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The question

Who are all the exegetes whose interpretations are recommended to read for obtaining the correct exegesis, in addition to Ibn Kathir, Al-Tabari, and Al-Qurtubi, and what are the best ways to memorize and review the Qur'an after memorizing five juz'?

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Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

Interpretations of the Qur’an are divided into two categories: Tafsir bi al-Ma'thur (interpretation based on tradition), which relies on the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and the sayings of the Companions and their Successors. Among its most famous books are "Jami' al-Bayan" by al-Tabari and "Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim" by Ibn Kathir. As for Tafsir bi al-Ra'y (interpretation based on opinion), it relies on ijtihad (independent reasoning) after the exegete has knowledge of the Arabic language, the reasons for revelation (asbab al-nuzul), and the abrogating and abrogated verses (al-nasikh wa al-mansukh). Among its most famous books are "Mafatih al-Ghayb" by Fakhr al-Din al-Razi and "Al-Jami' li Ahkam al-Qur'an" by al-Qurtubi.

For anyone who wishes to memorize the Qur’an, it is recommended to seek Allah's help and strengthen one's resolve, and to accompany a skilled shaykh to correct one's memorization daily, even if it's just one verse, repeating it until it is firm. One should also diligently review memorized portions daily. If the memorization becomes extensive, daily portions (awrad) should be divided, with a focus on the most recently memorized parts. A specific time should be allocated for memorization and review, preferably before or immediately after dawn, as persistence and patience are fundamental to memorization.

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

Read the full answer on Ftawy