Ibn Abi Al-Rabi’s Innovative Approaches and Techniques in Interpreting the Holy Qur’an

Abstract

Ibn Abi al-Husain Abdullah Bin Ahmed Bin Aubaid Allah Bin Mohamed Bin Aubaid Allah Bin Abi al-Rabi’ al-Qurashi al-Umawi al-Uthmani (died 688H) was one of the outstanding scholars having significantly contributed to the Qur’an’s exegesis. Ibn Abi al-Rabi devoted great efforts in interpreting the Qur’an, highlighting Its meanings and guidelines, and extracting Its benefits and guidelines worthy of being collected and studied.  This study attempts to introduce Ibn Abi AL Rabi’s contribution to Andalusian School of Tafsir through its methodology, characteristics and scholars. To achieve this, the researcher applies two approaches namely, the descriptive indictive method and the analytic method. The results of the study can be concluded in the following points. Iman Ibn Abi al-Rabi’ is one of the scholars who concerned with Allah’s Book, in terms of Tafsir, parsing, extracting its meanings, etc. He also concerned with interpretation of the Quran by the Quran, the Sunnah and the interpretation of the Prophet’s companions and the successors. His reliance on language, grammar and eloquent science in his Tafsir proves that he is an Imam (scholar) in these specializations. His innovative views on Tafsir, grammar and language have been adopted by many scholars after him. The study recommends other researchers (1) to collect Ibn Abi al-Rabi’ chosen opinions in the fields of linguistic, grammatic and rheotrics, and (2) to comprehensively study his works and approaches used on Qira’at.