Al-Waadih Fee Usool ul-Fiqh by Muhammad Hussein Abdullah

Allah (swt) said:

A difference of opinion or dispute has arisen in respect to interpreting the Mutashaabih from the Tafseer of this Aayah. So sin respect to the ‘Waw’ in His Qawl:

Some have considered this ‘Waw’ to be a ‘Waw ul-Isti’naaf’ (of resumption i.e. beginning something new). They considered: “And those firm in knowledge” to be a starting sentence made up of a ‘Mubtada’ whilst its ‘Khabar’ (news) is:

Accordingly, it is necessary to halt at the mention of the Lafzh Al-Jalaalah (i.e. Allah’s name) that came at the end of the statement:

In this way and according to this Tafseer it is Allah (swt) alone who knows the Ta’weel (interpretation) of the Mutashaabih.

Others however held the view that the ‘Waw’ that is before the ‘Raasikheen’ (those firm in knowledge) is a ‘Waw Al-‘Atf’ (a Waw of connection and linkage). As such, it is Allah who knows the Ta’weel of the Mutashaabih and the Raasikhoon (those firmly grounded) in ‘Ilm (knowledge) also know it. That is while the sentence:

That this sentence is in the Mahal Nasb Haal relating to the Raasikheen (i.e. it is describing their state and condition, the condition of those who are grounded firmly in knowledge).

According to this understanding the Mutashaabih is Mutashaabih due to the ambiguity of its meaning to the one who hears it whilst the Mutashaabih is not that which its meaning is not understandable. That is because there is nothing in the Qur’aan which its meaning is not understandable and because if the Qur’aan contained something that cannot be understood then it would take it out from being a ‘Bayaanul Lin-Naas’ (explanation for mankind) which is in opposition to the Qawl of Allah Ta’Aalaa:

As for the Huroof (letters) at the beginning of the Suwar like ‘آلم ‘and ‘كهيعص ‘and others then they possess a meaning because some have considered them to represent the names of the Suwar and identifiers for them. So it is said: ‘Soorah Alif Laam Meem Aali ‘Imraan’ for example.

That is whilst others, in what is closer to the correct view, have interpreted that Allah began some of the Suwar with them in order to grab the attention of the Arabs towards the Qur’aan Al-Kareem that was challenging them and which they were incapable of producing a Soorah like it. That is in the case where it is only made up of the letters through which their speech and prose are regulated and organised (or composed of). This interpretation is outweighed (or stronger) because most of the Suwar that have begun with these letters are followed by an Aayah or Aayaat that talk about the Qur’aan and draw attention to it. Allah Ta’Aalaa said in Soorah Al-Baqarah:

And in Soorah Aali ‘Imraan:

In Soorah Ya Seen:

In Soorah Saad:

And in Soorah Qaaf:

The same applies to the other Suwar which begin with letters. They contain a mention of the Qur’aan in the middle or latter part of the Soorah even if it is not mentioned immediately following the letters. The Mu’jiz (inimitable/miraculous) Qur’aan is therefore made up from the same letters that are used in your language O Arabs! (So will you not take heed or reflect?!)

As for the actions and attributes attributed to Allah Ta’Aalaa within the Aayaat, then they are interpreted in accordance to that which is fitting to Allah (swt). So for example in respect to His Qawl Ta’Aalaa:

It is interpreted to mean the ‘Amr’ command of your Rabb (lord). That is to eliminate and distance making any resemblance between Allah and His creation, as there is nothing like or comparable to Him Ta’Aalaa:

In respect to His Qawl (swt):

Then it is interpreted with the meaning of the ‘Quwwah’ (power) of Allah... and so on… That is because the meaning of these Alfaazh (worded expressions) is open to these metaphorical (Majaaziy) meanings. That is because the Majaaz (metaphorical) is present within the speech (or language) of the Arabs much more than the Haqeeqah (literal).

As for the swearing by some of the creations (Al-Makhlooqaat) like:

In respect to this and other such examples then they represent an encouragement and urging for the human mind to examine that which Allah Ta’Aalaa has made an oath upon, due to the greatness of their manifestation within human life and as an indication of His power and capability (swt), in addition to the amazingness of His creation and its organisation. That is to increase the believer in his Imaan and to draw the disbeliever’s attention to the excellence of His creation to encourage Imaan in the existence of the Creator and Arranger/Disposer (Al-Khaaliq Al-Mudabbir).