Wikipedia's first sentence called it “three volume tafsir”. Today it says “early 20th-century urdu translation and commentary of the quran by ashraf ali thanwi”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “Sunni Tafseer by Ashraf Ali Thanwi”. It now reads “1908 book by Ashraf Ali Thanwi”.
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Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-03.
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The opening as it read in 2025
Bayan al-Quran ( Urdu : بیان القرآن ) is an early 20th-century Urdu translation and commentary of the Quran by Ashraf Ali Thanwi , completed in 1905 and first published in 1908 in twelve volumes from Delhi . A revised version, titled Complete Bayan al-Quran , was released in 1935. Thanwi developed the work as a direct response to the translations and interpretations of Nazir Ahmad Dehlvi , Mirza Hairat Dehlvi, and Syed Ahmad Khan , whose approaches he disagreed with. The translation is influenced by the works of Shah Abdul Qadir and Mahmud Hasan Deobandi , while the commentary is primarily influenced by Ruh al-Ma'ani . Its key themes include hadith -based interpretations, jurisprudential discussions, and mysticism . It also stands out as the first Urdu exegesis to explore the mystical dimensions of Quranic verses in depth. The translation and interpretative style of Bayan al-Quran were later adopted and expanded upon by scholars such as Abul Kalam Azad . It served as the primary source for compiling Tafseer-e-Majidi and also formed the foundation for Ma'arif al-Quran , a summarized version of this work. A critical study of select Urdu Tafasir of 20th Century (PhD thesis).
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 1286573764.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
Sunni Tafseer by Ashraf Ali Thanwi Bayan Ul Quran ( Urdu : بیان القرآن) is a three volume tafsir ( exegesis ) of the Quran written by Indian Islamic scholar , Ashraf Ali Thanwi (d.1943). Originally written in Urdu , it is the most prominent work of its author. The tafsīr is said to be specifically for scholars. Tazkirah Mashāhīr-e-Hind: Karwān-e-Rafta (in Urdu) (2 April 2016 ed.). A Critical Study Of Bayanul Quran The Commentary Of The Quran By Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi With Special Reference To The Exegetical Literature In Urdu (PhD) (in Urdu). The Workshop Organized By The Islamic Fiqh Academy Of India In Collaboration With The International Institute Of Islamic Thought . Critical study of select Urdu Tafasir of 20th century (doctoral thesis).
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Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “three volume tafsir”. Today it says “early 20th-century urdu translation and commentary of the quran by ashraf ali thanwi”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “Sunni Tafseer by Ashraf Ali Thanwi”. It now reads “1908 book by Ashraf Ali Thanwi”. Read the current article and compare.
Oct '23
2025
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What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since 2023, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
three volume tafsir
Now
early 20th-century urdu translation and commentary of the quran by ashraf ali thanwi
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.
