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Tafsir Al-Tustari
The Great Commentaries on the Holy Qur’an
By Sahl al-Tustari
Editor: Valerie Turner
Translator: Annabel and Ali Keeler
Paperback 406 Pages
ISBN: 9781891785191
Royal Aal-al Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought & Fons Vitae
Summary
Tafsir Al-Tustari is the earliest known surviving Sufi commentary on the Qur’an and is now available for the first time in a complete English translation as part of The Great Commentaries on the Holy Qur’an series. Authored by the influential Sufi master Sahl al-Tustari, this tafsir provides mystical and ethical interpretations of nearly 1000 Qur’anic verses. The work offers insights into early Islamic spirituality, referencing Prophetic traditions, stories of past prophets, and the lives of mystics. The translation is based on multiple reliable manuscripts and includes detailed footnotes to aid comprehension. This publication fills a significant gap in the availability of primary Sufi Qur'anic exegesis in English.
Key Features:
- First complete English translation of any Sufi Qur’an commentary.
- Earliest surviving Sufi tafsir, attributed to Sahl al-Tustari.
- Covers mystical, ethical, and spiritual interpretations of nearly 1000 verses.
- Includes Prophetic traditions, stories of prophets, and anecdotes of early Sufis.
- Based on three manuscripts and a printed Arabic edition, with extensive footnotes.
- Serves as a valuable primary resource for studying Islamic mysticism and tafsir.
About Imam Sahl al-Tustari
Sahl al-Tustari was a renowned early Sufi mystic and spiritual teacher born in 818 CE (203 AH) in Tustar (modern-day Shushtar, Iran). He was known for his deep asceticism, spiritual insight, and emphasis on inner purification and divine love.
Tustarī was a student of Dhū al-Nūn al-Miṣrī and influenced later Sufis, including al-Ḥallāj and al-Qushayrī. His teachings were deeply rooted in the Qur’ān, and he is credited with composing one of the earliest Sufi Qur’anic commentaries (tafsīr), which blends exegesis with mystical interpretation.
He believed in constant remembrance of God (dhikr), spiritual discipline, and that divine light resides in the hearts of the purified. Though known for his silence and humility, his sayings were transmitted by his disciples, especially Muḥammad ibn Sālim.
He died in 896 CE (283 AH).
About The Translators
Annabel Keeler earned her doctorate from the University of Cambridge in 2001. Her PhD dissertation was later revised and published in 2006 under the title Sufi Hermeneutics: The Qur'an Commentary of Rashid al-Din Maybudi. She recently completed a research fellowship at Wolfson College, Cambridge, where she continues her scholarly work in Islamic mysticism, with a particular focus on Sufi interpretations of the Qur’an. In addition to her book on Maybudi, she has authored numerous articles in the fields of Islamic mysticism and Sufi hermeneutics. She is currently working on a monograph dedicated to the 9th-century mystic, Abu Yazid al-Bistami.
Ali Keelerspent nearly a decade in the Middle East, initially in Yemen and later in Damascus. Alongside teaching English, he studied Arabic, Qur’anic recitation, traditional Islamic sciences, and engaged deeply with classical texts on Islamic mysticism under the guidance of living Sufi masters. His translation work includes titles such as Selected Prayers of the Prophet Muhammad and Great Saints and A Tourist Guide to Crac des Chevaliers.
978-1891785191
Weight: 1225
In Stock : 5
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