Tafseer Surah Yasin Ibnu Kathir (1) : The Virtues of Surah Yaseen

Tafseer Ibnu Kathir Surah Yasin (1)

Al-Hafiz Abu Ya`la recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him,
said, “The Messenger of Allah said:
«مَنْ قَرَأَ يس فِي
لَيْلَةٍ أَصْبَحَ مَغْفُورًا لَهُ، وَمَنْ قَرَأَ حم الَّتِي يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا
الدُّخَانُ أَصْبَحَ مَغْفُورًا لَه»

(Whoever recites Ya Sin in the night, will wake up forgiven, and whoever
recites Ha Mim in which Ad-Dukhan (the Smoke) is mentioned, will wake up
forgiven.) Its chain of narration is good (Jayyid) . Ibn Hibban recorded in his
Sahih that Jundub bin `Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “The
Messenger of Allah said:
«مَنْ قَرَأَ يس فِي
لَيْلَةٍ ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ غُفِرَ لَه»

(Whoever recites Ya Sin in the night, seeking the Face of Allah, will be
forgiven.)
﴿بِسْمِ اللَّهِ
الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ ﴾

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
﴿يس – وَالْقُرْءَانِ
الْحَكِيمِ – إِنَّكَ لَمِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ – عَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ –
تَنزِيلَ الْعَزِيزِ الرَّحِيمِ – لِتُنذِرَ قَوْماً مَّآ أُنذِرَ ءَابَآؤُهُمْ
فَهُمْ غَـفِلُونَ – لَقَدْ حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى أَكْثَرِهِمْ فَهُمْ لاَ
يُؤمِنُونَ ﴾

(1. Ya Sin.) (2. By the Qur’an, full of wisdom,) (3. Truly, you are one of
the Messengers,) (4. On the straight path.) (5. Sent down by the Almighty, the
Most Merciful,) (6. In order that you may warn a people whose forefathers were
not warned, so they are heedless.) (7. Indeed the Word has proved true against
most of them, so they will not believe.)

Biography of Ibnu Kathir

By the Honored Shaykh `Abdul-Qadir Al-Arna’ut, may Allah protect him.
He is the respected Imam, Abu Al-Fida’, `Imad Ad-Din Isma il bin ‘Umar bin Kathir Al-Qurashi Al-Busrawi – Busraian in origin; Dimashqi in training, learning and residence.
Ibn Kathir was born in the city of Busra in 701 H. His father was the Friday speaker of the village, but he died while Ibn Kathir was only four years old. Ibn Kathir’s brother, Shaykh Abdul-Wahhab, reared him and taught him until he moved to Damascus in 706 H., when he was five years old.

Ibn Kathir’s Teachers

Ibn Kathir studied Fiqh – Islamic jurisprudence – with Burhan Ad-Din, Ibrahim bin `Abdur-Rahman Al-Fizari, known as Ibn Al-Firkah (who died in 729 H). Ibn Kathir heard Hadiths from `Isa bin Al-Mutim, Ahmad bin Abi Talib, (Ibn Ash-Shahnah) (who died in 730 H), Ibn Al-Hajjar, (who died in 730 H), and the Hadith narrator of Ash-Sham (modern day Syria and surrounding areas); Baha Ad-Din Al-Qasim bin Muzaffar bin `Asakir (who died in 723 H), and Ibn Ash-Shirdzi, Ishaq bin Yahya Al-Ammuddi, also known as `Afif Ad-Din, the Zahiriyyah Shaykh who died in 725 H, and Muhammad bin Zarrad. He remained with Jamal Ad-Din, Yusuf bin Az-Zaki AlMizzi who died in 724 H, he benefited from his knowledge and also married his daughter. He also read with Shaykh Al-Islam, Taqi Ad-Din Ahmad bin `Abdul-Halim bin `Abdus-Salam bin Taymiyyah who died in 728 H. He also read with the Imam Hafiz and historian Shams Ad-Din, Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Uthman bin Qaymaz Adh-Dhahabi, who died in 748 H. Also, Abu Musa Al-Qarafai, Abu Al-Fath Ad-Dabbusi and ‘Ali bin `Umar As-Suwani and others who gave him permission to transmit the knowledge he learned with them in Egypt.
In his book, Al-Mu jam Al-Mukhtas, Al-Hafiz Adh-Dhaliabi wrote that Ibn Kathir was, “The Imam, scholar of jurisprudence, skillful scholar of Hadith, renowned Fagih and scholar of Tafsir who wrote several beneficial books.”
Further, in Ad-Durar Al-Kdminah, Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar AlAsqalani said, “Ibn Kathir worked on the subject of the Hadith in the areas of texts and chains of narrators. He had a good memory, his books became popular during his lifetime, and people benefited from them after his death.”
Also, the renowned historian Abu Al-Mahasin, Jamal Ad-Din Yusuf bin Sayf Ad-Din (Ibn Taghri Bardi), said in his book, AlManhal As-Safi, “He is the Shaykh, the Imam, the great scholar `Imad Ad-Din Abu Al-Fida’. He learned extensively and was very active in collecting knowledge and writing. He was excellent in the areas of Fiqh, Tafsfr and Hadith. He collected knowledge, authored (books), taught, narrated Hadith and wrote. He had immense knowledge in the fields of Hadith, Tafsir, Fiqh, the Arabic language, and so forth. He gave Fatawa (religious verdicts) and taught until he died, may Allah grant him mercy. He was known for his precision and vast knowledge, and as a scholar of history, Hadith and Tafsir.”

Ibn Kathir’s Students

Ibn Hajji was one of Ibn Kathir’s students, and he described Ibn Kathir: “He had the best memory of the Hadith texts. He also had the most knowledge concerning the narrators and authenticity, his contemporaries and teachers admitted to these qualities. Every time I met him I gained some benefit from him.”
Also, Ibn Al-`Imad Al-Hanbali said in his book, Shadhardt Adh-Dhahab, “He is the renowned Hafiz `Imad Ad-Din, whose memory was excellent, whose forgetfulness was miniscule, whose understanding was adequate, and who had good knowledge in the Arabic language.” Also, Ibn Habib said about Ibn Kathir, “He heard knowledge and collected it and wrote various books. He brought comfort to the ears with his Fatwas and narrated Hadith and brought benefit to other people. The papers that contained his Fatwas were transmitted to the various (Islamic) provinces. Further, he was known for his precision and encompassing knowledge.”

Ibn Kathir’s Books

1 – One of the greatest books that Ibn Kathir wrote was his Tafsir of the Noble Qur’an, which is one of the best Tafsir that rely on narrations [of Ahadith, the Tafsir of the Companions, etc.]. The Tafsir by Ibn Kathir was printed many times and several scholars have summarized it.
2- The History Collection known as Al-Biddyah, which was printed in 14 volumes under the name Al-Bidayah wanNihdyah, and contained the stories of the Prophets and previous nations, the Prophet’s Seerah (life story) and Islamic history until his time. He also added a book Al-Fitan, about the Signs of the Last Hour.
3- At-Takmil ft Ma`rifat Ath-Thiqat wa Ad-Du’afa wal Majdhil which Ibn Kathir collected from the books of his two Shaykhs Al-Mizzi and Adh-Dhahabi; Al-Kdmal and Mizan Al-Ftiddl. He added several benefits regarding the subject of Al-Jarh and AtT’adil.
4- Al-Hadi was-Sunan ft Ahadith Al-Masdnfd was-Sunan which is also known by, Jami` Al-Masdnfd. In this book, Ibn Kathir collected the narrations of Imams Ahmad bin Hanbal, Al-Bazzar, Abu Ya`la Al-Mawsili, Ibn Abi Shaybah and from the six collections of Hadith: the Two Sahihs [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] and the Four Sunan [Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, AnNasa and Ibn Majah]. Ibn Kathir divided this book according to areas of Fiqh.
5-Tabaqat Ash-Shaf iyah which also contains the virtues of Imam Ash-Shafi.
6- Ibn Kathir wrote references for the Ahadith of Adillat AtTanbfh, from the Shafi school of Fiqh.
7- Ibn Kathir began an explanation of Sahih Al-Bukhari, but he did not finish it.
8- He started writing a large volume on the Ahkam (Laws), but finished only up to the Hajj rituals.
9- He summarized Al-Bayhaqi’s ‘Al-Madkhal. Many of these books were not printed.
10- He summarized `Ulum Al-Hadith, by Abu `Amr bin AsSalah and called it Mukhtasar `Ulum Al-Hadith. Shaykh Ahmad Shakir, the Egyptian Muhaddith, printed this book along with his commentary on it and called it Al-Ba’th Al-Hathfth fi Sharh Mukhtasar `Ulum Al-Hadith.
11- As-Sfrah An-Nabawiyyah, which is contained in his book Al-Biddyah, and both of these books are in print.
12- A research on Jihad called Al-Ijtihad ft Talabi Al-Jihad, which was printed several times.

Ibn Kathir’s Death

Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al-Asgalani said, “Ibn Kathir lost his sight just before his life ended. He died in Damascus in 774 H.” May Allah grant mercy upon Ibn Kathir and make him among the residents of His Paradise.
Source:
  • https://archive.org/details/TafsirIbnKathirSoftware
  • www.tafsir.com