Israiliyat in Shia tafsir

Abstract

The author of the book, Huseyin Zamur, who deals with the issue of isra'iliyyat in the Shi'ite tafsir tradition, made an evaluation specifically about the first seven centuries. In the first chapter, he draws a general picture of the reasons for Isra'iliyyat's transition to Islamic sources, then tries to portray how the issue is seen from the Shi'a perspective. In the second part, the author evaluates the isra'ili narrations about the prophets and their tribes that were reflected in the Shi'ite commentaries written in the first seven centuries, while in the third and last chapter, he touches upon the isra'ili narrations regarding various issues, especially creation. This book review first evaluates Zamur's book and then problematizes the following points: the work does not question the beginning of the criticism of isra'iliyyat in the Shi'ite tafsir tradition, it does not fully distinguish between the Shi'ite/Akhbari school and the U'uli school influenced by Mu'tazila, and therefore it does not explain the importance of Mu'tazili tradition in the background of the criticism of isra'iliyyat in Shi'a. It is criticized on some procedural and substantive points, such as overlooking the influence of tazili, and lastly, comparing Shi'ite tafsirs with the Ahl al-Sunnah in terms of isra'iliyyat, and generally comparing them with later tafsirs rather than Sunni works of the same period.