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:

Dear Mr Burhan

I dont know what Bohra actually preach. But let me ask you one thing. The Holy Quran has mentioned two kinds of ayas or verses. Muhikimmat and Mutshabihat whose knowledge is possesses by rasokhon fi ilm. My question to you Mr Burhan is Are you in a position to know and interpret the Muthshabihat verses?

May Allah guide you and keep us on His path.

fi ammanillah

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Answer:

Mutashabehat verses Quran

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-Imraan verses 7-8:

7 He it is Who has sent down to thee the Book: in it are verses ‘muhkamaat’ ( basic or fundamental verses of established meaning); they are the foundation of the Book: others are ‘mutashabehaad’ (allegorical and ambiguous). But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is ‘mutashabehaad’, seeking discord and searching for its hidden meanings but no one knows its 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 "Our Lord!" (they say) "let not our hearts deviate now after Thou hast guided us, but grant us Mercy from Thy Own Presence; for Thou art the Grantor of bounties without measure.

Your Statement: The Holy Quran has mentioned two kinds of ayas or verses.Muhikimmat and Mutshabihat whose knowledge is possesses by rasokhon fi ilm.

Dear and beloved brother in Islam, the Lord Most High Himself Declares that He has revealed two types of verses in His Glorious Book of Guidance:

1. Muhkamaat: basic or fundamental verses of established meanings, whose meanings can easily be understood by man.
2. Mutahsabehaad: verses which are allegorical or ambiguous whose meanings are not well defined.

Your Question: whose knowledge is possesses by rasokhon fi ilm.

Beloved brother, if one reads in the verse in context, one will realize that Allah Subhanah Himself Declares in the very same verse that none knows the ‘taaweel’ of the ‘mutashabehaat’ verses except Allah Subhanah Alone!

Allah Subhanah Declares that the evil and disobedient people who do not wish to follow and unconditionally submit to the Commands and Guidance of their Lord….. those who have perversity in their hearts always strive to follow and decipher the ‘taaweel’ or the hidden meanings of ‘mutahsabehaat’ verses!!!

Thus if ever one wants to know whether one is a true God-fearing scholar or not, all one needs to do is to figure out which verses the person is active in stressing…the basic or fundamental verses whose meanings are well established or the ambiguous and allegorical verses whose meanings are known only to Allah Subhanah; if one finds that the scholar is mostly trying to explain the hidden meanings or ‘taweel’ of the ambiguous verses, then know with absolute certainty that such people have a disease and perversity in their hearts and they are far far removed from the guidance of Allah Subhanah.

….and ‘the rasekhoon fil ilm’ (or 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.

Beloved brother in Islam, in the context of the verse, the ‘rasekhoon fil-ilm’ are not those who claim to know the ‘taweel’ of the ambiguous meanings, for the ‘taweel’ of the ‘mutashabehaat’ verses are known only to Allah Subhanah…..but the ‘rasekhoon fil-ilm’ are those who say: "We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord". These are the blessed believers who are blessed with the understanding of the Message of their Lord.

Your Question: Are you in a position to know and interpret the Muthshabihat verses?

…..But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is ‘mutashabehaad’, seeking discord and searching for its hidden meanings but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah;

Dear and beloved brother in Islam, it is Allah Subhanah Alone Who Knows the ‘taaweel’ of the ‘mutashabehaat’ verses of the Glorious Quran. If any other than Allah Subhanah claims to know the ‘taaweel’ of the ‘mutashabehaat’ verses, know with absolute conviction that such people are those who have a disease of perversity in their hearts, who desire nothing but ‘fitnah’ and discord amongst the believers, and are nothing but absolute and confirmed liars in the Sight of the Lord.

Allah is our witness brother, none in existence knows or can claim to interpret the ‘mutashabehaat’ verses of the Glorious Quran….for that position and rank belongs to the Lord Who Alone is The All-Knowing, All-Wise.

I bear witness along with all the true believers that none other than Allah Subhanah is in a position to know or interpret the ‘mutashabehaat’ verses of His Glorious Quran.

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