Maariful Quran (The Wisdom of the Holy Quran) consists of eight-volumes exegesis (commentary) of the Quran written by Pakistani Islamic scholar Mufti Muhammad Shafi Usmani (1897–1976).

Origin of Maariful Quran

The origin of “Maariful Quran” refers back when the author was invited to give weekly lectures on the Radio Pakistan in 1954, to explain selected verses of the Quran. It was broadcast on every Friday morning.

The program continued for ten years whereby the new authorities stopped the program. It contained a detailed commentary on selected verses from the beginning of the Holy Quran up to the Surah Ibrahim.

Internationally Admirable

The program was warmly welcomed by the Muslims throughout the globe and used to be listened to by thousands of Muslims, not only in Pakistan and India but also in Western and African countries.

Start Writing Tafsir

After the program was discontinued, there was a flood of requests to transfer this series in a book-form and to complete the remaining part of the Quran.

Mufti Muhammad Shafi Usmani started this project in 1964 and completed the commentary of Surah Al-Fatihah and started the revision of Surah Al-Baqarah. However, he had to discontinue this task, during the next five years.

In 1969, he suffered from a number of diseases which made him restricted to his bed. During this illness, he resumed his work lying in bed and finished Surah Al-Baqarah in the same manner. Since then, he has committed himself to the “Maariful Quran” with astonishing speed, completing the work (comprising around 7,000 pages) in only five years.

Eight Volumes Tafsir

There are eight volumes of the “Maariful Quran” commentary. The first book begins with a lengthy introduction that focuses on the fundamental concerns of the Quran. The “wahy,” the modalities of descent, the chronology of the Quran’s revelation, the earliest revealed verses (ayah), Meccan and Medinan verses, the preservation of the Quran, the printing of the Quran, the sources of tafsir, and the Arabic language are only a few examples. The text follows a straightforward narrative style: first, numerous verses in the original Arabic are offered, along with their literal Urdu translations; then, subject-by-subject discussion on practically every essential matter follows. Until the end of the story, this story telling approach is used again and again. The following is a list of the volumes and what they contain:

• First Volume – Surah Al-Fatiha to Surah Al-Baqara
• Second Volume – Surah Aale-Imran to Surah An-Nisa
• Third Volume – Surah Al-Maida to Surah Al-Aaraf
• Fourth Volume – Surah Al-Anfal to Surah Hud
• Fifth Volume – Surah Yusuf to Surah Al-Kahf
• Sixth Volume – Surah Maryam to Surah Ar-Rum
• Seventh Volume – Sura Luqman to Surah Al-Ahqaf
• Eighth Volume – Surah Muhammad to Surah Al-Nas