Allah Ta’ala states in the Quran Majeed that “the taweel - the true inner meaning – of the Quran is known only to Allah and those who are grounded in knowledge.” It is clear from this ayat that the Quran has an inner meaning. The outward revelation in Arabic is called tanzeel. The deep inner meaning is termed taweel.

The Quran Majeed also states that if the Quran’s source was other than the Almighty, there would be many contradictions. In the literal sense there are numerous contradictions. For example, one ayat states that the world was created in six days, another states it was created in two days and elsewhere the Quran says kun fa yakun – “All it takes, when He wills something ˹to be˺, is simply to say to it: “Be!” And it is!”

Syedna al-Mu’ayyad RA raises the question: when Rasulullah SA recited “haam-meem-ayn-seen-qaaf” and someone asked him about its meaning, would he not explain it? If he was not able to, then what is the point of reciting a verse that he cannot explain? And if one says Rasulullah could explain, then what about after Rasulullah SA? How is it just if only those contemporary to Rasulullah SA were able to ask and understand?

There are many interpreters of the Quran. All have their own varying interpretations. How do we know which interpretation is correct?

Syedna TUS answers these questions in this Majlis, the 79th in the Majalis al-Hikma series.