The Consensus of Al-Alusi in Surah An-Naml: Compilation and Study

This study examines the life and scholarly legacy of one of the most prominent figures of modern Islamic thought, the eminent scholar Shaykh Mahmūd Shukrī al-Ālūsī, who was among the leading scholars of Baghdad during the thirteenth century AH. The study highlights his noble lineage, academic upbringing, and the intellectual and religious environment that shaped his personality and scholarly outlook. It also discusses his exegetical methodology in dealing with the Qur’anic text, reviewing some of his views on specific Qur’anic narratives, such as the story of Āṣif ibn Barkhiyā and the marriage of Prophet Sulaymān to Bilqīs.The study aims to shed light on al-Ālūsī’s scholarly status and his contributions to the preservation and defense of the Islamic heritage, while also addressing his death and his rich intellectual legacy, which continues to attract scholarly attention and research. Particular attention is given to his renowned Qur’anic commentary Rūḥ al-Maʿānī, with a focus on its juristic and interpretive dimensions, especially the expressions and views that he attributed to al-Jumhūr (the majority of scholars) or al-Mashhūr (the well-known opinion).To achieve this objective, the study examines three selected issues discussed by al-Ālūsī, presenting the opinions and scholarly interpretations associated with each issue. The findings reveal that al-Ālūsī’s tafsīr constitutes a comprehensive encyclopedic work that preserves a wide range of scholarly views and is distinguished by its critical evaluation of transmitted opinions after careful examination and analysis. Consequently, Rūḥ al-Maʿānī remains one of the most significant Qur’anic commentaries of the modern period.