[The Shaykh’s Works]

I shall now mention some of his writings, so that whoever wishes to learn about them may do so.

Among these is his comprehensive commentary on the Noble Qur’an, together with the material he gathered from the statements of the early Salaf exegetes who record the chains of transmission in(1) their books. Altogether this exceeds(2) thirty volumes(3). His students have produced a fair copy of part of it, while a large portion has yet to be written out(4).

He—may Allah have mercy on him—used to say, “For a single verse I might consult nearly one hundred commentaries(5), then I pray to Allah for understanding and say, ‘O Teacher(6) of Abraham, teach me.’ I would go to abandoned mosques and similar places(7), rub my face in the dust, beseech Allah Most High and say, ‘O Teacher of Abraham, grant me comprehension.’”

He would then recount the story of Muʿādh ibn Jabal and what he said to Mālik ibn Yakhāmir when the latter wept at Muʿādh’s death-bed: “I do not weep over worldly life.”