The science of interpretation is one of the ancient sciences that have a long history, as it specializes in revealing the meanings and connotations with regard to the Qur’anic verses and hadiths that were mentioned in the Sunnah of the Prophet, and we will address in this article the concept and then the stages in addition to the virtue of this great science, to identify the nature of this science by which the words of God are interpreted.
The concept of exegesis
The science of interpretation is that science that specializes in clarification and disclosure of linguistic vocabulary, in addition to that, it is concerned with revealing those meanings based on the moral and sensory side, with regard to the linguistic meaning of the science of interpretation.
As for the terminological meaning of the science of interpretation, it means that science that seeks to identify the meanings contained in the Book of Allah (may He be glorified and glorified) and the rulings that came in the Sunnah of the Prophet on the authority of our master Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
Stages of exegesis
The science of interpretation did not reach us like this, but it arrived through tremendous efforts and original development, and this science has gone through several stages, namely:
The first stage: the era of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
This stage began, which is the stage of emergence in the early days of Islam, because there was no Qur’anic text before the most honorable creation, and interpretation was not called science at the time.
It is known that the first to practice this science is the Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, and taught it to people, as it was the first source for understanding and clarifying the Book of Allah, and the approach of this stage was that the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, understood the Qur’an to his companions and showed them its words, and the way it was recited, by saying, doing or approving it.
The second stage: the class of the companions
The time of this stage was during the era of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and it relied on the interpretation of the Qur’an with the Qur’an, or the interpretation of the Qur’an with the sayings of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
It was carried out by the Companions as they are the first class of commentators in the history of the science of interpretation, and they were not all equal in this science, as there was an elite among them that was distinguished by this science without the rest of the Companions, may God be pleased with them.
Third Stage: Dependent Layer
This stage was in the era that followed the era of the Companions, may God be pleased with them, and its approach was the interpretation of the Qur’an with the Qur’an, the interpretation of the Qur’an with the sayings of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, and the interpretation of the Qur’an with the sayings of the Companions, may God be pleased with them, and through understanding and diligence.
Fourth stage: codification after the era of the followers
The codification of the interpretation, which was seen as a chapter of the hadith, began, and this codification was not at the beginning inclusive of the entire Qur’an, and then the codification was done in a special composition, including the entire Holy Qur’an.
The scholars of this stage composed interpretations that were collected and included the interpretation and sayings of the Companions and the followers.
Virtues of the science of interpretation
In conclusion , this science is one of the Islamic sciences that are indispensable in the life of the individual, as by relying on this science the individual can learn about his religion, provisions and legislation, and it would also make you aware of the meanings contained in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet.
