The Muhkamat and Mutashabihat Verses: Rethinking Traditional Boundaries of Understanding

By Naseer Ahmed, New Age Islam 30 May 2025 The Qur'an, described by Allah as a “Book well-explained in detail” (41:3), consists of two distinct categories of verses: Muhkamat and Mutashabihat. This classification, explicitly mentioned in verse 3:7, has been a focal point of Quranic exegesis for centuries. However, despite the exhaustive commentary by classical scholars, the precise nature and function of these two categories remain inadequately understood. In this article, we revisit the meanings and purposes of Muhkamat and Mutashabihat verses and examine the limitations of the traditional approach. I propose a more contextually grounded and scientifically informed hermeneutic that honours the original message of the Qur’an while addressing the epistemic constraints of earlier scholarship. Muhkamat: The Foundational Verses The term Muhkamat is derived from the triliteral Arabic root ḥā-kāf-mīm (ح ك م), denoting judgment, authority, decisiveness, and wisdom. The Qur’an describes these verses as forming the "foundation of the Book" (umm al-kitab)—clear, decisive, and central to the Islamic message. Typically, though not exclusively, Muhkamat verses articulate: • Ethical Commandments • Legal Prescriptions • Foundational Doctrines • Clear Spiritual Guidance They also address specific audiences—Prophets, believers, People of the Book, Bani Israel, disbelievers, or humanity at large—and do so in a direct, unambiguous manner. These are the actionable elements of the Qur’anic discourse, not reliant on metaphor or layered abstraction. Mutashabihat: The Allegorical and Approximate In contrast, Mutashabihat stems from the root shīn-bā-hā (ش ب ه), connoting resemblance or ambiguity. These verses deal with matters beyond the immediate grasp of human experience or 7th-century epistemology. Their subjects typically include: • The nature and attributes of God • The metaphysical dimensions of the afterlife • Natural phenomena not yet understood in their time • Scientific or psychological ideas communicated through approximations • Poetic expressions designed to evoke contemplation These verses are often mischaracterised as permanently ambiguous. However, their lack of clarity is not intrinsic but contextual, rooted in the epistemological limitations of the original audience and early exegetes. In reality, many Mutashabihat verses become intelligible as human knowledge evolves. The Qur'an anticipated this development, embedding such verses as open invitations for future understanding, not for confusion or mystification. Misuse of “Ambiguity” in Traditional Tafsir A troubling tendency among classical and even modern scholars has been to label any difficult verse as Mutashabihat. Some, like Adis Duderija, have gone so far as to suggest that the classification itself depends on the interpreter’s perspective—a relativist view that undermines the Qur’an’s textual integrity. In one debate, a scholar retreated from an argument about the meaning of Ruh by invoking verse 3:7, alleging that the subject was off-limits because it fell under Mutashabihat. This reflects a misunderstanding. When a term is used clearly and self-referentially, it does not become Mutashabih simply because its implications are deep or difficult—unless it pertains to the essence or attributes of God. The Qur'an does not forbid discussion of Mutashabihat verses; it warns against speculative manipulation of their meanings by those "in whose hearts is deviation." The key is epistemic humility: one may speak on such verses if clarity has emerged, especially through reliable knowledge or sound reasoning. A difficult verse may generate multiple interpretations, but it was never meant to carry multiple meanings. The Qur’an is not poetry, nor does it indulge in the luxury of layered ambiguity. Every verse of the Qur’an was revealed with a single, clear intent—an objective truth—not to be fragmented into a spectrum of subjective guesses. Once the intended meaning becomes clear, all competing interpretations must fall away. The idea that Qur'anic verses carry "many truths" or "multiple levels of meaning" is not a reflection of the Qur’an’s depth but of the interpreter’s confusion. The Necessity of Metaphor in Revelation The Qur'an uses metaphor not for poetic embellishment alone, but as a necessity. When describing realities that defy the vocabulary and cognitive scope of its original audience—cosmic origins, divine light, human consciousness—metaphor serves as both veil and vehicle. Take verse 24:35 (Ayat al-Nur): "Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His Light is like that of a niche containing a lamp..." The metaphor of light—resonant across cultures and ages—serves in the Qur’an as a symbol of divine guidance and epistemic awakening. In contemporary terms, the phrase light upon light in verse 24:35 can be understood through psychological models of priming and framing, which explain how layered exposure to truth reshapes cognitive perception. Revelation, in this light, is not a sudden rupture but a systematic reconfiguration of the human mind. This verse, like others, has inspired multiple interpretations—but it does not carry multiple meanings. It is not a canvas for mystical projections or poetic indulgence. The lamp is the Qur’an itself. Its crystal-clear glass, like a shining star, is the language in which it is revealed—preserving the divine light (the criterion between right and wrong) and transmitting it without distortion, with precision and clarity. Any reading that veers into abstraction at the cost of clarity misses the point of the verse entirely. The Qur’an is light not because it dazzles, but because it illuminates. Similarly, verse 95:1–2: “By the Fig and the Olive, and Mount Sinai, and this secure city...” Traditional scholars interpreted the olive, Sinai, and the secure city as symbolic of Jesus, Moses, and Muhammad, respectively. The fig remained a mystery. I have argued that it signifies other prophetic traditions, particularly non-Abrahamic, where the fig tree held spiritual significance. The metaphor thus subtly broadens the scope of divine guidance beyond the Abrahamic framework. The Evolution of Knowledge and Unveiling of Mutashabihat The traditional exegetical flaw lies in the assumption that the entirety of the Qur’an’s meanings should be accessible to 7th-century minds. This led to speculative tafsir, where scholars interpreted Mutashabihat verses without the necessary intellectual or scientific tools, akin to viewing through an unfocused lens. Many traditional scholars, therefore, argue that Muhkamat verses should interpret Mutashabihat ones. Ghulam Ghaus sb., for example, writes: “The term “Umm”, meaning “mother” or “origin,” signifies that the muhkam verses are the foundational references of the Book. They serve as the anchor and interpretive lens for the Mutashābih verses, which may carry metaphorical or figurative meanings beyond immediate clarity. This structured hierarchy ensures that the Qur’an remains internally consistent and immune to distortion—provided one follows the method prescribed by Allah: to understand the allegorical in the light of the decisive, and to submit one’s intellect to revelation.” But this argument lacks evidence. There is not a single instance where a Mutashabihat verse is clearly and directly elucidated by a Muhkamat verse. Why? Because the two categories operate in distinct epistemological realms: • Muhkamat address law, ethics, and guidance. • Mutashabihat address metaphysics, cosmic allegory, and latent truths. To conflate the two is like using a moral framework to interpret quantum mechanics—methodologically incoherent. But with the maturation of science, psychology, and cosmology, many of these verses come into sharper focus. Like a camera adjusting its lens, a once-blurred image resolves into clarity. Far from undermining the Qur’an, this evolution affirms its timelessness and anticipatory depth. The Book reveals its layers in proportion to our intellectual and spiritual preparedness. Case Studies: Rethinking Classification Verse 17:85: “They ask you concerning the Spirit (Ruh). Say: The Spirit is from the command of my Lord, and you have been given but little knowledge.” This verse is frequently misunderstood and wrongly classified as Mutashabihat. In reality, it is Muhkamat—clear in both wording and intent. The term Ruh is used without metaphor or symbolic substitution; it refers plainly to the divine mode of inspiration. The statement "you have been given but little knowledge" is not a comment on the unknowability of Ruh, but a direct assertion that the portion of revelation—knowledge granted through Ruh—has been limited, not the capacity to understand it. Allah continues to inspire humanity through Ruh, and this process does not end with scripture. Every genuine discovery, every moment of insight, may be a product of that divine command. The limitation, then, is not in the nature of Ruh, but in the amount of knowledge revealed at any given time. To mystify or metaphorise this verse is to obscure its plain meaning—and to block the path of intellectual and spiritual growth it affirms. Verse 76:1: “Has there not passed over man a long period (hinun) in Dahr, when he was not a thing worth mentioning?” This verse has long confounded traditional Mufassirin, who stumbled over its implications and missed its plain, historical clarity. Yet to any intelligent reader—especially those informed by modern anthropology—it is unmistakably Muhkamat, not Mutashabihat. It speaks not in riddles but in observable fact. Before the emergence of Adam—the moral and self-aware human—there existed other hominin species for millions of years. Their long presence on earth, though biologically humanlike, lacked the cognitive, moral, and spiritual distinction that would make them "worth mentioning" in the divine narrative. This is not metaphor. This is a straightforward statement of sequence and value: the pre-Adamic humans were part of nature’s backdrop, not participants in the moral drama of human history. That the classical exegetes failed to see this is not the verse’s fault—it is theirs. The Quran is not obscured; it is made obscure by those unwilling to confront its compatibility with truth. Verse 10:3 “Verily your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority), regulating and governing all things…..” This is allegorical or Mutashabihat. The “day” itself is a metaphor, like in the Judgment Day – a period of unspecified duration, whatever it takes for the Judgment to be completed. Likewise, 6 days refer to six distinct phases. The Role of Mutashabihat: A Test of Intellectual Integrity The Mutashabihat are not a deficiency—they are a divine design. They serve multiple purposes: • Encouraging humility before the unknown • Testing intellectual sincerity • Inviting long-term reflection and engagement Verse 3:7 warns against those who fixate on ambiguity to stir discord or pursue hidden meanings without knowledge. This is a caution against arrogance, not inquiry. It also implicitly critiques the limits of traditional Tafsir, which veered into speculative territory when faced with Mutashabihat. Conclusion: Toward a Dynamic Hermeneutic A meaningful engagement with the Qur’an demands more than reverence. It requires reflection, knowledge, and courage. The Muhkamat provide clarity in ethics and law; the Mutashabihat offer an intellectual and spiritual horizon. We must read both categories as intended: the former for immediate guidance, the latter for contemplative discovery. The classical claim that Muhkamat interpret Mutashabihat lacks demonstrable support. Instead, we should recognise the Qur’an as a living text, designed to reveal its depths over time through the unfolding of human understanding. The Mutashabihat are not to be ignored or mystified. They are clues—intentional, profound, and deeply modern. A renewed approach to interpretation must transcend inherited limitations. It must reclaim the Qur’an’s invitation to reason, to explore, and to awaken. ---- A frequent contributor to NewAgeIslam.com, Naseer Ahmed is an Engineering graduate from IIT Kanpur and is an independent IT consultant after having served in both the Public and Private sector in responsible positions for over three decades. He has spent years studying Quran in-depth and made seminal contributions to its interpretation. 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