Possible midrashic sources in Muqtil b. Sulaymn's Tafsīr

Abstract

Given that the important early Qur'n commentator Muqtil b. Sulaymn al-Balkhī is criticized for not having mentioned the chain of narrators (isnd) behind his interpretations, the obvious question is: who and/or what were his sources? Although no unequivocal answer can be offered, it is proposed in this article that Muqtil may in some instances have drawn on Midrashic sources with which he was familiar. Six examples that suggest the possible validity of this hypothesis are given.