Tafsir al-Jalalayn, meaning “The Commentary of the Two Jalals”, is named after its two authors: Jalalu’d-Din al-Mahalli (1389-1459), who wrote half of it, and his student, Jalalu’d-Din as-Suyuti (1445-1505), one of the greatest Muslim scholars of all, who completed it after al-Mahalli’s death. For half a millennium Tafsir al-Jalalayn has been considered the essential first step in the study of the meanings of the Quran by teachers and students throughout the Islamic world. Although it is among the shortest and simplest of the complete commentaries, it is at the same time both wide-ranging and profound. This translation gives non-Arabic speakers access to one of the seminal works of classical tafsir literature. It is hoped that it will prove a valuable aid to the correct understanding of the Quranic Revelation throughout the English-speaking world.
