Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

How can we differentiate between Decisive or Allegorical Ayaat, please explain and give examples.

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Answer:

Difference between allegorical and clear aayahs

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 in Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imran verse 7:It is Allah, Who sent down this Quran to you. (There are two kinds of verses in the Book.) In it are verses Basic or Fundamental (of established meanings which can be easily understood), and they are the essence or foundation of the Book. And the other verses are Allegorical or Ambiguous. Those in whose hearts is perversity will always go for the Allegorical or Ambiguous verses, seeking discord and trying to search for their hidden meanings. None, except Allah, knows their real meanings(Ta’aweel)! In contrast to them, those who are firmly grounded in knowledge, say: “We believe in them all, because all of them are from our Lord.

A major portion of the Glorious Quran, especially the Aayahs which have to do with the ‘do’s’ and ‘don’t’s’, are the decisive, clear, basic and fundamental Aayahs or Muhkamaat.

Some Aayahs, which mostly relate to the unseen, are considered the allegorical and ambiguous Aayahs. Allah Subhanah has warned the believers in the above quoted Aayah of Surah Ale Imraan, that only the ones in whose hearts is a disease, and those who seek fitnah and discord, will always try to go after the ambiguous Aayahs and try to determine their meanings (to suit their beliefs and desires)! The true believers, who sincerely believe in Allah and the Last Day, must believe the whole Quran, and accept and believe in the unseen as declared by Allah Subhanah.

Ref: Example of Muhkamaat (Basic or Decisive) Aayahs:

These Aayahs are the essence of the Quran, and have to do with ‘do’s’ and the ‘don’t’s’ of Islam; the inheritance commands, the wudu, prayer and zakat commands, the Hajj commands, the haraam and halaal commands, the marriage and divorce commands, the commands of civil and family laws, etc. These are all absolutely clear and decisive Aayahs, and there can be absolutely no confusion in following these Aayahs.

Example 1: Surah 4 Nisaa verses 3-4:

3 If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans marry women of your choice two or three or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them) then only one or (a captive) that your right hands possess. That will be more suitable to prevent you from doing injustice.

4 And give the women (on marriage) their dower as a free gift; but if they of their own good pleasure remit any part of it to you take it and enjoy it with right good cheer.

Absolutely clear Aayah: marry two, or three or four women of your choice; and if you fear you cannot do justice, then marry only one. And give the bride her mehr as a free gift, and if she shares it with you, enjoy it. Absolutely nothing ambiguous or allegorical!

Example 2: Surah 4 Nisaa verse 11:

Allah (thus) directs you as regards your children's (inheritance): to the male a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters two or more their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one her share is a half. For parents a sixth share of the inheritance to each if the deceased left children; if no children and the parents are the (only) heirs the mother has a third; if the deceased left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases is) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah and Allah is All-Knowing All-Wise.

The above Aayah clearly declares how to divide ones inheritance, and what percentage should be given to whom. Absolutely clear, no ambiguity!

Example 3: Surah 5 Maidah verse 38:

As to the thief, male or female cut off his or her hand: a punishment by way of example from Allah for their crime: and Allah is Exalted in Power.

The above Aayah clearly demands that the hand of the thief be cut off, whether the thief is a male or a female! Absolutely clear, no ambiguity!

Example 4: Surah 24 Noor verse 2:

The woman and the man guilty of zina, flog each of them with a hundred stripes: let not compassion move you in their case in a matter prescribed by Allah if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day: and let a party of the Believers witness their punishment.

The above Aayah is the prescribed punished for one who is guilty of zina. Absolutely clear, no ambiguity at all!

Example 5: Surah 5 Maidah verse 6:

O ye who believe! When ye prepare for prayer wash your faces and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill or on a journey or one of you cometh from offices of nature or ye have been in contact with women and ye find no water then take for yourselves clean sand or earth and rub therewith your faces and hands. Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty but to make you clean and to complete His favor to you that ye may be grateful.

The above Aayah commands the believers to do wudu before one stands for prayer; and if he cannot find water, he can do wudu with clean sand. Absolutely no ambiguity!

The Messenger of Allah (saws) himself understood, obeyed, and followed these clear commands of Allah Subhanah and explained it in detail to all those around him.

Ref: Examples of Mutashaabehaat or Allegorical or Ambigous Aayahs.

These Aayahs are mostly to do with the ‘unseen’, whether they be things of the past or of the future: The Angels, the Spirit, the exact nature of Paradise and Hell Fire, the soul, the Jinns, the Throne of Allah Subhanah, etc. It is a condition of faith that the believers must believe in the ‘unseen’ as declared by Allah Subhanah, even though we may not understand the exact nature of these things.

Example 1: Surah 7 Aaraaf verses 11-12:

11 It is We who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels bow down to Adam and they bowed down; not so Iblis; he refused to be of those who bow down.

12 (Allah) said: "what prevented thee from bowing down when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: thou didst create me from fire and him from clay."

It is beyond our comprehension exactly how Allah Subhanah created man with clay, or the Jinns with fire, or what is the exact shape of Iblis, etc. But it should suffice for the believers to believe in exactly what is related by Allah Subhanah in the state of things we cannot see or comprehend, without adding or subtracting anything from ourselves. He does whatever He Wills and Pleases!

Example 2: Surah 51 Dhaariyat verse 15:

(On the Day of Judgement) As to the Righteous, they will be in the midst of Gardens and Springs

The Day of Judgement and the rewards that will be given to the Righteous in Paradise by the Merciful Lord are beyond our wildest imaginations! We cannot comprehend what exactly, or how huge or how beautiful are these Gardens, and what is the nature of the promised ‘Springs’!

But it should suffice for the believers to believe in exactly what is related by Allah Subhanah in the state of things we cannot see or comprehend, without adding or subtracting anything from ourselves. He does whatever He Wills and Pleases!

Example 3: Surah 44 Dukhaan verses 43-48:

43 Verily the tree of Zaqqum

44 Will be the food of the Sinful

45 Like molten brass; it will boil in their insides

46 Like the boiling of scalding water.

47 (A voice will cry:) "Seize ye him and drag him into the midst of the Blazing Fire!

48 "Then pour over his head the Penalty of Boiling Water;

What exactly is the nature of this tree of ‘Zaqqum’? How huge is it? What does it look like? How will the people of Hell Fire eat it? What will they say? What will be the temprature of that Blazing Fire? How hot will be the Boiling Water? Etc. etc. These are things that will happen in the future and beyond our comprehension!

But it should suffice for the believers to believe in exactly what is related by Allah Subhanah in the state of things we cannot see or comprehend, without adding or subtracting anything from ourselves. He does whatever He Wills and Pleases!

Example 4: Surah 44 Dukhaan verses 51-54:

51 As to the Righteous (they will be) in a position of Security

52 Among Gardens and Springs;

53 Dressed in fine silk and in rich brocade they will face each other;

54 So; and We shall Join them to Companions with beautiful big and lustrous eyes.

How fine will be the silk? How expensive will be the brocade? What does it mean to face each other? Who exactly are these ‘hur-al-ayn’? Exactly how pretty are they? Etc. etc. These are things that Allah Subhanah has promised as rewards for the Righteous and it is beyond our comprehension to determine the exact nature of these things!

But it should suffice for the believers to believe in exactly what is related by Allah Subhanah in the state of things we cannot see or comprehend, without adding or subtracting anything from ourselves. He does whatever He Wills and Pleases!

Example 5: Surah 6 Anaam verses 61-62:

61 He is the Irresistible (watching) from above over his worshippers and He sets guardians over you. At length when death approaches one of you Our angels take his soul and they never fail in their duty.

62   Then are men returned unto Allah their Protector the (only) reality: is not His the Command? And He is the swiftest in taking account.

How exactly does Allah See? Does He have eyes? How does this Angel of Death look? Does he take permission before coming to take our souls? How does Allah take Account? Does He have a computer? What are his tools? How will He ‘weigh’ our deeds? Etc. etc.

These are things of the unseen, and beyond our comprehension.

But it should suffice for the believers to believe in exactly what is related by Allah Subhanah in the state of things we cannot see or comprehend, without adding or subtracting anything from ourselves. He does whatever He Wills and Pleases!

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

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan