How Should Mutashabihat (Elusive) Verses be Interpreted?

Answered by Shaykh Bassem Itani

Question

Are the verses that mention Allah’s wrath, or forgetfulness, such as “They neglected Allah, so He neglected them,” among the mutashabihat (ambiguous verses)? And how should they be explained to the general public?

Answer

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his Family, and all his Companions.

Nothing like Him!

All Muslims agree that Allah (Most High) is far removed from any resemblance to human anger, which fluctuates with emotions, agitates the soul, and causes the blood to boil—these are attributes of created beings, and Allah is far exalted above them. Allah (Most High) says:

“There is nothing like Him, for He (alone) is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Quran, 42:11]

The meaning of Allah’s wrath in His saying, “not those You are displeased with, or those who are astray.” [Quran, 1:7], or “Allah is displeased (ghadiba) with them.” [Quran, 48:6], and similar verses, is that He inflicted His punishment upon them, either in this world or in the Hereafter.

Alternatively, it can be understood that Allah is described with wrath in a manner that befits His majesty, without ascribing any human-like qualities to Him. [See: Tabari, Tafsir al-Tabari]

All Muslims also agree that Allah is not characterized by forgetfulness, heedlessness, or sleep, and He is far removed from anything that implies deficiency. The Quran affirms this: “And your Lord is never forgetful” [Quran, 19:64], and also: “Allah! There is no god (worthy of worship) except Him, the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him.” [Quran, 2:255]

Precise and Elusive

The meaning of what is mentioned in the Quran, such as “They neglected Allah, so He neglected them.” [Quran, 9:67], or “And do not be like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves.” [Quran, 59:19], is that they neglected the duties that Allah had obligated upon them, so He caused them to forget their own interests in good deeds. [See: Tabari, Tafsir al-Tabari]

Allah (Most High) reciprocated their actions—when they abandoned obedience to Allah, He left them to themselves.

Regarding the wrath of Allah mentioned in the noble verses, it is indeed part of the mutashabihat (ambiguous verses). The mutashabih (elusive) verse is one whose meaning is unclear to people. Allah (Most High) says:

“He is the One Who has revealed to you (O Prophet) the Book, of which some verses are precise (muhkamat)—they are the foundation of the Book—while others are elusive (mutashabihat).” [Quran, 3:7]

The muhkam (precise) verse is the one that is unambiguous, and scholars agree that the mutashabih should be referred back to the muhkam.

Examples

Examples of mutashabihat verses include:

“The Most Compassionate, (Who is) established on the Throne.” [Quran, 20:5],

“Allah is displeased with them.” [Quran, 48:6],

“Surely those who pledge allegiance to you (O Prophet) are actually pledging allegiance to Allah. Allah’s Hand is over theirs.” [Quran, 48:10],

There are others that contain meanings that might resemble the Creator to the creation. All these verses are referred back to the clear text, such as His statement:

“There is nothing like Him, for He (alone) is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Quran, 42:11]

To affirm that Allah is above any likeness to His creation. This is a point of consensus among scholars.

Two Approaches

There are two approaches when dealing with mutashabihat verses:

The First Approach: Tafwid

This is the approach of the Salaf (the pious predecessors—Allah have mercy on them). They believed in the mutashabihat verses as they were revealed, affirming that their meanings are diverted from their apparent sense, and entrusted the knowledge of their true meanings to Allah, while fully maintaining the belief that Allah is far above any resemblance to His creation in terms of location, occurrence, or other attributes.

Thus, they would say that Allah’s “establishment” (istiwa’) is an establishment befitting His Majesty, which only He knows; it is not as conceived by human minds. They would affirm attributes like wrath and hand as they are mentioned, passing over the mutashabihat verses without likening, representing, or interpreting them, and without denying or explaining them.

The First Approach: Ta’wil

This is the approach of the Khalaf (later scholars). They asserted that the meanings of the mutashabihat verses are known and they interpreted them in a way that fits one of the possible meanings in the Arabic language, consistent with the context of the text.

For example, they interpret “establishment” (istiwa’) as dominion or control, “wrath” as the imposition of punishment on the disobedient or disbelievers, and “hand” as power, such that “the hand of Allah is over their hands” is interpreted as “the power of Allah is above their power.” They interpret the rest of the mutashabihat verses in this manner.

Summary

It is sufficient for a believing person to accept the mutashabihat verses and hadiths as the Salaf did, for this is safer for the heart and more steadfast for the mind. One should not delve into disputes and debates regarding them, as this was the way of the Salaf—Allah have mercy on them. The approach of the Khalaf should only be used when absolutely necessary, such as to refute doubts, clarify a misunderstood issue, prevent anthropomorphism, or in the case of doubt or similar circumstances. And Allah knows best.

May Allah keep us and your firm on the path of our righteous predecessors. He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing, the One who responds to supplications.

[Shaykh] Bassem Itani

Shaykh Dr. Bassem Hussayn Itani was born in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1965. He earned his Ph.D. in Islamic Studies in 2005. Among his mentors were Shaykh Muhammad Taha Sukkar, Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, Shaykh Mulla Abdul ‘Alim al-Zinki, Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri, Shaykh Abdul Razzaq al-Halabi, Shaykh Dr. Mustafa Dib al-Bugha, Shaykh Dr. Wahba al-Zuhayli, Dr. Muhammad al-Zuhayli, and others, may Allah have mercy on them all. 

Shaykh Itani has a rich background in both academic and administrative fields. He has held significant positions in many governmental and non-governmental institutions in Lebanon and abroad. This includes his role as a member of the Academic Committee at SeekersGuidance and a senior teacher with the free online global seminary.

From 2020 to 2021, he served as the Dean of the College of Da‘wa – University for Islamic Studies (Lebanon) – Postgraduate Studies. He was the Director of Dar Iqra for Islamic Sciences from 1998 to 2018. Shaykh Itani is a well-versed teacher in several academic subjects, including Fiqh, Usul, Aqida, and Tafsir. He has supervised and examined numerous Master’s and Doctoral theses at various universities and colleges in Lebanon.

His contributions to Islamic sciences are also evident in his writings and research. His notable works include “The Relied-upon Statements of Imam Zufar in the Hanafi School,” “Collective Ijtihad: The Sublimity of Thought in the 21st Century,” and “Custom and its Impact in Islamic Jurisprudence.” Shaykh Itani has actively participated in numerous scientific conferences and seminars, both in Lebanon and internationally. He is linguistically adept, excelling in Arabic, proficient in French, and comfortably conversant in English.