and the Qur’an’s interpreter as well, by virtue of the Prophet’s blessed supplication for him: “O Allah, grant him understanding of the religion and teach him the interpretation.” (1)

Ibn Jarir said: “Muhammad ibn Bashar narrated to us; Wakiʿ narrated to us; Sufyan narrated to us from al-Aʿmash, from Muslim, who related that ʿAbd Allah—meaning Ibn Masʿud—said, ‘What an excellent interpreter of the Qur’an Ibn ʿAbbas is.’” He then transmitted it through another chain—Yahya ibn Dawud, from Ishaq al-Azraq, from Sufyan, from al-Aʿmash, from Muslim ibn Subayh Abu al-Duha, from Masruq, from Ibn Masʿud—who said, “Indeed, the finest interpreter of the Qur’an is Ibn ʿAbbas.” He likewise reported it from Bundar, from Jaʿfar ibn ʿAwn, from al-Aʿmash along the same line of transmission. This is an authentic chain back to Ibn Masʿud confirming his praise of Ibn ʿAbbas.

Ibn Masʿud passed away in 33 AH, according to the most reliable opinion, while Ibn ʿAbbas lived on for another thirty-six years. Imagine, then, how much knowledge he amassed after Ibn Masʿud’s death!

Al-Aʿmash also reported from Abu Wāʾil that ʿAli appointed ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAbbas to supervise the pilgrimage season. Ibn ʿAbbas addressed the people and, during his sermon, recited Sūrah al-Baqarah—according to another version, Sūrah al-Nūr—then explained it so persuasively that, had the Romans, the Turks, and the Daylam heard him, they would have entered Islam.

For this reason, the bulk of what Ismaʿil ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman al-Suddi al-Kabir cites in his tafsir comes from these two authorities, Ibn Masʿud and Ibn ʿAbbas. At times, however, he transmits from them what they themselves quoted of the statements of the People of