Paragons of Quran by Imam IbnQayyim al-Jawziyyah (d. 751H)

Allah said: "And indeed We have struck for the people in this Qur'an every kind of example — that perhaps they will be reminded." (Surah az-Zumar 39:27) The parables of the Qur'an are not rhetorical decoration — they are one of the primary means by which Allah chose to convey truth to the human intellect. They address what rational argument alone cannot reach: the heart.

Paragons of the Qur'an by Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah is a translation of his work Amthal fi'l-Qur'an al-Karim — a detailed study of the parables Allah uses in His Book, their meaning, their purposes, and the truths they convey.

What This Book Covers

The Purpose and Function of Quranic Parables

Ibn al-Qayyim opens by establishing why Allah used parables in the Qur'an — that they appeal to the intellect and the heart simultaneously, that they make abstract realities vivid and concrete, and that they constitute one of the ways the Qur'an achieves its stated purpose of reminding those who reflect. Understanding the purpose of the parables changes how a Muslim reads the Qur'an.

Key Parables Explained in Depth

The book covers many of the major parables in the Qur'an, including the parable of the one who kindled a fire and the light went away (Surah al-Baqarah 2:17), the parable of the blind and the deaf against the one who sees and hears, and the parable of a good word being like a good tree (Surah Ibrahim 14:24–25). Each is explained with the attention to the Arabic language and to tafsir that characterises his writing.

The Literary Precision of the Qur'an

Through each parable the book draws attention to the precision and eloquence of the Qur'anic text — how Allah chose exactly the right image to convey exactly the right truth. It is a book that repays slow reading of the Qur'an's language.

About the Author

Imam Shams al-Din Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (691–751 AH) studied under Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah in Damascus. He wrote across tafsir, fiqh, aqeedah and the sciences of the heart, and is noted for the quality of his Arabic prose. Published by Dar as-Sunnah Publishers.

Who This Book Is For

Students of tafsir who want to understand the parables of the Qur'an with scholarly depth. Anyone who loves the Qur'an and wants to understand why Allah chose specific images to convey specific truths. Those studying Quranic eloquence and the sciences of the Qur'an. And any Muslim who wants to read Ibn al-Qayyim on the Qur'an.

Continue Reading

Browse more works by Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah. This is a work of Qur'anic study before it is anything else — see our guide to the best tafsir books in English for where it fits, and browse the full tafsir and Qur'anic explanation collection. For the rest of this author's works in a recommended order, see Books by Ibn al-Qayyim: where to start.