Hence He says in another verse:

“Indeed, the likeness of Jesus before Allah is that of Adam: He created him from dust, then said to him, ‘Be,’ and he was.”

He thus clarified His meaning: Jesus was created through “Be”; he is not himself the word “Be” or any other such speech.

Likewise, He says:

“Hajj is [during] well-known months.”

It is understood that He did not mean that acts are periods of time; rather, He intended to state the time of Hajj. Hence He says immediately afterwards:

“So whoever undertakes Hajj during them…”

The Hajj undertaken during those months is not the months themselves. It is therefore clear that, by saying “months,” He did not mean the act itself. Rather, He clarified His intent through His words, making clear that the expression does not indicate that acts are periods of time.

Likewise, He says:

“Rather, righteousness is [in] one who fears Allah.”

When He said:

“Righteousness is not that you enter houses from the back; rather, righteousness is [in] one who fears Allah,”

the wording indicated that His meaning was: rather, righteousness is fear of Allah. Such usage therefore occurs only alongside something that clarifies the intended meaning. In that case, the expression is used with a qualification that clarifies what is intended here, just as it is used elsewhere with a qualification that clarifies what is intended there.

The two meanings have something in common, yet also differ. This is comparable to names that are synonymous yet distinct, such as al-sārim (the keen-edged sword), al-muhannad (the sword of Indian steel), and al-sayf (the sword). They share a reference to the same entity and, in this respect, resemble univocal terms. Yet each is distinguished by indicating a particular meaning, so they resemble terms with distinct meanings. The names of Allah, His Messenger, and His Book belong to this category.