The second meaning intended by the term ta’wīl is “explanation,” as it is used by many Quran commentators. Thus Mujāhid, a leading authority in Quran commentary, said that “those firmly grounded in knowledge” know the interpretation of the ambiguous passages. By this he meant explaining them and clarifying their meanings, which those firmly grounded in knowledge do know.

The third meaning intended by ta’wīl is to divert an expression from the apparent meaning it indicates to a contrary meaning, on the basis of separate evidence that requires this. Such interpretation necessarily departs from what the wording indicates and makes clear. Calling this ta’wīl was not the usage of the early generations. Rather, a group of later scholars who delved into jurisprudence, its principles, and speculative theology restricted the term ta’wīl to this meaning. They assumed that this was what Allah Most High intended by His words:

“And none knows its interpretation except Allah.”

They then followed two approaches regarding this interpretation: one group said that none knows it except Allah, while another said that those firmly grounded in knowledge know it. Both groups are mistaken.

For in many instances—or in most, indeed the vast majority of them—this interpretation amounts to distorting words from their proper places, like the interpretations of the Qarāmitah and the Bātiniyyah. This is the interpretation that the early generations of this community and its leading scholars unanimously condemned. They denounced its adherents from every corner of the earth, and meteors were hurled in their wake.

Imam Ahmad wrote a book refuting these people, which he entitled: “Refutation of