Generally...

Generally, to write a tafsīr for a book means to explain the objectives of the book and to draw the attentions to what its author wants to say. This noble Book, which Allah, the Exalted, testifies to be a book of guidance and teaching, and the light of the road of man's journey, its exegete should find in each one of its stories, or even in each āyah , a directive guiding to the invisible world, so as to show to the learner the road to happiness, to knowledge and to humanity.

A mufassir (commentator or exegete) is the one who tells us what was the “objective” of the revelation, not the “occasion” of the revelation as is explained in the exegeses.

In the very story of Adam and Eve and their affairs with Iblīs , from the very moment of their creation till their descent to the earth, story of which is repeated by Allah several times in the Qur'an**,** there are so many overt and covert teachings [ ma'ārif ] and admonitions, and it reminds us of so many of spiritual faults and Satanic characters, as well as many perfections of the soul and human knowledge which it introduces to us, whereas we still disregard them.

In short, the Book of Allah is a book of knowledge and ethics, and an invitation to happiness and perfection. So, its exegesis should also be a book of gnosticism and ethics, explaining the gnostic and ethical points of view, and other aspects of inviting to its happiness [ sa'ādat ] .

The commentator who neglects these points, disregards them or attaches no importance to them, is actually neglecting the objective of the Qur'an and the main aim of revealing the (divine) books and sending the messengers. This is a grave mistake that has prevented the ummah for many centuries from being benefited by the Glorious Qur'an, and it has blocked the road of guidance in their faces.

We have to learn the objective of the revelation of the Qur'an disregarding the intellectual and argumentative aspects, which show us the goal by themselve s from the Qur'an itself. The author of a book knows better his own objective. So, let us have a glance at what the author of this Book Himself says concerning the affairs of the Qur'an. He says: “ This is the Book, wherein is no doubt, a guide for the muttaqīn (those who fear Allah).” [^1] He describes His Book as being a book of guidance.