Page 180 - Tafsir of surat at tawba repentance
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THE MUHKAM (CLEAR) AND
MUTASHAABIH (OBSCURE) VERSES
T falsehood in man’s relationship with his Creator and with
he Qur’aan was revealed to mankind as a furqaan, a means of distinguishing
between truth and
the creation in which he exists. The basic principles of these relationships
have been clearly defined in the Qur’aan, leaving no room for speculation or
doubt, and these are the principles which make up the essence of the Book (umm
al-kitaab). For example, the principle of salaah (prayer) defines the primary
relationship between man and God, while that of zakaah (institutionalized
obligatory charity) defines a primary aspect of human relationship. It is from this
viewpoint that Allaah describes the Qur’aan in the following verse:
( ÇÌÈ tbqßJn=ôèt 5Qöqs)Ïj9 $|Î/ttã $ºR#uäöè% ¼çmçG»t#uä ôMn=Å_Áèù Ò=»tGÏ. )
“A Book whose verses have been made clear, an Arabic reading for a
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people who are aware.”
Hence, the foundations for the unity of the Muslim nation (Ummah) are firmly
laid down by the essential verses of the Qur’aan itself. These verses and the
principles which they contain have been referred to as the muhkamaat.
However, since the Qur’aan addresses the mysteries of man and his world,
there are, of necessity, vague and obscure references to aspects of realities about
which man’s knowledge is limited. Some of these references may only be
understood in relationship to other verses, while the reality of other references
cannot be understood at all. For example, the letters of the alphabet with which
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Soorah Fussilat, (41):3.
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