I’m not a scholar, I’m a technology enthusiast and student of learning. This site is my “notebook” of learning. If you need places of authority, try islamqa.info and Sheikh @assimalhakeem
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JAN 2025 MODEL, version 2, click HERE for Surah:Verse lookup system
JAN 2025 MODEL, version 2, click HERE for KEYWORD searching system
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Note, as of Jan 2025 a new translation (version 3) pass is being conducted, as the AI arms race keeps going, AI models become better and better, and God willing, that means a better and better translation. I don’t know when it would be ready, even Summer of 2025 could be a target (maybe), simply because it takes a great deal of time to process such a large work.
From the “History of al-Tabari book” his opening reads as follows, and seems only suitable to be recounted here:
PRAISED BE GOD, first before any first and last after any last, during without cease and persevering in everything without moving away, Creator of His creation from no original or model! He is singular and unique without number. He remains after every-one infinitely without term. His are glory and greatness, splendor and might, authority and power. He is above having a partner in His authority, or in His uniqueness having one like Him, or in His administration an aid or helper, or having a child or spouse or “any equal.”‘ He cannot be fully imagined and encompassed by the regions and “reached by the eyes while He reaches them. He is subtle and knowledgeable.”
I praise Him for His benefits and am grateful to Him for His favors in the manner befitting one who singles Him out for praise and who hopes to receive more (favors) from Him for having been grateful. I ask Him to grant me to say and do what will bring me close to Him and please Him. I believe in Him as one who declares oneness belonging exclusively to Him and who reserves glorification for Him alone.
I confess that there is no God but God, being one and having no partner. I confess that Muhammad is His noble servant and His trustworthy Messenger whom He chose for transmitting His message and sent with His revelation to call His creation to worship Him. He manifested His command,” labored strenuously in His path, advised His nation (ummah), and worshiped Him until death came to him from God, never flagging in his effort and never relaxing in his strenuous labor. May God bless him with the most excellent and purest prayer and give him peace!
Project Overview
God willing, this initiative serves as a useful proof of concept. The endeavor focuses on providing a comprehensive AI-assisted English translation of Tafsir al-Tabari, an esteemed Quranic exegesis. As of Sat, Jan 25, 2025, the entire translation has been posted on this site and is released under a creative commons license found on each post.
About the Translation
Tafsir al-Tabari
Jāmiʿ al-bayān ʿan taʾwīl āy al-Qurʾān (883 CE)
Collection of Statements on the Interpretation of the Verses of the Qur’an
Author: Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (839 CE – 923 CE)
This project represents an experimental proof of concept. It is important to note that the translated texts are not peer-reviewed scholarly works and should not be cited as such. Nonetheless, they benefit from the robust capabilities of a large AI model. Users are encouraged to exercise discretion and common sense, as the information is provided “as is” and reflects current results, allowing individuals to draw their own conclusions for further research.
Discussion of this English Rendition
It is crucial to clarify that referring to this work as a “translation” might be somewhat misleading. A more accurate description would be a “meaning of” or “interpretation” work, akin to Arabic-to-English interpretations of the Quran. However, for simplicity, the term “translation” is used conventionally. As of November 2024, to the best of our knowledge, this was the first complete English translation of al-Tabari’s Tafsir.
Why November 2024? I released a preliminary AI translation, but wasn’t happy with the quality. The Jan 2025 is an improved translation.
Source Material: Archive.org
About Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabar
Born in Amol, Tabaristan (modern-day Iran) in 839 CE and passing away in 923 CE, al-Tabari was a distinguished scholar and historian born 207 years after the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). His most notable work, Tafsir al-Tabari, completed in 883 CE, is one of the earliest and most comprehensive Quranic interpretations that have survived in full.
Scholarly Contributions
Al-Tabari is renowned for synthesizing a broad range of opinions and sources, often presenting multiple, sometimes conflicting, interpretations of the same Quranic verse. His methodology involved documenting various views from a historian’s perspective, heavily relying on Hadiths (the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad), as well as the interpretations of the Sahabah (companions of the Prophet) and the Tabi’in (the generation following the Sahabah). His meticulous citation of sources, including detailed chains of narration (isnad), underscores the scholarly rigor of his work.
Al-Tabari employed a rational approach in his commentary, frequently seeking to interpret the Quran using the Quran itself where feasible. His profound expertise in the Arabic language enabled him to elucidate complex terms and expressions, establishing Tafsir al-Tabari as a foundational reference in Quranic studies.
These are his own words from the History of al-Tabari book, I assume his thought process is the same for the Tafsir work:
Regarding footnote 21, which was from the translators of the al-Tabari history book, they indicated they did not understand “Akhbar,” however, in my v3 pass of 5:44 I noticed the word “Akhbar” come up and it was cited as, “the term ‘Rabbaniyun’ refers to learned men or jurists, while ‘Akhbar’ refers to scholars or experts in religious traditions.” Furthermore, in my v2 pass of 5:44, it says, “I was informed by Al-Minjab, who said: Bishr bin Amarah narrated to us from Abu Hamzah Al-Thumali, from Yahya bin Uqayl regarding His statement: ‘The Rabbani and the Ahbar’ (5:44). He said: The knowledgeable scholars.”
Furthermore, the compilers of al-Tabari’s Tafsir in Arabic from which my translations are working off of, stated, “Al-Tabari is renowned for his book on the history of nations and kings, as well as his Tafsir (Quranic exegesis), which has no equal. He also wrote a book called ‘Tahdhib al-Athar’ (Refinement of the Traditions), although it was left unfinished.”
Also Tafsir 46:4 states on a footnote(?), “As for those who recite it as ‘or atharah,’ they have made it an atharah from al-athar (a remnant)…” Thus, it seems likely to me – and I’m not a scholar – that if akhbar and athar means experts in religious traditions, and also “traditions,” and even maybe “remnant” then it makes sense what he is referencing, to fill in the gaps of the translators of the book.
Now, the reminder! Al-Tabari himself reminds people of his methods in his History Book, and again, no doubt the same is similar for his Tafsir; for example, after pondering on the nature of the age of the Earth, he realized that some might question the logic, etc. And says, repeating from earlier:
No Touch Policy
Throughout the Tafsir project, a strict “no touch” policy was adhered to, limiting involvement to formatting adjustments such as modifying font sizes, adjusting text placement, and removing broken characters or irrelevant elements to enhance readability and document size. Crucially, the AI-generated text output was not altered, even in the presence of apparent errors, to preserve the integrity of this proof-of-concept experiment. Given the substantial size of the text, a complete review was not feasible; instead, periodic reviews for errors and status updates were conducted. That said, if I have comments on something, I tend to make it clear where “I” am talking separate from the original works, or, attempt to ID who is talking, if it seems important.
If there is an outrageous error, please e-mail me and I will take a look, please provide the URL.
Prayer for Forgiveness
If any mistakes have been made in producing this work, I pray that Allah, The Pardoner, The Forgiving, The Most Merciful – from among His many excellent names – may forgive me.