Dilalat al-Lafz ala al-Mana

Naim bin Abdul Rahaman

821928

Overview
Words used for increasing clarity

Words used for increasing ambiguity

Zahir (Manifest)

Khafiy (Obscure)

Nass (Explicit)

Musykil (Difficult)

Mufassar (Elaborated)

Mujmal (Unelaborated)

Muhkam (Unalteraby)

Mutasyabih (Unintelligible)

Imran Ahsan Khan Nyazee, Islamic Jurisprudence, pg. 299-300

Takwil

In lughawi originates from

-

( return).

In istilah is to understand the lafaz with other than its zhahir meaning with
the possibility of understanding it into other zhahir meaning.

The meaning is to show the other meaning of zhahir because of the other
meaning is suitable with Al-Quran and As-Sunnah.

Level of Clarity in the Words

Muhkam
Mufassar
Nas
Zahir
Clear

Clearest

Zhahir

Lughawi: Clear

Istilah: Self-explanatory @ Apparent by a simple reading.

(Surah al-Baqarah:275)

It is zhahir permitted (halal) the trade and forbidden (haram) the interest
(riba).

Understand just by read it.

But the further meaning is to deny the similarities of trading and usury.

Hukm of Zhahir

Possibility of takwil.

Compulsory to accept its meaning as long as there are no dalil to change the
real meaning of zhahir.

Example on the verse permitted trade and forbidden riba. The words used
in it are zhahir and amm, BUT if being specified (khas) to the sale of
khamar, then it is Haram.

Can be nasakh on the days of Rasulullah because it cannot be nasakh after his
wafah.

Nass

In istilah, something that shows the lafaz and sighah, to a meaning without
being tied with external factors.

Original meaning from the words that appear.

Nass is more zhahir than zhahir.

Example on the verse of permitted trade and forbidden riba.

The nass is zhahir in permitted (halal) the trade and forbidden (haram) riba.
And also to differentiate between trade and usury.

From its meaning, it shows that the unbelievers (kaafiruun) was wrong in
saying that trade and usury is the same.

Hukm of Nass

Can be takwil and nasakh in the days of Rasulullah only.

Compulsory to practice it as long as there are no dalil that can be used to

takwil.

Difference between Zhahir and Nass

Nass is clearer than zhahir in terms of the clarity of zhahir toward its
meaning.

The meaning of nass is original intent from the displayed words. The meaning
of zhahir is not original, but based on the displayed words.

The possibilities of nass to be takwil is much further than zhahir.

When there are conflict between both of them, the priority towards nass is
more than zhahir.

Mufassar

Originates from word ( reveal).

The meaning of mufassar is exposed/revealed/elaborated.

In istilah, the meaning of mufassar much more clearer than nass, the meaning
shows by itself a detailed interpretation, and may not possible to takwil.
(Surah at-Tawbah:36)

The word musyrik in this verse shows an isim zhahir that is general (amm),
but may be specific (khas).

But when there are the word kaffah (everything), the khas is possible to
disappear.

Hukm of Mufassar

Compulsary to practice with it.

May be nasakh in the days of Rasulullah if the hukm can be nasakh.

After the death of Prophet Muhammad, it cant be nasakh anymore.A

Muhkam

In lughawi, good and satisfactory.

In istilah, the words that show the clear meaning and stronger than mufassar.

Cannot be takwil and nasakh, ever.

Cannot takwil because the clarity of its word already reach the limit that
deny the possibility of the emergence of takwil.

Cannot nasakh because the originality of its hukm and cannot be changed,
but it can be changed if accompanied by something to deny the possibility to
nasakh.

Some of original hukm that cannot be nasakh are nass that related with:

Faith to Allah, the Afterlife, the Prophets.

Tyranny (zalim) that being prohibit.

Justice and fairness that are compulsory.

In conjunction with hukm juziy that being supported, the example is on the
haram to marry Rasulullahs wives after his death.(Surah al-Ahzab:53)

Hukm of Muhkam

Compulsory to practice with it.

The muhkams meaning cannot be changed, nasakh, and abolished.

Zhahir

Nass

Mufassar

Muhkam

The words clarity towards meaning.

The meaning is the original meaning.

Takwil.

Nasakh.

Level of Ambiguity in Words

Most obscure

Obscure

Khafiy

Lafaz zhahir that show unclear meaning.

Need to study and investigation to eliminate its unclear meaning.

Killer = lafaz amm, its zhahir word meant a killer, whether it is intentional or
not.

Two opinion of ulama on this matter.

1st, unintentional murder is also referred to as murder. The murderer cannot inherit
as his carelessness causing the murder. As for the intentional murder, for sure he
cannot inherit as to prevent from family member that are greedy for money.

2nd, the word doesnt meant to the unintentional killing, because of he doesnt have
any bad intention. So, he does not deserve punishment like qisas, and no inheritance.

Hukm of Khafiy

Must examine the reason that led to the unclear on the conformity with the
purpose of her words.

If the meaning is suitable, so there are hukm on that.

If not suitable, theres no hukm.

Musykil

A word whose meaning is difficult to discover except by another evidence that

removes the remaining ambiguity.

A word that contain many meaning but the real meaning is only one of them.

The ambiguity is because of the sighah does not show its meaning, but need an
external qarinah to explain the meaning.

Example on musytarak,
(Surah al-Baqarah: 228)

The word quru, may be show the meaning of three times cleanse, or three
times haid.

Hukm of Musykil

Belief in the truth of the intended meaning.

Obligation to search for the meaning until it can be elaborated.

Mujmal

In lughawi, mujmal is mubham (uncertain).

In istilah, it is an unelaborated word except explained by the mujmal itself.

The meaning is hidden because of so many meaning until cannot be known

except by elaborating it.
(Al-Maarij: 19)

The word explained by the verses after it:

Hukm of Mujmal

Belief in the truth of the meaning and suspension of decision in it, until the
elaborating evidence is found and the meaning is explained.

Mutasyabih

The words meaning are hidden and there is no way we can find them.

Because there are no qarinah to get rid of it ambiguity, and only Allah know
its meaning.
.

(Surah al-Fath: 10)

Another examples:
Surah al-Baqarah
Surah ash-Shuraa
Surah Maryam

Hukm of Mutasyabih

Belief in its true.

Give up the further investigation.

Only Allah know its true hidden meaning.