Page 183 - Tafsir of surat at tawba repentance

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“mutashaabihaat.” The Qur’aan has described itself in various verses as being
entirely muhkam, in one verse as being entirely mutashaabih, and in another verse
as being partially muhkam and partially mutashaabih. There is no contradiction
here, because the first two cases use the words in their general sense, while the
final one uses the words according to a more technical meaning. Since the general
meaning of the Arabic term muhkam is “perfected” or “completely formed,” the
whole Qur’aan may be referred to as being muhkam in respect to it construction,
its logic, and its message. Hence, we find Allaah referring to the Qur’aan as
follows:

( ÇÊÈ AŽÎ7yz AOŠÅ3ym ÷bà$©! `ÏB ôMn=Å_Áèù §NèO ¼çmçG»tƒ#uä ôMyJÅ3ômé& ë=»tGÏ. 4 !9# )

“Alif, Laam, Raa. A Book from the Wise and Aware (Allaah), whose
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verses were made muhkam, then explained.”

Likewise, Allaah applied the general meaning of mutashaabih, “mutually
resembling one another” or “similar,” to the whole Qur’aan in the following
verse:

( u’ÎT$sW¨B $YgÎ6»t±tF•B $Y6»tGÏ. Ï]ƒÏ‰ptø:$# z`|¡ômr& tA¨“tR ª!$# )

“Allaah has revealed the best speech (in the form of) a mutashaabih
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book repeating (its message).”

That is, all of the verses of the Qur’aan resemble each other in their rhythmic and
poetic perfection, and they all mutually confirm each other’s meanings.
However, the specific meanings of these two terms play a very important role
in the science of tafseer. Those meanings are contained in the following verse,
along with a very stern warning:

6
Soorah Hood (11):1.
7
Soorah az-Zumar (39):23.

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