From Manuscripts to Knowledge Graphs: Automating the Semantic Representation of Tafsir al-Tabari

Tafsir, the exegesis of the Quran, constitutes a fundamental pillar of Islamic knowledge, providing critical insights into the interpretation and application of Quranic teachings. Rooted in the teachings of Prophet Muhammad and early Islamic scholars, Tafsir elucidates the Quranic verses through historical, linguistic, and jurisprudential lenses. Despite its profound significance, systematic semantic modelling and digital representation of Tafsir literature remain unexplored. This paper presents the design, development, and implementation of a SemanticTafsir ontology and knowledge graph, focusing on the comprehensive exegesis by Muhammad Ibn Jarir al-Tabari. Following established ontology engineering methodologies, we define the SemanticTafsir ontology to capture and interlink key concepts within Tafsir literature. By leveraging existing ontologies such as SemanticHadith, Schema.org, and DBpedia, our approach ensures semantic coherence and interoperability. The core contribution of this work lies in the automation of the semantic representation of Tafsir literature. We develop a pipeline that automates the conversion of TEI format manuscripts of Tafsir into an RDF-based knowledge graph, integrating Quranic verses, hadith, commentaries, and thematic connections. This automation facilitates enhanced accessibility and analysis of Tafsir literature. The evaluation encompasses logical consistency, competency question resolution, and semantic fidelity, validating the ontology's robustness and applicability. The SemanticTafsir framework supports SPARQL queries, enabling both technical and non-technical users to explore and derive insights from the interconnected layers of Quranic exegesis. This research contributes to Islamic knowledge engineering by advancing digital preservation, accessibility, and scholarly engagement with Tafsir literature, thereby enriching the global understanding of Islamic knowledge. The SemanticTafsir ontology and knowledge graph are freely accessible at https://github.com/A-Kamran/SemanticTafsir.