When discussing Qisas (eye for an eye), Tabari moves into jurisprudence ( Fiqh ). He breaks down the verse into grammatical components. Does "The free for the free" mean a noble free person cannot be killed for killing a slave? Tabari says no—he argues the verse establishes equality of life , not hierarchy of class, relying on the consensus of the Companions.
The Commentary on the Quran Vol. 2 is less a book you “read cover to cover” and more a reference encyclopaedia of early Islamic thought. Owning it is like having a direct line to the first three generations of Muslim scholarship. If you are serious about understanding how classical Islam derived law, theology, and ethics from the Quran, Al-Tabari’s second volume is indispensable. The Commentary On The Quran Vol. 2 By Al-tabari
When discussing the "strike" command in the story of the cow (Baqarah 2:73), Tabari doesn't just explain the miracle. He records four different scholarly opinions on what kind of strike it was (a branch, a piece of the cow, etc.), traces each back to a Companion, and then chooses the strongest narration. When discussing Qisas (eye for an eye), Tabari
Within this 30-volume masterpiece, holds a particularly significant position. It is more than just a continuation of the first volume; it is the gateway where the foundational principles of the Quranic narrative begin to lock into place. This article provides an exhaustive exploration of Volume 2, its author, its methodology, its content, and its lasting legacy. Tabari says no—he argues the verse establishes equality