The Decisive- muhkam

and

Ambiguous- mutashabih Verses

To understand this topic as it should be understood, it is necessary to know that the Qur’an has within it decisive (muhkam) verses and ambiguous (mutashabih) verses. Allah the Exalted Said:

﴿هُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَاءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللهُ  وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ﴾

[which means] “He is the one who revealed the Book to you, (O Muhammad). Within it are decisive verses; they are the reference of the book, and others are ambiguous. As for those who have deviance in their hearts, they follow what is ambiguous from it with the purpose of fitnah [tribulation], and seeking its ta’wil[1]. No one knows its ta’wil except Allah and those who are deeply rooted in the knowledge. They say, ‘We believe in it. All of it is from our Lord. No one is admonished by it except those of sound mind.’”

[1] Ta’wil has a number of meanings which vary depending on the recitation of the verse, as will be explained.