In this part of the article, we shall continue with a short biography of the famous Shia exegetes of the Quran among the Tabi’ites (that generation that followed the era of the Companions).
Abu Hamza al-Thamali was also a Tabi’ite. Ibn-Nadim has mentioned him while writing about his books connected with the exegesis of the Holy Quran. He also says that his name was Thabit bin Dinar and was a companion of Ali (meaning Imam Zain-ul-Abidin). He was among the selected and trustworthy persons and a friend of Abu Ja’far. He died in 150 A.H.
Abu Junadah al-Hasin bin Makhariq as-Saluli was a companion of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (PBUH) and Imam Kazhim (PBUH). An-Najashi has said that he was the author of a book on exegesis of the Holy Quran and another on recitation of the Holy Quran. According to Ibn-Nadim, he was one of the earlier Shias and was the author of a book of exegesis and another book Jami’ al-‘Ulum. He died about the middle of the second century.
Abu Ali Wahib bin Hafas al-Hariri al-Asadi was a companion of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (PBUH) and Imam Musa Kazim (PBUH). An-Najashi has mentioned a book on exegesis written by him. He also died about the middle of the second century.
Abu Ali al-Hasan bin Faddal was a very close friend of Imam Ali Ar-Reza (PBUH) and as Ibn-Nadim has said, was the author of book on exegesis.
Abu Talib Abdulah bin Salat used to take reports from Imam Reza (PBUH). According to An-Najashi, he wrote an exegesis of the Holy Quran. He died in the latter part of the second century.
Muhammad bin Khalid al-Barqi was the author of an exegesis according to An-Najashi who has also reported his authorities with his name. He died in the latter part of the second century.
Hisham bin Muhammad as-Sa’ib al-Kalbi has been mentioned by Ibn Nadim among those who were authors of exegesis of the Holy Quran. He says, “It is a book in explanation of the verses which were revealed about different nations”. Shaikh Tusi has included him in the companions of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (PBUH). An-Najashi has also supported his being a Shia. Same is the position taken by Adh-Dhahabi in Tadhkiratul-Huffaz and As-Sam’ani in Al-Ansab.
Al-Waqidi, whose full name is Muhammad bin ‘Umar al-Aslami, is well-known historian. Ibn-Nadim says that he was a Shia of good faith. He also wrote a book titled At-Targhib Fi ‘Ilm-ul-Quran wa Ghalat ur-Rijal. He is usually included among the scholars specializing in history and biography. He died in 207 A.H.
Yunis bin Abdur Rahman, who was an ally of Aal Yaqtin, has been mentioned by An-Najashi as having a book on Tafsir (exegesis) to his credit among other books. He died in 208 A.H.
Ali bin Asbat bin Salim Bayya’ Zatiy Abul Hasan al-Muqri al-kufi has been mentioned by An-Najashi as having written a book on exegesis and has also given the names of the authority from whom he gets his information. He died in the beginning of the third century.
Hasan bin Mahbub Sarrad, according to Ibn-Nadim wrote an exegesis of the Holy Quran. He died in 224 A.H.
Abu Uthman al-Mazzini Bakr bin Muhammad an-Nahwi has been mentioned as a Shia by An-Najashi. According to Bughyat-ul-Wi’at, he wrote a book on the Holy Quran. He died in 248 A.H.
Muhammad bin Mas’ud al-‘Ayyashi wrote an exegesis which is well known and titled as Tafsir-ul-‘Ayyashi. Ibn-Nadim says that he was from among the Shia-Imamite Jurists. He was unique in his age in his scholarship. Then he names his literal works which are more than one hundred including an exegesis. He died during the third century.
Farat bin Ibrahim al-Kufi wrote a voluminous exegesis which is very often quoted by scholars. He died about the middle of the third century.
Ali bin Mehzyar al-Ahwazi (Abul Hasan) has, according to An-Najashi an exegesis of the Holy Quran among his works, An-Najashi has also referred to his authorities. Ash-Shaikh has said in his Fahrist that he has 33 books to his credit, like the books of Al-Husain bin Sa’id and include one exegesis too and a book on Huruf-ul-Quran. He died about the middle of the third century.
Husain bin Sa’id bin Hammad al-Ahwazi has been mentioned by Ash-Shaikh as having written an exegesis too. Ibn-Nadim has said about him and his brother, Al-Hasan, that in their age they were comparatively of wider knowledge. He has counted an exegesis among his books. An-Najashi has said about Hasan bin Sa’id that he collaborated with his brother in writing thirty books which increased the fame of his brother. Among these books, there was an exegesis too. He died in the mid-third century.
Hasan bin Khalid al-Barqi was, according to the report of Ibn Shahr Ashub, one of the prominent scholars. Among his books is counted Tafsir-ul-‘Askari which spreads over 120 volumes and was dictated to him by Imam Hasan al-Askari (PBUH). He died in the mid-third century.
Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Sa’id Thaqafi al-Kufi, the author of Kitab-ul-Gharat has been referred to by Ash-Shaikh in his Fahrist as having written an exegesis of the Holy Quran. He has quoted his sources. He died in 283 A.H.
Abu Abdullah Ahmad bin Sabih al-Asadi al-Kufi, according to Ash-Shaikh and An-Najashi, wrote a book of exegesis of the Holy Quran. Both of them have mentioned his sources. He died in the period lying between the last decade of the third and the beginning of the fourth century.
Ali bin Ibrahim bin Hashim al-Qummi wrote a well-known exegesis known as Tafsir Ali Bin Ibrahim. He died about end of third and beginning of the fourth century.
Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Abbas bin Ali bin Marwan, commonly known as Ibn-Jahham, according to Al-Fahrist of Ash-Shaikh, wrote voluminous exegesis. He died during the fourth century.
Ali bin al-Husain bin Babuyah al-Qummi, the father of As-Sadduq, has been referred to by An-Najashi and in Al-Fahrist of Ash-Shaikh, as the author of an exegesis. They have given his sources too. He died in 329 A.H.
Abdul Aziz bin Yahya al-Jaludi al-Basri, according to An-Najashi wrote three exegesis, one reported from Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (PBUH), another from Ibn Abbas and still another from various companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUHH). He died in 330 A.H., probably in 334 or 335 A.H.
Abu Bakr Suli Muhammad bin Yahya, according to Ibn-un-Nadim, left behind him a comprehensive but incomplete book on ‘Ilm-ul-Quran’. He died either in 330 or 335 or 336 A.H.
Muhammad bin al-Hasan bin al-Walid was a leader of the inhabitants of Qum and their most prominent figure. He wrote an exegesis which has been mentioned by Ibn-un-Nadim, An-Najashi and Ash-Shaikh in his Al-Fahrist. He died in 343 A.H.
Ahmad bin Muhammad bin al-Husain bin Dawl al-Qummi, as said by An-Najashi wrote one hundred books including an exegesis. He died in 350 A.H.
Muhammad bin Ali bin ‘Abdak al-Jurjani has been mentioned as a Shia by Ash-Shaikh, An-Najashi and As-Sam’ani. He wrote an exegesis spreading over ten volumes. He died in 360 A.H.
Sayyid Razi al-Muswi Muhammad bin al-Husain wrote a voluminous exegesis of the Holy Quran, in which he gave the occasions of revelation and interpretation. In this exegesis we find such thing as were never reported and written before. Some parts of this book are available in Iraq, while the original is found in the Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi Mashhad, Iran. From this original was copied the one found in Iraq and then published. The copy which is available at the Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi is very old and was copied from the one on which the author himself has written remarks. This covers from the beginning of Surah Aal ‘Imran to the middle Surah An-Nisa’ and is the fifth volume of the book. The original was written in 402 A.H. While the copy under reference was made on 21st of Rajab 533. He died young in 406.
