Maneno tafsīr na ta’wīl yalichukuliwa kuwa visawe na Waislamu wa vizazi vya mwanzo; hata hivyo, katika karne zilizofuata zama za taabi‘oon na wanafunzi wao (karne ya 9 na ya 10 CE/karne ya 3 na ya 4 AH), neno ta’wīl lilichukua maana mpya yenye athari mpya na hatari. Kwa hiyo, ni lazima kuyatazama maneno haya katika muktadha wake wa asili, pamoja na matumizi yake ya baadaye.

The words tafseer and ta’weel were considered synonyms by the early generations of Muslims; however, in the centuries following the era of the taabi‘oon and their students (9th and 10th centuries CE/3rd and 4th centuries AH), the term ta’weel took on a new meaning with new and dangerous implications. Consequently, it is necessary for us to look at these terms in their original context, as well as their later usage.

Neno tafsīr, linalotokana na kitenzi fassara, kwa maana ya kihalisi ni maelezo au ufafanuzi, kama katika aya isemayo,

The word tafseer, which comes from the verb fassara, literally means an explanation or an exposition, as in the verse,

Hata hivyo, katika elimu za Qur'ani, neno hili linafafanuliwa kuwa tawi la elimu ambalo kwalo Qur'ani inaeleweka, maana zake hufafanuliwa, na hukumu zake za kisheria pamoja na hekima zake huchambuliwa na kutolewa.56

However, in Qur’aanic sciences, this term is defined as a branch of knowledge by which the Qur’aan is understood, its meanings explained, and its points of law and wisdom derived.56

Kwa upande mwingine, neno ta'weel, linalotokana na kitenzi awwala, kwa maana halisi ni tafsiri au ufafanuzi. Neno ta'weel likitumika katika muktadha wa amri, linamaanisha utekelezaji wake au kutekelezwa kwake, kama katika hadithi aliyoipokea 'Aa'ishah ambapo alisema, "Mjumbe wa Allaah ﷺ alikuwa akitekeleza (yata'awwal) Qur'aan kwa kusema katika rukuu' (kuinama) na sujuud (kusujudu) [wakati wa swalah],

On the other hand, the word ta’weel, which comes from the verb awwala, literally means interpretation. When the word ta’weel is used in the context of a command, it means its execution or implementation, as in the hadeeth reported by ‘Aa’ishah in which she said, “Allaah’s Messenger (r) used to implement (yata’awwal) the Qur’aan by saying in rukoo‘ (bowing) and sujood (prostration) [during salaah],

Alikuwa akimrejelea Mtume ﷺ akitekeleza amri ya Allah katika aya,

She was referring to the Prophet’s execution of Allaah’s command in the verse,

Wakati neno *ta'weel* linatumika kuhusiana na habari au taarifa, humaanisha utekelezwaji wake (kutokea kwake), kama katika aya isemayo,

When ta’weel is used in reference to news or information, it refers to its occurrence, as in the verse,

Hiyo ni kusema, Allah huwadhihaki wale wasiokubali wahyi, kwa kuwauliza kama wanasubiri kwa upumbavu kutokea kwa Saa ya mwisho na alama zake, Hukumu, Peponi, na Motoni, wakati itakapokuwa imechelewa mno.

That is, Allaah ridicules those who do not accept revelation by asking them if they are foolishly awaiting the occurrence of the final hour and its signs, the Judgment, Paradise, and the Hellfire, when it will be too late.

Hata hivyo, neno ta’weel linapotumika kurejelea usemi uliorekodiwa, linamaanisha ufafanuzi wake au tafsiri yake, kama katika aya isemayo:

However, when the word ta’weel is used in reference to recorded speech, it refers to its explanation or interpretation, as in the verse:

Hivyo basi, wanazuoni wa mwanzo wa tafsiri walitumia maneno tafsiir na ta'wiil kwa kubadilishana. Kwa mfano, Ibn Jariir at-Tabariy, katika tafsiri yake, mara nyingi alianzisha kila sehemu kwa maneno, "Maoni kuhusu ta'wiil (ufafanuzi) wa kauli ya Aliyetukuka."61

Hence, the early scholars of tafseer used the words tafseer and ta’weel interchangeably. For example, Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree, in his tafseer, commonly introduced each section with the phrase, “The opinion concerning the ta’weel (explanation) of the statement of the Exalted.”61

Katika karne za baadaye, wakati tafsiri potofu na za kizushi zilipoenea, neno *ta’weel* lilitumiwa na wanazuoni wa wakati huo kuhalalisha tafsiri hizo na kuzipa sura ya kukubalika. Walilifafanua *ta’weel* kuwa ni kuhamisha maana ya kauli kutoka maana yake ya wazi kwenda kwenye moja ya maana zake zinazowezekana kutokana na muktadha wake; yaani, ni kufasiri kifungu kwa maana tofauti na maana yake ya wazi kwa sababu yoyote ambayo mwanazuoni aliiona kuwa na umuhimu. Kwa mfano, wanazuoni wa kipindi hiki walioathiriwa na madhehebu ya Mu‘tazilah (Wanaoegemea Akili) walilipotosha neno ‘mkono’ katika aya ifuatayo, ambayo inahusu kiapo kilichofanywa na Maswahaba:

In later centuries, when deviant and heretical explanations abounded, the term ta’weel was used by the scholars of that time to justify them and give them an air of legitimacy. They defined ta’weel as the shifting of an expression from its obvious meaning to one of its likely meanings due to its context;62 that is, the interpretation of a passage by other than its obvious meaning for whatever reason a scholar considered relevant. For example, scholars of this period under Mu‘tazilee (Rationalist) influence explained away the word ‘hand’ in the following verse, which refers to an oath taken by the sahaabah:

Walifasiri hilo kuwa ni msaada na nusura ya Allaah kwa sababu rahisi tu kwamba, kama walivyosema wenyewe, Allaah hawezi kabisa kuwa na mkono. Ta'weel hii ilijengwa juu ya msingi wa uongo, kwamba kuhusisha mkono na Allaah kunamaanisha moja kwa moja kumfikiria Yeye katika umbo la kibinadamu. Hata hivyo, kwa jinsi kumwita Allaah kuwa ni kiumbe hai (al-Hayy) hakumfanyi kwa namna yoyote kufanana na binadamu, kwa sababu uhai Wake hauko kama uhai wetu kwa namna yoyote, vivyo hivyo kuutaja mkono wa Allaah kuwa ni mkono halisi hakumfanyi Yeye kufanana na binadamu, kwa sababu mkono Wake hauko kama mikono yetu kwa namna yoyote. Hata hivyo, inapaswa kufahamika kwamba kukubali kwa Ahl as-Sunnah wa al-Jamaa'ah kwamba Allaah ana mkono halisi hakumaanishi kwamba wanaelewa mkono Wake kuwa ni kiungo cha mwili.64

They interpreted it as being Allaah’s help and support for the simple reason that, as they put it, Allaah could not possibly have a hand. This ‘ta’weel’ was based on the false premise that the attribution of a hand to Allaah automatically implied concep-tualizing Him in human form. However, in the same way that referring to Allaah as a living being (al-Hayy) does not in any way make Him humanlike, because His life is in no way like our life, referring to Allaah’s hand as a real hand does not make Him humanlike, for his hand is in no way like our hands. It should be noted, however, that the affirmation by Ahl as-Sunnah wa al-Jamaa‘ah that Allaah has a real hand does not mean that they understand His hand to be a body part.64