29. الكتاب هو القرآن الكريم الذي أُنزل على رسولنا محمد ﷺ بلسان جبريل عليه السلام. والكتاب هو ما نُقل إلينا بين دفّتي المصحف على الأحرف السبعة، نقلًا متواترًا.

29. The Kitaab is the noble Qur’an revealed to our Messenger Muhammad (PBUH) on the tongue of Jibreel. The Kitaab is that which has been transmitted to us between the two binds of the Mus-haf in the seven Harfs (“recitations”) through a mutawaatir transmission.

30. ما نُقل إلينا من القرآن الكريم هو نقلٌ متواتر، ونعلم أن هذا هو القرآن، وأن هذا وحده هو الحجة. أما ما رُوي إلينا آحادًا، كمصحف ابن مسعود وغيره، فليس بحجة. وذلك لأن النبي ﷺ كُلِّف بتبليغ ما أُنزل إليه من القرآن الكريم إلى جماعة يكون كلامهم حجةً قاطعة، ولا يُتصور أن الذين يكون كلامهم حجةً قاطعة يتفقون على ترك نقل ما سمعوه. فإذا وجدنا شيئًا لم ينقله من يكون كلامهم حجةً قاطعة، فهو خبر واحد لا يُعتمد عليه (كحجة قاطعة)، وذلك لأنه جاء على غير الوجه الذي كُلِّف رسول الله ﷺ بتبليغه، من حيث كونه منقولًا نقلَ الآحاد. بخلاف الطريقة التي بلّغ بها رسول الله ﷺ القرآن، إذ بلّغه إلى جمع كثير من المسلمين يحفظونه، ويكون كلامهم حجةً قاطعة، فضلًا عن أمره ﷺ بكتابته.

30. What has been transmitted to us from the Noble Qur’an is a mutawaatir transmission. We know that this is Qur’an and only this is a proof. As for what has been narrated to us as ahaad (single narrations), such as the Mus-haf of Ibn Mas’ud and others, they are not a proof. This is because the Prophet (PBUH) was entrusted to convey what had been revealed to him from the Noble Qur’an to a group whose speech would be decisive proof. It cannot be imagined that those whose speech is a decisive proof would agree to not transmit something they had heard. If we find something not transmitted by those whose speech is a decisive proof, then it is a single narration, which is not recognised (as decisive proof) This is because it has come in a manner other than that which the Messenger (PBUH) has been entrusted to convey, in terms of it being of singular transmission. This is unlike the way the Messenger (PBUH) conveyed the Qur’an, where he conveyed it to many Muslims who would memorise it and whose speech would be a decisive proof; this is beside his order for it to be written.

31. لیس للقرآن الکریم ظاهرٌ وباطنٌ، بل هو كلامٌ عربيٌّ نزل بلسان العرب. قال الله تعالى: {إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ}

31. The Noble Qur’an does not have a zaahir (outer) or baatin (secret) meaning. It is an Arabic speech, which has come in the tongue of the Arabs. He (SWTH) said:

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا {يوسف: ٢}، وَقَالَ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى:

“We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’ân” [Yusuf: 2] And He (SWTH) said:

«بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِيٍّ مُّبِينٍ» [الشعراء: 195] يُفهم ذلك كما يُفهم أيُّ كلامٍ عربيٍّ. فما يقصده الله بالقرآن هو ما عبّر عنه القرآنُ الكريمُ نفسُه، ولم يُرِد اللهُ سبحانه وتعالى شيئًا غير ما عبّر عنه. ولا يُفهم مراده إلا من فهم التركيب، وعلى هذا،

“In the plain Arabic language” [Ash-Shu’araa’: 195] It is understood the same way as any Arabic speech is understood. What Allah intends by the Qur’an is what has been expressed by the Noble Qur’an itself; Allah (SWTH) did not intend anything other than what was expressed. His intention is only understood from understanding of the syntax. Thus,

إنّ مرادَ اللهِ (سبحانه وتعالى) هو ما عُبِّرَ عنه فقط. فالمعنى العربي هو ما أراده اللهُ (سبحانه وتعالى) في كلامه، الذي عبّر عنه بالألفاظ العربية والأسلوب العربي. وعلى هذا، فإنّ مدلولَ الخطاب هو ما دلّ عليه الكلامُ، من خلال الأدلة اللغوية والدلالة الشرعية المذكورة في الكتاب أو السنة. وليس لهذا الكلام ظاهرٌ وباطنٌ؛ بل له معنى تدل عليه العبارةُ العربية، من خلال الفهم العربي للألفاظ العربية والأساليب العربية.

the intention of Allah (SWTH) is only what was expressed. The Arabic meaning is what Allah (SWTH) intended in His speech, which He expressed in the Arabic words and Arabic style. Accordingly, the import of the speech is what the speech indicated, through the linguistic proofs and the Shar’ee indication mentioned in the Kitaab or Sunnah. This has no ‘outer’ or ‘inner’; it rather has a meaning indicated by the Arabic speech, through the Arabic understanding of the Arabic words and Arabic styles.

32. يتألف القرآن من آيات محكمات وآيات متشابهات، وذلك لقول الله تعالى:

32. The Qur’an is composed of aayaat which are MuHkamaat (clearcut) and aayaat which are mutashaabihaat (ambiguous), due to the saying of Allah (SWTH):

﴿فِيهِ آيَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ﴾ [آل عمران: 7] أَمَّا الْمُحْكَمُ فَهُوَ النَّصُّ الَّذِي يَكُونُ مَعْنَاهُ ظَاهِرًا وَاضِحًا بِحَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَمِلُ أَيَّ مَعْنًى آخَرَ، أَيْ إِنَّ دَلَالَتَهُ صَرِيحَةٌ لَا تَقْبَلُ التَّأْوِيلَ، مِثْلُ قَوْلِ اللهِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى:

“In it are Verses that are entirely clear, they are the foundations of the Book; and others not entirely clear.” [Aali ‘Imraan: 7] As for the MuHkam part, it is the text whose meaning is apparent and clear such that it precludes the possibility of having any other meaning, i.e. its indication is explicit and not open to interpretation, Such as the saying of Alla (SWTH):

وَأَحَلَّ اللَّهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا﴾ [البقرة: ٢٧٥] وَقَوْلُهُ (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى):

Allah has permitted trading and forbidden Riba (usury).” [Al-Baqarah: 275] And His (SWTH) saying:

{وَالسَّارِقُ وَالسَّارِقَةُ فَاقْطَعُوا أَيْدِيَهُمَا} [المائدۃ: 38] وقولِه تعالى:

“Cut off (from the wrist joint) the (right) hand of the thief, male or female.” [Al- Maa`idah: 38] And His (SWTH) saying:

"وَلَكُمْ فِي الْقِصَاصِ حَيَاةٌ يَا أُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ" [البقرة: 179]. أَمَّا الْمُتَشَابِهُ فَهُوَ ضِدُّ الْمُحْكَمِ، وَهُوَ النَّصُّ الَّذِي يَحْتَمِلُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ مَعْنًى، أَيْ أَنَّ الْمَعَانِيَ الْمُحْتَمَلَةَ فِيهِ تَتَعَارَضُ. فَهُوَ يَحْتَمِلُ عِدَّةَ مَعَانٍ مُتَعَارِضَةٍ. مِثَالُ ذَلِكَ:

“And there is (a saving of) life for you in Al-Qisas (the Law of Equality in punishment), O men of understanding” [Al-Baqarah: 179] As for the mutashaabih part, it is the opposite of muhkam. It is the text which is open to more than one meaning, i.e. where the possible meanings conflict. It is open to a number of conflicting meanings. For example,

﴿وَالْمُطَلَّقَاتُ يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ ثَلَاثَةَ قُرُوءٍ﴾ [البقرة: 228] قال سبحانه وتعالى:

“And divorced women shall wait (as regards their marriage) for three menstrual periods.” [Al-Baqarah: 228] He (SWTH) said:

"إِلَّا أَن يَعْفُونَ أَوْ يَعْفُوَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ عُقْدَةُ النِّكَاحِ" [البقرة: 237] قَالَ (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى):

“unless they (the women) agree to forego it, or he (the husband), in whose hands is the marriage tie.” [Al-Baqarah: 237] He (SWTH) said:

"أَوْ لَامَسْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ" [المائدة: 5]، قال (سبحانه وتعالى):

“or you have been in contact with women.” [Al-Maa’idah: 5] He (SWTH) said:

﴿وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ﴾ [الرحمن: 27] قال سبحانه وتعالى:

“And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honour will abide forever.” [Ar-Rahman: 27] He (SWTH) said:

﴿وَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ فَإِنَّكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا﴾ [الطور: ٤٨] وقال سبحانه أيضًا:

“For verily, you are under Our Eyes.” [Al-Tur: 48] He (SWTH) also said:

"من صُنعِ أيدينا" [يس: 71]، وغيرها من الأمثلة التي تحمل ألفاظها معاني متعددة متضاربة لا يمكن الجمع بينها، بل تحتاج إلى قرينة لغوية تُعيّن أحد هذه المعاني. وقد يكون لها ظاهرٌ يقتضي تشبيه الله سبحانه وتعالى بخلقه، وهو أمر لا يصح أن يُدلّ عليه اللفظ عقلاً ولا شرعاً، فتحتاج إلى قرينة لغوية أو شرعية تُحدّد المراد.

“from Our Handiwork” [Yaaseen: 71], and other such examples whose wording have a number of conflicting meanings and cannot be reconciled. Rather they need a linguistic qareenah (linkage), which would specify one of the meanings. It might also have an apparent meaning that implies anthropomorphisation (of Allah (SWTH)), a matter that is not possible, either rationally or by shar’, for the word to indicate. So, it needs a linguistic or shar’ee qareenah (linkage) to determine the intended meaning.