(Definition of the Zahir and the Mujmal) or it is zahir in it, and this is with regard to its relation to understandings and minds, so it is a nass for one group and for others it is
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The Shaykh :"or it is zahir in it"
The zahir is that which is susceptible to two meanings, in one of which it is more apparent. Its rank is below that of the nass. It is zahir, but it is not a nass. It is less indicative than the nass. There is a mujmal in which the wording is susceptible to two meanings equally. This is a mujmal. So speech is divided into three categories: that which is not susceptible to anything but one meaning, so this is
The student: A nass
The Shaykh : Good. That which is susceptible to two meanings, in one of which it is more apparent, this is zahir. The most apparent is the zahir. That which is susceptible to two meanings equally, this is a mujmal that needs clarification. So the author clarified all of this. He said:
"or it is zahir in it, and this is with regard to its relation to understandings and minds"
He means, may Allah have mercy on him, that the zahir-ness and the nass-ness are according to understandings and minds. Then he clarified that.
"so it is a nass for one group, and for others it is the zahir of clarification"
He means that the same wording is a nass for one group, not susceptible to anything but one meaning, and it is zahir for another group, meaning it is susceptible to two meanings, in one of which it is more apparent. And there is a third group for whom it is a mujmal, and he will mention that. So you find now that muftis give you a fatwa; one man says, "The zahir, and Allah knows, is that this is permissible. The zahir is that it is permissible, due to the saying of the Exalted, such and such." So this man is understanding the nass, or understanding the evidence? Did he understand a nass or a zahir?
The student: He understood a zahir
The Shaykh : He understood a zahir. And another mufti comes to you and says, "This is haram, due to the saying of the Exalted, such and such." So this man is understanding the evidence; he understood a nass. And Allah gives His bounty to whom He wills. For many people, the evidence is clear to them as if it were explicit texts. For some people, it is zahir. And for some people, it is ambiguous; he cannot give you a ruling from any evidence because the evidence is ambiguous to him. He says:
"***and for others it is the zahir of clarification
And for others"
He means for others besides the first two groups
"and for others it is a mujmal, the intended meaning of which has not become clear to them with the clarity of explanation"
So he divided, may Allah have mercy on him, the people with regard to the evidence into three categories:
A group for whom the evidence is a nass, zahir, not susceptible to any other meaning
Another group for whom the evidence is zahir, with the possibility of a weaker meaning
A third group for whom it is a mujmal, in which the intended meaning is not clear.
The zahir is that which is susceptible to two meanings, in one of which it is more apparent. Its rank is below that of the nass. It is zahir, but it is not a nass. It is less indicative than the nass. There is a mujmal in which the wording is susceptible to two meanings equally. This is a mujmal. So speech is divided into three categories: that which is not susceptible to anything but one meaning, so this is
The student: A nass
The Shaykh : Good. That which is susceptible to two meanings, in one of which it is more apparent, this is zahir. The most apparent is the zahir. That which is susceptible to two meanings equally, this is a mujmal that needs clarification. So the author clarified all of this. He said:
"or it is zahir in it, and this is with regard to its relation to understandings and minds"
He means, may Allah have mercy on him, that the zahir-ness and the nass-ness are according to understandings and minds. Then he clarified that.
"so it is a nass for one group, and for others it is the zahir of clarification"
He means that the same wording is a nass for one group, not susceptible to anything but one meaning, and it is zahir for another group, meaning it is susceptible to two meanings, in one of which it is more apparent. And there is a third group for whom it is a mujmal, and he will mention that. So you find now that muftis give you a fatwa; one man says, "The zahir, and Allah knows, is that this is permissible. The zahir is that it is permissible, due to the saying of the Exalted, such and such." So this man is understanding the nass, or understanding the evidence? Did he understand a nass or a zahir?
The student: He understood a zahir
The Shaykh : He understood a zahir. And another mufti comes to you and says, "This is haram, due to the saying of the Exalted, such and such." So this man is understanding the evidence; he understood a nass. And Allah gives His bounty to whom He wills. For many people, the evidence is clear to them as if it were explicit texts. For some people, it is zahir. And for some people, it is ambiguous; he cannot give you a ruling from any evidence because the evidence is ambiguous to him. He says:
"***and for others it is the zahir of clarification
And for others"
He means for others besides the first two groups
"and for others it is a mujmal, the intended meaning of which has not become clear to them with the clarity of explanation"
So he divided, may Allah have mercy on him, the people with regard to the evidence into three categories:
A group for whom the evidence is a nass, zahir, not susceptible to any other meaning
Another group for whom the evidence is zahir, with the possibility of a weaker meaning
A third group for whom it is a mujmal, in which the intended meaning is not clear.