Continuation of the explanation of the verse: “It is He who has revealed to you the Book. In it are clear verses, which are the mother of the Book, and others are ambiguous…”

I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed. Allah the Exalted said: We have previously mentioned that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, explained that He divided the Qur'an into two categories: clear verses, meaning those whose meaning is obvious and not hidden from anyone, and secondly: ambiguous verses, in which there is obscurity in the indication, or contradiction between them and other verses, or other causes of ambiguity. As for these ambiguous verses, people are divided into two groups: a group in whose hearts is deviation, meaning a turning away from the truth. These people followed the ambiguous verses, and they began to bring forth the ambiguous verses to confuse people and seeking fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). That is meaning seeking its interpretation for what they desire, not for what Allah, Mighty and Majestic, desires. This is common among all the people of innovation, from the Rafidah (the Twelver Shi'ah), the Khawarij (an early sect that declared sinners disbelievers), the Mu'tazilah (a rationalist theological sect), the Jahmiyyah (a sect that denied the divine attributes), and others. All of them followed what is ambiguous in it. All of them followed what is ambiguous in it, but some did so to a lesser extent and others to a greater extent. These people follow the ambiguous verses for these two purposes, or for one of them. What are they? Seeking fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), which means blocking people from the religion of Allah, because fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) means blocking from the religion of Allah, as Allah the Exalted said: “They mislead them,” meaning they block them from the religion of Allah. Then, if they do not repent, they will have the punishment of Hellfire. Meaning seeking its interpretation for what they desire; they interpret it according to their intent, not according to the intent of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. We have previously mentioned that His saying: is not conjoined to His saying: because that would corrupt the meaning. Rather, “others” is a subject with its predicate omitted, meaning: “And from it are others that are ambiguous.” We mentioned a parallel to this, which is His saying, the Exalted: So, “happy” here is not conjoined to “unhappy,” because if it were conjoined to it, the division would be corrupted. But the intended meaning is: “Among them is an unhappy one, and among them is a happy one.” Similarly here: “From it are clear verses,” and “From it are others that are ambiguous.” Regarding ambiguity, we said that ambiguity in meaning occurs when the meaning is not clear, or ambiguity in the apparent, where one thinks that the Qur'an contradicts itself. We mentioned examples of this previously.
The student: What did we mention, Shaykh?

The Shaykh : How did we mention it? We mentioned examples and answered them. We said: It is absolutely impossible for there to be any contradiction in the Qur'an, absolutely not. This is because Allah says: meaning, since it is from Allah, there is no contradiction in it; rather, its parts confirm one another. But the contradiction that some people perceive is either due to a deficiency in knowledge, or a deficiency in understanding, that is two, or a lack of reflection, that is three, or a bad assumption, in that they assume that the Qur'an contradicts itself. If they hold this assumption, they are not granted success in reconciling the texts, and they are deprived of the good, because they assumed what is not befitting the Qur'an. So these are the causes of the assumption of contradiction among those who assume contradiction. Are there four causes? What are they? Deficiency in knowledge, or deficiency in understanding, or lack of reflection, or bad intention. If any of these four things is present, then ambiguity occurs. As for the one to whom Allah has given knowledge and understanding, and good intention, the fourth, and good assumption, then no contradiction occurs for him in the Noble Qur'an, because he has perfection in knowledge, perfection in understanding, diligence in reflection, and good intention and purpose. So he is granted success; Allah the Exalted grants him success, and he knows how to reconcile what appears contradictory, or how to recognize that this is ambiguous.