Ibn Taymiyya as Exegete: Moses' Father-in-Law and the Messengers in Sūrat Yā Sīn

Abstract

This article contends that Ibn Taymiyya was not only a theologian and jurist, but also a Qur'anic exegete (mufassir). As a mufassir, Ibn Taymiyya began an important exegetical shift away from the Ashʿarī philological tradition to one that was more ḥadīth-based and relied on the traditions of the early community (salaf). However, by examining exegetical writings composed after his Muqaddima fī uṣūl al-tafsīr (‘Introduction to the Principles of tafsīr’), this article demonstrates that Ibn Taymiyya employs philology and Biblical material as hermeneutic tools. He draws on the Bible to argue that Moses’ father-in-law could not have been the Arab prophet Shuʿayb, as many exegetes had claimed, but rather the Biblical Jethro (Yathrā). The Bible clearly states that Moses’ father-in-law was Jethro which is in accordance with the authentic sayings of the companions and successors. Moreover, drawing on Biblical history, Ibn Taymiyya contends that the messengers of Sūrat Yā Sīn could not have been the Disciples of Jesus but rather prophets sent before the time of Christ. The messengers of Sūrat Yā Sīn were sent to a people who were destroyed because of their disbelief, while the Disciples were sent to Antioch which believed in their call. Thus, we see that Ibn Taymyya's exegetical engagements revolve around theology in seeking to better define prophecy.