Fourthly: Al-mutashaabih
Its definition:
Al-Mutashaabih is the Lafzh (worded expression), the intended meaning of which is hidden or unclear. Its Seeghah (form) does not indicate or guide to what is intended from it. That means there is no way to comprehend it and that none except Allah (swt) knows it.
Examples of this that have been presented include the Huroof Al-Muqatta’ah at the beginning of the Suwar like: ’ آلم ‘ , ‘حمعسق ' and .‘كهيعص’ They (i.e. some of the Muslims) have also presented as examples of this the Aayaat that discuss the Siffaat (attributes) like His Qawl (swt):
The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established (TaHa 5).
And like:
The hand of Allah is over their hands (Al-Fat’h 10).
The Mutashaabih, according to this meaning, does not fall into the category of the studies of Usool but rather within the ‘Ilm ul-Kalaam’ because it has a relationship to the Aqeedah and not to the Ahkaam Ash-Shar’iyah. That is whilst ‘Ilm Usool ul-Fiqh looks into the area of the practical Ahkaam Ash-Shar’iyah and not the Aqaa’id (beliefs).
They have used the following statement of Allah (swt) to support the view that man cannot comprehend the meaning of the Mutashaabih:
And none knows its [true] interpretation except Allah (Aali ‘Imraan 7).
The Hanafi Scholars of Usool however added to the definition of the Mutashaabih by saying: “And none comprehend it except those who are firmly grounded (Raasikh) in knowledge”.