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:

Al-Salam-o-alaikum, my brother in Islam!

I pray you are fine there inshallah by grace of Allah (SWT). I have been visitng your this informative site for last few months and I also sent you a question which was replied and I am really very thankful for you...May Allah reward you best in this world and in Hereafter!
I am here to ask you 2 questions:

1)    What makes you believe in translation of Holy Quran regarding their authenticity? Moreover, most Imaamis (Shias) believe that Quran has 2 meanings i) Exoteric ii) Esoteric, they claim that they act according to its esoteric laws therefore they are on right path and they also believe that only they are able to understand these meanings, they also claim that each ayaah has several meanings.

2)    Most Imaamis (especially Agha Khanis) pose me this same question that "We have our living Imaam Prince Karim Agha Khan as our Imaam who guides us towards right path then who is your Imaam who guides you muslims?". Although Imaam literally means "Guide, Leader, the one who is followed, it maybe a Book or a Man" Even In Quran ( Chapter 11:17) Allah has referred Book of Moses the IMAAM. They also believe that their Imaam is guiding them according to Quran and Sunnah however anybody, who has basic knowledge of Quran and Sunnah, can easily understand that they are not being guided by Quran and Sunnah infact they are influenced by Christianity and Hinduism.I am often bombarded with same question by them whenever I invite them towards truth (that is to read Quran with understanding).

3)    Please I need your kind support in the form of sufficient answer regarding my these questions. Please reply me with references from Quran and Hadith. I am desparately waiting for your answer. Y

Your brother in Islam, Obaidullah.

Al-Salam-o-Alaikum!

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Zahir Batin esoteric hidden meanings

May Allah Subhanah reward you with the best of this world and the Hereafter for your kind comments of encouragement for our humble efforts in the propagation of the Truth. If our humble and modest efforts have helped even one brother or sister get closer to Allah and His Deen of Truth, then we would consider ourselves indeed fortunate to have been given this opportunity by the Lord Most Merciful to serve in His Cause. We hope, beg, and pray the Merciful Lord accepts our humble and weak efforts, forgives us our shortcomings, and saves you, us, and all the believers from the torment of the Hell Fire. Ameen.

Your Question: What makes you believe in translation of Holy Quran regarding their authenticity? Moreover, most Imaamis (Shias) believe that Quran has 2 meanings i) Exoteric ii) Esoteric, they claim that they act according to its esoteric laws therefore they are on right path and they also believe that only they are able to understand these meanings, they also claim that each ayaah has several meanings.
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 basic or fundamental (of established meaning or ‘exoteric’); they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical (‘esoteric’). But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical (‘esoteric’), 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 "O Our Lord!" (they say) "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.”

In light of the above absolutely clear verse of the Glorious Quran, Allah Subhanah Himself in His Glorious Book explains that His Book of Guidance for all mankind has two kinds of verses:

1. ‘Muhkim’ or Exoteric verses, or verses basic and fundamental whose meanings are well established and can be understood easily by all who wish to understand. Allah Subhanah further declares that these ‘exoteric’ verses are the essence or foundation of this Glorious Book of Guidance.
2. ‘Mutashabehaat’ or Esoteric verses, or verses whose meanings are allegorical.

Thus first and foremost, one must realize that not every verse of the Quran has two meanings; but rather the absolute majority of the verses are ‘muhkim’ (exoteric), whose meanings are well established and can be understood easily by all who wish to understand it. These verses form the vast majority of the Quran, and are the foundation and essence of this Glorious Book of Guidance.

Then there are some ‘mutashabehaat’ (esoteric) verses, the meanings of which are not easily understood; example ‘Alif-Laam-Meem’, ‘Haa-Meem’, ‘Yaa-Seen’, etc.

One might ask why would Allah Subhanah insert ‘mutashabehaat’ or esoteric verses in His Book of Guidance when none can understand them?

The wisdom behind the insertion of these verses is to test mankind: who amongst them believe in the Quran and guide themselves through it, and who amongst them disbelieve and strive to distort the meanings and give every verse an ‘esoteric’ platform!!!

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

In the very next phrase, the All-Knowing, All-Wise Lord exposes the intents of those in whose hearts is the disease of perversity, and who are bent on misguidance, for they are the ones foremost in declaring that all or most of the verses of this Glorious Book of guidance are ‘esoteric’ and only a select few (like themselves) know its real meanings! Allah Subhanah, in His Glorious Quran itself, accuses and blames these people with seeking ‘fitnah’ and discord for their persistent search of the esoteric meanings!

‘but no one knows its hidden (esoteric) meanings except Allah’

Then in the very next phrase Allah Subhanah Declares that none knows the exact meanings of those ‘esoteric’ verses except Allah Subhanah Alone! But even after this Unilateral Declaration of the Lord Creator, some misguided souls in whose hearts is the disease of perversity and seek ‘fitnah’ amongst the believers insist on having or acquiring the ‘esoteric’ meanings of the Quran!

Your Question: they claim that they act according to its esoteric laws therefore they are on right path and they also believe that only they are able to understand these meanings, they also claim that each ayaah has several meanings.

In light of the above verse of Surah Ale-Imran, it is absolutely clear that not ‘all’ verses of the

Quran but only a few of them are ‘esoteric’; the absolute vast majority of the verses of the Quran are ‘exoteric’, they form the foundation and essence of the Book and whose meanings are well established and understood by all who wish to understand.

Dear and Beloved brother in Islam, the utter and absolute lie that these people in whom is the disease of perversity claim is exposed by Allah Subhanah in His Unilateral Declaration: ‘no one knows its hidden (esoteric) meanings except Allah’

When Allah Subhanah, the Lord and Creator of the heavens and the earth and everything that exists in between Himself Declares in His Glorious Quran that none knows the hidden or esoteric meanings except Allah Subhanah, how can one who even remotely fears Allah entertain the thought that someone other than Allah is able to understand its ‘real’ meanings!

Allah is our witness brother, know with conviction that any in creation who claims to know the ‘esoteric’ meanings of the Glorious Quran is nothing but a confirmed and manifest liar! Allah is our witness brother, such people have the disease of perversity in their hearts and their intention in nothing but to cause ‘fitnah’, dissent, discord, and sects in the Muslim Ummah.

Your Question: Most Imaamis (especially Agha Khanis) pose me this same question that "We have our living Imaam Prince Karim Agha Khan as our Imaam who guides us towards right path then who is your Imaam who guides you muslims?". Although Imaam literally means "Guide, Leader, the one who is followed, it maybe a Book or a Man" Even In Quran ( Chapter 11:17) Allah has referred Book of Moses the IMAAM. They also believe that their Imaam is guiding them according to Quran and Sunnah however anybody, who has basic knowledge of Quran and Sunnah, can easily understand that they are not being guided by Quran and Sunnah infact they are influenced by Christianity and Hinduism.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 185:

Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was sent down: this Book is a Perfect Guidance for mankind and consists of clear Teachings which show the Right Way, and are a Criterion of the Truth and falsehood.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah Nahl verse 89:

We have sent down to you this Book, which makes everything plain, and is a guidance, blessing and good news to those who have surrendered themselves entirely.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 41 Surah Ha Mim As Sajdaah verse 2-4:

This is a Revelation from the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful Allah. A Book whose verses are well-expounded, an Arabic Quran for the people who want to understand, and a giver of good news and a warner.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 99:

We have sent down to you Revelations that clearly expound the Truth, and none but the disobedient reject them.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verses 2-3:

This is a Book which has been sent down to you. So, let there be no hesitation in your mind about it. This has been sent down that you may thereby warn (the disbelievers), and that it may be an Admonition to the believers. O people, follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord, and do not follow other ‘auliyaas’ besides Him. But you seldom take Admonition!

Sahih Muslim Hadith 1885 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah

That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said in a sermon: “The best speech is that which is embodied in the Book of Allah, the Al Quran; and the best guidance is the guidance given by me, Mohamed (saws). The most evil affairs are the innovations, and every innovation is an error.”

Dear and Beloved Brother, let those who have chosen to be and remain misguided choose any ‘imaam’ they wish; for the believers are content to be guided by what our Lord Creator has revealed in His Book of Guidance, The Al-Quran, and the authentic and established traditions of the Last and Final Messenger of Allah, Mohamed ar-Rasool Allah (saws).

Only if our brethren who have taken others as deities knew the inevitable fate that awaits them in the Just and Majestic Presence of the Lord Creator, they would disown them now just as they will disown them when the Truth of their beliefs is finally made clear to them on the Tumultuous Day of Judgment!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 22 Surah Hajj verse 71-72:

They worship besides Allah those for whom Allah has sent down NO AUTHORITY! Nor they themselves have any knowledge about them. Such transgressors have no helper! And when our CLEAR REVELATIONS are recited to them, you perceive signs of disdain on the faces of the disbelievers, as though they were going to ASSUALT those who recite our Revelations to them!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzab verse 66-68:

On the Day their faces are rolled about on the Fire, they will say, “Would that we had obeyed Allah and His Messenger!” And they will say, “O our Lord, we obeyed our CHIEFS and our GREAT MEN, and they led us astray from the Right Path. O our Lord, give them a double chastisment and curse them severely”.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anam verse 94:

(And Allah will say), “So, you have come before Us all alone, as We created you at first. Now, you have left behind all that We gave you in the world. Now We do not see with you those ‘shufa’a’(intercessors), who, you believed, had a share in moulding your destinies! All the relations between you and them have been cut off, and all those, in whom you trusted, have left you in the lurch.”

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 18 Surah Kahf verse 102:

What? Do these people, who have disbelieved, presume that they would make My servants their ‘auliyaas’ besides Me? We have prepared Hell for the hospitality of such people.

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