figurative—if their use in the language is established—are all literal according to this view. Some literal expressions are finer and more eloquent than others, and clarity and eloquence vary in degree. All these meanings are conveyed literally by the wording, and wording conveys meaning only alongside a contextual indicator. Whoever thinks that the literal meaning of His words,

“And ask the town,”

is to question the walls is ignorant.

This line of argument resembles that of these people: they all deny that a word can be used in one situation with one meaning and in another situation with another meaning, as the word “town” is sometimes used for the inhabitants and sometimes for the dwellings. They claim that it means only the dwellings. In this error they agree with the other group, but that group says, “Something has been omitted here; the full wording is: ‘And ask the people of the town.’” The former group, however, says, “Rather, what is meant is: ‘And ask the walls.’”

The correct view is that “town” refers to the people themselves who live together in that place. Here, the word “town” is intended to refer to these people, as in the words of Allah Most High:

“How many a town, mightier than your town which drove you out, We destroyed! They had none to help them.”

Likewise, Allah Most High says:

“Such is your Lord’s seizure when He seizes towns while they are doing wrong.”

And He says:

“How many a town rebelled against the command of its Lord and His messengers! So We called it to a severe account and punished it with a terrible punishment.”

There are many similar examples.