The Quran is not a book of symbols

[Emre_1974tr]

The Quran repeatedly emphasizes that it contains clear verses

Surah Al-Ma'idah 15 O People of the Scripture! Our Messenger has come to you, clarifying much of what you used to hide from the Scripture and overlooking much. Surely, there has come to you a light from Allah and a clear Book.

Surah Yusuf 1 Alif, Lam, Ra. These are the verses of the clear and illuminating Book.

Surah Ash-Shu'ara 2 These are the verses of the Book that makes the truth clear.

The Quran is not a book of mysteries or symbols, but a clear book containing real and straightforward information that everyone can understand. This applies to all its verses. Because of this, we can read it directly as the sole source, without needing intermediaries or so-called holy individuals.

The Quran itself is also its own explainer. If you read the book as a whole and in its plain meaning, you will see that all the necessary details are provided

Surah Al-Baqarah 242 Allah thus explains His verses to you so that you may apply reason.

Surah Al-An'am 46 Say, "Tell me, if Allah were to take away your hearing and sight and seal your hearts, which god other than Allah could restore them to you?" See how We explain the verses in various ways, yet they still turn away.

Surah An-Nur 18 Allah makes His verses clear to you, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Surah Al-Baqarah 118 Those who lack knowledge say, "Why does Allah not speak to us or send us a sign?" The same was said by those before them. Their hearts are alike. We have made the signs clear for those who firmly believe.

Surah Al-Qiyamah

17. It is upon Us to collect it and recite it.

18. So when We recite it, follow its recitation.

19. Then it is upon Us to explain it.

A topic or expression in one surah may be explained immediately in that same surah, or it might be clarified in later surahs. Therefore, as we have said, reading the book as a whole is essential.

If the Quran's verses were not to be understood in their first and clear meanings, there wouldn't be much left of the religion. People could shape a religion according to their own preferences, believing in the verses they liked and declaring the ones they didn't as "symbolic." They would then assign their own invented meanings to these so-called symbolic verses and try to present them as religion. In other words, the book would lose its essence, and everyone would interpret the verses as they wished, creating their own religion. This would lead to a need for intermediaries or clergy to interpret the book.

However, thankfully, our Lord has sent His book in a form that everyone can understand with ease and clarity. The subjects in the verses are literal, and the Quran is complete in matters of religion.

In the meantime, let me address two points brought up by those who try to object to this

There are those who argue that the use of idiomatic expressions in the Quran means that some verses are not to be understood in their clear meaning. But in fact, these idioms are also used in their plain dictionary meaning and are easily understood by even a small child, with clarity shared by everyone. For example, when we say "the sun rises," everyone understands this means it is daytime. Again, there is no mystery or symbolism. Similarly, expressions like "Allah's hand" or "holding onto Allah's rope" are also used in their primary, literal sense.

Likewise, when we say "face darkening," it is an idiom used in its clear dictionary meaning.

Beyond this, if the Quran wants to explain something by likening it to something else, it does so clearly and gives the comparison itself. With expressions like "this is like that" or "an example of this is like that," the Quran shows both the metaphor and its explanation.

For example, in a verse where it says, "Do you know what the steep path is?" it explains that "the steep path is freeing a slave," thereby making the analogy between freeing a slave and a steep path clear. If there is a metaphor, it is always explained.

The City (Al-Balad)

11. But he has not attempted the steep path.

12. And what will make you understand what the steep path is?

13. It is to free a slave.

14, 15, 16. Or to feed on a day of severe hunger an orphan near of kin, or a poor person lying in the dust.

Let’s also give examples of other verses where metaphors are used

Surah Al-Baqarah 74
Then after that your hearts hardened and became like stones or even harder. For indeed, there are stones from which rivers gush forth, and there are some that split open and water comes out from them, and there are others that fall down for fear of Allah. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.

Surah Yunus 27
For those who have earned evil deeds, the reward will be the equivalent of their deeds. Humiliation will cover them. They will have no protector against Allah. Their faces will be covered, as if with pieces of the night’s darkness. They are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein forever.

Surah Al-Hajj 31
Being true to Allah, without associating partners with Him. Whoever associates others with Allah, it is as though he had fallen from the sky, and the birds snatch him up, or the wind carries him away to a far-off place.

Surah Al-Furqan 44
Do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are like cattle. Rather, they are even further astray in their way.

In these examples as well, it is clearly explained what is being compared to what. So again, there is no unknown or hidden symbol here. The verse provides direct information. The interpretation of these verses does not vary from person to person, as they are presented in a straightforward and primary sense.

Now, let’s address the verse that some people present as evidence to justify assigning symbolic meanings to verses in order to shape the religion to their liking

Surah Ali 'Imran 7
It is He who has sent down to you the Book; in it are verses that are precise (muhkam) – they are the foundation of the Book – and others that are ambiguous (mutashabih). As for those in whose hearts is deviation, they will follow that which is ambiguous, seeking discord and searching for its interpretation. But no one knows its true interpretation except Allah. And those firm in knowledge say, "We believe in it; all of it is from our Lord." But none will be reminded except those of understanding.

Those who wish to interpret the verses to their whims claim that this verse suggests some parts of the book are symbolic.

However, in reality, this verse does not say that some verses are metaphorical or symbolic, allowing one to believe in certain verses while rejecting others as symbolic. It is not saying that you can accept a verse where convenient and dismiss others as symbolic. THIS VERSE ALSO AFFIRMS THAT ALL VERSES ARE CLEAR AND PRIMARY IN MEANING. BUT IT ALSO MENTIONS THAT SOME VERSES, IN ADDITION TO THEIR PRIMARY CLEAR MEANING, HAVE SECONDARY AND TERTIARY MEANINGS, AND THAT DENIERS WILL REJECT THE CLEAR MEANING AND FOLLOW THE SYMBOLIC ONES.

If it were as the symbolists claim, there would be no source of truth left, and everyone would follow their own inventions.

All verses are to be understood in their clear, primary meaning. First, we must accept this and approach the book in its entirety. After that, we can engage in intellectual exercise regarding whether some verses have secondary or tertiary meanings beyond their clear, primary meaning. But we must first believe in the clear, primary meaning of these verses. Otherwise, the only one who knows whether a verse has meanings beyond its primary meaning, and what those meanings are, is Allah alone. Humans can only speculate that "this verse may also carry this additional meaning."

Unfortunately, today, many people, in an effort to have the values and teachings in their minds endorsed by the Book, deny the clear meaning of the verses and exhibit the sickness of assigning figurative meanings to them. Just like cherry-picking verses, this path is nothing but indirect or masked denial of the Quran's teachings. Some try to give symbolic meanings to concepts like Paradise and Hell, or to angels or jinn, thereby distorting the clear information provided in the verses. Through this method, they try to make things that exist appear non-existent and things that do not exist appear existent. By this approach, any book or teaching could be endorsed, because once something is declared symbolic, its words can be twisted in any direction.

Therefore, we will approach and read the Quran, our sole clear and straightforward religious source, in its obvious, primary meaning and as a whole. Then, the true Islam of the Quran will easily emerge, and religious understanding will not vary from person to person.

Peace and love.

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[JinnJinn]

The Quran is a book of symbols for AI in most questions. Oh yeah.
You are cherry-picking for sure with AI and you present what is pleasing to you similar to those numeric fellas who show what came their way to be positive and hide the negative. That’s cool, yeah. AI is not programmed with Evil. Evils need intents and intents fervent to revenge and AI cannot be evil while programmed to state what is existing facts. If AI is programmed against facts and science to lie then it is a human brain. Until then you shut the fk up of your AI. Most questions to AI regarding Heaven and Hell result in symbolism or referring to respective religious faith. Isn’t that funny rotfl ?