Tafsir - Understanding & Interperting al-Quran تأويل القرآن Understanding...(More)

Tafsir - Understanding & Interperting al-Quran تأويل القرآن Understanding the Glorious Qur'an The Muhkamat ayat and Mutashabihat ayat The Muhkam Ayah: A verse that has one clear meaning. Like {Laysa Kamithlihi Shay'} The Mutashabih Ayah: A verse that can have many meanings. Like: {Allahu Nurus-Samawati wal-'Ard} Allah said in the Qur'an, in Surat Al-^Imran, ayah 7 means: [Allah is the One Who has sent down to the Prophet the Book that contains muhkamat ayat, which are the foundation of the Book, and other ayat which are mutashabihat.] So, know firmly, that the Qur'an contains two types of ayat: Muhkamat ayat and Mutashabihat ayat · Muhkamat ayat: These are the ayat that have only one meaning according to the rules of the Arabic language or else the meaning of the ayah is clearly known. Examples of this type of ayat are: the saying of Allah, ta^ala in Suratash-Shura,ayah 11 means: [Absolutely there is nothing like Him] and His saying, ta^ala: Suratal-Ikhlas, ayah 4 means: [There is nothing which is equal to Him], and His saying, ta^ala in Surat Maryam,ayah 65 means: [Do you know of anything which is similar to Him? There is none.] · Mutashabihat ayat: These are the ayat that can have many meanings according to the rules of the Arabic language. Assigning meanings to these ayat requires thorough thinking so that acceptable meanings are given to them. Examples of this type of ayat are: the saying of Allah, ta^ala, in Surat Taha, ayah 5 in and His saying, ta^ala, in Surat Fatir, ayah 10. According to the rules of the Arabic language, these ayat are mutashabihat; so they can have many meanings. If meanings are assigned to them, this must be done in a manner that complies with the language and the Religion, and does not contradict the ayat that are muhkamat. Surely the ayat of the Qur'an do not contradict one another. Likewise, the ahadith (sayings of the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam,) do not contradict one another, and they do not contradict the ayat of the Qur'an. There are two methodologies for explaining the mutashabihat ayat of the Qur'an, and both of them are valid: · The Methodology of the Salaf · The Methodology of the Khalaf The Methodology of the Salaf: The Salaf were the scholars who lived during the first three centuries after the Hijrah of the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam. For the most part, this methodology consisted of giving general explanations, since the scholars of the Salaf believed that these ayat have meanings befitting to the perfection of Allah. Rather than saying what these meanings are, they referred these mutashabihat ayat to the muhkamat ayat. A good example is the saying of Imam ash-Shafi^iyy which means: "I believe in what Allah revealed according to the meaning that Allah willed, and in what the Messenger of Allah conveyed according to the meaning that the Messenger of Allah willed." In other words, the proper befitting meanings are not according to the sensuous and physical meanings that delusions would lead to--such as places, shapes, limbs, movements, sitting, colors, directions, smiling, laughter, or any other meanings which are not permissible to be attributed to Allah. The Methodology of the Khalaf: The Khalaf were the scholars who lived after the first three centuries. For the most part, this methodology consisted of giving specific meanings to the mutashabihat ayat. The scholars of the Khalaf lived at a time when the people started to lose their natural disposition for the Arabic language. Seeing that the people had become weaker in the language, the scholars of the Khalaf feared that those with perversity in their hearts would read meanings into the mutashabihat ayat that do not befit Allah. They feared what is mentioned in SuratAl ^Imran, ayah 7. Allah said in which means: [Those who have perversity in their hearts, they follow the mutashabihat ayat seeking discord and searching for unbefitting meanings based on their delusions.] In order to protect the creed of Islam, the scholars of the Khalaf followed the example of those scholars among the Salaf who chose to give specific meanings to the mutashabihat ayat. Referring them to the muhkamat ayat, they gave specific meanings to the mutashabihat ayat in compliance with the language and the Religion. They gave correct, acceptable meanings to the mutashabihat ayat. كل المسلمين يعتقدون أن الله لا يشبه شيئا من خلقه بأي وجهٍ من الوجوه قال الله تعالى : (ليس كمثله شىء) وقال: (ولم يكن له كفواً أحد) أي ليس له شبيه وقال: (هل تعلم له سميّا) أي ليس لله مثل . السلف الصالح حين يقولون : الله له عينٌ ليست كعيوننا ويدٌ ليست كأيدينا، ووجهٌ ليس كوجوهنا، يريدون بذلك نفي الجسمية". Details here: http://www.alsunna.org/mutashabihat.htm http://www.alsunna.org/mutashabih.htm(Less)