The Tabari’s Tafsir to Surah «Al-Fātiha». Translation from Arabic and Comments. Part 2: Ayyats 1–3

Abstract

This article continues a series of publications of the commented translation into Russian of the interpretation to the Surah “al-Fatiha” (No. 1) by the founder of classical Muslim exegesis Muḥammad ibn Jarīr aṭ-Ṭabari (839–923) from the book Jāmi‘ al-bayān fī ta’wīl al-Qur’ān (The Comprehensive Exposition of the interpretation of the Qur’ān). This part contains sections devoted to 1–3 ayats of this surah. Based on examples of pre-Islamic literature and traditions of the “ancient fathers” of the Ummah, the etymology and interpretation of the following words used in them are given here: ḥamd “glory”, rabb “Lord”, ‘alamūn “worlds”, malik “King” and dīn “retribution”. The paper also discusses the word order and the reason for the repetition of the Basmala words “al-raḥmān al-raḥīm” “Merciful, Compassionate” in the 2nd ayah.