Nass shi ne lafzi (kalma mai ma'ana) wanda ke nuna ga ma'anar da aka nufa ta asali, daga mahallin magana, tare da yiwuwar ta'wili (fassara). (Bayanin marubuci: kalmar 'Nass' a ma'anar harshe ana amfani da ita ga kowane Aya da Hadisi da ma'anar 'Rubutu' (watau Nass Al-Hadeeth ko Nusoos Al-Qur'aan (rubutun Alkur'ani)), amma a ma'anarta ta Istilahi, An-Nass na nufin abin da ma'anar da ke sama ta nuna.)

The Nass is the Lafzh (worded expression) that guides to its originally meant or intended meaning from its context with the Ihtimaal (openness to and possibility for) Ta’weel (interpretation). (Author’s note: The word ‘Nass’ is applied linguistically to every Aayah and Hadeeth with the meaning of ‘Text’ (i.e. Nass Al-Hadeeth or the Nusoos Al-Qur’aan (texts of the Qur’aan)) however in its Istilaahi meaning An-Nass means what the above definition has indicated to).

Nass shi ne abin da ya fi Zhaahir bayyana ma'ana. Wannan karuwar bayyana ma'ana ba ta fito daga siffar kalmar (Seeghah) kanta ba, domin Zhaahir da Nass duka suna daidai ko a mataki guda dangane da bayyana ma'ana. Maimakon haka, ya fito ne daga cewa ma'anar da ke cikin 'Nass' an nufe ta asali kuma tun farko, alhali kuwa ma'anar 'Zhaahir' ana fahimtarta bisa wani abu banda abin da aka nufa asali (a cikin mahallin amfaninta).

The Nass is that which has increased clarity over the Zhaahir. The increase in clarity did not come from the form (Seeghah) itself because both the Zhaahir and the Nass are equal or on the same level in respect to the clarity. Rather it comes from the meaning in the ‘Nass’ being intended in origin and initially whilst the meaning of the ‘Zhaahir’ is understood in according to other than what is intended originally (within the context of its usage).

Misali: Allah (SWT) ya ce:

Example: Allah (swt) said:

A nan, dalālar (nuni) kan halal da haram a cikin wannan ayar ta zāhiri ce, amma ayar nassi ce dangane da bambance-bambance tsakaninsu, domin bambancin da ke tsakaninsu shi ne ma’anar asali da aka nufa daga saukar ayar, wadda ayar ta riga ta nuna ta.

Here the Dalaalah (indication) upon the Halaal and Haraam is Zhaahir in the Aayah however the Aayah is ‘Nass’ in respect to differentiating between them because the differentiation between them is the intended original meaning from the revelation of the Aayah which the Aayah was already indicated to:

Hanyar da ke nuna abin da Ash-Shaari' (Mai Shari'a) ya nufa daga Aayar, ita ce Siyaaq (mahallin Aayar) ko kuma tana fitowa ne daga Sabab (dalilin saukarta) na Nuzool (saukar wahayi), kamar yadda yake a game da Aayar da ke biye:

The guide (Daleel), indicating to what the Shaari’ (Legislator) intended from the Aayah, is the Siyaaq (context) of the Aayah or it comes from the Sabab (reason) of its Nuzool (revelation/descent) like in respect to the following Aayah:

Dole ne a yi aiki da shi bisa ga ma'anarsa, domin ita ce ma'anar da Ash-Shaari' ya nufa tun asali.

1 – It must be worked in accordance to because its meaning is what has been originally intended by the Shaari’.

2 – Yana iya yiwuwa a yi Ta'weel (fassara ta ma'ana) a cikinsa, amma wannan yiwuwar Ta'weel ta fi rauni idan aka kwatanta ta da Zhaahir (ma'anar zahiri).

2 – It is open to Ta’weel however this Ihtimaal (openness or possibility) for Ta’weel (interpretation) is less likely than compared to the Zhaahir.

3 – Idan akwai sabani tsakanin Hukm Azh-Zhaahir da Hukm An-Nass a wata Mas’ala (al’amari), to ana karɓar Hukm na Nass.

3 – If there is a conflict between the Hukm Azh-Zhaahir and the Hukm An-Nass in a particular Mas’alah (issue) the Hukm of the Nass is taken.

Misali:

Example:

Allah Ta'ala ya ce:

Allah Ta’Aalaa said:

Wannan Aya a ma'nar zahirinta tana nuni zuwa halaccin auren wanda ba waɗanda aka haramta masa a Aya ta gabata ba. Ba ta ƙayyade ko ta sanya iyaka ga adadin matan aure ba, saboda haka bisa ga zahirin Ayar, ya halatta a yi aure ba tare da iyaka ga takamaiman adadi ba. Sai dai Faɗinsa (SWT):

This Aayah in its Zhaahir (apparent meaning) guides to the Ibaahah (permissibility) of marrying other than those who have been declared to be Haraam for him in the preceding Aayah. It did not specify or put a limit to the number of wives and as such it is permissible, in accordance to the Zhaahir of the Aayah to marry without a limitation to a specific number. However, His Qawl (swt):

Daga mahangar "Nass", wanda ya ƙayyade adadin matan aure, yayin da yake saɓa wa Zhaahir na nassi:

From the angle of the ‘Nass’ specifies the number of wives whilst it goes against the Zhaahir of the text:

Saboda haka, ana ɗaukar Nass, a bar Zhaahir, watau ana ɗaukar ƙayyadaddun ma'ana, domin Nass ya fi Zhaahir ƙarfi.

Consequently, the Nass is taken and the Zhaahir is left i.e. the specification is taken because the Nass is stronger than the Zhaahir.

1 – Kowane ɗayansu yana da Dalaalaat (alamomin ma'ana a cikin nassi) bayyanannu.

1 – Each of them has clear Dalaalaat (textual implications/indications).

2 – Kowane ɗayansu yana buɗe wa ta'wīl (fassarar ma'ana).

2 – Each of them is open to Ta’weel (interpretation).

3 – Wajibi ne a yi aiki bisa ga hukuncin da dukkansu suka bayar, muddin babu wani abu mafi karfi da ya saba masa.

3 – It is obligatory to work in accordance to the Hukm that is provided by both of them as long as nothing stronger than it is conflicting to it.

4 – Kowane ɗayansu yana da buɗewa ga An-Naskh (sokewa) a lokacin saƙo (watau kafin rasuwar Manzon Allah ﷺ da ƙarshen Wahayi).

4 – Each of them is open to An-Naskh (abrogation) during the time of the message (i.e. before the passing of the Messenger (saw) and end of the Wahi).

5 – Game da bambancin da ke tsakanin su kuwa: Ma’anar da Nass ya bayar Ash-Shaari’ ne ya nufata asali daga mahallin ko tsarin magana (Siyaaq). Ma’anar da aka samo daga Zhaahir kuma ba abin da Ash-Shaari’ ya nufata asali ba ne, sai dai Ash-Shaari’ ya nufe ta ne bisa bin ma’anar asali.

5 – As for the difference between the two: The meaning provided by the Nass has been intended by the Shaari’ in origin from the context or framing (Siyaaq) of the speech. The meaning taken from the Zhaahir is not what the Shaari’ intended in origin but rather the Shaari’ intended it in accordance to or in following to the original meaning.

Yawancin malamai na Usul daga Malikiyya, Shafi'iyya da Hanafiyya sun ga cewa babu bambanci tsakanin Zahir da Nass, yayin da wasu suka bambanta tsakanin su ta hanyar da muka yi bayani a sama.

Many of the scholars of Usool from the Maalikiyah, the Shaafi’iyah and the Hanafiyah have considered there to be no difference between the Zhaahir and the Nass whilst others distinguished between them in the manner that we have explained above.