|
Question:
In
the Qur’an, there are many verses which are ambiguous and unclear.
The Qur’an itself calls them the Mutashabihat (3:7). My question
is: Why has the Almighty revealed verses whose meaning is vague or unclear?
Isn’t guidance the real purpose of revelation? How can we be guided through
such verses?
He it is Who has sent down to you the Book; in it are verses fundamental; they are the foundation of the book: others are Mutashabihat. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the Mutashabihat seeking discord, and searching for its hidden meanings, but no one knows their true reality except Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: ‘We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord:’ and none will grasp the Message except men of understanding. (3:7) An important point worth noting in the above mentioned verses is that it has not been said that the meaning of the Mutashabihat is only known to Allah. Rather it has been declared that their reality is only known to Him. The actual word used is Ta’wil which is used in same sense here as in the following verse He [Joseph] said: This is the reality [in the interpretation] of my dream which I had seen before. (12:100)
Consequently, the meaning of the words
in which the dream of Joseph has been mentioned in the Qur’an is
clear to everyone who knows Arabic. However, the reality denoted by the
various elements of the dream like the sun, the moon and the eleven stars
(12:4) was only known once the dream was fulfilled.
|
1. See for example 15:29, 38:72
2. See for example 21:91, 66:12 3. See for example 2:29, 7:54, 20:53 4. See for example 47:15 5. See for example 37:62, 44:43, 56:52 |