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The aim of this thesis is to enhance our understanding of the contributions of Sufyān al-Thawrī (d. 161/778) to the field of early Qurʾānic exegesis through a detailed study of exegetical traditions attributed to him recorded in a unique and fragmentary manuscript in Rāmpūr. While scholars have speculated about its character, so far it has largely escaped a detailed historical-critical assessment preventing a deeper understanding of its sources, methods, and topics of exegesis. Using a detailed and comparative study of the biographical and exegetical material with the Rāmpūr text, this thesis established the chain of transmitters through which this text might have been transmitted. This uncovered an obscure recension of the Tafsīr of al-Thawrī highlighting Iṣfahān as a region whose importance for Qurʾānic exegesis has been unrecognised. Through a study of the structural and stylistic features of the Rāmpūr manuscript and comparison with later sources, this thesis demonstrated that the text displays the character of personal lecture notes based on that recension. It also showed that from these notes, an imaginative reconstruction of the original theme-based lectures might be possible through a new reading of the text. These findings establish that the text belongs to an early period and is therefore a valuable source for studying early Qurʾānic exegesis. A comparative analysis with later exegetical material modified previous assessments showing that the reliance on his personal opinions is much smaller than understood. His exegetical interventions were more visible in his bringing together various traditions on the same Qurʾānic text, referring to out-of-sequence verses as part of a larger theme, and clarifying the statements of earlier authorities. Using a different categorisation based on the subject matter, this thesis showed that al-Thawrī was mostly interested in theological themes and topics as compared to historical or legal. It also highlighted how a particular method of explaining the text formed his opinion on a legal or theological topic whereas some of his personal opinions could not be ascertained clearly from the text. Thus, the Tafsīr of al-Thawrī gives a detailed insight into the way it was transmitted, about his role as an exegete in his own right, his exegetical approaches and methods, and his overall contribution to the early Qurʾānic exegesis. |
