AḥkÃÂm al-QurþÃÂn () by Abà « Bakr al-JaṣṣÃÂá¹£ al-RÃÂzë (d. 370/981) is one of the earliest works in the field of legal Qur'anic exegesis and the most important within the Ḥanafë school. In this work, al-JaṣṣÃÂá¹£ focuses on verses containing legal rulings, interpreting them through the lens of Ḥanafë jurisprudence. His systematic approach and juristic analysis made the work a foundational reference for later scholars in both tafsër and Islamic law.
Al-JaṣṣÃÂá¹£ al-RÃÂzë authored his commentary and set forth his discussion of the legal rulings of the Qur'an in accordance with the principles and foundations of the Ḥanafë school. Al-JaṣṣÃÂá¹£ himself placed two introductions at the beginning of his book. One on the principles of Tawḥëd (monotheism) another on the principles of deduction and inference (istinbÃÂá¹Â). He says:
âÂÂWe have prefaced this book with an introduction that clarifies, as briefly as possible, what must not be ignored concerning the fundamentals of Tawḥëd, and another introduction explaining the methods of deriving rulings from the QurþÃÂn, extracting its proofs and evidences, as well as the manner of reasoning and inference in matters of divine law, language, and philosophical terminology. For the science of Tawḥëd is the foundation of all sciences and disciplines, and every knowledge proceeds from its core and essence.âÂÂ
Aḥkâm al-Qur'ÃÂn is one of the earliest works focused on the legal injunctions (ahkâm) of the Qur'an and later influenced subsequent ahkâm-centered tafsirs. In the work, surahs are treated according to their Qur'anic order, but only verses containing legal injunctions are discussed; surahs without ahkâm verses are omitted. The verses are arranged under abwâb (chapters), similar to fiqh literature, according to the topics to which they pertain.
In interpreting the ahkâm, al-JaṣṣÃÂá¹£ addresses both uṣûl and furûÿ matters, drawing on Prophetic traditions (hadith), the views of the Companions and Tabi'în, the differences among the legal schools, and the evidences cited by each party. He consistently defends the Hanafî position using both transmitted (naqlî) and rational (âÂÂaqlî) evidence, while occasionally critiquing other schools with sharp precision. This comparative approach positions the work not only as a tafsîr but also as a reference in jurisprudential debate.
The text also clarifies the circumstances of revelation (asbâb al-nuzûl), identifies abrogating and abrogated verses (nâsikh wa mansûkh), and occasionally engages in literary analysis, incorporating evidence from Arabic poetry. Owing to its comprehensive treatment of legal, textual, and linguistic aspects, Aḥkâm al-Qur'ÃÂn became a key reference for jurists, exegetes, and literary scholars in later centuries.
The work exists in manuscript copies in many libraries. It was first published in three volumes by Kilisli Rifat and Kâmil Efendi (member of parliament from Karahisar, Miras), based on the manuscripts in Istanbul libraries (Istanbul, 1335âÂÂ1338 AH / 1917âÂÂ1920 CE), and was also printed in Cairo in 1347 AH / 1928 CE. A critical edition of the work was prepared by Muhammed Sâdñk Kamhâvî (Cairo, n.d., IâÂÂV).