The Ambiguous-mutashabih Verses

The Ambiguous-mutashabih Verses

The ambiguous verse is that which what it refers to is not clear, or it could possibly have several facets in meaning and is in need of contemplation to interpret it in accordance with the proper meaning, like the Saying of Allah the Exalted:

﴿الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى العَرْشِ اسْتَوَى﴾

And the Saying of Allah the Exalted:

﴿إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ وَالعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ يَرْفَعُهُ﴾

which means the good words like “La ilaha illallah” ascend up to the place that Allah honored, which is the sky, and  the good deed is raised by it, i.e., the good word raises the good deed. This is harmonious with and in compliance with the decisive verse:

﴿لَيسَ كَمِثلِهِ شَىءٌ﴾

[which means] “Nothing is like Him in any way.”

Consequently it is necessary to refer the interpretation of the ambiguous verses back to the decisive verses. This is in reference to the ambiguous matters that are valid for the scholars to know. As for the ambiguous matter that is meant by the Saying of Allah:

﴿وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللهُ﴾

[which means] “No one knows its ta’wil except Allah,” according to the recitation of stopping at the Majestic Expression [the Name Allah], it refers to what is like the occurrence of Judgment Day and the precise time that ad-Dajjal would appear. That is not the same type [of ambiguity] as in the verse of Istiwa’.

It was narrated from the Prophet ﷺ:

اعْمِلُوا بـِمُحْكَمِهِ وَءامِنُوا بِـمُتَشَابِـهِهِ

[which means] “Apply its decisive and believe its ambiguous.” This hadith is slightly weak.