Tafsir al-Samarqandi

Baḥr al-ʿUlūm (Arabic: بَحْرُ الْعُلُومِ, lit. 'The Sea of Knowledge'), commonly known as Tafsir al-Samarqandi (Arabic: تفسير السمرقندي, lit. 'The Commentary of al-Samarqandī') authored by 10th-century Sunni scholar Abū al-Layth al-Samarqandī. It stands as one of the earliest comprehensive Qurʾānic commentaries, and is regarded as one of the “maṣādir” (primary sources) in tafsīr. It is classified as tafsīr bi-l-maʾthūr (based on transmitted reports), drawing from the Qur'an, hadith, sayings of the Companions, and the Followers (Tabi'un and Tabi' al-Tabi'in). In this tafsīr, al-Samarqandī combines linguistic, juristic, and theological analysis with moral and spiritual reflection, making it a rich resource for both scholars and students. He rarely cites weak reports, and when he does, he mentions them cautiously.