO UNIVERSITY KANO

DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC STUDIES

COURSE CODE: ISL 8203

COURSE TITLE: ULUMUL QUR’AN

TOPIC: APPROACH OF TABI’UN IN TAFSIR WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO SA’ID BN JUBAIR

BY

AMINU MUKHTAR                                     SPS/10/MIS/00008

COURSE FACILITATOR:

 PROF. MUHAMMAD KABIR YUNUS

SESSION 2010/2011

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I

       I.            Meaning of Tafsir

     II.            Who is Tabi’i

  III.            The authoritativeness of the Tafsir al Tabi’un

  IV.            Schools of Tafsir

    V.            Biography of Sa’id bn Jubair

CHAPTER II METHODOLOGY

Ø HIS SOURCES

       I.            Qur’an with Qur’an

     II.            Qur’an with Sunnah

  III.            Qur’an with Sayings of Sahabah

  IV.            Qur’an with Ijtihad

    V.            Qur’an base on Asbab al-Nuzul

Ø HIS TRENDS

       I.            Aqidah

     II.            Fiqh

CHAPTER III CONCLUSION

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

This paper aimed at discussing about the Tafsir of Tabi’un with particular reference to Sa’id bn Jubair.

The paper will insha Allah covers three (3) chapters and each chapter has sub headings under it.

Chapter I will engulf meaning of Tafsir, who is Tabi’i, authoritativeness of their Tafsir and brief biography of Sa’id bn Jubair.

Chapter II will cover the methodology of Sa’id bn Jubair which will include his sources (Qur’an with Qur’an, Qur’an with Sunnah, Qur’an with sayings of  Sahaba, Qur’an with Ijtihad and Qur’an based of Asbab a-nuzul) and his trends (Aqidah and Fiqh).

Chapter III will serve as the conclusion in which the whole work would be summarized.

CHAPTER I    PRELUDE

       I.            MEANING OF TAFSIR

The word ‘Tafsir’, is an Arabic word which comes form the verb ‘fassara’, literally means an explanation or an exposition,[1] as in the verse,

“For any parable they bring, I will bring you the truth and a better explanation”[2]

However, in the Qur’anic sciences, this term is defined as a branch of knowledge by which the Qur’an is understood, its meanings explained, and its point of law and wisdom derived.[3]

     II.            WHO IS TABI’UN

The Tabi’un‎ "Followers" are the generation of Muslims who were born after the death of the Prophet (SAW) but who were contemporaries of the Sahaba "Companions".[4]

APPROACH OF SAHABA IN TAFSEER WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO UBAYY BN KA’B

BAYERO UNIVERSITY KANO

DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC STUDIES

COURSE CODE: ISL 8203

COURSE TITLE: ULUMUL QUR’AN

TOPIC: APPROACH OF SAHABA IN TAFSEER WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO UBAYY BN KA’B

NASIRU MUSA BALARABE                 SPS/10/MIS/00009

COURSE FACILITATOR:

 PROF. MUHAMMAD KABIR YUNUS

SESSION 2010/2011

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER I: PRELUDE

             i.        Meaning of Tafseer.

           ii.        Who is a Sahabi

          iii.        The Authoritativeness of their Tafseer.

CHAPTER II: UBAYY BN KA’B

       i.        His biography

     ii.        His Position in Islam.

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY

       i.        His Sources:

A.           Qur’an with Qur’an.

The Superiority of the First Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah

The Superiority of the First Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah

By Shaykh ibn al-Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy on him

________________________________________
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. May peace and blessings be upon the Chief of the Messengers, Muhammad.
Indeed it is a great favour and blessing from Allah that He has made for His righteous servants periods of time within which they can increase in good deeds to attain great rewards and one of these opportunistic periods is the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah (the final month of the Islamic Calendar, in which the hajj is performed).

SUPERIORITY OF THE FIRST TEN DAYS OF DHUL-HIJJAH
The excellence of these ten days have been mentioned in the Qur'ân and the Sunnah.
1. Allah says in the Qur'ân:
"By the dawn and by the ten nights … " [Al-Qur'ân 89:1-2]
Ibn Kathîr said that "the ten nights" referred to here are the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, and this opinion was also held by Ibn Abbâs, Ibn az-Zubair, Mujâhid and others.

2. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"There are no deeds as excellent as those done in these ten days." They (the companions listening) said, "Not even Jihâd?" He, peace be upon him, said, "No, not even Jihâd except a man who goes forth endangering his life and wealth and does not return with anything." [Recorded by al-Imâm al-Bukhârî]

3. Allah says:
" … and remember the name of Allah in the appointed days." [Al-Qur'ân 2:203]
Ibn Abbâs and Ibn Kathîr said this means in the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.

4. The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said:
"There are no other days that are as great as these in the sight of Allah, the Most Sublime. Nor are there any deeds more beloved to Allah then those that are done in these ten days. So increase in tahlîl (to say lâ illaha illallah), takbîr (to say allahu akbar) and tahmîd (to say alhumdulillâh)." [Reported by at-Tabarânî in al-Mu'jum al-Kabîr]

5. With regards to the noble companion Saîd bin Jubair, when the days of Dhul-Hijjah began he would strive to increase in good actions with great intensity until he was unable to increase anymore. [Reported by ad-Dârimî]

6. Ibn Hajar says in Fath al-Bârî:
"The most apparent reason for the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah being distinguished in excellence is due to the assembly of the greatest acts of worship in this period, i.e. salawât (prayers), siyâm (fasting), sadaqah (charity) and the hajj (pilgrimage). In no other periods do these great deeds combine."

WHAT ARE THE RECOMMENDED ACTS IN THESE DAYS?
1. The Prayer - It is highly recommended to perform the obligatory acts at their prescribed times (as early as possible) and to increase oneself in the superogatory acts, for indeed, this is what brings a person closer to their Lord. The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said:
"Upon you is to increase in your prostration to Allah, for verily you do not prostrate to Allah with even one prostration, except that He raises you in degrees and decreases your sins because of it." [Reported by Muslim]
2. Fasting - This has been mentioned as one of the acts of righteousness where Hanbada ibn Khâlid reports on the authority of his wife who reports that some of the wives of the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
The Prophet, upon whom be peace, would fast on the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah, the day of Âshûra and three days in every month. [Recorded by Ahmad, Abu Dâwûd, an-Nisâî and others]
Al-Imâm an-Nawawî said that fasting in these ten days is extremely recommended.

3. Saying allahu akbar; lâ illaha illallah and alhamdulillâh - It is found in the aforementioned narration of Ibn 'Umar:
"So increase yourselves in saying lâ illaha illallah, allahu akbar and alhamdulillâh."
Al-Imâm Bukhârî, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
"Ibn 'Umar and Abû Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with them both, used to go out to the markets in the ten days saying the takbîr causing the people to follow them in this action."
He also said:
"Umar ibn al-Khattâb used to say the takbîr in his minaret in Mina, whereupon the people of the mosque hearing 'Umar, would start to say the takbîr as would the people in the markets until the whole of Mina was locked in glorifying Allah."
Ibn 'Umar used to say the takbîr in Mina during these ten days and after prayers, whilst on his bed, in his tent, in his gathering and whilst walking. What is recommended is to say the takbîr aloud due to the fact that 'Umar ibn al-Khattâb, his son and Abû Hurayrah used to do likewise, may Allah be pleased with them all.
Strive with us O Muslims in reviving this sunnah that has become lost in these times and it was almost forgotten, even amongst the people of righteousness and goodness all of which is unfortunately in opposition to what the best of generations were upon (preserving and maintaining the superogatory acts).
There are a number of ways of making takbîr that have been narrated by the companions and their followers and from these ways is the following:
- Allahu akbar, allahu akbar, allahu akbar kabîrun.
- Allahu akbar, allahu akbar, lâ ilaha illallah, wallahu akbar, wallahu akbar, wa lillahil hamd.
- Allahu akbar, allahu akbar, allahu akbar, lâ ilaha illallah, wallahu akbar, allahu akbar wa lillâhil hamd.

4. Fasting on the day of 'Arafah - Fasting has been affirmed on the day of 'Arafah, where it has been confirmed from the Prophet, peace be upon him, that he said regarding fasting on the day of 'Arafah:
"Be content with the fact that Allah will expiate for you your sins for the year before (the day of 'Arafah) and the year after (the day of 'Arafah)." [Reported by Muslim]
However, whoever is at 'Arafah as a pilgrim then fasting is not expected of him, as the Prophet, peace be upon him, stopped at 'Arafah to eat.

May the peace of Allah be upon his Prophet, the family of the Prophet and all of his companions.

Culled from: http://www.sunnahonline.com/library/hajj/0010.htm
Presented by Aminu Mukhtar

CONCEPT OF AL-MAJIRI

CONCEPT OF AL-MAJIRI

The word ALMAJIRI emanated from the Arabic word “AL- MUHAJIRIN” (emigrants), the concept of Al-MUHAJIRUN came as a result of the Prophet’s (SAW) migration from Makkah to Madinah.

WHO IS AL-MAJIRI (BEGGAR) IN ISLAM

Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
A man of the Ansar came to the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and begged from him.

He (the Prophet) asked: Have you nothing in your house? He replied: Yes, a piece of cloth, a part of which we wear and a part of which we spread (on the ground), and a wooden bowl from which we drink water.

He said: Bring them to me. He then brought these articles to him and he (the Prophet) took them in his hands and asked: Who will buy these? A man said: I shall buy them for one dirham. He said twice or thrice: Who will offer more than one dirham? A man said: I shall buy them for two dirhams.

He gave these to him and took the two dirhams and, giving them to the Ansari, he said: Buy food with one of them and hand it to your family, and buy an axe and bring it to me. He then brought it to him. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) fixed a handle on it with his own hands and said: Go, gather firewood and sell it, and do not let me see you for a fortnight. The man went away and gathered firewood and sold it. When he had earned ten dirhams, he came to him and bought a garment with some of them and food with the others.

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) then said: This is better for you than that begging should come as a spot on your face on the Day of Judgment. Begging is right only for three people: one who is in grinding poverty, one who is seriously in debt, or one who is responsible for compensation and finds it difficult to pay. – Abu Dawud

Based on the above mentioned Hadith, begging is permissible only for the following three kinds of people:
 1. One who is in grinding poverty.
2. One who is seriously in debt.
3. One who is responsible for compensation and finds it difficult to pay.
But nowadays, those in Qur’anic schools (Makarantar Allo), physically challenged people, Yan Maula etc. engage in begging.

CONCEPT OF AL-MAJIRI IN HAUSA LAND

The form of Islamic education is known as “TSANGAYA” a Hausa word that literally means learning centre. It has been in practice since days before the emergence of colonialism in Nigeria, and has its roots in the Timbuktu scholastic tradition.

According to scholars there are basically two types of Tsangaya, the resident and the mobile.

While the resident one involves child living with his parents, and going to the Tsangaya, like the normal Day School in Western type of education. The mobile one demands the total handing over a child to the Islamic Scholar mostly to live in the Tsangaya outside the parents’ community or residential town. Hence, it serves as boarding school.

The mobile Tsangaya has the basic framework to sustain the system for effective learning of moral and spiritual lessons, and eventual productivity that would made its graduates contribute in the development of the society. No begging at all for the students.

After the fall of Sokoto caliphates, it was after 1902 the Tsangaya system was collapse under the facilitation of colonial masters.

FACTORS THAT FACILITATE BEGGING

1.    Colonial invention: they played an important role in destroying the system (Tsangaya).

2.    Attitude of Scholars in which they linked begging as a requisite for seeking Qur’anic knowledge.

3.    Attitude of some parents especially those in remote areas that begging is part of religion.

4.    Economic hardship especially rural dwellers.

5.    Attitude of wealthy people towards the have not. And lack of giving out Zakat as well.

HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM

It is a joint responsibility which can be summarized as follows:

1.    It is an international issue since it cut across international boundaries. It needs efforts of Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, Chad and Cameroon.

2.    General community should have positive attitude against begging. NGOs (like Katsina Progressive Forum), Institutions etc. should engaged in advocacy, then public enlightenment on the effects of begging from social and religious perspectives.

Social perspectives as:

-      It tarnish image of Hausas

-      Back warding our economy

-      Working population are not productive

-      Social instability etc.

Religious perspectives as:

-      Islam against begging

-      It tarnish image of Islam

-      Islam encourages people to be productive

-      Islam encourages nurturing child as taught by the Prophet (SAW).

3. Government should:

-      Embark on public enlightenment solely in all the medias

-      Team the trustworthy Scholars and educationists to draft out strategies and long term solution should be outlined.

-      Formulized the system

-      Enrolment of Students and Schools

-      Design of curriculum which will cater for social, spiritual and economic upbringing of the children.

-      Enough job opportunity should be provided

4. Wealthy individual should be ready to help physically challenged and old age people.

We should note that it will take time before the results (aims) could be achieved since it is a long term project. It will also need resources both human and financial, especially government’s commitment.