THE EXISTENCE AND FORM OF TAFSIR AL-MUNIR BY

Wahbah al-Zuhaili is a well-known scholar who was born in Damascus. He is known for his book Tafsir al-Munir, which explains how to interpret the Quran in a way that is easy to understand and digest. Using a qualitative approach, the goal of this study is to look at different parts of Tafsir al-Munir that have to do with its existence and form, such as the style of interpretation, the methods of interpretation, and the unique parts of the work. The conclusion drawn from this study is that Tafsir al-Munir, written by Sheikh Wahbah al-Zuhaili, is a highly specific and systematic work with complete and perfect explanations, clear and vivid language, and a prominent presence in the field of Quranic interpretation in modern times. In terms of methodology and analysis, it appears that the style of interpretation of Tafsir al-Munir is characterized by literary and socio-cultural elements, as well as nuances of Islamic jurisprudence ( fiqh ) in its interpretation.


A. Introduction
The gradual descent of the Quran over a period of 23 years, in accordance with the events that occurred in the lives of the Muslim community, is something that can aid in facilitating efforts to understand and comprehend the contents of the holy book of Quran.In this regard, the verses that were revealed to the Prophet always addressed the issues that the Muslim community was experiencing at that time.Due to its rationality, the Prophet Muhammad and his companions directly learned the meaning contained in the Quran from this situation.
Meanwhile, in fact, the content of the Quran is very relevant to science, and its meaning is very broad and deep, requiring interpretation to understand its content.Therefore, during the time of Prophet Muhammad, the need for interpretation was already apparent, especially given the role of the Prophet himself as an explainer of the verses of the holy book.After the Prophet's passing, several commentators emerged from among his companions and subsequent generations, and even in modern times, interpretation continues to live and evolve.
Prophet Muhammad appeared to be trying to explain the meaning of global verses, explain vague understandings, and solve various problems faced by Muslims in his time, so they did not feel hesitant to understand it, even though they were very sure of the truth of the contents of the Quran.Interpretation efforts as they occurred in the early days of Islam continued to develop from generation to generation.
The mufassirs who interpret the verses of the Quran use different methods and styles, according to their knowledge capacity and expertise.Wahbah Zuhaili is a fiqh expert who attempts to explain the verses of the Quran with a unique source, method, style, and characteristic.This article will reveal some aspects of Wahbah Zuhaili's commentary.This study is expected to open up a new perspective on Quranic interpretation in the millennial era.

B. Biography Wahbah Al-Zuhaili
The author of the book Tafsir al-Munir is Sheikh Wahbah al-Zuhaili 1 (1351 H/1932 CE-2015 CE), an expert in various Islamic sciences in the modern era who is quite famous.It is not surprising that many of his works have become references in the Islamic higher education curriculum.Wahbah al-Zuhaili is a knowledgeable scholar ('alim 'allamah) who masters various disciplines of knowledge (mutafannin) as well as related instrumental knowledge in his field.He is a contemporary fiqh scholar (fuqaha) with international recognition, and his thoughts and works have spread throughout the Islamic world through his books.His book on Islamic jurisprudence, titled Fiqh al-Islami wa adillatuh, is very popular in the Islamic world. 2 Wahbah al-Zuhaili was born in Dir 'Atiyah, one of the remote areas of Damascus, Syria, on March 6, 1351 H/1932 CE.His full name is Sheikh Wahbah bin Sheikh Mustafa al-Zuhaili.He was the son of Sheikh Mustafa al-Zuhaili, who was known as a simple farmer and a renowned scholar, a hafiz of the Quran, very devout in worship, and fond of fasting.
Under the guidance of his parents, Wahbah al-Zuhaili received a basic education in Islamic religion and knowledge, as well as other sciences.His parents then enrolled him in a primary school (Madrasah Ibtidaiyah) in his village and continued his formal education to the next level. 3n addition to his parents' guidance, Wahbah al-Zuhaili was raised and nurtured in the environment of Hanafi scholars, which later shaped his fiqh thinking in this school of thought.Although he adhered to the Hanafi school, he remained inclusive and not fanatical about his own beliefs and always respected the opinions of other Fuqaha schools.This can be seen in his exposition and interpretation of verses related to Islamic jurisprudence.

C. Education History of Wahbah al-Zuhaili
In his early years, Wahbah al-Zuhaili began his education in the Quran and basic knowledge (ibtidaiyah) in his hometown.He completed his education at Madrasah Ibtidaiyah in Damascus in 1946 CE.He then continued his education at the Shariah College and graduated in 1952 CE.He was very enthusiastic and diligent in his studies, which greatly facilitated his journey when he moved to Cairo, Egypt, to continue his education.In this city, he attended several lectures simultaneously, including at the Faculty of Arabic Language at Al-Azhar University and the Faculty of Law at Ain Shams University. 4 Wahbah al-Zuhaili went to school at Al-Azhar University in Cairo and got a special doctoral degree with a summa cum laude honor.In completing his doctoral thesis, he wrote a dissertation entitled "Atsar al-Harb fi al-Fiqh al-Islami: Dirasah Muqaranah baina al-Madzahib al-Tsamaniyyah wa al-Qanun ad-Dauli al-'Am" (The Impact of War in Islamic Jurisprudence: A Comparative Study between the Eight Schools of Thought and General International Law).The dissertation was later recommended as a reference and traded with universities outside his university. 5fter finishing school, al-Zuhaili worked as a lecturer at the Faculty of Sharia at Damascus University, where he had gone to school, in 1963.His academic career continued to soar until he was appointed vice dean of the same faculty.In a relatively short period of time, al-Zuhaili was able to hold the position of dean as well as head of the Islamic Fiqh department after his appointment as vice dean.Shortly thereafter, he was appointed as a professor of Islamic law at one of the universities in Syria.Al-Zuhaili was a famous figure in the 20th century, comparable to phenomenal figures in the fields of fiqh, tafsir, and various other Islamic disciplines, such as Muhammad Abu Zahrah, Sa'id Hawwa, Sayyid Quthb, Mahmud Shaltut, Thahir Ibn 'Asyur, and others.
Although al-Zuhaili lived in the scope of the Hanafi school of scholars, which directly influenced his thinking in the fiqh school of thought, he left his fanaticism far away from his school of thought and appreciated the diversity of differences of opinion by being neutral, moderate, and proportional towards the opinions of other schools of thought.This is reflected in his interpretation when he discusses verses related to fiqh.In his development, he is known for his high independence and objectivity regarding the existing differences of opinion, so he is familiarly referred to as a figure of the comparative school of thought (muqaranat al-madzahib), with one of the monumental works being his book al-Fiqh al-Islami wa Adillatuhu.
As a scholar born in his time, it cannot be denied that teachers and students have a certain color that cannot be separated.In the field of fiqh, al-Zuhaili's teachers include Muhammad Hasyim al-Khathib as-Syafi'i and Abd ar-Razzaq al-Hamasi.In the field of hadith, al-Zuhaili first studied with Mahmud Yassin, and in the field of tafsir, he studied with Sheikh Hasan Jankah and Sheikh Shadiq Jankah al-Madani.He learned Arabic from Muhammad Shalih Farfur.Meanwhile, when he was in Egypt, he studied with Mahmud Syalthuth, Abd ar Rahman Taj, and Isa Manun, who was his teacher in the field of comparative fiqh.His teacher in the field of usul al-fiqh was Mustafa 'Abd al-Khaliq and his son, 'Abd al-Ghani, as well as many other teachers.6

D. Works of Wahbah al-Zuhaili
The intellectualism and popularity of Sheikh Wahbah al-Zuhaili's scientific works are clearly proportional to his productivity in the field of scientific writing.In addition to writing scientific papers for various journals, Wahbah al-Zuhaili has also completed no less than, and even more than, 40 titles of books.Among his works are the following: 1.The commentary book that is the subject of this article is titled

E. Tafsir Al-Munir by Wahbah al-Zuhaili
Wahbah al-Zuhaili worked on this commentary book from 1975 to 1991 AD, a period of about 16 years.The commentary book extensively explains all verses of the Qur'an, starting from Surah al-Fatihah to Surah al-Nas, and consists of 16 volumes, with each volume containing 2 juz, making a total of 32 juz.For the last two juz, al-Zuhaili indicated them as al-fahras al-syamil, containing an alphabetically arranged index.
In the academic world, al-Zuhaili carried out an educational mission in universities for approximately 30 years and conducted extensive research in various disciplines, including fiqh, tafsir, and hadith.Along with this, al-Zuhaili authored the book Tafsir al-Munir after completing his two monumental and comprehensive works, Ushul Fiqh al-Islam and al-Fiqh al-Islam wa Adillatuhu.Tafsir al-Munir was first published in 1991 AD/1411 AH by Dar al-Fikr Beirut, Lebanon, and Dar al-Fikr Damascus, Syria.Thus, this commentary was written by al-Zuhaili when he reached the peak of his intellectual career, and the book has been translated into various countries such as Malaysia, Turkey, and Indonesia.8

The Interpretive Style of Tafsir Al-Munir
Observing the various styles of interpretation, Tafsir Al-Munir also has its own distinctive style of interpretation.By looking at the approach and method used, as well as analyzing the assessments of other writers, the interpretation style of Tafsir Al-Munir is characterized by literary (adabi) and social community (ijtima'i) aspects, as well as a touch of jurisprudence (fiqh) due to the explanation of laws contained therein.Despite the fact that it also includes jurisprudence in its discussion, the explanation is, as previously mentioned, tailored to the advancement and needs of society.Thus, it can be said that the interpretation style of Tafsir Al-Munir is ideal because it is in harmony with its literary, social, and jurisprudential aspects.9

The Method of Interpreting Tafsir Al-Munir
In the introduction, he stated that his goal was to compile a tafsir (Quranic exegesis) that connects Muslim and non-Muslim individuals with the Book of Allah Ta'ala, the explanation of God and His only revelation that has been definitively proven to be unmatched, as it is the Word of Allah SWT.Therefore, it will become a tafsir that combines ma'tsur (narrations) and ma'qul (rational arguments) by using reliable references as well as like bringing dew that can bring coolness to his readers, even tending to always respect the opinions of existing scholars and not making ultimatums that can become the seed of division.

F. Conclusion
Syeikh 'alim 'allamah Wahbah az-Zuhaili, a renowned Syrian scholar from Damascus, wrote the modern and contemporary tafsir known as Tafsir al-Munir.In interpreting the Qur'an, as presented in his great work entitled Tafsir al-Munir, he uses a language style that is easy to understand and comprehend.His explanations and analyses are considered very relevant in answering questions that arise in the present and possibly in the future.It seems that the information contained therein answers the author's concern about the current state of society, where the tendency towards a hedonistic lifestyle is increasingly distancing people from the Qur'an.
The book Tafsir al-Munir by Syeikh Wahbah al-Zuhaili is highly recommended for academics and researchers as a reference and study material, as well as a model of interpretation.This phenomenal 16-volume book could also be used as a basis for academic curriculum, especially in the field of Ulum al-Quran, to better understand the content of the Qur'an in this modern and developing era.Wallahu 'alam bi al-Shawab.
Tafsir al-Munir fi al-Aqidah wa al-Shariah wa al-Manhaj, published in 1991 and consisting of sixteen volumes, published by Dar al-Fikr, Damascus.2. The complete fiqh book titled Al-Fiqh al-Islami wa Adillatuhu, published in 1984, consisting of eight volumes, was printed and published by Dar al-Fikr, Damascus.3. The book on the fundamentals of fiqh law published in 1987, titled Ushul al-Fiqh al-Islami, consisting of two volumes, was published by Dar al-Fikr, Damascus.4. The University of Damascus, where he taught, also published the book Al-Wasit fi Ushul al-Fiqh in 1966, which dealt with the fundamentals of fiqh law. 5.The book on comparative law titled Atsar al-Harb fi al-Fiqh al-Islami, Dirasah Muqaranah, was published in 1963 by Dar al-Fikr, Damascus.This book was his doctoral dissertation completion program at al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt.6.The book on the science of hadith titled Takhrij wa Tahqiq Ahadits, published by Tuhfat al-Fuqaha, consists of five volumes; the year of publication is not found.7. The book on law titled Nazhariatul ad-Dhamman Au Ahkam al-Mas'uliyatal Madaniyyah wa al-Janaiyyah fi al-Fiqh al-Islami, published in 1970 by Dar al-Fikr, Damascus, 8.The book on law titled Al-Washaya wa al-Waqf fi al-Fiqh al-Islami, published in 1987 by Dar al-Fikr, Damascus, 9. At-Tanwir fi At-Tafsir 'ala Hamasy al-Quran al-'Azhim 10.Al-Quran Syariah al-Mujtama'  11.Al-Fiqh al-Islami fi Uslub al-Jadid Maktabah al-Hadist, Damascus, 1967. 7