Though exegesis of the听Qur鈥檃n听is a crucial feature of many types of Islamic literature, Qur鈥檃nic commentary (tafsir) is distinctive in its dedication to explaining the听Qur鈥檃n听verse by verse. Considering the audience of听tafsir听is an essential part of understanding why the author chose to include certain content and to write in a particular style. Few scholars have studied the intended or actual audience of听迟补蹿蝉颈谤听in the pre-modern period or attempted to develop a typology of听tafsir听that relates to its style, purpose and audience. Dr Bauer鈥檚 paper is a preliminary assessment of the audiences of works of听tafsir听from the 11th-13th centuries.
Dr Bauer鈥檚 work is part of the Qur鈥檃nic Studies project at the IIS, which has recently published a book titled听An Anthology of Qur’anic Commentaries听that analyses the works of twenty selected Sunni, Shi鈥榠, Ibadi, Mu鈥榯azili and Sufi commentators on six different Qur’anic verses, revealing varied approaches to the scripture and its meaning.
