Khaza?in al-anwar wa-ma?adin al-akhbar

Commentaries on the Qur?an exist almost from the time of the Prophet. Sometimes they consists of a commentary on just one verse, like Sadr al-Din Shirazi's (d. 1050/1640) Tafsir ayat al-Kursi, or on one single sura, like the latter's Tafsir surat Yusuf. Sometimes a commentary focusses on verses sharing some common theme, like Fakhr al-Din Astarabadi's (d. 1028/1619) Tafsir ayat al-ahkam, comprising all those verses from which legal rules are derived. Commentaries on the entire Qur?an are always voluminous, like Abu Ja?far al-Tabari's (d. 311/923) Jami? al-bayan ?an ta?wil ay al-Qur?an. Many commentaries were begun but never finished. The present work by Mir Muhammad Rida Mu?min-i Khatunabadi (early 12th/18th cent.) is an example of this. Planned as a complete commentary in four parts, only the first part (until the end of Surat al-Nisa?, no. 4) was finished and just the introduction and the commentary on the Fatiha are published here. Persian, elegant but accessible prose, ethico-mystical and literary elements.