O Allah, forgive me.’ He was putting the Quran into practice.” These words were thus the ta’wīl of His saying:
“Then glorify your Lord with praise and seek His forgiveness.”
Ibn ‘Uyaynah said: “The Sunnah is the ta’wīl of commands and prohibitions.” When discussing the disagreement between jurists and linguists concerning “the Prophet’s prohibition of ishtimāl al-sammā’ (a manner of wrapping oneself in a garment),” Abū ‘Ubayd said: “The jurists are more knowledgeable about ta’wīl.”
He means that they are more knowledgeable about the ta’wīl of what Allah has commanded and forbidden: they recognize the actual, concrete actions He has commanded and the prohibited actions He has forbidden. The explanation of His speech is not itself what exists in external reality; rather, it clarifies His speech, expounds it, and reveals its meaning. Thus, tafsīr belongs to the realm of speech: speech is explained through other speech that clarifies it. Ta’wīl, however, consists in doing what is commanded and refraining from what is forbidden; it does not belong to the realm of speech.
The second kind is informative speech, such as the Lord’s statements about Himself—exalted is He—concerning His names and attributes, and His statements about the promises and warnings He has mentioned to His servants. This is the ta’wīl mentioned in His words:
“We have certainly brought them a Book which We explained in detail with knowledge, as guidance and mercy for people who believe.”
“Are they waiting for anything but its fulfilment? On the Day its fulfilment comes, those who had forgotten it before will say, ‘The messengers of our Lord certainly came with the truth.’”
This is like their words:
“Woe to us! Who has raised us from our resting place? This is what the Most Merciful promised, and the messengers spoke the truth.”
Similarly, He says:
“Proceed to that which you used to deny.”
And He says:
“They say, ‘When will this promise come to pass, if you are truthful?’”
“Say, ‘Knowledge of it is with Allah alone, and I am only a clear warner.’”