Which is the first authentic and comprehensive book of Tafsir written in the Islamic tradition?

Explanation

Tafsir al-Tabari, also known as Jami' al-Bayan fi Ta'wil al-Quran, was compiled by Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (224–310 AH). It is widely regarded as the earliest complete and authoritative tafsir that systematically gathered prophetic traditions, companion narrations, and linguistic analysis. Its methodology of citing chains of transmission (isnad) set the standard for all later works of Quranic exegesis.

Good to know

Ibn Jarir al-Tabari was a prolific Persian scholar who also authored the famous historical work Tarikh al-Tabari. His tafsir spans 30 volumes and covers the Quran verse by verse, relying heavily on narrations from the Prophet (PBUH), the Sahaba, and the Tabi'un. Later renowned tafsirs such as Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tafsir al-Qurtubi drew extensively from al-Tabari's foundational work.

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