and the familiar referent. This manner of conveying meaning cannot be called figurative; otherwise, the signification of demonstratives, indeed of pronouns, the definite article referring to something already known, and other such expressions would also have to be figurative. No rational person would say this. If an ignorant person does say it, this shows that he has not understood how expressions convey meaning. He imagines that literal expressions convey meaning without these factors, which are indispensable to their signification.

Indeed, no expression conveys meaning except in conjunction with other expressions and the circumstances of the speaker, whose customary use of such speech must be known. Merely hearing an expression without knowing the speaker and his customary usage conveys nothing, for expressions signify intentionally and deliberately: they convey what the speaker intends them to convey, rather than signifying by themselves. One must therefore know what the speaker must intend by them. Hence, this cannot be known through hearing alone, but through reason together with hearing.

Understanding what expressions signify thus involves both hearing and reason. This is called fiqh (understanding). Accordingly, someone who grasps their meaning is said to understand, while someone who does not grasp it is said not to understand. Allah Most High says:

“What is the matter with these people that they can hardly understand any statement?”

And Allah Most High says:

“He found, on the near side of the two mountains, a people who could hardly understand speech.”

And He says:

“There is nothing that does not glorify Him with praise, but you do not understand their glorification.”