Qur'ani ilifunuliwa kwa wanadamu kama furqaan, yaani njia ya kutofautisha kati ya haki na batili katika uhusiano wa mwanadamu na Muumba wake, na katika uhusiano wake na viumbe vinavyomzunguka. Kanuni za msingi za mahusiano haya zimefafanuliwa wazi katika Qur'ani, bila nafasi yoyote ya dhana au shaka, na hizi ndizo kanuni zinazounda kiini cha Kitabu (umm al-kitaab). Kwa mfano, kanuni ya swalaah (sala) inabainisha uhusiano wa msingi kati ya mwanadamu na Mungu, wakati ile ya zakaah (sadaka ya lazima iliyopangwa) inabainisha kipengele cha msingi cha uhusiano wa kibinadamu. Ni kutokana na mtazamo huu ndipo Allaah anaelezea Qur'ani katika aya ifuatayo:

The Qur’aan was revealed to mankind as a furqaan, a means of distinguishing between truth and falsehood in man’s relationship with his Creator and with the creation in which he exists. The basic principles of these relationships have been clearly defined in the Qur’aan, leaving no room for speculation or doubt, and these are the principles which make up the essence of the Book (umm al-kitaab). For example, the principle of salaah (prayer) defines the primary relationship between man and God, while that of zakaah (institutionalized obligatory charity) defines a primary aspect of human relationship. It is from this viewpoint that Allaah describes the Qur’aan in the following verse:

Hivyo basi, misingi ya umoja wa taifa la Kiislamu (Ummah) imewekwa kwa uthabiti na aya muhimu za Qur'aan yenyewe. Aya hizi pamoja na kanuni zilizomo ndani yake zimeitwa muhkamaat.

Hence, the foundations for the unity of the Muslim nation (Ummah) are firmly laid down by the essential verses of the Qur’aan itself. These verses and the principles which they contain have been referred to as the muhkamaat.

Hata hivyo, kwa kuwa Qur’ani inashughulikia siri za mwanadamu na ulimwengu wake, kwa lazima kuna marejeo yasiyo wazi na yaliyofichika kuhusu vipengele vya hakika ambavyo ujuzi wa mwanadamu ni mdogo juu yake. Baadhi ya marejeo haya yanaweza kueleweka tu kwa kuhusishwa na aya nyingine, ilhali hakika ya marejeo mengine haiwezi kueleweka kabisa. Kwa mfano, herufi za alfabeti ambazo baadhi ya sura za Qur’ani zinaanzia nazo hazina maana dhahiri zenyewe. Ingawa zilitumika katika ushairi wa kale wa Kiarabu, hazikuwahi kutumika mwanzoni mwa aya, na muktadha daima ungeonyesha maana iliyokusudiwa.

However, since the Qur’aan addresses the mysteries of man and his world, there are, of necessity, vague and obscure references to aspects of realities about which man’s knowledge is limited. Some of these references may only be understood in relationship to other verses, while the reality of other references cannot be understood at all. For example, the letters of the alphabet with which some of the soorahs of the Qur’aan begin have no obvious meanings in themselves. Although they were used in ancient Arabic poetry, they were never used at the beginnings of verses, and the context would always indicate the intended meaning

Mfano wa hilo unapatikana katika mstari huu wa ushairi wa Kiarabu:

An example of that can be found in the following couplet of Arabic poetry:

Tulimwambia, "Simama," naye akasema, "Qaaf." [kifupi cha waqaftu, "Nimesimama."]

(We said to her, “Stop,” and she said, “Qaaf.” [short for waqaftu, “ I have stopped.”])

Hata hivyo, kuhusu Qur'aan, wanazuoni wa mwanzo wameeleza kwamba kuna uhusiano wa kihesabu kati ya herufi za mwanzo na idadi ya kutokea kwake katika sura husika, pamoja na katika sura nyingine za Qur'aan yenyewe. Kama mfano wa kuonyesha, hebu tuchunguze Sura Qaaf, ambayo inaanza kama ifuatavyo:

However, with regard to the Qur’aan, it has been noted by the early scholars that there is a mathematical relationship between the introductory letters and their occurrence in their respective soorahs, as well as in the other soorahs of the Qur’aan itself. For an illustrative example, let us examine Soorah Qaaf, which begins as follows:

Imethibitishwa kwamba herufi ya Kiarabu Qaaf inatokea mara nyingi zaidi katika sura hii kuliko herufi nyingine yoyote ya alfabeti ya Kiarabu. Pia, uwiano wa Qaaf kwa jumla ya herufi katika sura hii ni wa juu zaidi kuliko katika sura nyingine yoyote kati ya sura mia moja na kumi na tatu za Qur'aan.

It has been shown that the Arabic letter Qaaf occurs more frequently in this soorah than any other letter of the Arabic alphabet. Also, the ratio of Qaafs to the total number of letters in this soorah is higher than in any of the other one hundred and thirteen soorahs of the Qur’aan.

Hata hivyo, maana iliyokusudiwa ya herufi Qaaf haijulikani. Baadhi ya wafasiri wa Qur-aan wamekisia kuwa ni kifupisho cha neno "Qur-aan," huku wengine wakipendekeza kuwa inawakilisha kifungu "qudiyalamr" ("jambo limekwisha pangwa"). Kwa kuwa Mtume wa mwisho, Muhammad ﷺ, ambaye Qur-aan iliteremshwa kwake, hakufafanua maana yake, na muktadha wa kisarufi ambamo herufi hiyo inatumika hauonyeshi maana dhahiri yoyote, tunaweza tu kusema kwa unyenyekevu kwamba Allaah peke yake ndiye anayejua hakika yake.

However, the intended meaning of the letter Qaaf is unknown. Some commentators of the Qur’aan have speculated that it is abbreviation for the word “Qur’aan,” while others have proposed that it represents the phrase, “qudiyalamr,” (“the matter has been destined”). Since the last Prophet, Muhammad (ﷺ), to whom the Qur’aan was revealed, did not explain its meaning, and the grammatical context in which it is used does not indicate any obvious meaning, we can only honestly say that Allaah alone knows its reality.

Mfano mwingine unaohusu mwanadamu mwenyewe ni ule wa rooh (nafsi/roho). Uwepo wake umethibitishwa na Wahyi, pamoja na uzoefu wa kibinadamu, lakini hakika yake haijulikani kwa mwanadamu. Allaah, katika Qur'aan, anatutajia asili yake, akisema,

Another example in relation to man himself is that of the rooh (soul). Its existence is confirmed by revelation, as well as human experience, but its reality is unknown to man. Allaah, in the Qur’aan, points out its origin for us, saying,

Hivyo basi, tunajua kwamba roho imeumbwa, lakini ilitokana na nini, Allaah peke yake ndiye anayejua. Tunajua mambo mengine kuhusu roho, kama vile ukweli kwamba malaika mmoja ana jukumu la kuiweka kwenye kiinitete mwanzoni mwa mwezi wa tano wa ukuaji wake, na malaika mwingine ana jukumu la kuitoa mwilini mwa binadamu wakati muda wake wa kufa uliowekwa umefika, nk. 4 Lakini jinsi ilivyoumbwa, umbo lake, mahali pake mwilini, au jinsi inavyounganishwa na mwili, si sehemu ya ujuzi wetu.

Hence, we know that the soul is created, but as to what it is created from, Allaah alone knows. We know other things about it, like the fact that an angel is responsible for placing it in the fetus at the beginning of the fifth month of its development, and another angel is responsible for extracting it from the human body when its appointed time of death has arrived, etc. 4 But how it was created, its form, its place in the body, or how it is connected to the body is not part of our knowledge.

Katika uhusiano wa mwanadamu na ulimwengu wake, mfano mmoja unaweza kuonekana katika marejeo ya maisha ya Akhera na Saa ya Mwisho. Matunda na vinywaji vya Peponi na Motoni vinatajwa kwa majina, lakini kama Ibn ‘Abbaas (r) alivyofafanua, ni majina tu yanayofanana; hakika zao ni tofauti kabisa.5 Allaah Mwenyewe anaonyesha hilo kwa kutaja baadhi ya sifa zake za kipekee, kama mito ya maziwa yanayotiririka ambayo hayageuki kuwa chachu, au divai isiyolevya, mizani inayopima matendo, na ngozi za wale waliohukumiwa Motoni, ambazo hurejea tena mara moto unapozichoma.

In relation to man and his world, an example can be found in the references to the next life and the final hour. Fruits and drinks of paradise and Hell are mentioned by name, but as Ibn ‘Abbaas (r) explained, only the names are similar; their realities are totally different.5 Allaah Himself indicates that by mentioning some of their unique qualities, such as rivers of flowing milk that never sours or wine that does not intoxicate, a scale that weighs deeds and the skins of those doomed to the Fire, which grow back again as soon as the fire has burnt them.

Vivyo hivyo hivyo, elimu ya wakati uliowekwa kwa mwisho wa dunia hii haijulikani. Ingawa alama nyingi zimetajwa katika Qur'aan na Sunnah, na mchakato wa kuharibika umeelezwa waziwazi, wakati halisi wa kutokea kwake umefichwa kabisa kwa binadamu. Kwa hiyo, marejeo ya Qur'aan kuhusu Saa ya Mwisho na vipengele vya maisha ya Akhera daima ni ya kiujumla na yasiyo wazi.

Similarly, knowledge of the appointed time for the end of this world is unknown. Although many of the signs have been mentioned in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and the process of disintegration has been vividly described, the exact time of its occurrence is completely hidden from man. Hence, Qur’aanic references to the Final Hour and the components of the next life are always vague.

Vivyo hivyo, Allah ametumia maana ya jumla ya mutashaabih, yaani "vinavyofanana kwa kila kimoja" au "vinavyofanana", kwa Qur'an yote katika aya ifuatayo:

Likewise, Allaah applied the general meaning of mutashaabih, “mutually resembling one another” or “similar,” to the whole Qur’aan in the following verse:

Hivyo ni kwamba aya zote za Qur-aan zinafanana katika ukamilifu wake wa mdundo na ushairi, na zote zinathibitishana maana zake kwa pamoja.

That is, all of the verses of the Qur’aan resemble each other in their rhythmic and poetic perfection, and they all mutually confirm each other’s meanings.

Hata hivyo, maana mahususi za maneno haya mawili zina nafasi muhimu sana katika elimu ya tafsiri ya Qur'ani. Maana hizo zimo katika aya ifuatayo, pamoja na onyo kali sana:

However, the specific meanings of these two terms play a very important role in the science of tafseer. Those meanings are contained in the following verse, along with a very stern warning:

Kwa hiyo, muhkam inaweza kufafanuliwa kuwa ni aya ambazo maana zake ziko wazi, na mutashaabih kuwa ni aya ambazo maana zake za ndani zinajulikana kwa Allah pekee. ‘Aa’ishah alisimulia kwamba mara moja Mtume (ﷺ) alisoma aya iliyotajwa hapo juu kisha akasema,

Hence, the muhkam could be defined as those verses whose meanings are clear, and the mutashaabih as those verses whose inner meanings are known only to Allaah. ‘Aa’ishah reported that once the Prophet (ﷺ) recited the above mentioned verse and said,

Dhana ya muhkam na mutashaabih hutoa miongozo ambayo kwayo Qur-aan inapaswa kueleweka. Mfumo wa fiqh (sheria ya Kiislamu) umekua kutokana na aya za muhkamaat. Wanachuoni wa mwanzo walijikita katika zile aya zilizokuwa na uhusiano wa moja kwa moja na matendo ya binadamu, aya ambazo zingeweza kutumika na kufasiriwa kulingana na kanuni za kisarufi za kimantiki na zinazokubalika kote duniani. Hata hivyo, wale waliotaka kuiharibu ujumbe wa Uislamu kutoka ndani walianza shambulio lao katika chanzo chenyewe, yaani Qur-aan. Aya za muhkamaat hazikubali tafsiri za kifalsafa. Kwa hiyo, mutashaabihaat zikawa nguzo ambazo juu yake ukafuru wa kupinga Uislamu ulijengwa, na majina na sifa za Allaah zikawa mwanzo wa jambo hilo. Kwa mfano, Allaah anajielezea katika Qur-aan kuwa ni al-Baseer, Mwenye kuona, na as-Samee', Mwenye kusikia, miongoni mwa majina na sifa zake nyingi. Katika zama za Mtume (ﷺ) na zile za Makhalifa wanne waongofu baada ya kifo chake, maswahaba walizifahamu aya zenye sifa hizi kwa maana zake za wazi bila kuchunguza kwa nini na vipi. Kwao, Allaah anaona na kusikia kila kitu bila kufanana na viumbe wake kwa namna yoyote. Hata hivyo, baada ya zama za maswahaba, kulitolewa hoja na baadhi ya watu kwamba kuona na kusikia ni sifa za binadamu au wanyama zinazohitaji vyombo maalum vya hisia visivyomfaa Mola Mlezi Mwenyezi Mungu. Yeye alikwisha kusema katika Qur-aan kwamba:

The concepts of muhkam and mutashaabih provide a set of guidelines by which the Qur’aan should be understood. The system of fiqh (Islaamic law) has evolved from the muhkamaat verses. The early scholars concentrated on those verses which had direct relevance to human actions, the verses which could be applied and interpreted according to logical and universally acceptable grammatical principles. However, those who sought to destroy the message of Islaam from within began their attack at the very source, the Qur’aan. The muhkamaat verses do not lend themselves to philosophical interpretations. Hence, the mutashaabihaat became the pillars upon which counter-Islaam was built, and Allaah’s names and attributes became the starting point. For example, Allaah describes Himself in Qur’aan as al-Baseer, the Seer, and as-Samee‘, the Hearer, among His many names and attributes. During the era of the Prophet (r) and that of the four Righteous Caliphs after his death, the sahaabah understood the verses containing these attributes according to their obvious meanings without delving into the why and the hows. To them, Allaah sees and hears all things without resembling His creation in any way. However, after the era of the sahaabah, the argument was raised by some that seeing and hearing were human or animal characteristics which required particular sensory apparatuses not befitting the Lord God Almighty. He had already said in the Qur’aan that:

Kutokana na hayo, likaibuka mkondo wa kifalsafa uliojulikana kama Jahmeeyah, ambao ulikanusha majina na sifa za Allaah. Kutoka mkondo huu ukazaliwa mwingine, Mu‘tazilah, ambao ulipunguza makali ya kauli zilizo wazi za upotofu za Jahm ibn Safwaan kwa kutumia mantiki ya Kigiriki na tafsiri za kiakili za maandiko ya Qur’aan na Sunnah. Chini ya ulinzi wa watawala wa mwanzo wa ‘Abbaasiyyah, mkondo huu ulienea katika Ummah kiasi kwamba dhana zake zikawa msingi wa kawaida, na wale waliopinga walifuatiliwa na kuteswa kwa utaratibu. Majina ya Allaah yalitambuliwa, lakini yalifanywa kuwa tupu ya maana yoyote, na sifa Zake za kuona na kusikia zilifasiriwa kuwa ni elimu.

As a result, a school of philosophy known as the Jahmeeyah arose, which denied Allaah’s names and attributes. Out of this school evolved another, the Mu‘tazilah, which toned down clearly heretical statements of Jahm ibn Safwaan with Greek logic and rationalist interpretations of the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah. Under the patronage of the early ‘Abasssid rulers, this school engulfed the Ummah, to the degree that its concepts became the norm, and those who opposed them were systematically persecuted. Allaah’s names were recognized, but were made void of any meaning, and His attributes of sight and hearing were taken to mean knowledge.

Baadaye, zikaibuka wengine katika Ummah waliodai kwamba Qur'ani yote ni mutashaabih, na kwamba wao peke yao ndio wanaojua maana zake halisi. Walizita maana za nje kuwa ni dhahir au Shariah, na maana za ndani wakaziita batin au haqiqah. Baadhi walidai kwamba maana za ndani zilipokezwa kwa siri kupitia kwa wazao wa Mtume ﷺ, ambao waliwaita maimamu, wakati wengine walidai kwamba zilipitishwa kupitia mnyororo wa mashaykh au viongozi wa kiroho.

In time, there arose others among the Ummah who claimed that all of the Qur’aan was mutashaabih and that they alone knew its real meanings. They called the outer meanings the thaahir or the Sharee‘ah and the inner meanings were termed the baatin or the haqeeqah. Some claimed that the inner meanings were handed down secretly through the Prophet’s descendants, whom they named imaams, while others claimed that they were passed down through a chain of shaykhs or spiritual leaders.

Kwa bahati, maelezo ya Qur'ani kuhusu mwelekeo huu kuwa ni matokeo ya nyoyo zilizopotoka na upotovu, pamoja na onyo la Mtume ﷺ kwa Umma wa Kiislamu la kujiepusha na wale wanaofuata njia hii, vinatusaidia kuendelea kuinua juu usafi na uwazi wa msingi wa ujumbe wa Qur'ani uliomo katika aya za muhkamaat.

Fortunately, the Qur’aanic description of this trend as being a result of twisted hearts and deviation and the Prophet’s warning to the Muslim Ummah to avoid those who take this path aid us in continuing to hold high the essential purity and clarity of the Qur’aanic message contained in the muhkamaat verses.