Bahr al-Ulum (The Ocean of Sciences) by Nasr b. Muhammad al-Samarqandi (d. 373 AH / 983 CE) is a three-volume classical Arabic tafsir representing the Hanafi Maturidi scholarly tradition of Central Asia (Transoxiana). Its objective is to provide a comprehensive explanation of the Quran integrating transmitted reports from the Companions and Successors with Arabic linguistic analysis, Hanafi legal reasoning, and ethical and spiritual reflection. The manhaj is mixed, combining elements of tafsir bi-al-mathur with bi-al-rai, and pays careful attention to ayat al-ahkam from a Hanafi perspective while also attending to the moral and spiritual dimensions of the text. Samarqandi is Maturidi, consistent with the dominant theological school of the Hanafi tradition in the eastern lands of the Islamic world. The work is a respected classical reference, more frequently encountered in specialized academic study than in popular use, but valued within the Hanafi Maturidi scholarly tradition. More...