JVLEricka167 at 06:46, 10 November 2025

2025-11-10T06:46:06Z

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{{Short description|Book by Shah Waliullah Dehlawi}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2025}}
{{Infobox book
| name = Al-Fawz al-Kabir fi Usul al-Tafsir
| image = English cover of Al-Fawz al-Kabir.jpg
| caption = English cover
| author = [[Shah Waliullah Dehlawi]]
| title_orig = الفوز الكبير في أصول التفسير
| orig_lang_code = ar
| country = [[Presidencies and provinces of British India|British India]]
| language = Arabic
| subject = [[Principles of Quranic Exegesis]]
| published = [[18th century]]
| media_type = Print
| dewey = 297.1227
| isbn = 978-1842001349
| isbn_note = (Ta-Ha Publishers, English, 2014)
| oclc = 10424402
}}
'''''Al-Fawz al-Kabir fi Usul al-Tafsir''''' ({{langx|ar|الفوز الكبير في أصول التفسير}}) or simply '''''Al-Fawz al-Kabir''''', is an 18th-century Arabic book on the principles of [[Tafsir|Qur'anic exegesis]], written by [[Shah Waliullah Dehlawi]]. The work aims to provide insights not found in earlier tafsir books and emphasizes a direct understanding of the Qur'an. It is one of the author's major works and has been translated into several languages. The book has also been used as a textbook in many higher education institutions across the [[Indian subcontinent]].

== Background ==
In the preface of the book, Shah Waliullah Dehlawi states that the book provides insights into the principles of Quranic interpretation ([[tafsir]]) not found in earlier works and offers guidance for a better understanding of the Quran.<ref name=":0" /> The work presents a methodical and rational approach to tafsir, encouraging readers to engage directly with the Quranic text.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ashfaq |first=Naeem |last2=Salamon |first2=Hussin bin |last3=Abu Hussin |first3=Mohd Fauzi Bin |last4=Rosman |first4=Arieff Salleh |last5=Ruskam |first5=Aminuddin Bin |last6=Mohamed |first6=Ahmad Kilani |last7=Bin Husin |first7=Ezwan Rafiq |date=2019 |title=Exploring Al-Fauz al-Kabir's Five Thematic Analysis of the Qur'an: A Perspective from Shah Wali Allah al-Dehlavi |url=https://mgesjournals.com/hssr/article/view/hssr.2019.7146 |journal=Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=396 |doi=10.18510/hssr.2019.7146 |issn=2395-6518|doi-access=free }}</ref>

Although the book does not encompass all aspects of usul al-tafsir (the methodology of exegesis), it reflects Waliullah's independent reasoning and intellectual synthesis of scholarly and mystical traditions. His background in both madrasa learning and Sufi thought, as well as his view that divine knowledge ('ilm al-ladunni) informs spiritual understanding, shaped the analytical and reflective tone of the work.<ref name=":0" />

''Al-Fawz al-Kabir'' has been widely circulated and translated, and it has been used as a textbook in many higher education institutions across the Indian subcontinent.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Akhtar |first=Gulshan |date=2025 |title=Al-Fawzul Kabir fi Usul al-Tafsir: A Theoretical Review |url=https://dshcir.du.ac.bd/al-fawzul-kabir-fi-usul-al-tafsir-a-theoretical-review/ |journal=Journal of Dr Serajul Haque Centre for Islamic Research |volume=13 |issue=29 |page=1 |doi=10.63267/JSHCIR.V13I29A6|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Early editions include those printed in Egypt (1295 AH) alongside Firuzabadi's ''Sifr al-Sa'ada'' and in [[Delhi]] (1296 AH) appended to Mu'in al-Din al-Iji's ''Jami' al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an''. Another edition was produced in Pusad by the Muhammadiyya Press, with the first four sections in Persian and the fifth, titled ''al-Fath al-Kabir'', in Arabic. Later independent editions appeared in India (1405/1984) and [[Beirut]] (1407/1987). A comprehensive bibliographic overview is provided in Mehmet Sofuoğlu's Turkish translation published in [[Istanbul]] in 1980.<ref name=":0">{{TDV Encyclopedia of Islam|title=el-FEVZÜ'l-KEBÎR|last=Güngör|first=Mevlüt|url=https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/el-fevzul-kebir}}</ref>

== Content ==
The work is organized into five main sections, each addressing distinct aspects of Quranic interpretation. The first section presents what Waliullah identifies as the five principal themes in the Quran. These include the science of divine injunctions, covering rulings related to worship, ethics, and governance; the science of disputation, addressing arguments against [[Jews]], [[Christians]], [[Polytheism|polytheists]], and [[Munafiq|hypocrites]]; the science of divine favours, describing God's blessings in creation and human sustenance; the science of historical events, highlighting lessons from divine reward and retribution; and the science concerning death and the hereafter, explaining resurrection, judgment, paradise, and hell. Collectively, these themes encompass the Quran's moral, theological, and legal dimensions.<ref>{{harv|Ashfaq|Salamon|Abu Hussin|Rosman|2019|pp=397, 401, 402, 408}}</ref>

The second section examines interpretive challenges in understanding the Quran. Topics include gharib al-Quran (rare expressions), [[Naskh (tafsir)|naskh]] (abrogation), [[Asbab al-Nuzul|asbab al-nuzul]] (occasions of revelation), literary features, and the distinction between clear ([[Muhkam and Mutashabih|muhkam]]) and ambiguous ([[Muhkam and Mutashabih|mutashabih]]) verses. Waliullah analyzes the issue of abrogation by reviewing classifications provided by [[al-Suyuti]] and concludes that only a limited number of verses were subject to abrogation. The section reflects a systematic approach to reconciling seemingly conflicting scriptural rulings.<ref name=":0" />

The third section focuses on the Quran's style and structure. Waliullah observes that the Quran is not arranged by subject but according to thematic and rhetorical principles. He compares its expression to Arabic poetry to illustrate its eloquence and distinguishes its moral and spiritual objectives from literary composition. The repetition and distribution of topics are interpreted as a deliberate method to reinforce key messages.<ref name=":0" />

The fourth section categorizes different methods of Quranic interpretation, including theological ([[kalam]]i), juridical ([[fiqh]]i), linguistic (lugawi), and mystical ([[Sufism|tasawwufi]]) approaches. Waliullah examines early exegetical traditions from the [[Companions of the Prophet|Companions]] and [[Tabi'un|Followers]], particularly regarding occasions of revelation and abrogation. The section also addresses interpretive principles such as deriving rulings, analyzing semantics and eloquence, and distinguishing between apparent and hidden meanings, highlighting the diversity of scholarly methodologies.<ref name=":0" />

The fifth section supplements the discussion on gharib al-Quran and asbab al-nuzul. Waliullah reviews individual [[surah]]s, collecting narrations that clarify uncommon words and the circumstances of revelation. This section provides linguistic and historical information necessary for understanding the Quran's vocabulary and context.<ref name=":0" />

== See also ==
* [[List of Sunni books]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [[iarchive:20221226 20221226 1443|Arabic version]] at [[Internet Archive]]
* [[iarchive:fawz-al-kabir-compressed|English version]] at [[Internet Archive]]
* [[iarchive:20210812 20210812 1538|Bengali version]] at [[Internet Archive]]
* [https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/detail/al-fauz-ul-kabeer-fi-usool-ut-tafseer-shah-waliullah-dehlvi-ebooks Urdu version] at [[Rekhta (website)|Rekhta]]

{{Tafsir}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Hanafi tafsir literature]]
[[Category:Books by Shah Waliullah Dehlawi]]
[[Category:Sunni tafsir]]
[[Category:Tafsir works]]
[[Category:18th-century Arabic-language books]]
[[Category:Indian non-fiction books]]
[[Category:18th-century Indian books]]

Al-Fawz al-Kabir - Revision history

JVLEricka167 at 06:46, 10 November 2025