Advanced Tafsir

Definition: Narrations transmitted from the People of the Book — Jews and Christians — that entered Quranic exegesis and hadith literature, whether they agree with Islam, contradict it, or are of unknown status.

Three Categories (per the Prophet's hadith: "Do not believe the People of the Book, nor disbelieve them"):

1. Agreeing with Islam: Confirmed by the Quran or Sunnah — accepted and transmitted. E.g., the story of Talut and Jalut as narrated from Ka'b al-Ahbar.
2. Contradicting Islam: Such as anthropomorphism of Allah or attributing immoral acts to prophets — definitively rejected; only cited to warn against.
3. Status unknown: Matters on which the Sharia is silent, with no evidence for or against — suspended; neither confirmed nor denied.

Ruling on narrating them: Permitted for type 1, forbidden for type 2 (except as a warning), and permissible for type 3 with a caveat that they are not proofs.

Note: Many classical commentators narrated Isra'iliyyat without distinguishing their status — Ibn Kathir himself warned against their danger.

Source: Al-Suyuti, Al-Itqan (4/198); Ibn Kathir, Tafsir (Introduction); Al-Dhahabi, Al-Isra'iliyyat fi al-Tafsir wa'l-Hadith (pp.13–52)

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