The Ruling on Acquiring the Book *Zilal al-Qur'an*

Question:
Good. You mentioned the exegesis of the Noble Qur'an, and there are many books on exegesis in the field. What is your opinion on acquiring a copy of *Zilal al-Qur'an*?

Answer:
What about a person who is well-versed and has mastered the knowledge? He may acquire it, as it contains some benefits and inferences from the verses. However, a person who is not well-versed should restrict himself to reliable books, such as the exegesis of al-Baghawi, the exegesis of Ibn Shuhayd, the exegesis of Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, or the exegesis of other reliable scholars. The exegesis of al-Qurtubi is also included, even though it is not free from some figurative interpretation (ta'wil) regarding the attributes, but it contains abundant knowledge of jurisprudence and legal rulings. Likewise, the exegesis of our Shaykh, Shaykh Muhammad al-Amin al-Shanqiti (may Allah have mercy on him), *I'lam al-Muwaqqi'in*, and the exegesis of Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa'di. These are reliable, well-organized, and good exegeses that follow the correct methodology. As for anything else, it is permissible for a student of knowledge to acquire them and look into them, taking the benefits found in them and avoiding the errors, or pointing out to people the errors contained in them. However, a beginner should not take anything but the reliable books.