Parables of the Qurân in jâmiu'l-bayân by al-Tabarî

This dissertation, titled "Tabarī's Approach to Parables in the Qur'an," is primarily based on Tabarī's exegesis Jāmi' al-bayān. The analysis of the main text was conducted using descriptive and analytical methods, employing comparative critique techniques by referring to certain classical tafsir works when necessary. The aim of this thesis is to identify Tabarī's approach to parables in the Qur'an, who lived in the 3rd century AH, a period of critical importance in Islamic sciences, and is regarded an undisputed authority in the field of exegesis. While examining Tabarî's approach to the parables in the Qur'an, the characteristics of the period, the era of codification of sciences, the formation processes of religious terms, and the evolution of these concepts over the centuries have been taken into account. In this context, the question "What is a parable according to Tabarî?" along with the question "What is precedents of Qur'an (Amthāl al-Qur'an)?" has been answered through the interpretation of example verses. Additionally, the parables have been examined first by referencing the textual content of the verses, and secondly analyzing the interpretations made by the author. As a rasûlt of this study, it has been determined that Tabarî regarded the Amsal al-Qur'an as metaphors or representations. Secondly, it has been determined that he referred to proverb-like structures and idiomatic expressions as parables in their linguistic sense. In his interpretations, it has been observed that he used these structures both as a linguistic source and as an evidence. In some evaluations in tafsîr where poetry is cited as evidence, it has been observed that the transmission of the poetry is merely a tool, with the goal being to convey the proverb or idiom to the reader. In Arabic, it has been determined that parables, in the form of proverbs and idiomatic expressions, are cited as evidence and used as proof, with parables being referenced as a source of support. Keywords: Tafsîr, et-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʻ al-bayān, Proverb, Parables of the Qur'an.