Why Are Quranic Verses Divided into Muhkam and Mutashabih?
Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa
Question
Why are the verses of the Quran divided into precise (Muhkam) and elusive (Mutashabih), and how is Muhkam distinguished from Mutashabih?
Answer
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and upon his family and companions.
The Quran has indicated some of the judgments and secrets underlying the occurrence of the Muhkam (clear) and Mutashabih (ambiguous) in the Quran when Allah (Most High) said:
“He is the One Who has revealed to you (O Prophet) the Book, of which some verses are precise—they are the foundation of the Book—while others are elusive. Those with deviant hearts follow the elusive verses seeking (to spread) doubt through their (false) interpretations—but none grasps their (full) meaning except Allah. As for those well-grounded in knowledge, they say, ‘We believe in this (Quran)—it is all from our Lord.’ But none will be mindful (of this) except people of reason.” [Quran, 3:7]
This Quranic text contains many judgments regarding the occurrence of the Muhkam and Mutashabih, and the scholars have mentioned among them:
- Allah (Most High) challenged the Arabs with the Quran, as it was their pride and leadership in eloquence, rhetoric, conciseness, elaboration, metaphors, and all the other linguistic arts, and thus the Quran also encompassed these arts.
- Allah (Most High) revealed the Mutashabih as a test for the believer, so that they may reflect upon it and return to their knowledgeable ones, thereby increasing their rewards, while causing the hypocrite to doubt, thus deserving punishment (a test for the wise).
- Allah (Most High) revealed the Mutashabih to occupy the hearts of the believers, engage their faculties, consume their efforts, and cause their time and lifespans to be spent in seeking it so they would attain the rewards according to the hardships endured. Their influence on others would be such that they would work for their Lord as they did through prayers, fasting, a pilgrimage from their homes to a land they were not accustomed to except with great effort, and other acts of worship. Thus, the Mutashabih became a field where ideas and sciences were refined. [Zurqani, Manahil al-‘Irfan; ‘Itr, ‘Ulum al-Quran]
Detailed Answer
As you can see, above is the summarized answer. The detailed explanation will become clear when the intended meaning of the Muhkam and Mutashabih is elucidated, along with how scholars have differed in their explanation. Here is the detail:
Meaning
Based on the linguistic definition of the terms Muhkam and Mutashabih, we can understand the reason for using these terms in the Quran, and why the verses of the Quran are divided into Muhkam and Mutashabih.
So, in language, Muhkam means absolute precision, such as a solidly constructed building that is flawless and free from corruption. As for Mutashabih, it is derived from similarity, denoting resemblance between two or more things. Because similarity can lead to doubt, confusion, and ambiguity, the term “Mutashabih” was used to describe anything that appears obscure or intricate. [Zurqani, Manahil al-‘Irfan; ‘Itr, ‘Ulum al-Quran; Bagha, Wadhih fi ʻUlum al-Qur’an]
The seventh verse of Surat Ali Imran clarifies that the Quran contains both Muhkam and Mutashabih verses. 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). Those with deviant hearts follow the elusive verses seeking (to spread) doubt through their (false) interpretations—but none grasps their (full) meaning except Allah. As for those well-grounded in knowledge, they say, ‘We believe in this (Quran)—it is all from our Lord.’ But none will be mindful (of this) except people of reason.” [Quran, 3:7]
Examining this verse reveals the correspondence between the Muhkam and the Mutashabih, as well as the contrast between the knowledgeable and those with deviation in their hearts. This juxtaposition has led to various interpretations among scholars regarding the meaning of Muhkam and Mutashabih. However, their consensus is that:
“Muhkam refers to clear meanings that are unambiguous and not subject to doubt. Mutashabih, on the other hand, refers to verses with hidden or unclear meanings that lack a definitive indication of their interpretation.” [Barmawi, Fawa’id al-Sanniyya fi Sharh al-Alfiyya; ‘Itr, ‘Ulum al-Quran; Subhi, Mabahis fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]
Examples provided by scholars to illustrate Muhkam and Mutashabih include:
- Muhkam verses whose meanings are reasonable, such as the obligation of prayers and fasting in Ramadan.
- Muhkam verses are acted upon, unlike Mutashabih, which are believed but not acted upon.
- Muhkam verses with connected letters, while Al-Mutashabih has disjointed letters, as seen at the beginning of some chapters.
- Muhkam is the abrogator, while Mutashabih is abrogated. [Barmawi, Fawa’id al-Sanniyya fi Sharh al-Alfiyya; Zurqani, Manahil al-‘Irfan]
Since Mutashabih has obscurity in expressing its intended meaning, and due to the gravity of delving into it – being an inquiry into the words and attributes of Allah – and the disagreement among scholars regarding the correct interpretation of the seventh verse of Surat Ali Imran, where it is appropriate to pause – whether it is at the statement:
“But none grasps their (full) meaning except Allah (وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ)”
Or at:
“But none grasps their (full) meaning except Allah and those well-grounded in knowledge, saying, ‘We believe in this (Quran)—it is all from our Lord.’ (وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّنَا)”
Scholars have varied perspectives. Is it permissible for humans to know the interpretation of Mutashabih, or is it known only to Allah?
The First Opinion: Interpretable
A group of scholars, including Imam Ash‘ari, hold that the knowledgeable ones know the Mutashabih. They interpret the verse to mean that Allah’s statement, “And those well-grounded in knowledge,” is connected to His saying, “except Allah.” They also interpret “saying” in the verse as being in the status of adverbial qualification (حال), and they do not solely rely on the majestic name of Allah but rather on His saying, “It is all from our Lord.” The meaning is that Allah knows the interpretation, as do those firmly grounded in knowledge, as evidenced by their statement, “We believe in this (Quran)—it is all from our Lord.”
Thus, the verse indicates that only those firmly grounded in knowledge know its interpretation. Therefore, it is a condition for understanding the Mutashabih that the seeker should be among those firmly grounded in knowledge. [Barmawi, Fawa’id al-Sanniyya fi Sharh al-Alfiyya; Subhi, Mabahis fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]
Ibn al-Hajib justified the permissibility of the knowledgeable ones knowing the interpretation of the Mutashabih by saying,
“It is apparent because addressing what is not understood is far-fetched.” [Zarkashi, Tashnif al-Masami‘ bi Jam‘ al-Jawami‘; Iraqi, Ghayth al-Hamish Sharh Jam‘ al-Jawami‘]
Additionally, Imam Nawawi also said: “This is the most correct view because it is far from plausible that Allah would address His servants with something that no one among creation can comprehend. Our scholars and other researchers have agreed that it is impossible for Allah to speak about something that does not carry meaning.” [Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim]
The Second Opinion: Divine Exclusivity
Some scholars argued that only Allah knows the interpretation of the Mutashabih and supported this view with the same previous verse. They said: Allah’s statement, “But none grasps their (full) meaning except Allah,” marks the end of the preceding speech, and the pause in recitation is there. His saying, “As for those well-grounded in knowledge, they say,” is the subject of the sentence, and the phrase “say” is in the position of the predicate, meaning, “But none grasps their (full) meaning except Allah,” then it resumes… “As for those well-grounded in knowledge, they say, ‘We believe in this (Quran)—it is all from our Lord.’” Meaning that both the Muhkam and the Mutashabih are from our Lord, blessed and exalted, and we do not differentiate between them in faith and submission. Thus, the firmly grounded in knowledge have concluded their knowledge of interpreting the Quran by saying: “We believe in this (Quran)—it is all from our Lord.”
The Third Opinion: Middle-Ground Perspective
This is a middle-ground view mentioned by Raghib al-Asfahani, who divided the Mutashabih into three categories based on the possibility of understanding its meaning:
- A type for which there is no way to comprehend its meaning, like the timing of the Hour and the emergence of the beast, and similar matters;
- A type for which humans have some means to understand, like unfamiliar words and closed-off rulings;
- A type that is ambiguous to some but clear to others firmly grounded in knowledge. This is indicated by the saying of the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) to Ibn ‘Abbas: “O Allah, grant him understanding of the religion and teach him interpretation.” [Suyuti, al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran; Zurqani, Manahil al-‘Irfan; Subhi, Mabahis fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]
Our teacher, Shaykh Nur al-Din ‘Itr, supported this opinion, saying:
“Upon deeper examination of the subject from its origin and investigation of the premises of both sides, we find that they are converging, and the disagreement is not fundamental but rather a subsidiary one arising from their difference in the nature of the Mutashabih. Those who said that only Allah knows the interpretation of the Mutashabih included in it matters of the unseen, such as the Hour’s occurrence, the emergence of the Antichrist, and the realities of the other worlds. Some of them even limited the Mutashabih to these issues and similar ambiguous matters in the Quran. These are matters that Allah has reserved for His knowledge, and there is absolutely no disagreement among them about this fact. As for those who said that the firmly grounded in knowledge know the Mutashabih, they did not include these issues, so the matter remained within the realm of what this elite group of scholars and religious leaders can discuss.” [‘Itr, ‘Ulum al-Quran]
Understanding the Difference in Muhkam and Mutashabih
Regarding the differences in interpretation of the Muhkam and the Mutashabih:
1. Defining the intended meaning of interpretation or the extent to which it can be interpreted reveals the reasons for the differences. Interpretation can be understood in two ways:
- The true essence of a thing and what its matter is interpreted to… such as Allah’s saying, “Do they only await the fulfilment (of its warning)? The Day it will be fulfilled, those who ignored it before will say, ‘The messengers of our Lord certainly came with the truth.’” [Quran, 7:53], meaning the reality of what they were informed about regarding the Hereafter. If interpretation is meant in this sense, then the pause in recitation is at “except Allah” because only Allah knows the realities of things clearly.
- If interpretation means explanation and expression of something, like Allah‘s saying, “Inform us of its interpretation.” [Quran, 12:36], meaning its explanation, then the pause in recitation is valid at “those well-grounded in knowledge” because they understand and comprehend what they were preached with in this regard, even if they do not fully comprehend the realities of things as they are. [Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Ibn Kathir; ‘Itr, ‘Ulum al-Quran]
2. Some scholars argued that the disagreement in the matter is verbal. Those who said that the firmly grounded in knowledge know the interpretation of the Mutashabih meant that they know its apparent meaning, not its reality. Those who said that the Mutashabih is not known meant that its reality is not known, and it is only known to Allah. [Barmawi, Fawa’id al-Sanniyya fi Sharh al-Alfiyya]
3. Some scholars reconciled between the opinions, stating that Allah knows the details, while the firmly grounded in knowledge know it in general. [Ibid.]
4. The disagreement regarding “mutashabih” does not apply to the verses of legal rulings, as Professor Abu Ishaq stated, for there is nothing in them that is not clearly explained, and there is nothing in the Sunna that parallels it. [Ibid.]
Imam Ghazali also said in this regard: “The ambiguity in the verses that involve obligations is impossible.” [Zarkashi, al-Bahr al-Muhit]
5. We can say that the entire Quran is clear (muhkam), and all of it is ambiguous (mutashabih), if by its clarity we mean its mastery and the beauty of its composition, where there is no weakness in its words and meanings. In this sense, Allah revealed His noble saying:
“(This is) a Book whose verses are well perfected and then fully explained. (It is) from the One (Who is) All-Wise, All-Aware.” [Quran, 11:1]
Likewise, we can say that the entire Quran is ambiguous, if by its ambiguity we mean the similarity of its verses in eloquence and miraculous nature, and the difficulty in distinguishing between its parts. In this sense, Allah revealed His wise saying:
“(It is) Allah (Who) has sent down the best message—a Book of perfect consistency and repeated lessons—which causes the skin (and hearts) of those who fear their Lord to tremble,” [Quran, 39:23] [Barmawi, Fawa’id al-Sanniyya fi Sharh al-Alfiyya; Subhi, Mabahis fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]
6. From this disagreement regarding the clear and ambiguous, scholars diverged in the verses of attributes and complex hadiths: Should they be interpreted based on the fact that some firmly grounded in knowledge may understand the meaning? Or not, because Allah has reserved it, and it is possible that what is intended is different from what has been interpreted, so they advocate refraining from that? These two approaches are well-known. Many scholars favored the method of interpretation and manifesting it, due to the emergence of innovations and the confusion of some innovators among those with weak intellects, leading them to believe in the apparent meanings that clear evidence has proven impossible, and consensus from both sides on not intending the apparent meaning. [Barmawi, Fawa’id al-Sanniyya fi Sharh al-Alfiyya]
Author’s Note
The concealment of such matters from humans and their inability to access them diminishes their arrogance and lowers their pride, prompting them to say:
“Glory be to You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. You are truly the All-Knowing, All-Wise.” [Quran, 2:32]
May Allah send blessings upon our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and upon his family and companions.
And Allah (Most High) knows best.
[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa
[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa
