alBaydawi

Al-Baydawi, also spelled al-Bayḍāwī, was a Persian Muslim scholar who lived in the 13th century and is best known for his Qur’anic commentary, Tafsir al-Bayḍāwī (Anwar al-Tanzil wa Asrar al-Ta’wil). Written in Arabic, it is a concise exegesis that blends linguistic analysis with theological interpretation and became one of the most widely read classical Qur’anic commentaries in the Sunni world.

Little is known about his exact life, but he is traditionally described as a theologian and jurist associated with the Ash‘arī creed and the Shāfi‘ī school of jurisprudence. He is generally believed to have originated from Bayda’, a locality near Isfahan in present-day Iran.

The Tafsir al-Bayḍāwī synthesizes sources from earlier exegesis, notably al-Ṭabarī and al-Qurṭubī, with a focus on clear, accessible explanations. It proceeds verse by verse, offering linguistic clarifications, grammatical notes, and discussions of doctrinal or legal implications when relevant. The work is valued for its straightforward style, organization, and its ability to introduce readers to Qur’anic meanings without extensive scholastic apparatus.

Legacy: Tafsir al-Bayḍāwī remained a standard reference in Islamic education for centuries, shaping later Qur’anic scholarship and leading to numerous commentaries and abridgments. Its influence extended across the medieval Islamic world, where it served as a foundational text in madrasas and scholarly libraries.