Back to search

What is the difference between the rules of the principles of Islamic jurisprudence (Usul al-Fiqh) and the rules of Qur'anic exegesis (Tafsir)?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The rules of the fundamentals of Tafsir (exegesis) are the comprehensive and regulated principles that the exegete uses in their interpretation, such as the rule: "If a verse can bear multiple correct meanings, then it must be interpreted to encompass all of them," and the rule: "If the interpretation of the Qur'an is known from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, then there is no need for any other saying," and the rule: "The saying of the Companions takes precedence over others in Tafsir."

These rules differ from the Usuli (jurisprudential) rules that focus on the connotations of words, such as: "The default in a prohibition is prohibition (haram)," and from the Fiqhi (legal) rules that concern the actions of the legally accountable, such as: "Certainty is not removed by doubt."

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

Read the full answer on Ftawy