Tafseer Hidayat-ul-Quran: An Analytical Study of Intellectual, Stylistic, Pedagogical, and Da‘wah-oriented Features in the Exegesis of Mufti Saeed Ahmad Palanpuri

تفسیر ہدایت القرآن: مفتی سعید احمد پالنپوریؒ کی فکری، اسلوبی، تدریسی و دعوتی خصوصیات کا تحقیقی مطالعہ

Abstract

This research paper examines Tafseer Hidayat-ul-Quran, a distinguished Qur’anic exegesis authored by Mufti Saeed Ahmad Palanpuri, a renowned scholar of the Islamic world. The study focuses on the tafseer’s intellectual depth, stylistic elegance, pedagogical clarity, and da‘wah-oriented approach. Mufti Palanpuri’s methodology is marked by precise thematic coherence (rabt al-ayat), lucid and idiomatic translation, clarification of complex terms, and integration of linguistic and grammatical insights. His exposition effectively combines Qur’anic interpretation through the Qur’an itself, Hadith, statements and practices of the Companions, as well as rational and textual arguments. The commentary avoids excessive citations, instead presenting concise, relevant evidence to reinforce the intended message. Distinctive features include an engaging narrative style, moral exhortations, and contextual applications that resonate with contemporary readers. Notably, his student Abdul Rauf Ghaznavi has described the tafseer as “divinely inspired” and produced it upon the author’s instructions, highlighting its unique place in modern Qur’anic literature. The tafseer’s structure—enriched with vocabulary sections, illustrative examples, poetry, idioms, and comparative socio-religious observations—bridges classical scholarship with present-day concerns. Furthermore, Mufti Palanpuri’s approach to Seerah within the tafseer aligns closely with hadith methodology, offering a vivid portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that deepens love, understanding, and emulation. By blending scholarly precision with accessible language, Tafseer Hidayat-ul-Quran stands as both an academic reference and a spiritual guide, appealing to scholars, students, and the general Muslim readership alike.