The authentic exegesis of ibn Kathîr in 5 volumes

The Authentic Exegesis of Ibn Kathir (Sahîh Tafsir Ibn Kathir), Authentication based on the works of Shaykh Ahmad Shakir & Shaykh Muhammad Nasir Ad-Din Al-Albani in 5 volumes (Éditions Tawbah) The Exegesis of Ibn Kathir is, without a doubt, the most singular exegesis there is.

Throughout the centuries, Muslims have adopted it as an indisputable reference. Its importance exceeds, perhaps, that of the exegesis of At-Tabarî, considered the Mother of exegeses, in that it is much more accessible to ordinary Muslims. We can explain this recognition and this support if we understand that Ibn Kathîr composed his exegesis by adopting a methodology in which no one preceded him.

His work was therefore unique in its kind, and it remains a reference in its field. For the neophyte, Ibn Kathîr's exegesis may seem voluminous, when in fact it is not and is, on the contrary, a marvel of concision. It is comparable to a feast, a festive dish from which everyone can eat to their satisfaction.

Each specialist will find what will delight him, whether it is the exegete, the hadith scholar, the jurisconsult, the linguist, or the historian. But for the beginner or the common man, some elements of this exquisite dish are too spicy and difficult to assimilate. In fact, many people have attempted, with varying degrees of success, to provide a summary.

But Ibn Kathir's exegesis is already condensed, it cannot be summarized. It is from this observation that Shaykh Ahmad Shâkir started and this is what makes his work unique: he did not seek to summarize but, on the contrary, to preserve as many elements as possible, in order to to preserve the essence of Ibn Kathir's work. He only avoided what was clearly weak or did not directly shed light on the understanding of the verse, while removing repetitions in order to make it easier to read.