《古兰经》与任何其他立法性和精神性的典籍一样，需要经注。古兰经注，阿拉伯语称为“泰夫西尔”（tafsir），实质上是一门知识，借助它，人们能够增进对《古兰经》的理解，领会其诫命与智慧。6《古兰经》注释学是研究“《古兰经》词语的传述方式、其释义、其单独与组合的形式及其义理与用途”的学科。7 正是通过这门学问，《古兰经》才得以被理解，其含义得以阐明，其律例得以推导。如此，《古兰经》便为读者所接近，并为其所领会。

The Qur’an, like any other legislative and spiritual book, requires exegesis. Qur’anic exegesis, known as tafsir in Arabic, is essentially the knowledge through which one increases an understanding of the Qur’an and a comprehension of its commandments and wisdom.6 Qur’anic exegesis is a branch of knowledge dealing with “the method of the delivery of the words of the Qur’an, their interpretation, their individual and composite forms and expediencies.” 7 It is this science by which the Qur’an is understood, its meanings explained and its rulings derived. Thus the Qur’an is made accessible and intelligible to the reader.

以下是注释者用来解释《古兰经》的经训注释来源：

What follows are the sources of qur’anic exegesis used by exegetes to interpret the Qur’an:

解经的第一个来源是《古兰经》本身。《古兰经》中有许多经文能够补充和阐明其他经文的含义。8

The first source of exegesis is the Qur’an itself. Many verses in the Qur’an compliment and clarify the meaning of other verses8

这种互文性的运用在语言学研究中被视为具有重要意义。9

This use of intertextuality is considered significant in the study of linguistics9

以下是《古兰经》借助相关经文自我解释的一个例子：

The following is an example of the Qur’an explaining itself through relevant verses:

a. "你所赐恩的人的道路"在此没有解释，但在《古兰经》的另一节经文中有所阐述。10 [See below]

a. “The path of those you have favoured” is here unexplained but then elaborated upon in a verse elsewhere in the Qur’an. 10 [See below]

b. “那些蒙受真主恩赐的人，如先知、忠信者、殉道者和善人。他们是多么好的同伴啊”

b. “Those whom God has favoured, such as the Prophets, loyal persons, martyrs and honourable men. How fine are such companions”

第二个来源是先知穆罕默德ﷺ的圣训。12 《古兰经》经常提到先知ﷺ以言语和行为阐明《古兰经》的职责。13

The second source is the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ 12. The Qur’an often mentions the Prophet’s ﷺrole of expounding upon the Qur’an in word and deed. 13

第三个来源是圣门弟子对经文的解释。他们直接从先知ﷺ那里学习《古兰经》，其中许多人终其一生致力于研习《古兰经》、经文注释及相关学问。14

The third source is the explanations of the companions of the Prophet ﷺ, who learnt the Qur’an directly from him. Many of them devoted their entire lives to studying the Qur’an, its exegesis and related knowledge. 14

解释经文的另一个依据，是《古兰经》降示时所用的阿拉伯语。如果其他依据没有对某节经文作出解释，就借助阿拉伯语作为分析工具来阐释该节经文。

Another source of exegesis is the Arabic language in which the Qur’an was revealed. A verse is interpreted using the Arabic language as a tool for analysis if the other sources do not offer an interpretation.