درة التفاسير على هامش القرآن الكريم

Durrat al-Tafasir

A concise and accessible commentary on the entire Qurʾān by the Syrian scholar Shaykh Muḥammad ʿAlī al-Ṣābūnī (d. 1442 AH / 2021). Unlike his larger Ṣafwat al-Tafāsīr, Durrat al-Tafāsīr was designed specifically as a compact tafsīr suitable for printing in the margins of the Muṣḥaf, allowing the reader to consult a brief explanation while reading the Qurʾānic text. Bibliographical records accordingly classify it among modern abridged commentaries and confirm that it covers the Qurʾān from Sūrat al-Fātiḥah to Sūrat al-Nās.

Al-Ṣābūnī concentrates on providing clear explanations of Qurʾānic words and the general meanings of the verses, avoiding the lengthy discussions characteristic of larger works of tafsīr. Alongside the basic interpretation, he draws attention to selected rhetorical features and subtleties of Qurʾānic expression, and adds concise explanatory observations where these help clarify the intended meaning. He also includes relevant occasions of revelation (Asbāb al-Nuzūl) and supporting Prophetic traditions where necessary. A scholarly study of al-Ṣābūnī’s writings describes the work precisely as a simple, accessible explanation of Qurʾānic vocabulary and meanings, supplemented by rhetorical observations, interpretive notes and necessary material on Asbāb al-Nuzūl.

The distinguishing feature of Durrat al-Tafāsīr is therefore its brevity and immediate usability. It is not intended to investigate at length the juristic, theological, grammatical or comparative discussions found in expansive classical commentaries; instead, it provides the reader with enough explanation to understand the verse while continuing to read the Qurʾān. Its straightforward Arabic and marginal format make it particularly suitable for general readers and students seeking a convenient accompanying tafsīr for regular Qurʾānic reading.