The Ayat of the Qur'an:
The Muhkam and the Mutashabih
Surat Al-^Imran, ayah 7:
? ?? ? ?? ? ?? ?? ? ?? ??This part of the Verse means:
[Allah is the One Who has sent down to the Prophet the Book that contains muhkam ayat, which are the foundation of the Book, and other ayat which are mutashabih.] This part of the Verse means:
[Those who have perversity in their hearts, they follow the mutashabih ayat seeking discord and searching for unbefitting meanings based on their delusions.]?? ?? ?? ? ? ? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ? ? The final part of the Verse means:
[No one knows their true meanings except Allah and those who are firmly rooted in the knowledge of the Religion. The latter say, "We believe in it, all of it is from our Lord" and none will understand the message except men of comprehension."]So, know firmly that the Qur'an contains two types of ayat:
Muhkamat ayat and Mutashabihat ayat
• Muhkam ayat:These are the ayat (verses) that, according to the rules of the Arabic language, have only one meaning or are those with a clear meaning.
Examples of this type of ayat are: the saying of Allah, ta^ala:
Surat ash-Shura,ayah 11 means:
[There is absolutely nothing like Allaah] His saying, ta^ala:
Surat al-Ikhlas, ayah 4 means:
[Nothing is equal to Him], and His saying, ta^ala:
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, according to the rules of the Arabic language, can have many meanings.
Assigning acceptable meanings to these ayat requires proper Knowledge of the Arabic language and thorough thinking.
Examples of this type of ayat are:
the saying of Allah, ta^ala, in Surat Taha, ayah 5:
and His saying, ta^ala, in surat at-taHreem, Verse 12:
According to the rules of the Arabic language, these ayat are mutashabih; so they can have many meanings.
Assigning meanings to them must be done in a manner which complies with the Arabic language and the Religion. The assigned meanings must not contradict the ayat that are muhkam.
Surely the ayat of the Qur'an do not contradict one another!
Likewise, the hadiths (sayings of the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam,) neither contradict one another, nor the ayat of the Qur'an.
If ayah 12 in Suratat-Tahrim:
was taken literally, it would mean that Allah blew part of His Soul into ^Isa (Jesus.).)
However, the scholars said that this ayah means:
[Allah ordered Jibril to blow into ^Isa the soul which is honorable to Allah.] Also, ayah 75 in Surat Sad:
if taken literally, would mean: "What has stopped you from performing sujud to what I have created with My hands?"
However, the scholars said that the word 'yadayn' in the ayah means the 'care' of Allah.
Yet, the mushabbihah insist that yadayn means hands.
Likewise, ayah 35 in Suratan-Nur:
if taken literally, would mean: "Allah is the light of the heavens and the Earth." The scholars said that this ayah means:
[Allah is the Creator of guidance in the occupants of the skies and the occupants of the earth.] However, the mushabbihah insist on taking the literal meaning and say that Allah is 'light.'
Imam Ibn Rajab al-Hanbaliyy explained the term al-istiwa', in SuratTaha, ayah 5:
as al-istila', which means subjugating.
When al¬istila' is used to explain this ayah it means that Allah subjugated the ^arsh with a subjugation that is without a beginning, like all of the attributes of Allah. If the ayah is explained in this manner, it means that Allah was attributed with subjugating the ^arsh before the ^arsh was created in the same way that Allah was attributed with being the Creator before anything from the creation existed.
In this context, the scholars have used the term al-azal, which means the status of existing without a beginning. Thus it can be said that Allah subjugated the ^arsh in al-azal, meaning that Allah subjugated the ^arsh with a subjugation which is without a beginning.
Yet the mushabbihah insist on taking the literal meaning, and they say istiwa' means Allah 'sits' on the throne and 'firmly establishes' Himself on it.
Surat Taha,ayah 5,
means:
[Allah subjugated the ^arsh in al-azal with a subjugation which is without a beginning, like all of the attributes of Allah.]
