MEEZAN - Preamble - Part 31 - Principles of Understanding Quran - Javed Ahmed Ghamidi

Meezan - Tadabbur-e Quran
(Understanding the Quran)

Meezan and Furqan, Muhkam and
Mutashaabih. Lecture. 16 A. 03-05-2002

Scholar. Javed Ahmed Ghamidi

[Javed Ahmed Ghamidi] Alhumdulillah
All Praise is due to Allah,

Peace and Blessings be upon His
Trustworthy Prophet Muhammad.

I seek refuge with Allah from the
accursed Satan.

In the name of Allah, Most Beneficent
and Ever Merciful.

Ladies and gentlemen,

what is the meaning of muhkam
and mutashaabih verses,

and when it is said that some verses of
the Quran are muhkam

and some are mutashaabih,

then does this have any affect on the
Quran being

a Meezan (scale) and Furqan
(separator of truth and falsehood)?

We have discussed about this
in detail.

The fundamental position in this was given
to two words, as I had said.

One was the meaning of mutashaabih,
and the second was the meaning of taweel.

I had said that the source of the mistake
occurred precisely in these two words.

What is the correct point of view in
this matter,

is also something we have already
studied.

There was only one last paragraph in this
topic which we had to read still.

After reading that, I will begin
with the next discussion.

In the verse of the Quran from which
people have mistakenly deduced

that no one can understand the meaning
of the mutashabihaat verses,

the Almighty does not say that no one
except Him

knows the meaning of the
mutashabihaat verses.

On the contrary, He says that no one
other than Allah knows the reality

of what is conveyed by these
verses.

So the mistake which has been made has
come from the word 'taweel'.

Because the word 'taweel' came to be
used in the later ages

to mean explanation, commentary,
or meaning.

As I had said, this is a meaning adopted
in the later ages.

So the word has come to be used in
this meaning in the later eras.

The word 'taweel' in reality is not
used to mean the things I mentioned.

In the Quran, this word has not been
used in just one place.

It has been used in many places.

One of the more prominent usages out
of those, I have quoted here.

But we will look at the other places
too where it has been used.

Since this is a very fundamental word,
and the whole misunderstanding has arisen

from it.
And by not understanding it correctly,

the matter has become so complex,
which we have already commented upon.

Therefore, we must have a look at the
uses of this word in the Quran.

In the Quran, this word has been
used

in the mention of the events related
to Joseph (AS) quite frequently.

And it has been used exactly in the
sense in which we use

the word 'haqeeqat' (reality) or
'taabiir' (interpretation).

When we say that I saw this
dream. We often say this right?

And we ask, what is its interpretation?

That does not imply the meaning
of the dream.

While narrating a dream, one uses
certain words right?

We say that we saw a river, in which
a boat was rowing.

I too was sitting in it and the boatman
was rowing the boat.

All of a sudden the rain started.

Then I saw that somehow, we had
reached the banks of the river.

Now this is the narration of
a dream.

Or for instance, the dream of
Syedna Abraham.

In which he mentioned before his son,
'Inni ara fil manami anni azbahuka'.

Which means that I see in a dream that
I am slaughtering you.

Now the words which have been used of
the Arabic language,

'Inni ara fil manaam', there is no issue
in understanding them.

These are clear words, 'Inni ara fil
manaam', is very clear Arabic.

'I see in a dream'. Just like we say it
in Urdu too, that I saw it in a dream.

'Anni azbahuka'. 'I am slaughtering you.'

The word 'slaughtering' too is very
intentional, we use it every day

and we are aware of its
meaning too.

Understanding this word too was not
at all difficult for Ishmael.

And even now when these words
are spoken,

there is no doubt about their
meaning.

But it is a dream, and when you will
relate this dream,

you will say,
'what is its interpretation?'

So its meaning is not a point of
debate; meanings belong to the words.

The word or the sentence which we choose
to express an issue or a matter,

there the debate is about the
meaning.

Meaning implies a discussion about what
'inni' means or what 'ara' means,

what 'manaam' means.
This is concerned with their meanings.

But to say that I have seen I am
floating down a river,

in this we know the meaning of the words
river, floating, and downstream as well.

But what is their reality? What is the
implication of what I have seen?

This reality or this interpretation of
the dream,

because in Surah Yusuf, as the people who
have read the Quran would know,

that dreams were continuously
coming under discussion.

A dream was seen by the King, another
was seen by Prophet Joseph,

after that his cellmates in the prison
also saw some dreams.

So the Surah is talking about a lot
of dreams.

You can see that the Quran has used
this word again and again.

Surah Yusuf is the twelfth Surah
of the Quran.

In its sixth verse, it says 'Wa kazaalika
yajtabeeka rabbuka

wa yu'allimuka min ta'weelil
ahaadees.'

'Wa yu'allimuka min ta'weelil
ahaadees.'

It means that your Lord will teach you
how to reach the truth of things.

It does not say that He will tell you
the meanings of the sentences.

When a narrative will be presented,
then what is the truth behind it,

that is what your Lord will teach you.
Or this is what God has taught you,

this is what you have learned
from Him.

So 'taweel' is used in the exact same
meaning in which we use the word 'reality'

Then at another place, this same word
has been used

where the King has narrated his dream
and has asked his Courtiers,

what do you have to say about my dream?

So there is no trouble for anyone in
understanding the words

which have been used in
that dream.

There are seven fat cows who are
being eaten, and there are ears of corn.

The dream which has been narrated,
there was no trouble in its meaning.

But see what he says in response. He says:
wa ma nahnu betaweelil ahlame be'aalameen

We are not scholars of the reality and
interpretations of dreams.

So it is that same word which has
been used here.

We are not learned in it, we are not aware
about the things that are seen in dreams

and what their reality is.

What do those things denote?
Or we can borrow the same word

which I had explained in my previous
lecture.

That it is not the meaning, but the
referent of the dream I have seen.

So what is it for which it stands
as a true testament?

What is it that would manifest
in reality from it?

So here too this word has
been used.

Then there is the famous dream of
Prophet Joseph,

which led to the whole incident of
Surah Yusuf.

He said, I dreamt of eleven stars, and the
sun and the moon, prostrating before me.

This was his dream, right? Now here, the
word used for 'eleven', 'ahada 'ashara',

no person fluent in the Arabic language
has any issue in grasping its meaning.

In fact even a student of the Arabic
language knows its meaning.

Or the statement that I dreamt of
eleven stars,

so the word used for stars in it,
i.e. 'kawkaba',

this too is understood easily
by everyone.

So there is no doubt in its meaning.

The words used for the sun and the moon
are also the ones prevalent in Arabic.

'Al shamsa wal qamar'. And after that,
'ra aytuhum lee sajideen',

this too is eloquent Arabic,
clear Arabic.

I dreamt that they were prostrating
before me.

I dreamt that they are bowing
to me.

So there is no difficulty in understanding
the meaning of these words.

But when the interpretation of this
dream was put before us,

when you read Surah Yusuf, towards the
end of it, its interpretation is revealed.

That event really comes true, that his
brothers and his parents,

they all bow their heads in reverence
to him, seeing his greatness and glory.

This incident has come at the end
of the Surah right?

Now at that point, he says to his
father,

'qala ya abati haaza taweelu
ru'yaaya min qabl.'

'O my dear father! This is the
interpretation of that dream of mine.'

He does not say this is the meaning
of my dream.

The meaning was clear
even earlier.

This is the interpretation of my old
dream which has been revealed.

Then at another place too, Quran has
used this word.

In Surah Al-Kahf, which is the
eighteenth Surah.

In Surah Al-Kahf, that incident has been
narrated in which

Prophet Moses was travelling with a young
companion of his.

And in that journey, he was faced with
some mystifying incidents.

Which people have usually called the story
of Moses and Khizr.

So in that, Moses is looking
at the situation.

There is a boat going by, and Khizr
destroyed it.

When he saw a collapsed wall, even when
people of the tribe did not offer him food

he fixed that wall up. He saw a
young man, and killed him.

Now these incidents which have been
narrated here,

if you convey them in words, there is no
difficulty in understanding their meanings

But what is the reality behind them?

So there too, this same word has
been used in Surah al-Kahf.

When Prophet Moses kept asking
questions of Khizr,

and Khizr commanded him not to ask
him anything but only to watch,

but he did not stop asking, then Khizr
decided on parting ways with him.

'Haza firaqu bainee wa bainak.' Because
you could not be patient,

so we must part ways.
At that point he further added,

'sa unabi 'uka bitaweeli ma lam
tastati' 'alaihi sabraa.'

Now I will inform you of the
interpretation of that

about which you could not
have patience.

So the Quran has again used the
word 'taweel'.

It means what is the reality of
the incidents.

So here again that word
was used.

After that, when he had narrated
the whole explanation,

he said, 'zalika taaweelu ma lam tastati'
'alaihi sabra.'

This is the reality, or interpretation,
about which you could not have patience.

Now I have explained it to you.

Similarly, this word has been used at
other places in the Quran as well.

And you will see that it is used each
time in this same meaning.

The word 'taweel' came to be used
to imply 'meaning' later on.

As I have said before, it happened much
later and it is a later meaning.

In the ancient Arabic language, in the
language of the Quran,

this word was actually used to mean
uncovering the true meaning of something,

to reach back into its source, and from
that it has come to be used now

to mean 'truth' and 'example'.

Hence in verses such as these, it is used
like 'zaalika ahsanu taaweela'.

There we translate it as, 'this is a
beautiful thing for what it led to'.

It means that the conclusion it arrives
at, that is its ultimate end.

We use the word in that sense too.

So as I had said, there are actually two
words who are fundamental in this case.

The whole error has actually arisen
because of these words.

The word 'mutashaabih', when going by
its conclusion the meaning that it gives,

and then the meaning which is then
ascribed to it,

people have adopted that meaning
for that word.

And this word 'taweel', was taken to
mean 'meaning'.

So the result of both these errors was
that the purport of the verse became,

that in the Quran there are some verses
whose meaning is ambiguous.

This was the inference drawn as a
result of the first error.

And the second error led to the conclusion
that their meaning is known only to Allah.

Naturally if this is the situation, then
that third objection is valid.

So I have already discussed about muhkam
and mutashaabih.

Now I have told you in what sense the
word 'taweel' is used.

In light of this, let us read the
following.

In the verse of the Quran from which
people have deduced the fact

that no one can understand the meaning
of the mutashabihaat verses,

the Almighty does not say that no one
except Him knows the meaning

of the mutashabihaat verses. On the
contrary, He says that

no one knows the reality of what is
conveyed by these verses.

So that is not what Allah said. He says
their reality is known only to Him.

When Allah says that in Paradise, you
will find such gardens

underneath which streams will be
flowing,

then in this we know the meaning of
a garden, of streams,

and there is no doubt in this verse
in terms of its meaning.

This is eloquent Arabic, clear
Arabic.

But what will those streams be like?

What will those gardens be like? The
reality of these is known only to Allah.

This stands true even today.
Yes, go on.

[Student] Hello.

[Ghamidi] I thought you are going
to strangle me.

[Student] These mutashabihaat verses
are those verses

which have been conveyed by drawing
parallels with some other thing.

But there are some other kinds of
verses which are harder.

Like it is said about Sulaiman (as) that
a mere body was cast on this throne.

What would we say about these
verses?

[Ghamidi] I have understood your
question.

What is the meaning of a difficult
verse?

It is possible that a scholar might have
been mistaken

in determining the intention
of a verse, that's all.

What is the meaning of a
difficult verse?

[Student] But we do not know
their reality.

[Ghamidi] That is dependent on what
is understood by the verse.

It is quite possible that a word was
used in a verse

which people had misunderstood.
The way we just discussed.

One is the mutashabihaat verses

And the other is what the verse
itself is conveying.

So here there was an error in
determining the meaning of mutashabihaat,

as well as in the meaning of
taweel.

So when you will correct and clarify
the meanings,

there would be no further difficulty
in this verse at all.

The verse there says, 'walqayna 'alaa
kursiyyihi jasada',

and when its correct meaning will be
conveyed, what its intention is,

what is being said therein, and that will
be conveyed based on

those same linguistic principles which are
needed to understand any good discourse.

So that verse is not difficult in itself.
It has been made difficult because

outwardly the supposed intent of that
verse does not make sense.

That difficulty had arisen here as well,
but you see it has been resolved.

So it does not mean the verse was
ambigious.

The verse in fact was very clear. There
was an error in determining its meaning.

And when that error occurred, did we go
back fourteen centuries to correct it?

The knowledge we have with us, based
on which argumentation is made,

it is based on that only that we have
deduced its correct meaning.

We took the word 'mutashaabih', and
delved into it to understand what it means

and how did it originate, in which sense
is it used?

And even in that we did not have
to look outside of the Quran,

for Quran itself has used it at different
places with such mastery,

that we have been able to establish
its intent and meaning.

The exact same situation you have seen
in the word 'taweel'.

We took the word 'taweel', and we pursued
it back through history,

so that its correct meaning can
be established.

When the meaning was clear, then this
verse, which was difficult before, right?

This became easy. So a difficult verse is
a relative thing.

One person is unable to understand
a verse. It becomes difficult for him.

If you find someone who can explain
it, then it would become easy.

This is relative. It is the same as
if you were to say,

I cannot understand this couplet
by Ghalib at all.

'Qumri kaf-e-khakistar o bulbul
qafas-e-rang

ai naala nishan-e-jigar-e-sokhta
kya hai?'

You tell me what is it?

'The ring-dove is just a handful of dust,
the nightingale merely a cage of colors,

O their mournful lament! Where is the mark
of their burning passion?'

So if this is explained to you, you will
be very impressed.

The difficulty or ease actually relate to
a person's knowledge and understanding,

and not to any complication within
the verse itself.

This couplet too is an extremely
simple one,

on the condition that one is aware of
the style in which Ghalib has written it.

And the words which have been used in it,
their correct meanings should be taken.

So do not call any verse difficult.
'Difficulty' is a relative attribute.

A couplet might be difficult for
one person,

a linguistic style might be difficult
for another,

but when a scholar explains these things
to them, it becomes absolutely clear.

So these kinds of verses of the Quran,
about which some people think that

they are difficult verses. Such as that
verse is there, in which it is said that

now you must put a patch of land
on the sky, 'summa li yaqta'.

Now that has become an issue
hasn't it?

What does 'summa li yaqta' mean?

But I can explain it to you as per the
common Arabic style.

After that you will say, there is no
easier verse than this!

But when one struggles with it, he
thinks it must be a very difficult one.

When one's liver burns with the pain
of separation, and one sighs and cries,

when a person's heart is aflame
with passion,

what happens then? He is consumed and
pained with love isn't he?

When his liver is consumed with
passion, this has happened inside him.

How would it manifest outwardly?

We saw that even the ring-dove is
also burning with passion,

as is the nightingale. Both of them
lament and sing mournfully.

This has been established, both of
them are burning in passion.

But that liver which is aflame, that
heart which is burning in anguish,

where is its scar? What is the mark
it has given?

There must be an outward mark
of it too right?

As we say, when the heart is crying,
the eyes reflect it.

So there must be some outward
sign of it.

So Ghalib says that I can't understand
that when both of them are burning in pain

but when I see them, then 'qumri
kaf-e-khakistar'.

It seems that the ring-dove
is just a handful of ashes.

If you have ever seen a ring-dove, it
is the same ashen color as dust.

'Bulbul qafas-e-rang'. And what is
the nightingale?

It appears to be a cage made out of
beautiful and colorful sticks.

'Ai naala nishan-e-jigar-e-sokhta
kya hai?'

So I can hear the lament, but O lament,
let me ask you,

that the liver that is burning inside, is
there a visible mark of it too?

And where is it? So there is nothing
difficult in the couplet per se.

But when I read it, you see I asked,
what is it?

So that 'what' is indicative of the
relative difficulty of the couplet.

This is why, thanks be to God there
is nothing difficult in this verse.

Why does the difficulty arise sometimes?
I will explain it later as we go on,

as to where do people face difficulty
in understanding the Quran.

Why do people struggle with it?

There are causes for that difficulty.

For instance, what did we just see
right now?

The word was in use in its
actual meaning too,

and it was also being used according
to the implication it reflected.

But it was the latter meaning which
was taken mistakenly.

And the first meaning was not
considered.

There was dominance of the latter
meaning on the word 'taweel'.

And since that one became dominant,
it created some dilemma.

But I have just presented before you
many verses,

where you see no dilemma or
difficulty.

The moment we see the word 'taweel',
we come to know what its true meaning is.

So this is why, put aside the idea of
it being difficult.

One thing is difficult for you, another
would be hard for me,

but it might not be difficult for
a third person, a scholar,

when he would explain it.

In fact it says that their reality is
not known to anyone but Allah.

The word used for that in the Quran
is 'taweel',

and it is used in the exact same meaning
as it has been used in Surah Yusuf.

'Qaala ya abati haaza taweelu ru'yaaya min
qablu qad ja'alaha Rabbee haqqa.'

The reason I have chosen this verse is
because it conveys the meaning clearly.

Prophet Joseph's dream has been narrated
at the beginning of the Surah.

After that comes the event in which his
eleven brothers and his parents

prostrate before him in
reverence.

At that moment he says, 'Father, this is
the meaning of that dream of mine,

my Lord has made it a reality.'

So the dream he had seen was real, but
at that time its reality was not clear.

Its interpretation was not known. It
was not clear what it really represented.

I think I had mentioned it
here before,

about the reality of the dreams.

Dreams are a very good example
of this issue,

the problem which is faced in the
mutashabihaat verses.

When something is conveyed in an
allegorical manner,

then naturally given that it is
mentioned in the style similitude,

then before its referent and reality
is revealed,

it is hard to say categorically what
its reality is.

Just like I had told you about the
blessings of the Paradise,

that they have been mentioned in the
Quran through similitudes.

So the blessings of our world have been
pointed at, and by comparison with them,

the blessings of Paradise have been
traced to some extent.

Now when their reality will be
revealed to us,

every one of us will say, and may every
one have the good fortune of seeing them,

then all of us will say that yes, this is
that same thing

the form of which we had been shown
in the world here.

In fact, our great esteemed teacher
Amin Ahsan Islahi,

took that famous verse 'haaz allazee
ruziqnaa min qablu

wa utoo bihee mutashaabihaa'.
and interpreted it as this only,

that when those blessings will be
revealed,

they will be similar to the picture that
is painted of them in this world.

So people will say upon looking at them
that haaz allazee ruziqnaa min qablu'.

We have been given a flavor of them
earlier itself,

that is, in this world itself.

I am not debating right now about whether
this interpretation is correct or not.

But it says that this will be the
situation with every human being.

Whether this is what has been said in
this verse or not is a separate issue.

But the situation there will be
exactly like this.

I think I had told you about the
dream of Syeda.

The dream of Syeda Ayesha. She told her
father Abu Bakr Siddiq (RA),

that I have seen a beautiful dream.
He asked her what it was.

She replied that I saw in a dream that
in my room, in my lap,

three moons have descended.

I am sitting in my room, and three moons
have come down in my lap.

So her father asked her, what do you
think is the interpretation of this dream?

She replied that I think I will bear three
sons by the Prophet (pbuh).

Now this is seems a very plausible
understanding of the dream.

Three moons have descended.

Syedna Abu Bakr Siddiq heard this, and
smiled and remained silent.

When the Prophet (pbuh) died and he
was buried in Ayesha's room,

and after the funeral Abu Bakr
told her,

this is your first moon that has
descended in your room.

So you see what the reality of that
dream was.

But from the words, a different conception
was being conveyed of that dream.

So this is a very good example of how
a reality is conveyed before us

in an allegorical style, and from that we
conceive of an idea.

We create an imagination of a blessings
of Paradise, right?

If you ever notice, when one reads the
Quran, an image in created in our minds.

You may create as glorious an image as
you possibly can,

it nevertheless would find resemblance
from this world itself.

But when its reality would be unveiled
for us,

it is possible ours would be the same
condition as happened with Syeda Ayesha.

But you see that soon as the reality of
her dream was revealed,

then those words which she said, that
three moons have descended in my room,

it is not that those words do not conform
to this interpretation.

They would conform to the other assumed
meaning and they fulfill this meaning too.

So had the reality been what she imagined,
the words would conform to it then too.

Now that this was the reality, even then
the words satisfy the interpretation.

So you must understand this. Hence
Prophet Joseph had at that point said,

'ya abati haaza taweelu ru'yaaya min
qablu qad ja'alaha Rabbee haqqa.'

Everyone knows the meanings of the words
in which this dream is stated in the Quran

So the words which the Quran has used
to convey this dream,

the dream upon which this comment
is being made,

there is no debate about its meanings.
Everyone can understand it.

Even an ordinary student of Arabic
language understands without any issue

the meaning of the Quranic verse in which
this dream is mentioned.

So with regards to its meaning, there is
absolutely no difficulty in it.

It is a simple phrase, a straightforward
sentence,

if you are taught some preliminary Arabic,
and this sentence is put before you,

you yourself will do the correct
translation.

So there is nothing difficult in its
language or expression.

It is a very simple sentence.

But what was the true manifestation of the
sun, the moon and the eleven stars

which Joseph saw bowing before
him?

When he was stating this dream, not by
any stretch of the imagination

could he have thought that one day the
brothers who, right now,

are trying to kill me and my esteemed
father, and my beloved mother,

they all would bow their heads before
me in reverence.

He could not have imagined this at
that time at all.

No person could have ascertained
this interpretation

till these words manifested
themselves in reality.

Even now if you think about it, Joseph
was only a young boy at that time,

he was the apple of his father's eye,
his father loved him deeply.

And his brothers envied him a little
as well.

But despite all of that, no one could have
imagined the way this dream manifested.

No one could have guessed it, that it
would come to pass this way.

These are the things the Quran
calls mutashaabih.

So the word mutashaabih which has been
used in the Quran,

has been used for these kinds
of verses.

One world which exists in our past,
Allah's world which was there

before this world of ours came
into being.

The Quran relates some facts about
that too.

And there is the world which
is unseen right now,

and then there is a world which
would be unveiled in the Hereafter.

The Quran refers to all three
by 'mutashaabih'.

It says that when we created Adam,
what were the conditions then,

and the Angels bowed to him and so on.
And whatever happened after that.

So there is no difficulty in understanding
the meanings of these verses.

But what are they referring to
in reality?

Those things will be known to us
only when we are able to observe them.

We can imagine somewhat about what
the Quran says,

that we released all the evil spirits and
then asked them, 'alastu birabbikum'.

There is no difficulty in these
words is there?

But what is the real referent and
manifestation of this,

how did this event come
to pass?

At this time, it is not possible
for us to even imagine it.

The few recent investigations and
discoveries which have happened,

they have made some things
possible to imagine to some extent.

But that is true only of a few
things.

We cannot say what is the reality of
the many things which will manifest.

These are the things the Quran
calls mutashaabih,

and as people contend, they do not mean
something which is ambiguous and vague.

Thus the mutashabihaat in no way undermine
the status of the Quran

as Furqan and Meezan. So the case
which I had to argue is this one.

That the Quran is a Meezan
and Furqan.

It conveys its intention which complete
clarity,

and nothing can make suspect the
meaning it wants to convey.

Nothing can have an affect
over it.

Some questions had been raised
about this aspect,

and one of those questions related
to muhkam and mutashaabih.

After discussing about this, I have
quoted that verse here.

This is the verse.

'Huwal lazee anzala 'alaikal Kitaaba minhu
Aayatum muhkamaatun hunna Ummul Kitaabi

wa ukharu Mutashaabihaat.' 'It is He who
has revealed to you the Book.

Some of its verses are muhkam, which
are the foundation of the Book.

And others are mutashaabih.'
So Allah says that

your focus should be on those verses in
which I have given the articles of faith,

the rules of etiquette, My Shariah, or
have given warnings,

they form the real foundation of
the Book.

The others only represent the outcome
of these.

Such as rewards and punishments.
Now these in themselves are muhkam.

A judgement will be given, and it will
have a Paradise which will have gardens

and streams of milk and honey
will flow.

These are the things about which only
a vague conception can be formed,

nothing more than that. Now it has
further commented on it.

'Fa'ammal lazeena fii quloobihim zaiyghun
fa yattabi'oona ma tashaabaha minh'.

Then those whose hearts are warped go
after the mutashaabih among them.

So their interest is not in those
realities which Quran brings to attention.

The interest of those people is, say,
in that Thuhar tree in Hell,

about what would it be like.

And this thing that is being said, that
when Judgement Day will come,

Allah will manifest Himself with eight
angels who will be carrying His throne.

So why only eight?
Why not nine?

You will say, who would ask such
a foolish question?

But there are lengthy debates about
this in our tradition.

People have filled books with these.

When a person uses his mind focusing
on the wrong thing,

that is what the Quran has commented
upon.

Then those whose hearts are warped go
after the mutashaabih among them.

And the Quran has given two reasons
for that.

One is to create dissension, so when
one has the wrong intentions.

A person wants to deviate from the
true teachings of the book.

He wants to make it a target of
ridicule.

He prefers to go towards those aspects
from where some discord may be created.

Hence we see that we too read
the Quran,

and oftentimes it happens that others
are reading too,

but the entire Quranic teaching will
be sidelined

and they would suddenly stop at a place
where they pick this kind of an issue.

So this is one reason. The second
reason is to know their reality.

So the second reason is that human
beings have a natural curiosity in them.

The Quran has given an example
for this too,

that when people asked about Allah's
revelation to His Prophet.

And he was Allah's Messenger.
This is among the muhkam things.

One can present evidence for this
based on knowledge and reasoning.

The question people asked was, what
exactly is this revelation?

Naturally this matter belongs to the
unseen world of Allah.

What is revelation?

How is that message communicated
and transferred to the Prophet?

Now we understand a lot more, many more
things about the Cosmos Allah has created

has been discovered and come into
our knowledge.

But this question was raised at the time.
'Yasalunaka 'anir Ruh'.

They ask, what is revelation? The reply
was 'Quli l ruhu min amri rabbi.'

That this is a command of your Lord,
it is issued by Him.

And after that it reaches the
Prophet.

And about that, the Quran has made a
beautiful comment.

After stating this and answering the
question, the Quran comments further,

'wa ma ooteetum minal 'ilmi
illa qaleela'.

Humankind has been given only a little
knowledge of it.

It is not as if you have been given the
ability to understand every thing.

This is what some enlightened people call
'laa adri nisful ilm'.

Half the wisdom is knowing that
you do not know.

This is not an ordinary statement.

It means you know the limits
of your knowledge.

You have come to know that I
do not know this.

That this is beyond my intellectual
capability.

I had briefly referred to it, and this is
not the place to get into this debate,

that in our tradition, all the debates
about philosophy and theology,

whether it is about free will and
determinism,

and many other ones such as the
attributes of God,

.... and attributes and their connection
with each other,

if put before you, you will wonder what
kind of things people wasted their time on

When all those debates are made clear,
some complex questions really do emerge.

For example, how do God's omnipotence and
omniscience both work at the same time?

Because if you believe in one, then
apparently you have to negate the other.

And if you believe the latter attribute,
you have to negate the first one.

So this is a complicated matter,
isn't it?

Where is the fallacy in this?

The mistake is that from our perspective,
if you try to understand this issue,

then we are able to understand both
free will and determinism.

But if you try and imagine it from Allah's
perspective, about how He works,

then this is something about which Allah
will again say

'wa ma ooteetum minal 'ilmi
illa qaleela'.

That is, it is very easy for human
beings to question things,

they can raise questions about
every thing.

But then they must know what
their limits are.

And you can see that the journey in human
knowledge from philosophy to science,

the fundamental step in it is
precisely this.

This was the concern of philosophy
for two thousand years,

the question, 'why does anything
exist?'

And it could not come up with any
answer for this

Ibaaraatuna shaqqa

Whichever way a person turned, he found
that the matter just became more complex.

Resolving one problem only created
another, and on it went.

After that, there came a great revolution
in the world.

And the most intelligent people of the
world said that the things we cannot know,

why should we waste our time
pursuing them?

We are putting aside the metaphysical
concern of 'why',

and we are starting with the question
of 'how'.

If you read the classical books
of science,

this will be the first sentence you
see therein.

Science began its journey when philosophy
was concerned with the 'why' of being,

and we realized that that cannot be
answered and put it aside,

and now we are looking at the question
of 'how' based on observation.

So when you delve into it, what exactly
is this first statement saying?

This is an acknowledgement of
one's limits.

And along with an admission of humility,
it is also a great knowledge discovery.

For now we came to know this is not
something that falls within human domain.

And soon as we left it aside, then Allah
gave us knowledge of numerous things

that were within our intellectual
capabilities.

So this is a turning point in the history
of human civilization, which began here.

And this same thing is the cause
of error in our understanding here,

for what people do is 'ibtegha alfitnati
waibtighaa taweelihi.'

Either their intention is not right, or
it is a natural curiosity,

to find out at any cost what the streams
of Paradise will look like.

They start pursuing it.
'Wama ya'lamu taweelahu illa Allah'.

Then it says, what is the situation
here?

The fact of the matter is that the
knowledge of these things

has not been given by Allah even to
any Messenger.

Only Allah has the knowledge of
these things.

Now after that, the next comment is,
'Warraasikhoona fil 'ilm'.

So those people ... naturally people
wanted to know the reality

mistakenly believing that it will increase
my knowledge.

The Quran said that no, here knowing and
accepting that you cannot know,

this is the purest form of knowledge.

Those people, 'Warraasikhoona
fil 'ilm'.

Those people who are sincere in their
knowledge, whose intellect is not shallow,

who are aware of the truth of knowledge,
who are conscious of their own limitations

and are aware of their intellectual
constraints,

what do they say? When they read this
verse, 'yaqooloona',

they say, 'aamannaa bihee'. That we
believe in these things.

So this is actually a details of the
fundamental truths.

It is one of its branches.
And this is not our concern.

This has been clear through rational and
logical arguments

that the Judgment Day must happen.
These are just its details.

Therefore we believe in them.
'Kullum min 'indi Rabbina.'

It is all from our Lord. 'Wa ma yazzakkaru
illaa ulul albaab.'

And it says that none will be mindful of
this except those Allah has given reason.

So if you see these two words, intellect
and knowledge,

and how the Quran has made them
a subject of concern and told us that

if a person possesses intellect and
reason, then what should be his attitude

about these things. And if he is constant
in his pursuit of knowledge,

then what should his
disposition be?

So this is what has been conveyed in
this verse.

Hence, if you see this you will know,
that in the world of religion,

whatever issues and discords have arisen,
have come up because of these two reasons.

Which the Quran has mentioned.
Either the urge to spread discord,

or to seek the reality
behind such things.

It is the most comprehensive commentary
on the entire religious life and knowledge

which the Quran has done here.

When religion is on its absolute correct
path, what does it do then?

It lays its foundations on categorical
and clear principles and rules.

What an eloquent response Imam Malik
had given

when he was asked that Allah says in the
Quran that He created the Earth and skies,

and after that He ascended His Throne
over the skies. He stood firm on it.

So Imam Malik was asked, what does it
mean? How did Allah ascend His Throne?

This does create a lot of questions
right? Does Allah have a material body?

Does He have a throne over which
He sits?

So Imam Malik replied, and it is
a very historic statement of his,

'al istawa maloom wal kayf majhool
Wal suwaal 'anhu bid'ah.'

The ascending of Allah upon His
Throne is known.

The Quran has told me this. What is the
nature and state of this? I do not know.

I am not aware. And to become too
inquisitive about it and to ask its nature

is akin to an blameworthy innovation
in the religion.

So this is the response of one of
our early righteous scholars.

But there was no adherence of it.

In our tradition, an entire sect of
scholastic philosophers which came up,

if you ever look at Imam Razi's
exegesis,

because we study it anyway whenever we
have to establish an opinion about a verse

so it seems that it is an entirely
different world in which one ventures.

It has these argumentations, these
debates.

And in the end there is his confession
which he made on his deathbed,

that in this matter, I read that God is
ascended upon his Throne.

This is his last sentence before he died
right? Which has been recorded.

And I also humbly accepted that there
is nothing equivalent to God.

'Laysaka misal'yi shay'.

And O people, testify to this that this
is my last confession before my death.

So what is this acknowledgement about?
It recognizes that

these are the things which are not
concerned with me.

To establish something like what would
be the stature or build

of the virgins of Paradise, what would
they be made of?

This is not my concern. My concern is
that Allah is telling me that

there would be a Judgement Day, and all
the blessings you can possibly imagine,

they would be given to you.

So understanding the meaning of a
verse is one thing,

and to pursue their real manifestation,
that is an entirely separate thing.

Is our time up?

[Student] We have ten minutes.
[Ghamidi] Ok ten more minutes.

So we have come to the end of
this debate.

And the verse of the Quran given
here, I have translated that too,

and I have told you how Allah is bringing
our attention to extraordinary things.

He is telling us what attitude we must
adopt as we approach the Quran.

Yes?
[Shehzad Saleem] My question is that

you said that the word 'taweel' in this
verse was taken in its later meaning

which became dominant among the
exegetes.

And its real meaning was sidelined. So can
we say with certainty that

the four epochs for instance which
Khateeb (al-Baghdadi) has listed out,

wherein he says that evidence will be
taken from the Arabic poetry.

Has there ever been any change in the
latter dominant meaning

after the pre-islamic period?
Or through that entire epoch?

[Ghamidi] In the literature of the
second and third centuries of Islam,

it began to be used in the sense of
'meaning' and 'commentary'.

And that too with some emphasis. And then
its usage increased as well.

In the literature of the second and
third centuries,

its usage in its actual meaning
started decreasing.

And the latter meaning gained
prominence.

[Saleem] The second question was that
the literal meaning of 'tashabah',

that is, to be similar to each other,
for instance it is used in the Quran,

'Kitaabam mutashabiham masaani'.
So does it imply the same meaning?

[Ghamidi] I have written a note here.
[Student] Like you have written here,

is it not used in its original meaning?
The other meaning, 'ambiguity',

is its necessary meaning.
[Ghamidi] It is as per the consequence.

[Student] Yes by virtue of the conclusion
it leads to.

This meaning of similarity, the meaning
of 'tashabah',

is it also its original meaning? Or is
this too a later one?

[Ghamidi] This is the original meaning.
To be similar is the actual meaning of it.

[Student] This meaning of being of the
same nature.

[Ghamidi] Yes, to be of the same nature
or to be similar. It is the same thing.

Being of the same nature is what
it means.

Having the same nature or being of
the same kind.

Like 'kund ham jins baa ham jins parvaaz'
(the birds of a feather flock together).

So to be a similar nature or of the
same kind,

all of us human beings are of the
same species.

But we still differ from each other.

In our human traits, we are all similar
to each other.

This is what it means.

Hence I have written here that the words
muhkam and mutashaabih

are used in this verse to refer to those
specific technical meanings

which we have already explained above.
So what the Quran has done is,

it has taken the words from their
actual meanings

and elevated them further.

And it has then used them in their
unique shades.

So in this way the words became
specific terminologies,

such as the mutashabihaat verses,
and muhkam verses.

And at certain places in the Quran, these
words have been used

in a different meaning too. The word
muhkam has been used

to connote concise and comprehensive
verses,

and the word mutashaabih means verses
which are similar to

and in harmony with one
another.

And since you have raised this question
and we have a few minutes left

and we will begin with the next topic
in the next session.

Let me also tell you here that the issues
faced in understanding the Quran,

like I just mentioned to you, that what
happens at times is that

a word is used in its real and
literal meaning.

When that word is used with that meaning,
it is altered into another meaning.

I had explained this word. I had told you
how this word 'tashaboh' was used.

Then, after that, there is an consequence
in meaning by virtue of its particular use

and after some time, that word begins
to be used as per that new meaning.

So this is how the word goes through
these different stages.

If a person is not entirely familiar
with that,

then at times he is mistaken in
understanding a verse.

Another difficulty with the Quran,
like I had referred to it,

that the latter meaning of the word is
the one that

becomes dominant in our minds.

That is, the meaning which that word
has now donned,

and is now used much more
prominently.

So I had given an example of this, that
both the kinds of things happen here.

One is that that word is now used by
us as a specific terminology.

An example of this is the word
'jihaad'.

Nowhere in the Quran is it used
purely in the meaning of 'fighting'.

Not at all. 'fighting' has been
called 'jihaad', yes,

but 'jihaad' has not been used to
mean 'fighting'.

There is a significant difference between
these two things.

For instance, you have gone into
the battleground for war.

So the word in Arabic for war
is 'qitaal'.

That is the word which will be
used for it.

But if you have to convey the spirit
of warfare,

if you have to use a word by virtue
of its purpose,

then you will say that this person is
striving exceptionally hard

to achieve his objective. And that can
be done in the arena of the battle too.

So earlier you mentioned a war, and then
the people who strive in such a way,

then here the word 'jihaad' has been
used for 'fighting (in war)',

but not to mean 'warfare' in itself!
This is what happens.

For instance, we had covered this
debate in the beginning,

that the word 'kitaab' is used
for example,

the word 'kitaab' has multiple
meanings.

When we go back to ancient classical
Arabic, we know it immediately.

After having gone through this
intellectual journey, we know

whether it is being used to mean
letters, or law.

And it is was so widely used to
mean law,

but now what has happened? The word
'kitaab' has come into our Urdu as well,

and it is there in the Persian
vocabulary too.

After its entire journey, today when one
reads the word 'kitaab' in the Quran,

he just thinks it means a book.

So the meaning that came in the later era,
has become dominant over the word for me.

This is how it happens. Similarly,
another difficulty with Quran is,

and this is a whole separate chapter
on these difficulties with the Quran.

The issues with the language which
are there.

Another thing is that for us, a word
has become a terminology.

But in the time of the Quran, it was being
used the same way

as the Quran picked it and made it
into a specific term.

Look at the word 'Salaat' for instance.

The word salaat is used in the Quran to
refer to the prayers we offer.

But it has become a terminology
now.

It has a specific referent. But it has
been used to mean civility by the Quran,

it has used it is that sense with
complete ease.

It has also been used for mercy,
blessing, and kindness.

That is because that word does have
these meanings. And it is used as such.

Now if someone for instance is
unaware of this,

then he would translate it as 'prayer'
everywhere he comes across it.

When he will read the verse of the
Quran that says,

those people who when faced with
tribulations say

'Inna Lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un
Ula'ika 'alaihim salawaatun

mir Rabbihim wa rahma.'
Allah prays Salaat for them!

The word used here is that very
same one.

Similarly the word 'rasool' is there,
or 'nabi'.

Some words have become terminologies,
but they are common words in Arabic.

You see in contemporary Arabic,
the case of Nehru

when he proposed the Panchsheel Agreement
(Principles of Peaceful coexistence),

and he came up as a leader of the
Non-Aligned Movement.

So when he went to Egypt he said,
'Ya Rasool Assalam'.

An Ambassador of Peace has
come.

Arabic language will have no qualms
in this.

But when you use this same word
in Urdu,

we are actually aware of the word
only as a specific term.

In our language, it is not used
prominently in its general meaning.

It is not used to mean a messenger
or an ambassador.

Arabs will without hesitance call the
ambassador of Pakistan as

Rasool ul Pakistan. For it just means
the Ambassador of Pakistan.

And in Urdu, if we were to use this
to say that these days

the Minister of External Affairs,
Abdul Sattar,

is appointing Rasools for
various places.

So this is a difficulty with the Quranic
language.

You have to rise above the meaning
of words as specific terminologies,

and then you approach the text.

It is not like a lot of difficulty
is faced,

for the context makes it clear in what
sense the word has been used.

So these are some of the difficulties
and they will always be there.

Along with these issues, like I had
pointed out,

are the difficulties of the
linguistic styles.

So for instance a style of expression
has become obsolete.

We do not use that way of expression
which is used in the Quran.

So you can recall those initial
discussions about classical Arabic,

in which I had told you about the
issues of Quranic linguistic styles,

what are the things which must
be kept in consideration.

So we have come to the end of the
debate about muhkam and mutashaabih.

After this, InshaAllah in the next
session, we shall discuss about

the mutual relationship between
the Hadith and the Quran.

That will be under discussion next.
So how much time is there?