Al-Dakhil in Tafsir: In the Light of Tafsir al-Baydawi

Abstract

This research presents an analytical study of “al-Dakhīl fī al-Tafsīr” (interpolations in Qur’anic exegesis) with special reference to Tafsīr al-Bayḍāwī. Although Tafsīr al-Bayḍāwī is widely recognized for its conciseness, comprehensiveness, and scholarly significance in the classical tradition of tafsīr, it nevertheless contains certain instances of weak narrations, Isra’iliyyāt, and non-authentic reports. Such elements fall under the category of al-Dakhīl, which requires critical examination to distinguish sound interpretations from unreliable ones. This paper first defines the linguistic and technical meanings of al-Dakhīl, followed by the identification and analysis of selected examples within Tafsīr al-Bayḍāwī. These examples are then compared with other authoritative commentaries, such as Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, and Ibn Kathīr. The study concludes with recommendations for future research, highlighting the importance of scholarly precision in safeguarding Qur’anic exegesis from weak or fabricated material.

Keywords: Al-Dakhīl fī al-Tafsīr; Tafsīr al-Bayḍāwī; Qur’anic Exegesis; Weak Narrations; Isra’iliyyāt; Fabricated Reports; Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī; Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī; Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr; Authenticity in Tafsīr.