The Lexical Methodology of Maulana Afzal Khan Shahpuri (RA) in the Tafsir Nathr al-Marjan min Mushkilat al-Qur’an: A Research Analysis

تفسیر "نثرالمرجان من مشکلاتِ القرآن" میں مولانا افضل خان شاہ پوریؒ کا لغوی منہج: تحقیقی جائزہ

Abstract

This research study critically analyzes the lexical methodology adopted by Maulana Afzal Khan Shahpuri (RA) in his distinguished Qur’anic exegesis Nathr al-Marjan min Mushkilat al-Qur’an. The work focuses on Maulana Shahpuri’s unique approach in explaining the difficult and complex words of the Holy Qur’an through a deep engagement with Arabic linguistics, grammar, and classical philology. The study examines how he employed lexical analysis, syntactic precision, and etymological reasoning to clarify Qur’anic expressions, drawing evidence from classical Arabic dictionaries, earlier tafasir, and Prophetic traditions. By exploring his treatment of lexical ambiguities, morphological discussions, and grammatical challenges, the paper highlights Shahpuri’s scholarly effort to connect traditional Arabic scholarship with contemporary Qur’anic understanding. His tafsir demonstrates a systematic balance between transmitted knowledge and rational investigation, reflecting his intellectual depth and linguistic mastery. The findings reveal that Nathr al-Marjan not only provides solutions to difficult Qur’anic expressions but also represents an important contribution to modern Qur’anic linguistics in the South Asian scholarly tradition. It serves as a model for integrating classical linguistic precision with modern exegetical discourse, making Maulana Shahpuri’s methodology a valuable paradigm for future Qur’anic research.