Question 1339: What is the meaning of 'muhkam' (clear) and 'mutashabih' (ambiguous) in the Quran and narrations?
Answer
✅Answer: Please pay attention to the following narrations:
1 عَنْ وُهَیْبِ بْنِ حَفْصٍ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ علیه السلام قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ یَقُولُ إِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ فِیهِ مُحْکَمٌ وَ مُتَشَابِهٌ فَأَمَّا الْمُحْکَمُ فَنُؤْمِنُ بِهِ وَ نَعْمَلُ بِهِ وَ نَدِینُ بِهِ وَ أَمَّا الْمُتَشَابِهُ فَنُؤْمِنُ بِهِ وَ لَا نَعْمَلُ بِهِ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ تَبَارَکَ وَ تَعَالَی فَأَمَّا الَّذِینَ فِی قُلُوبِهِمْ زَیْغٌ فَیَتَّبِعُونَ ما تَشابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَ ابْتِغاءَ تَأْوِیلِهِ وَ ما یَعْلَمُ تَأْوِیلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ الرَّاسِخُونَ فِی الْعِلْمِ
📚 Basair al-Darajat, p. 55
Wuhayb said: 'I heard Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) say: 'Indeed, in the Quran there is 'muhkam' and 'mutashabih'. As for 'muhkam', we believe in it, we act upon it, and we hold it as a creed. But as for 'mutashabih', we believe in it but we do not act upon it, and this is the saying of Allah, the Blessed and Exalted (in Surah Ali 'Imran, verse 7), where He says: 'As for those in whose hearts there is deviation from the truth, they follow the 'mutashabih' parts of the Quran, seeking discord and seeking its interpretation, while no one knows its interpretation except Allah and those firmly rooted in knowledge!'
2 عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِی جَعْفَرٍ علیه السلام قَالَ: إِنَّ أُنَاساً تَکَلَّمُوا فِی هَذَا الْقُرْآنِ بِغَیْرِ عِلْمٍ وَ ذَلِکَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَکَ وَ تَعَالَی یَقُولُ هُوَ الَّذِی أَنْزَلَ عَلَیْکَ الْکِتابَ مِنْهُ آیاتٌ مُحْکَماتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ وَ أُخَرُ مُتَشابِهاتٌ فَأَمَّا الَّذِینَ فِی قُلُوبِهِمْ زَیْغٌ فَیَتَّبِعُونَ ما تَشابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَ ابْتِغاءَ تَأْوِیلِهِ وَ ما یَعْلَمُ تَأْوِیلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْآیَةَ فَالْمَنْسُوخَاتُ مِنَ الْمُتَشَابِهَاتِ وَ الْمُحْکَمَاتُ مِنَ النَّاسِخَاتِ...
📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 28
Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: 'Indeed, a group of people spoke about this Quran without knowledge, and its explanation is that Allah, the Blessed and Exalted (in Surah Ali 'Imran, verse 7), says: 'He is the One who sent down to you the Book, from which are clear (muhkam) verses, which are the essence of the Book, and others are ambiguous (mutashabih). As for those in whose hearts there is deviation and crookedness, they follow the ambiguous verses, seeking discord and seeking its interpretation, while no one knows its interpretation except Allah and those firmly rooted in knowledge.' So the abrogated verses are among the 'mutashabih' and the 'muhkam' verses are from the abrogating ones....'
3 عَنْ وُهَیْبِ بْنِ حَفْصٍ عَنْ أَبِی بَصِیرٍ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ علیه السلام قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ یَقُولُ: إِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ زَاجِرٌ وَ آمِرٌ یَأْمُرُ بِالْجَنَّةِ وَ یَزْجُرُ عَنِ النَّارِ وَ فِیهِ مُحْکَمٌ وَ مُتَشَابِهٌ فَأَمَّا الْمُحْکَمُ فَیُؤْمِنُ بِهِ وَ یَعْمَلُ بِهِ وَ یَدِینُ بِهِ وَ أَمَّا الْمُتَشَابِهُ فَیُؤْمِنُ بِهِ وَ لَا یَعْمَلُ بِهِ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ فَأَمَّا الَّذِینَ فِی قُلُوبِهِمْ زَیْغٌ فَیَتَّبِعُونَ ما تَشابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَ ابْتِغاءَ تَأْوِیلِهِ وَ ما یَعْلَمُ تَأْوِیلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ الرَّاسِخُونَ فِی الْعِلْمِ یَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ کُلٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّنا وَ آلُ مُحَمَّدٍ علیهم السلام الرَّاسِخُونَ فِی الْعِلْمِ
📚Tafsir al-Qummi, p. 745
Abu Basir said: 'I heard Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) say: 'Indeed, the Quran is a forbiddance and a command! It commands Paradise and forbids and prevents from Hellfire, and in it there is both 'muhkam' and 'mutashabih'. As for the 'muhkam', one believes in it, acts upon it, and holds it as a creed, but as for the 'mutashabih', one believes in it but does not act upon it, and this is the saying of Allah the Exalted (in Surah Ali 'Imran, verses 7 and 8) where He says: 'As for those in whose hearts there is crookedness and deviation from the truth, they follow its ambiguous parts, seeking discord and seeking its interpretation, while no one knows its interpretation except Allah and those firmly rooted in knowledge. They say: 'We believe in it; all is from our Lord,' and those firmly rooted in knowledge are the family of Muhammad (peace be upon them all)!'
4 سُئِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ علیه السلام عَنِ الْمُحْکَمِ وَ الْمُتَشَابِهِ قَالَ الْمُحْکَمُ مَا نَعْمَلُ بِهِ وَ الْمُتَشَابِهُ مَا اشْتَبَهَ عَلَی جَاهِلِهِ
📚 Tafsir al-'Ayyashi, Vol. 1, p. 162.
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) was asked about 'muhkam' and 'mutashabih'. The Imam said: ''Muhkam' is that which we act upon, and 'mutashabih' is that which is ambiguous to the one who is ignorant of it!'
5 عَنْ أَبِی مُحَمَّدٍ الْهَمْدَانِیِّ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ علیه السلام قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ النَّاسِخِ وَ الْمَنْسُوخِ وَ الْمُحْکَمِ وَ الْمُتَشَابِهِ قَالَ النَّاسِخُ الثَّابِتُ وَ الْمَنْسُوخُ مَا مَضَی وَ الْمُحْکَمُ مَا یُعْمَلُ بِهِ وَ الْمُتَشَابِهُ الَّذِی یُشْبِهُ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضاً
📚 Tafsir al-'Ayyashi, Vol. 1, p. 11
A man said: 'I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about abrogating and abrogated, and clear and ambiguous.' The Imam said: 'The abrogating is the fixed and established verse, and the abrogated is that which has passed, and the 'muhkam' is that which is acted upon, and the 'mutashabih' is that part which resembles another part!'
6 عَنْ مَسْعَدَةَ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ علیه السلام عَنِ النَّاسِخِ وَ الْمَنْسُوخِ وَ الْمُحْکَمِ وَ الْمُتَشَابِهِ قَالَ النَّاسِخُ الثَّابِتُ الْمَعْمُولُ بِهِ وَ الْمَنْسُوخُ مَا کَانَ یُعْمَلُ بِهِ ثُمَّ جَاءَ مَا نَسَخَهُ وَ الْمُتَشَابِهُ مَا اشْتَبَهَ عَلَی جَاهِلِهِ
📚 Tafsir al-'Ayyashi, Vol. 1, p. 11
Mas'adah said: 'I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about abrogating and abrogated, and clear and ambiguous.' He said: 'The abrogating is the fixed and established one that is acted upon, and the abrogated is that which was acted upon and then something came that abrogated it, and the 'mutashabih' is that which is ambiguous to the one who is ignorant of it!'
7 عن النعمانی فی تفسیره عن امیرالمؤمنین... ثُمَّ سَأَلُوهُ علیه السلام عَنِ الْمُتَشَابِهِ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ فَقَالَ وَ أَمَّا الْمُتَشَابِهُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ فَهُوَ الَّذِی انْحَرَفَ مِنْهُ مُتَّفِقُ اللَّفْظِ مُخْتَلِفُ الْمَعْنَی مِثْلُ قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- یُضِلُّ اللَّهُ مَنْ یَشاءُ وَ یَهْدِی مَنْ یَشاءُ فَنَسَبَ الضَّلَالَةَ إِلَی نَفْسِهِ فِی هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ وَ هَذَا ضَلَالُهُمْ عَنْ طَرِیقِ الْجَنَّةِ بِفِعْلِهِمْ وَ نَسَبَهُ إِلَی الْکُفَّارِ فِی مَوْضِعٍ آخَرَ وَ نَسَبَهُ إِلَی الْأَصْنَامِ فِی آیَةٍ أُخْرَی.
📚 Bihar, Vol. 93, p. 13
In a hadith, Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) was asked about the ambiguous parts of the Quran. The Imam said: 'The ambiguous of the Quran is that which, despite a consistent wording, has different meanings that are implied. Like the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Glorious (in Surah Al-Muddaththir, verse 31) where He says: 'Allah misguides whoever He wills and guides whoever He wills.' So in this place, He has attributed misguidance to Himself, and this misguidance of theirs from the path of Paradise is due to their own actions, and in another place, He has attributed misguidance to the disbelievers, and in another verse (Surah Ibrahim, verse 36), He has attributed misguidance to the idols!'
(Meaning that misguidance is a consistent word that has different meanings in different verses of the Quran, and is therefore ambiguous)
8 عن أَبِی حَیُّونٍ مَوْلَی الرِّضَا عَنِ الرِّضَا قال: مَنْ رَدَّ مُتَشَابِهَ الْقُرْآنِ إِلَی مُحْکَمِهِ فَقَدْ هُدِیَ إِلَی صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِیمٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ فِی أَخْبَارِنَا مُحْکَماً کَمُحْکَمِ الْقُرْآنِ وَ مُتَشَابِهاً کَمُتَشَابِهِ الْقُرْآنِ فَرُدُّوا مُتَشَابِهَهَا إِلَی مُحْکَمِهَا وَ لَا تَتَّبِعُوا مُتَشَابِهَهَا دُونَ مُحْکَمِهَا فَتَضِلُّوا
📚Uyun Akhbar al-Reza, Vol. 1, p. 290
Imam Reza (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever refers the ambiguous of the Quran back to its clear verses, has certainly been guided to the straight path.' Then he said: 'Indeed, in our hadiths, there are also 'muhkam' like the 'muhkam' of the Quran, and 'mutashabih' like the 'mutashabih' of the Quran. So refer the ambiguous ones back to the clear ones, and do not follow their ambiguous parts separate from the clear ones, lest you be misguided!'
✅ Based on the above narrations and others, in the Quran and narrations, there are both 'muhkam' (clear) and 'mutashabih' (ambiguous) words and phrases.
One of the definitions of 'muhkam' in the Quran, according to the narrations, is the abrogating verses and verses that have not been abrogated by another verse.
The definition of 'mutashabih' is that a single, consistent word or phrase has different meanings in different places, and of course, 'mutashabih' is ambiguous to the person who is ignorant of it, and it is not ambiguous to the person who has knowledge of its correct meaning in the intended place.
Therefore, nothing is ambiguous for the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), but for us, depending on our level of ignorance and knowledge, many of the phrases in the Quran and narrations are ambiguous.
The duty specified in the narrations regarding the 'mutashabih' is that we believe in it but do not act upon it and go to the 'muhkam' for action until we become aware of its correct aspect and meaning in the intended place with the light of knowledge, but we believe in the 'muhkam' and we also act upon it.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْر
✅One of the examples given for 'mutashabih' in the above narrations is the attribution of misguidance, which in one place is attributed to Allah the Exalted, and in another place to the disbelievers, and in another place to the idols, in each of which there is a separate and specific meaning despite the same word.
Another example given in the same hadith of Tafsir Nu'mani is the word 'khalaq' (create) and its derivatives, which have different meanings in different places:
9 تَفْسِیرُ النُّعْمَانِیِّ، بِإِسْنَادِهِ عَنِ الصَّادِقِ علیه السلام قَالَ: سُئِلَ أَمِیرُ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ علیه السلام عَنْ مُتَشَابِهِ الْخَلْقِ فَقَالَ هُوَ عَلَی ثَلَاثَةِ أَوْجُهٍ فَمِنْهُ خَلْقُ الِاخْتِرَاعِ کَقَوْلِهِ سُبْحَانَهُ خَلَقَ السَّماواتِ و الْأَرْضَ فِی سِتَّةِ أَیَّامٍ وَ خَلْقُ الِاسْتِحَالَةِ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَی یَخْلُقُکُمْ فِی بُطُونِ أُمَّهاتِکُمْ خَلْقاً مِنْ بَعْدِ خَلْقٍ فِی ظُلُماتٍ ثَلاثٍ وَ قَوْلُهُ هُوَ الَّذِی خَلَقَکُمْ مِنْ تُرابٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ الْآیَةَ
وَ أَمَّا خَلْقُ التَّقْدِیرِ فَقَوْلُهُ لِعِیسَی وَ إِذْ تَخْلُقُ مِنَ الطِّینِ الْآیَةَ.
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) was asked about the ambiguous 'khalaq'. The Imam said: 'It has three aspects: One is 'khalaq' of origination, like the verse (Surah Al-A'raf, verse 54; Surah Yunus, verse 3; Surah Hud, verse 7; Surah Al-Hadid, verse 4, etc.):
خَلَقَ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضَ فِی سِتَّةِ أَیَّامٍ
And 'khalaq' of transformation, like the saying of Allah the Exalted in Surah Az-Zumar, verse 32, where He says:
«یَخْلُقُکُمْ فِی بُطُونِ أُمَّهاتِکُمْ خَلْقاً مِنْ بَعْدِ خَلْقٍ فِی ظُلُماتٍ ثَلاثٍ»
And His saying (in Surah Ghafir, verse 67) where He says:
«هُوَ الَّذِی خَلَقَکُمْ مِنْ تُرابٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ» تا آخر آیه
But 'khalaq' of estimation is like the saying of Allah the Exalted addressing Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) (in Surah Al-Ma'idah, verse 110) where He says: 'And when you 'takhlqu' from clay...' until the end of the verse.'
✅ It is seen that the single word 'khalaq' has different meanings in different places, and if this ambiguity is interpreted with one's own opinion, it leads to attributing the 'khalaq' of origination or the 'khalaq' of transformation to Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), while the creation of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) is 'khalaq' of estimation!
✅ The ambiguous parts of the verses and narrations have always been a tool for the sick-hearted and mischief-makers to justify their false beliefs and thoughts, and it is with regard to these ambiguities that people are destroyed:
10 عَلِیُّ بْنُ الْحُسَیْنِ الْمُرْتَضَی فی رِسَالَةِ الْمُحْکَمِ و الْمُتَشَابِهِ نَقْلًا مِنْ تَفْسِیرِ النُّعْمَانِیِّ بِإِسْنَادِهِ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِیلَ بْنِ جَابِرٍ عَنِ الصَّادِقِ قال:إِلَی أَنْ قَالَ ثُمَّ سَأَلُوهُ عَنْ تَفْسِیرِ الْمُحْکَمِ مِنْ کِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ أَمَّا الْمُحْکَمُ الَّذِی لَمْ یَنْسَخْهُ شَیْءٌ فَقَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ هُوَ الَّذِی أَنْزَلَ عَلَیْکَ الْکِتابَ مِنْهُ آیاتٌ مُحْکَماتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ وَ أُخَرُ مُتَشابِهاتٌ الْآیَةَ وَ إِنَّمَا هَلَکَ النَّاسُ فِی الْمُتَشَابِهِ لِأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ یَقِفُوا عَلَی مَعْنَاهُ وَ لَمْ یَعْرِفُوا حَقِیقَتَهُ فَوَضَعُوا لَهُ تَأْوِیلًا مِنْ عِنْدِ أَنْفُسِهِمْ بِآرَائِهِمْ وَ اسْتَغْنَوْا بِذَلِکَ عَنْ مَسْأَلَةِ الْأَوْصِیَاءِ وَ نَبَذُوا قَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ الْحَدِیثَ
📚Al-Muhkam wa al-Mutashabih, p. 69
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said in the hadith of Tafsir Nu'mani, among other things: 'Then they asked him (i.e., Amir al-Mu'minin, peace be upon him) about the interpretation of the 'muhkam' of the Quran.' So he said: 'As for the 'muhkam', which is that which nothing has abrogated, it is the divine saying (in Surah Ali 'Imran, verse 7) where He says: 'He is the One who sent down to you the Book, from which are clear (muhkam) verses, which are the essence of the Book, and others are ambiguous (mutashabih)... until the end of the verse.' And indeed, people are destroyed with regard to the ambiguous, because they are not aware of its meaning and intent and do not know its reality, so they fabricated an interpretation for it from their own opinion and with this they sought to do without asking the successors, and they cast the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) behind their backs!'
✅ Based on narration 8️⃣ and others, 'muhkam' and 'mutashabih' also exist in the hadiths of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), and following the ambiguous parts without referring them back to the clear parts leads to misguidance. Therefore, knowing the clear from the ambiguous is one of the necessary conditions for giving a fatwa, which is mentioned in narration 2️⃣ of the following link:
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ و آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ و الْعَافِیَةَ و النَّصْر