The Great Exegesis: al-Tafsir al-Kabir: The Fatiha

Fakhr al-Din Razi’s Tafsir, The Great Exegesis, also known as Mafātih al-Ghayb, is one of the great classics of Arabic and Islamic scholarship. Written in the twelfth century, this commentary on the Qurʾān has remained until today an indispensable reference work. The Great Exegesis is a compendium not only of Qurʾānic sciences and meanings, but also Arabic linguistics, comparative jurisprudence, Aristotelian and Islamic philosophy, dialectic theology and the spirituality of Sufism. The present volume is the first ever translation into English from The Great Exegesis, and focuses on the first chapter of the Qurʾān, the Fātiḥa. This scholarly yet accessible translation gives readers a thorough understanding of the most commonly recited chapter of the Qurʾān; it also opens up for readers a window into the thought and practice of one of Islam’s greatest theologians. This volume includes a foreword by Professor M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, King Fahd Professor of Islamic Studies, University of London.