What is the interpretation of the noble 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) with examples of the verses?
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The questioner : I ask for the interpretation of the noble verse: [Ali 'Imran 3:7]? With examples of both the clear verses and the ambiguous verses?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment:
His saying, Exalted is He:[Ali 'Imran 3:7], Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, divided the Noble Qur'an into two categories: clear (muhkam) and ambiguous (mutashabih).
The meaning of "clear" here is that which is evident and distinct, whose meaning is not hidden from anyone, such as the sky, the earth, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the animals, and the like. This is clear because there is no ambiguity in its meaning.
As for the ambiguous verses, they are those whose meaning is confusing and hidden from most people, and only those firmly grounded in knowledge know them. For example, some general verses that do not contain details, which are detailed by the Sunnah, such as His saying, Exalted is He:. The establishment of prayer is not known from this verse; what is known from this verse is only the obligation of establishing prayer, but how is it established?
This is known from another proof. The wisdom behind the Qur'an being revealed in these two ways is trial and testing, because whoever has deviation in his heart follows the ambiguous verses and remains in confusion about his affair. As for those firmly grounded in knowledge, they believe in all of it, both its ambiguous and its clear parts, and they know that it is from Allah and that there is no contradiction in it.
Among the examples of the ambiguous is the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He:[Al-An'am 6:23], along with His saying: [An-Nisa 4:42]. A person comes and says: This is contradictory! How can it say: , and then it is said about them: ? He strikes the verses against each other to throw people into confusion.
But those firmly grounded in knowledge say: All of it is from Allah, and there is no contradiction in the speech of Allah. They say: The Day of Resurrection is a day whose measure is fifty thousand years, so conditions change and transform; this verse applies to one state, and that verse applies to another state.
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
هو الذي أنزل عليك الكتاب منه آيات محكمات هن أم الكتاب وأخر متشابهاتThe Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment:
His saying, Exalted is He:
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
هو الذي أنزل عليك الكتاب منه آيات محكمات هن أم الكتاب وأخر متشابهاتThe meaning of "clear" here is that which is evident and distinct, whose meaning is not hidden from anyone, such as the sky, the earth, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the animals, and the like. This is clear because there is no ambiguity in its meaning.
As for the ambiguous verses, they are those whose meaning is confusing and hidden from most people, and only those firmly grounded in knowledge know them. For example, some general verses that do not contain details, which are detailed by the Sunnah, such as His saying, Exalted is He:
Establish prayer
أقيموا الصلاةThis is known from another proof. The wisdom behind the Qur'an being revealed in these two ways is trial and testing, because whoever has deviation in his heart follows the ambiguous verses and remains in confusion about his affair. As for those firmly grounded in knowledge, they believe in all of it, both its ambiguous and its clear parts, and they know that it is from Allah and that there is no contradiction in it.
Among the examples of the ambiguous is the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He:
Then there will be no [excuse upon] examination except they will say, "By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who associated."
ثم لم تكن فتنتهم إلا أن قالوا والله ربنا ما كنا مشركينThat Day, those who disbelieved and disobeyed the Messenger will wish they could be covered by the earth. And they will not conceal from Allah a [single] statement.
يومئذ يود الذين كفروا وعصوا الرسول لو تسوى بهم الأرض ولا يكتمون الله حديثاBy Allah, our Lord, we were not associating partners with Him
والله ربنا ما كنت مشركينThey will not conceal from Him any statement
لا يكتمون حديثاBut those firmly grounded in knowledge say: All of it is from Allah, and there is no contradiction in the speech of Allah. They say: The Day of Resurrection is a day whose measure is fifty thousand years, so conditions change and transform; this verse applies to one state, and that verse applies to another state.