Littattafan tafsiri an raba su zuwa manyan rukuni biyu bisa ga yadda marubutansu suka mayar da hankali a cikin bayanansu. Tafsirin waɗanda suka takaita bayanansu ga isar da abin da aka bayyana a cikin Alƙur'ani ko abin da Annabi ﷺ, sahabbansa, da almajiransu suka faɗa, ana kiransu tafsir bir-riwaayah ko tafsir bil-ma'thoor (tafsirin bisa ruwaya). Marubutan irin waɗannan tafsirai kuma sun guje wa fassarori marasa tushe da bayanai marasa bukata, kuma koyaushe suna karɓar ruwayoyin da suka inganta. Wannan ba yana nufin irin waɗannan tafsirai sun tsira gaba ɗaya daga ra'ayin mutum ba, domin kowane tafsiri, tilas ne ya nuna ra'ayin wanda ya tattara shi. Amma a wannan yanayi, an rage ra'ayin mutum zuwa mafi ƙanƙanta.

The books of tafseer have been divided into two general categories according to the emphasis of their authors in their explanations. The tafseers of those who restricted their expla-nations to transmitting what was explained in the Qur’aan or stated by the Prophet (r), his companions, and their students were referred to as tafseer bir-riwaayah or tafseer bil-ma’thoor (tafseer according to transmission). The authors of such tafseers also avoided unfounded interpretations and unnecessary expla-nations and always accepted authentic narrations. This is not to say that such tafseers are totally free of personal judgment and opinion, for any tafseer, of necessity, must reflect the opinion of the individual who compiles it. But in this case, personal opinion was kept to a minimum.