Tafhim al-Quran (Understanding the Quran) by Sayyid Abu al-Aala Mawdudi (d. 1979 CE) is an extensive modern tafsir written originally in Urdu across six volumes. Its central objective is to present the Quran as a comprehensive and self-sufficient guide for all dimensions of human life, with particular emphasis on its political, social, and civilizational teachings. Mawdudi approaches the text through an ideological and thematic lens, reading it as a foundational manifesto for an Islamic system of governance and social order, in explicit contrast to secular Western ideologies. Each surah is introduced with a detailed contextual and historical essay before moving into verse-by-verse commentary. The manhaj is broadly thematic and modern rather than classically scholastic, with little of the traditional chain-based narration or fiqh-oriented analysis found in classical works. Mawdudi was the founder of Jamaat-e-Islami and a major intellectual architect of modern political Islam, and his tafsir reflects that orientation heavily, emphasizing concepts such as hakimiyyah (divine sovereignty) and the obligation of establishing an Islamic state. He is broadly Sunni within the South Asian Maturidi tradition, though his framework is more ideological than classical. The work is widely read among Islamist movements and educated Muslims globally seeking a modernist and politically engaged reading of the Quran. More...