Tafsir and Ta’wil

Translation and Compilation by: Abdul Basir Sohaib Siddiqi
Translation by: Tahleel Team
Re-Publication Date: 10.11.2025

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

Discussing Tafsir (interpretation) and Ta’wil (exegesis) is very important for understanding the authentic texts of Islam — especially the Holy Qur’an, the Hadith, and the pure Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).

When the two words Tafsir and Ta’wil are not distinguished in contexts where they must be, understanding becomes weak, disorganized, and unclear. By distinguishing these two terms, one can see how meanings are established or how multiple possible meanings may appear in relation to a text.

This distinction makes it possible to affirm the dynamism of Islamic thought — its movement and vitality — in the diversity of interpretations and understandings that the sacred text itself allows. Such a distinction confirms that multiplicity exists upon unity.

In this approach, neither individuality is suppressed nor diversity sacrificed. Taking into account both individuality and diversity — as permitted by the text — strengthens the dynamic nature of Islamic thought.

It is therefore better to focus on this subject. The first step in doing so is to study the linguistic or philological meaning of these two words. After that, their technical or terminological meaning must be studied to understand them fully.

Linguistic meaning of Tafsir:

1. Means clarification and explanation.
2. Any detailed expression that removes ambiguity — revealing what was hidden.
3. Al-Fasr: to express and uncover something concealed.
4. At-Tafsir: to reveal the intended meaning of a difficult word.
5. Tafsir also includes the meaning of exposing or uncovering — whether materially (physically) or spiritually (intellectually).

Technical meaning of Tafsir:

1. It is the knowledge of the circumstances of the revelation of verses, their occasions, and stories — the reasons for revelation, the Meccan and Medinan order, explanation of clear and ambiguous verses, abrogating and abrogated ones, specific and general, absolute and restricted, summarized and detailed, lawful and unlawful, commands and prohibitions, promises and warnings, lessons and moral teachings, and others.
2. It is “the science that investigates how the expressions of the Noble Qur’an convey meanings, rulings (both individual and compound), and implications.” Though some definitions are incomplete or ambiguous.
3. Al-Zarkashi’s definition is clearer: “Tafsir is the science that understands the Book of Allah, which was revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him), comprehends its meanings, derives its rulings and wisdoms, and takes this understanding from the sciences of language, morphology, and grammar, as well as from knowledge of the causes of revelation, and abrogation.”
4. Other definitions exist, but all agree that “the science of Tafsir seeks, as far as human ability allows, to understand the intention of Allah Almighty. It includes everything that helps in understanding, clarifying, and explaining the meaning.”

Linguistic meaning of Ta’wil:

1. The root is Awwala — meaning to return or go back to the beginning.
2. In other words, it means referring speech back to its possible meanings.

Technical meaning of Ta’wil:

1. Among the early scholars (Salaf), the term Ta’wil had two meanings:
   a. Interpretation of speech and clarification of its meaning — in this sense, Tafsir and Ta’wil are synonymous.
   b. The second sense of Ta’wil refers to what is actually intended in speech, depending on what the context demands.
   If it concerns a statement of fact, then its Ta’wil refers to the actual occurrence or realization of what is reported.
   For example: When it is said, “The sun has risen,” the Ta’wil is the actual rising of the sun. Ibn Taymiyyah said: “This is the language of the Qur’an.” Therefore, all forms in the Qur’an that follow this pattern can be understood as Ta’wil in this second sense.
2. For the later scholars — jurists (Usuliyyun), theologians (Mutakallimun), and others — Ta’wil means shifting a word from its primary meaning to a related possible meaning, based on evidence. This is the type of Ta’wil discussed in Usul al-Fiqh (Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence) and issues of disagreement.

Differentiating Tafsir and Ta’wil:

1. Tafsir is broader than Ta’wil. Tafsir focuses on uncovering the meanings of words, while Ta’wil deals with understanding meanings as they relate to an event, as in Ta’wil al-Ru’ya (interpretation of dreams).
2. Ta’wil is more commonly used in revealed religious texts, while Tafsir has a more general usage.
3. Tafsir is mostly used with individual words, while Ta’wil applies to statements and sentences.
4. Tafsir can also be used for rare or difficult words (such as al-bahira, as-sa’iba, al-wasila).
5. Ta’wil is sometimes used in a general sense, sometimes in a specific one — as with the word kufr (disbelief), which sometimes means simple denial and sometimes denial of God’s existence; or iman (faith), which may mean general belief or specific belief in true religion.

Tafsir explains the position and context of a word, whether literal or metaphorical — such as interpreting as-sirat (path) as “way” or as-sayyib (rain). Ta’wil explains the deeper truth behind a word, referring to the outcome or result of what is meant.

Ta’wil shows the reality of what is intended, while Tafsir shows the evidence for what is intended. In other words, Tafsir reveals the reason or proof behind the meaning.

Ta’wil is the shifting or expression of a verse within its possible meanings in a way consistent with what comes before and after, without contradicting the Qur’an and Sunnah.

Tafsir deals with the reasons for revelation, its circumstances, and stories.

It has been said: “Tafsir is what relates to narration; Ta’wil is what relates to understanding.”

1. The science of Tafsir discusses the condition of the divine speech, explaining it as much as human capacity allows.
2. Tafsir involves knowledge gained through transmission — by hearing, narration, or direct observation of revelation. Therefore, Tafsir is based on narration; this is why it is said that it belongs to the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
3. It is clear that the Sunnah and the pure Hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) determine the meaning, prevent confusion, and protect the text from distortion. The Sunnah and Hadith establish and stabilize meaning.

Ta’wil, however, depends on understanding Arabic grammar and linguistic rules; it cannot be done without knowing these.

Ta’wil belongs to the field of linguistics (Philology) and Arabic grammar (Sarf and Nahw). Thus, Ta’wil appears more clearly in the field of jurisprudence (Fiqh).

This is because Tafsir means “to uncover and make clear.” But understanding the intention of Allah cannot be achieved with certainty except through reports from the Prophet (peace be upon him) or from his companions who witnessed revelation, knew the circumstances surrounding it, and referred back to him in difficult matters.

Hence, the determination of meaning based on the Sunnah and Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is clear and obvious.

As for Ta’wil, it is to prefer one of the possible meanings of a word over others, based on reasoning and evidence — in light of the general principles of revelation, knowledge of Arabic words and meanings, and the linguistic styles of Arabic.

It is clear that in Ta’wil we face variety and diversity, unlike Tafsir. This diversity is permitted by the text itself.

This, as stated earlier, represents the dynamism of Islamic thought: unity and diversity both appear throughout history, and this dynamism continues as both unity and multiplicity of meanings.

Some people think that this diversity originates from conflicting hadith narrations; therefore, they have thought of either denying the Sunnah and Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him), or proposing to “purify” them in order to create unity in meaning — without considering differences among schools of thought.

But denying the Sunnah not only destroys unity and consistency of meaning, it also extends diversity beyond the permissible limits of the religious text. It makes interpretive reasoning (Ta’wil Ijtihadi) subject to the human mind alone, placing the human intellect above the text. This results in multiple subjective interpretations being treated as sacred, and such false “sacred” ideas, when opposed to each other, become the root causes of conflict and war in Muslim societies — and even cause global strife arising from false claims of sacredness.

As for the claims and efforts to “purify” the Sunnah and Hadith, two major points are clear in such views:

1. Denial of the divine and revelatory nature of the Sunnah and Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and consequently reducing the Hadith from being prophetic and revelatory to being merely personal and historical. When the Sunnah is reduced to the historical personality of the Prophet (peace be upon him), it too becomes historical, and following it is no longer obligatory.
2. In this view, all differences are attributed to the Sunnah and Hadith, while sectarian differences are ignored.

As discussed earlier regarding Ta’wil, diversity of meaning originates from multiplicity. Schools of thought (Madhahib) are the true foundation of Ta’wil, and wherever multiplicity of meaning appears, this confirms that the “purification view” — which denies the divine nature of the Sunnah and Hadith — not only harms the stability of meanings, but also, by failing to distinguish between Tafsir and Ta’wil, denies the dynamism and vitality of Islamic thought in its diversity and multiplicity.

In short, those who claim to “purify” the Sunnah and Hadith are contradictory and inconsistent in their thinking.