of Nokounam, (Session Twelve)
The noble verse وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ from Surah Al-Imran, verse seven, constitutes one of the foundational axes in the interpretative sciences of the Holy Quran, which has occupied the minds of both Shia and Sunni exegetes since the inception of Islam. This verse, due to its connection with the subject of scientific and tawil authority, holds a distinguished position within theological, philosophical, and literary discussions.
The principal inquiry in the interpretation of this verse concerns the understanding of the conjunction و in the phrase وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ: is this conjunction coordinating (joining) and thereby indicating that the firmly grounded in knowledge also know the tawil, or is it a resumption (estinhf) merely signalling their faith? This book, adopting an analytical and scientific approach, investigates this issue, relying on the text of the Quran, the viewpoints of prominent exegetes, and critiques of the arguments presented, aiming to elucidate the matter precisely. The objective is to provide a coherent and academic analysis that serves both researchers of Quranic sciences and university audiences.
هُوَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ ۚ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَاءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ ۗ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّنَا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ
Translation: He it is Who has sent down to you the Book; of it are verses precisethey are the foundation of the Bookand others unspecific. As for those in whose hearts is deviation, they follow that which is unspecific seeking discord and seeking its interpretation, but none knows its interpretation except Allah and those firmly grounded in knowledge; they say, We believe in it; all is from our Lord. And none will take heed except those endowed with understanding.
This verse, owing to its relation to tawil authority, has long been the focal point of exegetical attention. The dispute regarding the understanding of the conjunction و is not merely a syntactical debate, but one with deep theological and epistemological ramifications that link to issues of infallibility, divine knowledge, and the status of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) in Shia exegesis. This matter, akin to a light radiating from the lamp of revelation, has served as a guide for researchers in grasping the depth and inner meaning of the Holy Quran.
The verse of tawil, as one of the key points in Quranic sciences, raises fundamental questions about the limits of human knowledge and tawil authority. The verses context, delineating the precise and the unspecific, sets the stage for a more accurate understanding of the role of the firmly grounded in knowledge.
Exegetes have arrived at two main perspectives regarding the conjunction و in the phrase وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ:
This disagreement stems from methodological and theological differences. The coordination view aligns better with the apparent syntax of the verse and Arabic rhetorical rules, whereas the resumption view requires a non-literal interpretation, which may conflict with the eloquence of the Quran.
Many exegetes, such as Sheikh Tusi in Al-Tibyan and Tabarsi in Majma al-Bayan, have transmitted both opinions without explicit commitment or deep analysis, merely noting the difference. This cautious approach likely arises from respect for diverse perspectives or avoidance of theological controversy. Nonetheless, this method limits the precise elucidation of the verses implication.
Al-Zamakhshari, in Al-Kashshaf, relying on literary insight and rhetorical understanding, prefers the coordination view, calling it the first and foremost interpretation. He holds that the apparent meaning affirms the knowledge of the firmly grounded in tawil and that coordination accords with the eloquence of the Quran. This perspective, like a clear stream, reveals the syntactic and rhetorical coherence of the verse.
Contrary to Al-Zamakhshari, Sheikh Tusi and Tabarsi did not deeply analyse or explicitly defend the coordination interpretation. Such caution is inconsistent with the expectation from Shia exegetes who identify the firmly grounded with the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). It was anticipated that these exegetes would support the coordination interpretation with stronger arguments grounded in narrations.
Al-Zamakhshari argues that coordination, due to its syntactic cohesion and the lack of necessity for pronoun implication (e.g., هُمْ), conforms to the literary taste and eloquence of the Quran, whereas resumption, requiring pronoun implication, detracts from the verses rhetoric.
The dispute over the conjunction reflects the variety in interpretive approaches. The coordination interpretation aligns better with the verses apparent meaning and Quranic eloquence, while the resumption interpretation faces syntactical and semantic challenges due to its departure from the apparent structure and the necessity of implied pronouns.
Fakhr al-Razi, in Tafsir al-Kabir, offers five arguments (from the first to the fifth) supporting the resumption view, asserting that the tawil is exclusive to Allah and that the firmly grounded only have faith in the verses. These arguments are as follows:
الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى which does not imply physical embodiment.فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِ
