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It should be understood that once the explanation and intended meaning of expressions found in the Quran and hadith are known from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, there is no need to establish their meaning by appealing to the statements of linguists or anyone else.

For this reason, the jurists have said: “Terms are of three kinds.” Some are defined by revealed law, such as prayer and obligatory alms; some are defined by language, such as the sun and the moon; and some are defined by custom, such as taking possession and the word “kindness” in His saying:

“And live with them in kindness.”

The same applies to similar expressions.

It is reported that Ibn ʿAbbās said:

“The interpretation of the Quran is of four kinds: an interpretation that the Arabs understand from their language; an interpretation of which no one is excused for being ignorant; an interpretation known to scholars; and an interpretation known only to Allah. Whoever claims knowledge of the last is a liar.”

The Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has explained what is meant by prayer, obligatory alms, fasting, pilgrimage, and similar terms in the words of Allah and His Messenger. The same applies to the term “intoxicants” and others: their meanings are known through that explanation. If anyone sought to interpret them differently from the Prophet’s explanation, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that interpretation would not be accepted.

As for discussing their derivation and how they convey their meanings, that belongs to rhetorical analysis. Explaining the reasons underlying rulings adds to knowledge and elucidates the wisdom of the Quran’s wording. However, understanding what these expressions mean does not depend on this. The terms faith, Islam, hypocrisy, and unbelief are of still greater importance than all these;