Chapter One
Clarifying the reality of taʾwīl and what the word denotes, linguistically and technically

The term taʾwīl is the verbal noun in the tafʿīl pattern derived from the verb āla, yaʾūlu ilā kadhā—“to return, lead, or turn back to something.” Thus taʾwīl literally means “rendering, causing something to return.” I say awwaltuhu taʾwīlan when I cause a matter to reach its final point; correspondingly, āla and taʾawwala are the intransitive or reflexive forms of awwaltuhu.

Al-Jawharī (1) states: “Taʾwīl is the explanation of what a thing will ultimately come to. One may say awwaltuhu taʾwīlan or taʾawaltuhu with the same sense.” He then cites al-Aʿshā (2):
“Though she once would tend her love for him,
As one would rear a Rabiʿī-stocked colt till it turns bay.”

Abū ʿUbaydah comments: “He means: the explanation—and thus the eventual outcome—of her love; it began as something slight in his heart yet kept sprouting until it became old, like this [ق 3 ب] suckling foal (3) that goes on growing until it becomes as large as its mother and sires a colt of its own that accompanies it.” End of his words.

The word taʾwīl is also applied to an outcome or consequence, because matters ultimately revert to it. Allah the Exalted says: “If you dispute over anything, then refer it back to Allah and the Messenger—if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is best and fairest in outcome (taʾwīl).” [Al-Nisāʾ: 58]

Likewise, the concrete reality of the thing foretold is called its taʾwīl, for the affair terminates there. Allah says: “Are they awaiting anything except its fulfillment (taʾwīl)? The day its fulfillment comes, those who had neglected it before will say, ‘Indeed the messengers of our Lord brought the truth.’” [Al-Aʿrāf: 52] Thus, the coming of its taʾwīl is the very advent of what was foretold in the first place.