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Ulm-ul-Qur’an An Introduction to the Science of the Qur’an
(How to Study and Understand the Quran) By:
Dr.
Hasanuddin Ahmed, I.A.S.
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CHAPTER - 14
ILMU MUHKAMAAT WAL
MUTASHABIHAAT
The knowledge of 'Muhkamaat' (sing. muhkam) and
'Mutashabihaat' (sing. mutashabih) is one of the important
branches of Ulum al Qur'an. It is necessary, at the outset, to explain the words 'muhkam'
and 'mutashabih'. The word
'muhkam is derived from the root 'hakama' meaning judged, firm
and decisive. The derived meaning of 'muhkam'
is firmly constructed. 'Mutashabih' is derived from the
root 'shubbiha' meaning resembling.
As things very closely resembling each other create a doubt as to
which one is the original, the derived meaning of this word is 'to be
doubtful’. 'Mutashabih' is not a term. In ayah 3:7 Mutashabihaat is used in its literal
meaning; referring to yet another attribute of the Qur'an that it contains ayaat
which closely resemble to the messages contained in earlier Books. It is generally supposed that the meaning of 'mutashabih'
ayaat is known to Allah only and that these ayaat are with more
than one dimension, requiring further explanation. This belief is perhaps not correct as it goes against the very
nature of the Qur'an that its meaning are very clear and every word of it is
for the understanding of human beings. Moreover every ayah of the
Qur'an contains only one meaning and if any elaboration is required it is
provided in the Qur'an itself. The words 'Muhkamaat' and 'Mutashabihaat' with
reference to ayaat of the Qur'an have been used in ayah 3:7
which is generally rendered as follows: "He it is who has sent down to you the Book: in it are ayaat
basic or fundamental (of established meaning): they are the foundation of the
Book: other are allegorical. Those in whose hearts is perversity follow the
part thereof that is allegorical, seeking discord and searching for its
hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah. 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” (Qur’an 3:7). While interpreting ayah 3:7 the commentators have
expressed different opinions. Hafiz ibn Kathir (d. 774/1372) in his
commentary, Tafsir Al Qur'an al-Azim, stated that the Qur'an contains,
some ayaat the meanings of which are clear and straight. On the other hand to reach the meanings of
some ayaat is not easy. Those
who find the explanation of a problem in an ayah and accept it are the
rightly guided. Other ayaat
contain special meaning, those who leave the clearly decided ayaat and
base their comprehension and involve themselves in such ayaat are the
people who are lost. Some commentators understood from the words Muhkamaat
and Mutashabihaat as general and specific and advised to distinguish
between 'general ayaat’ which are easy to understand and others which
are 'specific ayaat' and intended specific or special meaning. It was
further elaborated that the ayaat with 'special meaning' are of
several varieties where some limitation or condition is specified. Some other commentators explained that ‘muhkam ayaat’
are valid and free (mutlaq) ayaat and mutashabih ayaat'
are 'bound (muqayyid) ayaat'.
They interpreted that the former ayaat are free from any
condition while the latter are bound to special conditions and situations. Yet some other commentators interpreted muhkam ayaat
as literal i.e., clear text without ambiguity and mutashabih ayaat
having somewhat ambiguous or figurative meaning. This view can be summarized as follows: “The ayaat mutashabih may be defined as those passages
of the Qur'an which are expressed in a figurative manner, with a meaning that
is metaphorically implied but not directly, in so many words stated."1 Some commentators explained that as far as the ambiguity is
concerned it is in the expression of mutashabih ayaat but as far as the meaning is concerned they are
obvious. Imam Nuwi (d.676/1277) stated that it is unlikely for Allah
to address human beings in a language which they cannot understand. He was
however, of the view that mutashabih is antonym of muhkam. In spite of all the differences there is a consensus of
opinion that the 'muhkam ayaat' of the Qur'an are clear and basic and
these are the fundamentals of the Book.
There cannot be any doubt about the meaning of these ayaat. It is absolutely necessary to accept them
and to act upon them. Mujahid (d. 100/719) observes: "I have not seen any
commentator who has withheld his comments of any ayaat stating that it
is mutashabih, the inner or implied meaning of which is not known to
any one except Allah" There is a consensus of opinion among almost all the
commentators regarding one more point: All agree that the Qur'an contains two
distinct type of ayaat i.e., Muhkamaat and Mutashabihaat. The commentators have given the impression
that the Qur'an is divided into two portions not given separately, but
intermingled and that it consists of two kinds of ayaat. They further claimed that muhkam and mutashabih are
two qualities almost opposed to each other. If we study closely there is not the slightest indication in ayah
3:7 that the Qur'an consists of two kinds of ayaat. It is clearly
stated that the ayaat of the Qur'an in the first instance are muhkam
i.e. of established meaning and in the second, they are mutashabih.
The word ukharu used in the ayah clearly indicates that what
follows is yet another independent quality of the Qur'anic ayaat. The word ukhra is used in the Qur'an in four more ayaat
(Qur’an i.e., 2:184, 2:185, 12:43 and 12:46) and in every ayah
it is uniformly used to mean 'another' or 'yet one more': "(fasting) is for a certain number of days. But whoever of you is ill, or on a journey
(shall fast) instead for the same number of other days. (min ayyamin ukhara)” (Qur’an
2:184) ". . . . but he that is ill, or on a journey, (shall
fast instead for the same) number of other days (min ayyamin ukhara)
"..(Qur’an 2:185) ". . . . seven fat cows being devoured by seven
emaciated ones, and seven green ears (of wheat) next to seven others (Khudhrin
wa ukhara) that were withered . . . ." (Qur’an 12:43) ". . . . Enlighten us about (the meaning of a dream in
which) seven fat cows were being devoured by seven emaciated ones, and seven
green ears (of wheat) appeared by next to (seven) others (Khudhrin wa
ukhara) that were withered....." (Qur’an 12:46) In view of the above, it can be construed from the ayah 3:7
that all the ayaat of the Qur'an are muhkam and all its ayaat
are mutashabih as well. It is also to be noted that in ayah 11:1 the Qur'an
itself has claimed that all its ayaat are muhkam. "This (the Qur’an) is a Book whose ayaat are
fundamental (of established meaning). . . .” (11:1) Similarly the Qur'an has declared that all its ayaat
are mutashabih. "Allah has revealed (the Qur'an) as the best discourse,
(in the form of a Book) Mutashabih (yet) repeating (its teaching in
manifold forms). . . ." (Qur’an 39:23) Thus it is clear that the words muhkam and mutashabih
have been used as two different qualities of the Qur'an as a whole. Ibn Habib Neshapuri
(d. 533/1139) subscribed to this view. He was however, of the opinion that some ayaat of the
Qur'an are similar to the other ayaat of the Qur'an itself. On the authority of the above ayaat (11:1 and 39:23)
Abdullah Yusuf Ali accepts the position that the whole of the Qur’an has both
‘muhkam’ and 'mutashabih' meanings, and that the division is not
between the ayaat.1 Shah Waliullah of Delhi has indicated that the commentators
have not provided a concise definition of 'mutashabih' which may be
acceptable to all the scholars and by which mutashabih may be
differentiated form ghair mutashabih. He further argued that if it is
accepted that if only the firmly grounded in knowledge can grasp the meaning
of mutashabihaat then it may be quite possible that one may accept an ayah
as mutashabih while another may not, for those who are firmly
grounded in knowledge may also differ in degrees. The meaning of word mutashabih requires to be
determined. Mutashabih etymologically, means comparable and consistent
with the other, having likeness or resemblance to the other. It is used for similarity between two separate
things. It is interesting to note
that wherever the word mutashabih is used in the Qur'an, it is
invariably and uniformly used to mean similar, alike or having
resemblance. Nowhere it is used to
denote ambiguous or figurative. Yet most of the English translators have
rendered the word mutashabihaat occurring in ayah 3:7 as
‘allegorical’ (Ahmed Ali, Dr. Aneesuddin, Muhammad Asad, T.B. Irving, Dr.
Rashad Khalifa, Zafrulla Khan, Marmaduke Pickthall, M.H. Shakir, Mahmud
Zayid) ambiguous (Arberry, Imadul Mulk, N.J. Dawood, Abul A’la Mawdudi,
Palmer, M.A.K. Pathan). ‘figurative’ (Abul Fazl, Mawlana Azad, Dr. Latif) not
entirely clear (Abdullah Yusuf Ali) and consimilar (open to various
interpretations) (Abdul Majid Daryabadi). Only Dr. Hashim Amir Ali, has rendered mutashabihaat
as facsimiles (of former scriptures).1 If the word ayaat
occurring in ayah 3:7 is not taken in its restricted meaning as ayaat
of the Qur'an and if it is interpreted as 'messages' it becomes very clear
that ayaat mutashabihaat are those ayaat of the Qur'an which
are similar to the ayaat of earlier Books or earlier messages. One interpretation of the word mutashabih offered by
some exegetes and generally accepted is that the mutashabih ayaat are
figurative and allegorical. The underlying
meaning of these ayaat are not known to anyone except Allah. One should have faith in these ayaat. These are, however, not to be made a basis
for arguments. According to them mutashabihaat refer to figurative
language. No words exist in the human vocabulary which either express or
portray the truth which lie beyond the range of human conception. According to them the Qur'an has employed
figurative language in relation to metaphysical matters like nature and
attributes of Allah, life after death, angels etc. Sayyid Abul A'la Mawdudi (d. 1399/1979) and Muhammad Asad,
among others, have subscribed to this view. It is an undeniable fact that the Qur'an has frequently
resorted to figurative language and allegorical expressions. The metaphorical
method is used to convey ideas, which are otherwise beyond human
understanding. To quote these obvious details for the purpose of explaining
the meaning of a simple word mutashabihaat is not correct. The word mutashabihaat
has no etymological connection with figurative language. Moreover figurative
language by any stretch of imagination cannot be considered as ambiguous.
Once it is determined that a particular figure of speech is employed the
meaning becomes obvious. In fact
figures of speech in a higher form of literature are used to convey the ideas
in a perfect way. Moreover according to ayah 39:23 all the ayaat
of the Qur'an are mutashabih.
Since the entire Qur'an is not covered by figurative language, it
cannot be accepted that mutashabihaat means figurative and
allegorical. The phrase matashabih minhu used in ayah 3:7 is
crucial. It is mentioned in the ayah that those in whose hearts is
perversity follow matashabih minhu.
In Arabic if 'A' is similar to 'B' then 'B' will be called' ma
tashabih minhu. If mutashabih is interpreted as figurative, the
question remains as to how matashabih minhu would be interpreted. If ayaat
mutashabihaat are considered as ayaat of the Qur’an which are
similar to the ayaat of earlier Books then matashabih minhu can
be interpreted as the ayaat of earlier Books. The Qur'an says that those who have
leanings (not perversity), continue to follow the earlier Books. The fact that the ayaat of the Qur'an are similar to
those of earlier Books is in accordance with the repeated declarations of the
Qur'an that it is not the first or the only Book from Allah: “.... It is He who has bestowed from on
high the Taurat and the Injil, before this as a guidance into
mankind and it is He who has now bestowed the Furqan (the Qur'an) ...”
(Qur'an 3:3 and 4) The Qur'an also declares: "And verily, (the essence of) this (revelation) is
indeed found in the ancient books of divine wisdom (as well) ". (Qur'an
26:196) " (And as for you O Prophet,) nothing is being said to
you but what was said to all (of Allah's) apostles before your time..."
(Qur'an 41:43) " Verily, (all)
this has indeed been (said) in the earlier revelations – the revelations of
Ibrahim and Musa." (Qur'an 87:18 and 19) The same fact is reiterated in ayah 3:7 and the
similarity with the earlier Books is shown as the significant quality of the
Qur'an. The generally believed view counters the declaration of the
Qur'an that its teachings are very clear: "These are messages of revelation of a discourse clear
in itself and clearly showing the truth" (Qur'an 15:1 and 27:1) The fact that its message is clear is so much emphasized in
the Qur'an that it swears by it: "By the Book (which is) clear (mubeen) "
(Qur'an 43:1)
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