Tafsir Al-Tustari

Title: Tafsir Al-Tustari: The Great Commentaries on the Holy Qur’an Series : Volume IV
Author: Tustari (Author)/Annabel/Ali Keeler (Translator)/Yousef Meri (Editor)
ISBN-13: 9781891785191
Publisher: Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought
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Fons Vitae Publishing

Tafsir Al-Tustari, presented here in complete English translation for the first time ever, is the fourth work in The Great Commentaries on the Holy Qur’an series. The series aims to make widely available leading exegetical works in translation for study and research in unabridged form, which are faithful to the letter and meaning of the Arabic.
The Tafsir Al-Tustari is the earliest surviving Sufi commentary on the Qur'an. This commentary is one of the few authenticated works in Tustari's name, and is a key source for understanding the mystical thought and teachings of this important and influential Sufi. In addition to insights into the spiritual significance of almost 1000 verses of the Qur'an, this commentary includes numerous references to traditions of the Prophet, explanations of the ethical and mystical dimensions of the religious life, stories of the prophets, and anecdotes about earlier mystics. The translation has the benefit of reference to three good manuscripts in addition to the printed edition of the text, and is generously augmented with explanatory footnotes throughout. The book will not only provide its readers with an invaluable introduction to the Sufi tradition of Qur'anic interpretation, but also acquaint them with spiritual doctrines that were to become fundamental to the later development of Sufism.
This is the first complete translation into English of any Sufi Qur'an commentary, and will be a substantial and much-needed primary resource for the study of the Qur'an, Islamic mysticism and the history of Islamic thought. Whilst there is an increasing number of works by the great Sufi masters available in Western languages, there has been no complete Sufi commentary available in English translation, in its entirety, until now.
Sahl al-Tustari laid the foundation for many later Sufi thinkers, including Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (d. 505/1111), Shihab al-Din Suhrawardi (d. 587/1191), and Ibn Arabi (d. 638/1240). His commentary, known as Tafsir al-Tustari, or Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim, is important as one of the earliest Sufi commentaries and for the way in which it presents connections between verses and topics that may initially appear unrelated, but are revealed through Tustari’s insights to be profoundly linked. These inner meanings are the heart of Sahl al-Tustari’s commentary, which also includes numerous sayings of Sufi masters-all seamlessly interwoven into his explanation of these 1000 verses.
The translation itself is eminently readable and beautifully clear. In addition to the translation, Annabel Keeler’s introduction provides a coherent and comprehensive presentation of Tustari’s doctrines and the more complex aspects of his teachings. It includes his biography and approach to the commentary, as well as detailed explanations of Tustari’s understanding of the Muhammadan Light; cosmology and eschatology; spiritual psychology (including such terms as nafs, ruh?, qalb); knowledge, faith, and certainty; and the spiritual path. The translation is followed by a Quranic index that is particularly important for the reader who wants to see all that Tustari says on a given verse, and because Tustari often draws from verses in other su?ras. The detailed subject index makes this a indispensable reference work.