A comparison between two literary Quranic commentaries Al-Kashshaf and At-Tafsir Al-Bayani Lil-Quran

Quranic commentators have used different approaches one of the most ancient of which can be the literary one. Quranic eloquence and rhetoric are counted as miracle aspects of Quran. Some commentators, therefore, have sought to comment Quran literally to make Divine intention clear. This paper intends to study Al-Kashshaf and At-Tafsir Al-Bayani respectively by Zamakhshari and Bent Ash-Shati`a comparatively to find the advantages of each with regard to the approach. Parallel with the advancement of rhetoric sciences, literary commentaries began to advance in such a manner that following generations of commentators surpassed the followed ones; as is the case Ash-Shati`a compared with Zamakhshari. The former, using the works and findings of preceding commentators, has presented a further perfect and attractive commentary.