The Qur’anic Readings in Al-Kawashi’s Exegesis

Abstract

The study examines the methodology of Imam Abu Al-Abbas al-Kawashi (680 AH) in presenting the Qur’anic readings in his exegesis “Al-Talkhīṣ fī Tafsīr Al-Qur’an Al-Aziz.” It shows that al-Kawashi adopted a concise approach, adhering to the interpretations of the early scholars (Al-salaf), while giving clear attention to the science of Qur’anic readings. Al-Kawashi distinguished between authentic and irregular readings using specific terminology. He regarded the seven canonical readings as authentic when they fulfilled the conditions of a sound chain of transmission, conformity with the rules of the Arabic language, and agreement with the script of the Muṣḥaf; any reading that did not meet these conditions was considered irregular. He also presented the readings briefly and explained some of them based on linguistic and semantic analysis without lengthy elaboration. The study concludes that al-Kawashi’s exegesis is an important source for the study of Qur’anic readings, distinguished by its precision, conciseness, and its integration of both tafsīr (exegesis) and qirāʾāt (readings).