Tafsir yana daya daga cikin ayyukan ilimi na farko na Musulmai. A cewar Kur'ani, Muhammad shi ne mutum na farko da ya bayyana ma'anar ayoyi ga Musulmai na farko. Sauran masu fassarar farko sun hada da wasu Sahabban Muhammad, kamar 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, 'Abdullah ibn Abbas, 'Abdullah ibn Umar da Ubayy ibn Ka'b. Fassara a waccan zamanin an iyakance ga bayanin fannonin adabi na ayar, da asalin wahayinsa, da kuma wani lokacin, fassarar aya daya tare da na sauran ayar. Idan ayar ta kasance muhimmiyar tarihi game da rayuwar Musulunci, Muhammadu ya buga wasu lokuta a farkon tarihin Musulunci (da aka bayyana a fili) wasu daga cikin al'adun Larabawa sun bayyana ma'anarsa ga Musulmai na farko.
Ali ibn Abi Talib, ʻAbdullah ibn Abbas, ʻAbdullah ibn Umar da Ubayy ibn Kaʻb