Muhkamat and Mutasyabihat

Part 1: Common Definitions

I feel that many Malay translations of the Qur’an need to be re-examined for their meanings, especially Ali ‘Imran 3:7 on the definitions of muhkamat and mutasyabihat, because these definitions shape our perception and have a major impact on understanding the Qur’an and its structure.

The Malay translation referred to here is by Abdullah Muhammad Basmeih.

Please first read the translation that we have used for so long. My intention is not to criticize, but to offer an alternative view which, in my opinion, is better and makes the structure of the Qur’an easier to grasp.

Please read the Arabic text of Ali ‘Imran 3:7 together with the Malay translation by Abdullah Muhammad Basmeih:

هُوَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ مِنۡهُ ءَايَٰتٞ مُّحۡكَمَٰتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَٰبِهَٰتٞ ۖ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمۡ زَيۡغٞ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَٰبَهَ مِنۡهُ ٱبۡتِغَآءَ ٱلۡفِتۡنَةِ وَٱبۡتِغَآءَ تَأۡوِيلِهِۦ ۖ وَمَا يَعۡلَمُ تَأۡوِيلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَٱلرَّٰسِخُونَ فِي ٱلۡعِلۡمِ يَقُولُونَ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ كُلّٞ مِّنۡ عِندِ رَبِّنَا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّآ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ

"Dia lah yang menurunkan kepadamu (wahai Muhammad) Kitab Suci Al-Qur'an. Sebahagian besar dari Al-Qur'an itu ialah ayat-ayat "Muhkamaat" (yang tetap, tegas dan nyata maknanya serta jelas maksudnya); ayat-ayat Muhkamaat itu ialah ibu (atau pokok) isi Al-Qur'an. Dan yang lain lagi ialah ayat-ayat "Mutasyaabihaat" (yang samar-samar, tidak terang maksudnya). Oleh sebab itu (timbulah faham yang berlainan menurut kandungan hati masing-masing) - adapun orang-orang yang ada dalam hatinya kecenderungan ke arah kesesatan, maka mereka selalu menurut apa yang amar-samar dari Al-Qur'an untuk mencari fitnah dan mencari-cari Takwilnya (memutarkan maksudnya menurut yang disukainya). Padahal tidak ada yang mengetahui Takwilnya (tafsir maksudnya yang sebenar) melainkan Allah. Dan orang-orang yang tetap teguh serta mendalam pengetahuannya dalam ilmu-ilmu ugama, berkata:" Kami beriman kepadanya, semuanya itu datangnya dari sisi Tuhan kami" Dan tiadalah yang mengambil pelajaran dan peringatan melainkan orang-orang yang berfikiran."

(QS. Ali 'Imran 3: Ayat 7 oleh Abdullah Muhammad Basmeih)

In the Malay translation above, we find that the definitions of muhkamat and mutasyabihat according to the translator are placed in parentheses as follows:

a. Muhkamat
“(yang tetap, tegas dan nyata maknanya serta jelas maksudnya)”

b. Mutasyabihat
“(yang samar-samar, tidak terang maksudnya)”

Since childhood, I have held and believed that these were the meanings of muhkamat and mutasyabihat. I am sure many of us are the same. We grew up with such definitions, and they are the ones taught in Islamic Education at school.

Are you aware that defining these two words in that way has imprisoned us within a narrow meaning?

Forgive me for criticizing that translation and also my own previous understanding. However, after delving into the Qur’an, I realized that the definition is not quite accurate, and that this definition is among the reasons that lead to a particular belief, namely:

“Do not interpret the Qur’an on your own, or you will go astray.”

Much of this stems from an understanding ingrained within us that mutasyabihat are verses that are ambiguous and not clear in meaning. Out of fear of this, we accept and read what is there without deeper thought. We simply accept what already exists because we are afraid of going astray.

To be continued

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