هُوَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ مِنۡهُ ءَايَٰتٞ مُّحۡكَمَٰتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَٰبِهَٰتٞۖ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمۡ زَيۡغٞ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَٰبَهَ مِنۡهُ ٱبۡتِغَآءَ ٱلۡفِتۡنَةِ وَٱبۡتِغَآءَ تَأۡوِيلِهِۦۖ وَمَا يَعۡلَمُ تَأۡوِيلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُۗ وَٱلرَّـٰسِخُونَ فِي ٱلۡعِلۡمِ يَقُولُونَ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ كُلّٞ مِّنۡ عِندِ رَبِّنَاۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّآ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ
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. As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them]. 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.” And no one will be reminded except those of understanding
- Allah divides His ayahs into:
- muhkamat : it is clear, there is no ambiguity in the ayah.
- mutasyabbihat : there is some ambiguity, you can interpret it in multiple ways, and you can’t say that they are both true, it is either one or the two.
- The majority of the Qur’an falls into the first category.
[! Example] There is no confusion about shirk. You cannot just do shirk on the side.
- But, we must know that there are some ayahs are unclear in the sense that there might be multiple understandings that come out of it and should you take the wrong understanding then you will be misguided.
- Those who have deviancy in their hearts, they look for the instructions that has a little possibility to mean a certain way that is suitable for them. Why? They want to make a trial (fitna) for the people. And they want a ta’wil (tafseer) that works for their evil.
[! Example] Grave worshippers won’t take the daleel of Surah Al-Fatihah because there is no place for them to move (in regards to Allah is the only one worthy of worship)
Rather, they go to the ayah in Surah Al-Kahf about the people building a masjid for the people of the cave1-5
إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ
It is You we worship and You we ask for help
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- What Allah only knows: is the outcome of how things will turn out and the complete encompassing knowledge of everything.
- What Allah and the scholars (who are grounded in knowledge) know: the tafseer of the ayah from the sahabah.
- How do they know which is true? They go where there is confusion and bring it back to the commands of Allah in which there is no confusion and ambiguity.
[! Example] We are confused whether it is okay to build a masjid over a grave as mentioned in Surah Al Kahf. Then we go to the ayah in Surah Al Jin. It is clear here that the masjids are only for Allah.
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[! Tip] Qaidah We understood what we are uncertain of in light of what we are certain of. This is Al-Qaidatul Uthzma fi Taamali Syubuhat (The Great Principle in dealing with Doubts (Syubhat))