Marāghī and His Tafsir Method in The Context of The Science of Munāsabāt al-Qur’ān

Abstract

One of the perspectives put forward regarding the miraculous nature (iʿjāz) of the
Qur’ān is the harmony in its composition (naẓm) and arrangement (tartīb). The discipline
that examines the coherence and proportionality in the arrangement of the Divine Book is
referred to in the science of Tafsīr as Munāsabāt al-Qur’ān. This article aims to analyze
the methodology of Aḥmad Muṣṭafā al-Marāghī, who significantly incorporated the issue
of the Qur’ān’s arrangement and compositional harmony into his exegesis which has
not been sufficiently recognized for this feature. For this matter, examples related to
the science of munāsabah from his work Tafsīr al-Marāghī. Within this framework, the
study employs a literature review and comparative analysis method to assess the author’s
interpretations concerning the interrelations between verses and sūrahs. Accordingly, al-
Marāghī not only applied the principles of munāsabah established by many exegetes
in his tafsīr but also demonstrated the interconnections between verses and sūrahs in
a practical manner. His emphasis on the arrangement and coherence between verses
and, particularly, his explanations of the harmony and connection of each sūrah with the
preceding one indicate his high regard for the science of munāsabah and his extensive
utilization of it.