(… هُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ ۖ ) (It is He who has sent down to you, [O Muhammad], the Book; in it are verses [that are] precise – they are the foundation of the Book – and others unspecific …): There are many people, like orientalists and others who claim to have knowledge, who try to defame the Holy Quran and misunderstand the religion along with the verses of the Holy Quran.
(… آيَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ …) (…verses [that are] precise …): Precise means something that can’t be misunderstood , straightforward, and has one interpretation only. Therefore, all the verses related to the dos and don’ts are precise. On the other hand, the unspecific means resemblance or likeness between two things or among many things, and thus, leads to confusion and doubt. So, the unspecific here means something that is unclear in terms of concept or that can have more than one interpretation. An example of the precise verses is:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًا فَاطَّهَّرُوا ۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِّنكُم مِّنَ الْغَائِطِ أَوْ لَامَسْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍ وَلَٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
(O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janabah, then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.) (Al-Maaida: 6)
So, the precise verses are about what you have to do. Meanwhile, the unspecific verses are about what you only have to believe in. From the faith point of view, You have to believe in paradise although you can’t see it. We’re required to believe when it comes to faith and to do when it’s about the rules. So, all the verses about rules are precise; and no one, for example, can say that while performing the prayers, one has to be with heart and soul presence while this issue is crystal clear and can’t be interpreted anymore. Nevertheless, there are verses that you’re required to believe in without doing anything like when Allah (swt) says:
{ لَّا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصَارُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصَارَ ۖ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ}
(Vision perceives Him not, but He perceives [all] vision; and He is the Subtle, the Acquainted.) (Al-An’aam: 103)
where you’re not required to do anything whether you know how (vision perceives Him not) or not. Another example is:
{ يَدُ اللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ}
(The hand of Allah is over their hands.) (Al-Fath: 10)
{ الرَّحْمَٰنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَىٰ}
(The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.) (Taa Haa: 5)
So, we believe in the fact that He is above the throne established without knowing how it’s done. All the verses on attributes are unspecific for us in term of howness. Still, we have a firm rule that Allah (swt):
{ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ ۖ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ}
(There is nothing like unto Him.) (Ash-Shura: 11)
So, there is nothing like the attributes of (swt) who is unlike anything that crosses your mind. For instance, we believe in the verses:
{ وَلِتُصْنَعَ عَلَىٰ عَيْنِي}
(that you would be brought up under My eye.) (Taa Haa: 39)
{ وَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ فَإِنَّكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا}
(And be patient, [O Muhammad], for the decision of your Lord, for indeed, you are in Our eyes.) (At-Tur: 48)
{ يَدُ اللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ}
(The hand of Allah is over their hands.) (Al-Fath: 10)
As told by (swt) not as we think of it. Moreover, we may notice that whatever related to what the Almighty does and humans can’t understand is normally preceded by ‘exalted’:
{ سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ}
(Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.) (Al-Israa: 1)
{ سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْأَزْوَاجَ كُلَّهَا مِمَّا تُنبِتُ الْأَرْضُ وَمِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَمِمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ}
(Exalted is He who created all pairs – from what the earth grows and from themselves and from that which they do not know.) (Yaseen: 36)
Therefore, in the Holy Quran, there are:
1- Verses that are about unknown things no human mind can imagine and is unspecific about, so, people believe in them as made by Allah, and
2- Verses that are about the rules, what believers have to do; and they are clear, leaving no doubt at the end of the hearer.
(… آيَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ …) (…verses [that are] precise – they are the foundation of the Book …): They are the foundation, so, you have to weigh the unspecific verses by the precise ones. For example, we’ve had an example of the unspecific verses:
{ يَدُ اللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ}
(The hand of Allah is over their hands.) (Al-Fath: 10)
and an example of the precise ones:
{ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ}
(There is nothing like unto Him.) (Ash-Shura: 11)
Therefore, I say: ‘the hand of Allah’ with no representation or personification as: (There is nothing like unto Him,).
(… فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ …) (…As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord…): They have deviation from the right to the wrong in their hearts, so, they follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord} because it’s not in the capacity of the human mind to figure out the meaning of the unspecific. For example, and Allah has the utmost example, we all know the meaning of a word like ‘television’ but if it’s mentioned somewhere this invention is unknown, no one would be able to figure it out. Thus, we resort to likening to make the image close to their minds. Allah (swt) says:
{ مَّثَلُ الْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي وُعِدَ الْمُتَّقُونَ ۖ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ ۖ أُكُلُهَا دَائِمٌ وَظِلُّهَا}
(The example of Paradise, which the righteous have been promised, is [that] beneath it rivers flow. Its fruit is lasting, and its shade.) (Ar-Ra’d: 35)
Paradise is never like that because the Almighty says: (The example of Paradise,) and this is merely an example to make it closer to the human mind. So, when we follow the unspecific verses we try to understand the actual meaning although our minds can’t get it. We can’t have the actual image of Zaqqum, the angels or the demons because nobody has ever seen them.
(… وَابْتِغَاءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ…) (…and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them …): They want to interpret it as they like. Huthaifa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Prophet Muhammad (saws) mentioned some people of his nation who recite the Quran, dispersing it like they disperse Ad-Daql and interpreting it in an incorrect manner.
(… ومَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ۗ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا…) (…And no one knows its [true] interpretation except Allah. But those firm in knowledge say, “We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord.”…): Reciters of the Holy Quran has different opinions on pausing here: the pause is either at the holy word (Allah) or at (those firm in knowledge).
The interpretation: there are two ends in the Quran:
One is to interpret the meaning of the reality of the thing and what such a thing ends up with. Allah (swt) says:
{ وَرَفَعَ أَبَوَيْهِ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ وَخَرُّوا لَهُ سُجَّدًا ۖ وَقَالَ يَا أَبَتِ هَٰذَا تَأْوِيلُ رُؤْيَايَ مِن قَبْلُ قَدْ جَعَلَهَا رَبِّي حَقًّا}
(And he raised his parents upon the throne, and they bowed to him in prostration. And he said, “O my father, this is the explanation of my vision of before. My Lord has made it reality.) (Yusuf: 100) and:
{ هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا تَأْوِيلَهُ ۚ يَوْمَ يَأْتِي تَأْوِيلُهُ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ نَسُوهُ مِن قَبْلُ قَدْ جَاءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ}
(Do they await except its result? The Day its result comes those who had ignored it before will say, “The messengers of our Lord had come with the truth,) (Al- A’raaf: 53)
i.e. how things end up in reality. So, if we go for this opinion, the pause should be at the holy word (Allah) because Allah (swt) is the only One who knows the reality of things.
Another one is to interpret to explain and state the thing as in:
{ نَبِّئْنَا بِتَأْوِيلِهِ}
(Inform us of its interpretation.) (Yusuf: 36)
Therefore, if this is what’s meant, the pause is at: (those firm in knowledge) since they know and understand what’s being told to them in the regard even if they don’t encompass the realities of things as they are.
(… يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ …) (…those firm in knowledge say, “We believe in it …): i.e. the unspecific.
(… كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا …) (…All [of it] is from our Lord.” …): All the unspecific and the precise are true, and they confirm each other as they are all by the Almighty who has nothing contradictory or different:
{ أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ ۚ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا فِيهِ اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا}
(Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction.) (An-Nisaa: 82)
( وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ … ) (…And no one will be reminded except those of understanding): Those who have sound minds. You need logic and mind to weigh the unspecific verses by the precise ones. You get the unspecific verses by your Lord and keep saying: ‘I believe in what Allah says as He wants it to be’ as long as you believe in Him.