explicitly stated or apparent in it; rather, all of it is intended to mean something contrary to what its wording indicates. Just as neither these exegetes nor the majority of exegetes mentioned this view, I have not seen it transmitted from any of the early generations. Those who explained the verse on the basis of reports from the early generations did not mention this view, because it is neither transmitted from them nor consistent with the language of the Quran or with Arabic usage generally. Nor is its meaning sound, as has been explained at length elsewhere.

As for their statement that tafsīr (explanation) is derived from tafsira—the urine a physician examines to draw diagnostic conclusions—some people do make claims of this kind, deriving a familiar word from a less familiar one. If they merely mean that the two are related, this is plausible. But if they mean that the latter is the origin of the former, that is mistaken. Rather, the reverse is true: fasr and tafsīr are familiar words in Arabic, meaning explanation and clarification.

The lexicographers say—the wording here is al-Jawharī’s: “Fasr means explanation. One says fasartu al-shay’a, afsiruhu—with an i-vowel—fasran: ‘I explained the thing.’ Tafsīr has the same meaning. Istafsartuhu kadhā means: ‘I asked him to explain it to me.’”

He said: “Fasr also means a physician’s examination of urine, as does tafsira.” He said: “I think it is