Verse 3:7 - Alternative understanding of the word "mutashābihātun"
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Salam aleykoum,
The term "mutashābihātun" is translated in different ways
- allegorical
- elusive
- ambiguous
- not entirely clear
- unspecific
- methaphoric
- various interpretations / multiple meanings
etc...
However, the Qur'an defines itself as a "Written/kitâb whose verses are made explicit", S11.V1.
This essential aspect of divine communication is repeatedly emphasized nothing tortuous/'iwaj, S18.V1; nothing dubious S2.V2; nothing contradictive/ikhtilâf, S4.V82. On the contrary, it is said to be an explicit book/mubîn, S12.V1, in a clear language/mubîn, S26.V195.
The term mutashâbihât is the plural feminine past participle of the form VI tashâbaha meaning to resemble each other and hence to be easily confused. Dictionaries therefore give for mutashâbih the meaning of resembling, a meaning that we find indisputably in six verses of the Qur'an S2.V70; S2.V118; S6.V99; S6.V141; S13.V16; S39.V23. But, in our verse, this meaning cannot be retained, because one does not see what interest would have those who "have in their heart an inclination towards straying" to want to "find an interpretation" to the verses which are similar since the interpretation of one would necessarily be similar to the interpretation of the other!
Given all these data, a possible plausible explanation is the following these verses of the Qur'an called mutashâbihât are not equivocal in themselves, but according to a meaning of the participle mutashâbihât would only seem to be equivocal
=> ....while some would seem equivocal/mutashâbihât".
This meaning is in accordance with the rules governing verbal derivation in Arabic. Indeed, the form VI can express the fact of pretending to and, as the root shabaha means to compare one to the other, one obtains for the past participle mutashâbih which seems to be similar, so here which seems to be equivocalPeace be upon you.
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Salam!
Agreed.
Peace! -
Salam!
Agreed.
Peace!Peace be with you TellMeTheTruth,
In the future, with God's help and if He permits it, I will publish the detailed structural composition of the passage in which is located the verse 37, too often unfortunately isolated from its scriptural and historical context.
In the meantime, it is interesting to bring together verses S3.V7 and S3.V19-20
In truth, debt obligation in relation to God is complete self-abandonment.
Those to whom the Holy Writing was given did not differ until after the Holy Knowledge had come to them, out of rivalry among them.
And whoever denies the clear signs of God, let him know that God is swift in reckoning.
And if they dispute with You, answer them, "I have surrendered my whole being to God thus those who followed me."Best regards,
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Salam!
Yes, you are right. Will be waiting for further details.
Peace! -
Format and Organization
Miscellany of Grand Qur’ān
http//haqeeqat.pk/FacilitatorByMetaphors.htm
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this subject - a big and deep analysis as usual ; even if we don't share the same uderstanding at this time.
To meditate.
Just one question for now How do you consistently link or not verse 37 with verses 111 and 3923 ? -
The meaning of Mutashbehat that would fit in all occurrences of this word in Quran is 'Similar'.
As Sura Al-Imran Ayat 7 (37) states, the Quranic Ayahs can be considered to be of two broad categories. Ones which contain Hukum or orders and others which are termed as mutashabehat or Similar ones. The mutashabehat Ayahs are further defined in 3923 to be written ones, similar ones and repeated ones. So mutashabehat Ayats are those which are similar to one another and are repeated in Quran. They are not ambiguous Ayahs containing confusions or abstractions, as some translations suggest. Mutashabeha means 'similar' in Quran such as Ayats 699 and 6141 suggest, when they mention similar fruits.
The Ayat 37 states that the people who have crookedness in their hearts they follow what is similar to the Ayahs and Al-Quran. Please carefully note that this Ayat states that these people do not follow the mutashabehat or Similar Ayahs, instead they follow what is similar to these mutashabehat Ayats. Practically we observe that in many lectures on Quranic topics, the lecturer will read an Ayat or few Ayahs from Al-Quran but then he will tell details related to these Ayahs from other books. The story being told will have some resemblance to the narration in these Ayajs but it will not be purely from Quran. People who are fascinated with these stories which have some resemblance with Quranic Ayahs, are said to be those who have crookedness in their hearts.
Those people with crookedness in their hearts will have fascination with these stories and in order to find Taweel or details they follow what would seem similar to the Quran. But those people who are established in Knowledge, they believe in all Ayahs of Quran and they do not seek fascination in finding Taweels of similar and repeated Ayats. they know that the details are only known to Allah, so nobody, no matter how great they are considered by people, would know the Taweel or interpretation. The Tafseers written by so called great scholars of yore, are just their personal opinions and beliefs.
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Salam!
Good. However, please note that two similar may cause some confusions as in case of twin children, even their own parents face some problems. So this meaning cannot be ignored. However, need to work more on this.I think these mutashabehat ayahs also include those ayahs which are used in AQ as examples or similitudes.
Peace!
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Salam,
Thanks for your contriubtions.
Context and linguistics is very important to understand a word in the great Quran
(1) Dictionary (extract from Mazhar's study)
"inf. n. تَشْبِيهٌ, He made it to be like it, or to resemble it; he assimilated it to it; . مَثَّلَهُ شَبَّهَتُ الشَّىْءَ بِالشَّىْءِ I put the thing in the place, or predicament, of the thing, by reason of an attribute connecting them ; which attribute may be real and ideal; real as when one says, “ this dirhem is like this dirhem, ” and “ this blackness is like this blackness; ” and ideal as when one says, “ Zeyd is like the lion ” or “ like the ass ” i. e. in his strength or his stupidity,....
6 تَشَابُهٌ signifies The being equal, or uniform; syn. اِسْتِوَآءٌ
تَشَابَهَا They resembled each other so that they became confounded, or confused, or dubious.
And مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ Things like, or resembling, one another."
(2) Form (vi) can also express pretending to
"
17 (h) . The agent or subject shows you that he is in a state that he is not in. (pretending, feigning etc.)
(k)(n)(a) . The agent showing to possess the quality indicated in the root or the quality or thing indicated in the root or word from the same root that is neither there, nor actually wanted by the agent, nor a quality deemed recommended or liked for possession etc.
"
(http//revivearabic.blogspot.com/2016/07/arabic-verbform-vi-6-tafaa3ala.html#~text=Arabic%20Verb%20Form%20VI%20is,of%20some%20quality%20or%20thing.&text=Arabic%20Verb%20Form%20VI%20is%20%D9%85%D9%8F%D8%B7%D9%8E%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%90%D8%B9%20of%20Arabic%20Verb%20Form,becomes%20reflexive%20in%20Form%20VI.)(3) intertextuality
111 = kkitābun/a writing uḥ'kimat āyātuhu/its Verses
3923 = kitāban/a writing mutashābihan
=> In the same time 2 qualities, not separated (no word like "some.."The Ayat 37 states that the people who have crookedness in their hearts they follow what is similar to the Ayahs and Al-Quran. Please carefully note that this Ayat states that these people do not follow the mutashabehat or Similar Ayahs, instead they follow what is similar to these mutashabehat Ayats. Practically we observe that in many lectures on Quranic topics, the lecturer will read an Ayat or few Ayahs from Al-Quran but then he will tell details related to these Ayahs from other books.
=> Wrong " they follow what is tashābaha min'hu/of it,"
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Salam!
Dear Iyyaka! As per my knowledge کتب kitabun means a writing/an instruction while کتابا kitaban may mean some/a few writings or instructions.
Moreover, the word من min means 'from/within' so منہ minhu would mean 'from/within it (the Quran) '.
Rest, I agree that the meaning 'similar' or 'resembling' fits far better than the traditional meanings and it clears words of a few more ayats. For example, یضل بہ in 226
Peace! -
Salam TellMeTheTruth,
Dear Iyyaka! As per my knowledge کتب kitabun means a writing/an instruction while کتابا kitaban may mean some/a few writings or instructions.
- Nominative case = đamma (u)
- Accusative case = Fatħa (a)
Moreover, the word من min means 'from/within' so منہ minhu would mean 'from/within it (the Quran) '.
- You're right - bad translation from me. Thanks. "From" is generally used to express that something originates from something else
Rest, I agree that the meaning 'similar' or 'resembling' fits far better than the traditional meanings and it clears words of a few more ayats. For example, یضل بہ in 226
Peace!- Yes - the real debate in question is summary in (373 Kullun/all or not Kullun/all is from our Lord-master ? analogical/mathal (in 226) verses or not...
Peace
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this subject - a big and deep analysis as usual ; even if we don't share the same uderstanding at this time.
To meditate.
Just one question for now How do you consistently link or not verse 37 with verses 111 and 3923 ?The passive verb used in 111 is the source of Mohkamatun. It is explained in the linked article.
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Salam aleykoum,
The term "mutashābihātun" is translated in different ways
- allegorical
- elusive
- ambiguous
- not entirely clear
- unspecific
- methaphoric
- various interpretations / multiple meanings
etc...
However, the Qur'an defines itself as a "Written/kitâb whose verses are made explicit", S11.V1.
This essential aspect of divine communication is repeatedly emphasized nothing tortuous/'iwaj, S18.V1; nothing dubious S2.V2; nothing contradictive/ikhtilâf, S4.V82. On the contrary, it is said to be an explicit book/mubîn, S12.V1, in a clear language/mubîn, S26.V195.
Pardon me guys. I brought up the verse before at a time when I was fanatically researching and writing about laws that literally were of the style God is talking about in it. I feel like an idiot for not seeing the connection.
The thing is that the fair basics of laws are universal and never went through any change. This means mutashābihātun is what policy and law designers would call the Ambiguity Law
Ambiguity means vagueness or uncertainty of meaning, the possibility of interpreting an expression in two or more distinct ways. In the context of statutory interpretation, ambiguity is used to indicate the doubt a judge must entertain before s/he can search for or apply a secondary meaning. In ordinary language it is often confined to situations in which the same word is capable of two different meanings.https//definitions.uslegal.com/a/ambiguity/
It makes sense for God to add them in Quran. How else to make it ever green? )
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Salam reel!
How would you take 1094 then?