Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

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One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Ayat # 7 of Surah #3 ie Al-I`mran needs to be explained as it has been used by the clergy for the basis of their taweels. Please Elaborate

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Answer:

Ale Imraan Taweel

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale-Imran verses 1-9:

1 Alif. Laam. Meem.

2 Allah! there is no god but He, The Living, The Self-Subsisting Eternal.

3 It is He Who sent down to thee (step by step) in Truth the Book confirming what went before it; and He sent down Law (to Moses) and the Gospel (to Jesus) before this as a guide to mankind; and He sent down the ‘Furqaan’ (The Quran as a criterion between right and wrong).

4 Then those who reject faith in the Signs of Allah will suffer the severest penalty, and Allah is Exalted in Might, Lord of Retribution.

5 From Allah verily nothing is hidden on earth or in the heavens.

6 He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases. There is no god but He, The Exalted in Might, The Wise.

7 He it is Who has sent down to thee the Book: in it are verses basic or fundamental (of established meaning); they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical seeking ‘fitnah’ (discord) and searching for its ‘taweel’ (hidden meanings); but no one knows its ‘taaweel’ (hidden meanings) except Allah; and those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord"; and none will grasp the Message except men of understanding.

8 "O Our Lord!" (the people grounded in Knowledge pray) "let not our hearts deviate now after Thou hast guided us, but grant us Mercy from Thine own Presence; for Thou art the Grantor of bounties without measure.

9 "O Our Lord! Thou art He that will gather mankind together against a Day about which there is no doubt: for Allah never fails in His promise."

Dear and Beloved Brother in Islam, the above quoted verse of Surah Ale Imraan literally breaks the back of all those unscrupulous clergy and holy men who have invented their sects on the basis of what they claim is their understanding of the ‘taweel’ knowledge!

Allah Subhanah Himself Declares that He has revealed two kinds of verses in His Glorious Quran:

1. ‘Muhkamaat’ verses, or those which are basic, fundamental, and verses whose meanings and commands are absolutely clear and understood by all.
2. ‘Mutashabehaat’ verses, or those verses which are allegorical and ambiguous, and whose meanings cannot be accurately determined with certainty.

Allah Subhanah Himself Declares that the ‘Muhkamaat’ verses are the ‘Umm-al-Kitaab’ or the ‘foundation of the Book’. The absolute majority of this Glorious Book Guidance consists of ‘muhkamaat’ verses, the meanings and commands of which are made absolutely clear by Allah and His Messenger (saws), and any believer who wishes to understand, obey, follow and implement these commands in his life would have absolutely no trouble in determining its meanings.

Then there are some verses in the Glorious Quran which are ‘Mutashabehaat’ or ambiguous. For example, verses like ‘Alif. Laam. Meem.’, ‘Yaa-Seen’, etc.; the meanings of which are not absolutely clear.

Now the first question which should arise that why would Allah Subhanah Who revealed this Glorious Book of Guidance reveal verses which are allegorical and ambiguous?

Because Allah has involved mankind to a test in this short and transitory life, He wishes to determine who amongst those who claim to follow the Quran are sincere in their obedience, and who amongst them have the disease of perversity, hypocrisy and disbelief in their hearts! And the Lord All-Wise Himself reveals the criteria of determining these two categories in the very next phrases:

‘But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical seeking ‘fitnah’ (discord) and searching for its ‘taweel’ (hidden meanings); but no one knows its ‘taaweel’ (hidden meanings) except Allah’

The very first sign of those who have a disease of perversity in their hearts is that these evil-doers ALWAYS focus their attention and energies on the verses which are allegorical and ambiguous to justify the evil they do in the name of Allah’s religion! These evil people are the absolute foremost in claiming that they (alone!) possess and have the ‘taweel’ knowledge of the Quran, and in their transgression they try to convert the whole Quran into ‘mutashabehaat’ or ambiguous verses….thus making it very convenient for them to bend and stretch even the clear verses to suit their far-fetched and self-invented meanings and beliefs!

They are the ones who are foremost in breaking this Ummah of Islam into sects and sub-sects based on their ‘taweel’, ‘baatin’, and ‘haqeeqat’ knowledge which they claim to monopolize!

They are the ones who claim superiority over the other believers for themselves and their families!

They are the ones who declare that those alone who subjugate and follow them alone will receive salvation; and all those who do not follow their created sect are fools, losers, and misguided!

They are the ones who are foremost in making sure none of their followers ever try to understand the Glorious Quran, warning them that this clear Book of Guidance will misguide them from the Right Path!

Allah Subhanah has absolutely exposed these evil self-declared clergy and holy men in His verses, and even declares what is their real intention in trying to ALWAYS focus their energies on the ambiguous and allegorical verses seeking its ‘taaweel’:

‘But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical seeking ‘fitnah’ (discord) and searching for its ‘taweel’ (hidden meanings);’

Their one and only intention is seeking and sowing ‘fitnah’ (discord) in the United Ummah of Islam; for their evil ‘shops’ which they have opened in the name of religion would only succeed in an environment of confusion!

But The All-Wise, All-Knowing, All-Supreme Lord of the Worlds in the very next phrase takes away their one tool which they use to create their ‘fitnah’ by Unilaterally Declaring that none knows the ‘taaweel’ of the Quran except Allah Subhanah Alone!

‘… but no one knows its ‘taaweel’ (hidden meanings) except Allah!’

Thus my beloved brother, if anyone in creation dares to claim that they possess the ‘taaweel’ knowledge of the Quran, know with absolute conviction that these people are nothing but confirmed and manifest liars; for none except our Lord Most Gracious Alone has Perfect and Absolute Knowledge of the ‘taweel’!

In the following phrases of the Verse, Allah Subhanah differentiates the true believers from these evil-doers and hypocrites who have bartered the Words of Allah for paltry worldly gains and benefits.

‘….and those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord";’

The true believers are those who sincerely believe in the Book revealed by their Lord, for the whole of it, the ‘muhkamaat’ (clear) and the ‘mutashabehat’ (ambiguous) both are all from their Lord; and they are foremost in obeying, following, and submitting themselves to the clear commands from their Lord. They are the ones who constantly seek the refuge of their Lord from the diseases of hypocrisy, perversity, and disbelief which might enter their hearts! In all humility and fear, they are constant in beseeching and imploring their Lord to bestow upon them His Mercy, and they sincerely fear a Day when their Lord will gather all mankind together to take a full accounting of their deeds. In the Sight of Allah Subhanah, these humble people are the true believers!

8 "O Our Lord!" (the people grounded in Knowledge pray) "let not our hearts deviate now after Thou hast guided us, but grant us Mercy from Thine own Presence; for Thou art the Grantor of bounties without measure.

9 "O Our Lord! Thou art He that will gather mankind together against a Day about which there is no doubt: for Allah never fails in His promise."

Your Question: Ayat # 7 of Surah #3 ie Al-I`mran needs to be explained as it has been used by the clergy for the basis of their taweels. Please Elaborate 

My dear and beloved brother, in light of the above quoted verses of the Glorious Quran, the absolute best way or criterion given by our Lord to differentiate between the true believers and those in whose hearts is the disease of perversity is to see who amongst them are foremost in obeying and following the ‘muhkamaat’ (clear verses) of the Glorious Quran, and who amongst them are foremost in seeking the ‘taweel’ to justify their far-fetched meanings and beliefs!

Allah is our witness brother, if one apply this simple but effective criteria of determination between the Truth and the falsehood; never ever will any clergy or holy men armed with falsehood be able to approach them.

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan