The Scholars have categorized the types of tafsir into Tafsir bil riwaya (tafsir through narration) and Tafsir Bil Ma’thur (Tafsir through sound reasoning)

Examples of Tafsir bil Riwaya are: Tasfir ibn Kathir or Tafsir Tabari

Examples of Rational based Tafsir (Tafsir bil Ma’thur) are by Razi or Alusi, Baydawi 

The Scholars have also explained that the Qur’an Kareem can be explained through the following sequence:

1) Qur’an explained through Qur’an

2) Qur’an explained through the Prophet (sall Allahu alaihi wa sallam)

3)  Qur’an explained through the sahaba

4) Qur’an explained through Tab’in

5) Qur’an explained through the Arabic language

6) Qur’an explained through Sound Reasoning