(1) The original reads: “the legal opinion”; the reading adopted is that of manuscript B and of al-Naysaburi, as cited in the following footnote. (2) Al-Wahidi al-Naysaburi mentioned it in his Tafsir, on the authority of Makhul. See al-Wasit fi Tafsir al-Quran al-Majid, 3/349. Abd ibn Humayd and Ibn Jarir transmitted from Qatadah, who said: “Leaders in goodness, callers to it, and guides whom people follow in goodness.” See al-Durr al-Manthur, 5/149. (3) Manuscripts B and C read “those who are followed” in place of “the pious.” (4) Mujahid ibn Jabr, a leading authority among Quran reciters and exegetes, was most likely, according to al-Dhahabi, the client of al-Saib ibn Abi al-Saib, the father of Abd Allah ibn al-Saib, may Allah be pleased with him. He was born in 21 AH, during the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him. He narrated from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, from whom he learned the Quran, its exegesis, and jurisprudence. He also narrated from a number of Companions. It is authentically reported that he said: “I recited the Quran to Ibn Abbas three times, pausing at every verse to ask him why it was revealed and what its circumstances were.” A great many people narrated from Mujahid. He died in 103 AH, aged over eighty. See Marifat al-Qurra al-Kibar by al-Dhahabi, 1/66-67; Siyar Alam al-Nubala, 4/449-457; Ghayat al-Nihayah fi Tabaqat al-Qurra by Ibn al-Jazari, 2/41-42; and Tabaqat al-Mufassirin by al-Dawudi, 2/305-308. (5) Al-Tabari narrated it with his chain of transmission in his Tafsir, 19/320. It was also transmitted by Abd al-Razzaq in his Tafsir, 2/72, and by Abd ibn Humayd. See al-Durr al-Manthur, 5/149. (6) Manuscript C reads: “and it has become problematic.” (7) The word “exegesis” is omitted in manuscript C. (8) The phrase “must be” is omitted in manuscript C.