Islamıc University of Europe

JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH

İslam Araştırmaları
‫البحوث االسالمية‬
Vol 3 No 2 December 2010
JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH

Ibn Rushd and his criticism

for Esh„arism
Prof. Dr. Orhan Atalay
Ataturk University, Faculty of Divinity, Department of Basic Islamic Scholarships

Abstract
Ibn Rushd (520/1126- 595/1198) was a famous scholar especially in the
history of theology and philosophy. He wrote many books on different issues
that enlightened the mind of West to early Modern Age. He was the most
mature fruit fallen into embrace of West. However East Muslim World
moved slowly to benefit from him. In my opinion, if the Muslim East World
opened doors of their schools to him, it would overcome the big crisis which
abandoned it. He struggled to solve contradiction between religion and
philosophy, thus he wrote al-Fasl al-Maqal. According to him, this
contradiction arose by misreading and misinterpreting of the religious texts.
If these texts are read and interpreted by a correct method, this problem can
be solved easily. So he developed the term of „ta‟wil‟ (interpretation) as a
key concept, because „ta‟wîl is the reconstruction of the religious statement
in a rational form on condition that its internal totality must be protected.
Key Words: Ibn Rushd, al-Fasl al-Maqal, Te‟wîl, Interpretation

Introduction
Ebu‟l-Walid Muhammad b. Ahmed b. Muhammad b. Rushd was born in
Qortoba in 520/1126 and died in Marrakush in 595/1198, while under
imprisonment at his home. He achieved many successes between these two
dates. His Grandfather was also recognized as „Ibn Rushd‟ and has a great
fame in the fıqh (Islâmic jurisprudence). To distinguish the philosopher from
his grandfather, he was named „The Grandchild Ibn Rushd‟ (Ibn Rushd al-
Hafîd), while his grandfather was named „The Great Ibn Rushd‟ (Ibn Rushd

82 Vol 3 No 2 December 2010

 JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH

al-Kabîr). Because Ibn Rushd was the follower of the Malikî Sect, he had
acquired a lawful intelligence inheritance from his family. He learned the
„Muwatta‟, the basic book of jurisprudence of Malikî Sect, of by heart and
arrived at the degree of mujtehid. In addition to religious scholarships, he
acquired medicine science and then began to study on philosophical
problems. At the request of Muvahhid Caliph Emir Yusuf, he began to resto-
re the works of Aristotle in an understandable language. Owing to the quality
of his interpretations on Aristotle‟s works, he was recognized as „The Great
Commentator‟ in the West. 1
Ibn Rushd have stood as a stronghold figure in the history of Islamic
thought, as well as that of Europe philosophy, theology and even experience
science. Because of his excellence in philosophy and jurisprudence, he was
nicknamed The Jurisprudent Philosopher. Ibn Rushd was the most well
perceived of Muslim philosophers in Aristotelian philosophy after al-Farabî
(870-950). He adopted Aristotle's „reasoning by analogy‟ and found it
suitable for rational deduction, inference, prosecution and judgment, not
only in issues of life but also in religious affairs including the realization
(ma'rifah) of God. He applied rational reasoning to theology, an approach
that further stirred his colleagues against him and against philosophy as a
whole.2
His philosophical and theological thoughts have influenced the Continent
Europe for centuries with the name of „Averhoesism‟. Therefore, some
historians of civilization considered this period as The First Enlightenment.
For example, Fernand Braudel said that: “Ibn Rushd el-Qurtûbî was the
editor and the real interpreter of the Aristotle‟s works. These texts and
interpretations were translated from Arabic to Latin and spread to Europe
and led to enormous reform there.3 Also, the famous historian of philosophy
Alfred Weber said that: “The Middle Ages Muslim Thought enlightened the
West, while the Christian thought was playing house; because the writings of
the Greek philosophers were studied with their original texts in Andalusia in
the ages when the Greek language almost was not being recognized as a
language, but even not to be a „dead language‟ in the Western-Europe.

1
al-Dahabî, Muhammed b. Ahmed (d.748/1374), Siyar A„lâmi al-Nubalâ, Muessese al-
Resâil, Beirut, 1404/1984, XXI/307-9; Ibn Farhun al-Malikî, al-Diba all-Mudahhab fî
Ma'rife „Ayân „Ulemâ al-Madhab, ed. Muhammed el-Ahmedî, Mektebetu Dâr al-Turât,
Cairo, no date, II/257-9; Ahmed Emin, Duhâ al-İslâm, Cairo, 1959, III/25.
2
Yousif Fağr, Ibn Rushd, Philosopher and Theologian, al-Jadîd, Vol. 3, No. 20, (Summer
1997) http://www.aljadid.com/classics/0320raslan.html
3
Brudiale, Fernand, Uygarlığın Grameri (trans. to Turkish by M. Ali Kılıçbay), İmge
Kitabevi, Ankara, 2001, p. 120.

Vol 3 No 2 December 2010 83

JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH

Briefly, in every case, the influence of the East on the West was positive and
had a feature of gaining freedom.4
The Works of Ibn Rushd which were not so popular in Islamic countries
wielded considerable influence in the Western thought, both Christian and
Jewish. „He deeply influenced Jewish philosophy through many translations
and disciples', George Sarton said in his work named 'An Introduction to the
Study of Science'. According to Phillip K. Hitti, to the West, he became the
commentator of Aristotle as `The Teacher'. From the end of the twelfth to
the end of the sixteenth century, Averroism remained the dominant school of
thought, in spite of the orthodox reaction, it created enlightenment firstly
among the Muslims in Spain, then among the Talmudists and finally among
the Christian clergy. After being purged of objectionable matter by
ecclesiastical authorities, his writings became prescribed studies in the
University of Paris and other institutions of higher learning. With all its
excellence and other misconceptions collected under its name, the
intellectual movement initiated by Ibn Rushd continued to be a living factor
in European thought until the birth of modern experimental science'. Writing
in the Chapter `Crusades' of the book "The Legacy of Islam" Ernest Barker
admits: `The philosophy of Cordova and its great teacher Ibn Rushd
(Averroes) penetrated to the University of Paris.' 5
Ibn Rushd wrote a lot of books on various fields. According to Ibn al-Abbar,
his writings were over 20,000 pages, and the most famous of which deals
with philosophy, medicine and jurisprudence.6 And Ibn al-Farhun says that
he wrote sixty books. Unfortunately, many of them do not exist today except
their names.7 His works were translated into various languages; Latin,
Hebrew, English and German. The most of his commentaries on philosophy
are preserved in the Hebrew or in Latin translations from the Hebrew, and a
few in the original Arabic, generally in Hebrew script.8
He wrote three commentaries on the Aristotle‟s works; the shortest of them
Jâmi may be considered as a summary of the subject. The intermediate was
Telkhis and the longest was the Tafsir. The three commentaries would seem
to correspond to different stages in education of pupils; the shortest one was
meant for the beginners, then the intermediate for the students who are
familiar with the subject, and finally the longest one for advanced studies.
The longest commentary was, in fact, an original contribution as it was

4
Weber, Alfred, Felsefe Tarihi, (trans. to Turkish H.Vehbi Eralp, Sosyal Yayınlar, İst., 1993),
p. 147 and 182.
5
see http://www.studying-islam.org/articletext.aspx?id=645
6
al-Dahabî, ibid, p. 309.
7
Ibn Farhun, ibid, II/258.
8
http://jamil.com/personalities/#pos12

84 Vol 3 No 2 December 2010

 JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH

largely based on his analysis including the interpretation of the Qu'ranic

concepts. 9
In the philosophy, in response to al-Ġazali‟s „al-Tehâfut al-Felâsife‟, he
wrote the book „al-Tahâfut al-Tahâfut or as known „The Second al-Tahâfut'
which had a profound influence on European thought, at least until the
beginning of modern philosophy and experimental science. His opinion on
destiny was that man is neither in full control of his destiny nor fully
predetermined for him.
In the jurisprudence, he wrote the Bidâyat al-Mujtahid wa al-Nihayat al-
Muqtasid that possibly has been considered to be the best book on the Maliki
Sect.
In interpretation (ta'wîl) methodology, he wrote „al-Fasl al-Maqâl wa‟t-
taqrîb ma bayn al-shari'a wa'l-hikma min al-ittisal‟. This work is the most
famous book of Ibn Rushd who begins with a new definition of philosophy
entirely in accordance with the Qur'anic recommendations. The majority of
Ibn Rushd's writings existing are available in Arabic and many of them have
been published.
His purpose was to renovate the religious thought by the Qur’ânic
Method
From the beginning of Islam to V/XII century nearly, the Islamic thought
was extremely active and dynamic because of getting inspiration from the
Qur‟ânic verses. For the Qur‟ânic texts encourage us to investigate the
universe by our senses and to infer rational results by the reason. The domi-
nant character of the Qur‟ânic message is the experiment and the observation
of the things surrounding us. However, it began loosing this character after
entering under influence of the Greek Philosophy and Hind-Parsian
internality. The methodology of the former was containing static and abstract
characters, even if it had been inspired from experimental method in the
beginning, while the character of the latter was agnostic. For example
Aristotle defined God as causes to move but stable.10 On the other hand, the
Qur‟ân says: “On Him depend all creatures in the heavens and on earth;
(and) every day He manifests Himself in yet another (woundrous) way.” (al-
Rahman, 29). Consequently, God defined by the Qur‟ân is not stable but
active and dynamic because the thought of God is the basic principle of
Islam. At the same time, the Muslim philosophers, like al-Farabi and Ibn
Sina, explained and interpreted God, prophethood, universe, the last day etc.
by Greek philosophy methods and concepts. Even the Muslim theologians
followed same way and used concepts of the philosophers. This process was

9
http://jamil.com/personalities/#pos12
10
See, Mohammed Iqbâl, The Reconcruction of the Religious Thought.

Vol 3 No 2 December 2010 85

JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH

been recanted with some reactions. After this process, the philosophical
thought had began to get weak and collapse slowly in the East Muslim
World, particularly because of Ġazalî‟s famous work „al-Tahâfut al-Falâsifa‟
(inconsistent of the philosophers). Even it was said that: “al-Ġazalî struck
the philosophy so that none could raise it after him in the East”.11
All right, why did the philosophical thought bring the negative meanings to
minds of Muslims? The answer of this question, according to Ibn Rusdh, is
that: the most of Muslim sects didn‟t regard the Qur‟ânic totality but they
followed the piecing methods. Since each of them embraced the verses
supporting his opinions; therefore, they arrived at false results. As having
conscious of his scholarly responsibility for social and the historical
conditions he lived in, he struggled with the other sects, especially Esh„arism
thought method that spread throughout the West Muslim World by the works
of al-Ġazalî (d. 505/1111). As known, the fundamental character of the
Esh„arism is to protect the opinions of the predecessors and transfer them to
the successors. Ibn Rushd considered that the Esh„arite School taking off
people from the methodology used in the Qur‟ân due to its some incorrect
and incomplete exegesis method about the Qur‟ânic texts. Rejecting
especially the exegesis method used by theologians, he asserted that they
were interpreting the verses of the Qur‟ân or statements of the Prophet
(hadiht) to defend their thought systems without being aware of God‟s
intention. Ibn Rushd categorized the opposite Muslim sects as Hashawism,
Sufism, Mu'tezilism and Esh„arism. According to him the most dangerous
school among them was the Esh„arism; because the Sufism was very
tolerant; the Mu'tezilism has lost its effect in that region and the
Hashewism12 has no power in this region.
Ibn Rushd believed the necessity of reconstruction of the religious thought.
At the same time, he also reviewed the philosophy, but in a new and different
content form. Since the Muslim philosophies also followed a wrong way
they explained the Islamic subjects by concepts of Greek and Charranic
cultures. According to Ibn Rushd, they also should have not explained this
kind of subject to common people by this form and concepts. Therefore, on
one hand, by his „The Second Tahâfut‟ he refuted the al-Ġazalî‟s criticisms

11
Ibn Rushd, al-Tahâfut al-Tehâfut al-Felâsife, (Int.), Dâr al-Ma'arif, Cairo, 1388/1968, p.
8.
12
Hashewism was an Muslim theological sect emerged in the second century of Islam. They
were rejecting rationality in the theological-religious topics and regarding only literal
meaning of the sacred texts and quotes from the Prophet. The Hashewiyye imagines God
like anthropomorphist who is owner the hand, feet, face etc. According to them, God can
come down, rise and settle down. But they definited themselves as following the Prophet
and his friends. For details knowledge about this sect, see Ibn Nedim, al- Fihrist, Hayat,
Beirut, p.215; Ġ, al-Ilcâm, 60; Shehristanî, Ahmad, al-Milal wa al-Nihal, Dâr al-Marife,
Beirut, 1395/1975, I/105.

86 Vol 3 No 2 December 2010

 JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH

against philosophers, like Abu Nasr al-Farâbî (c.870-950) known 'The

Second Master' and Abu Ali al-Husein b. Abdallah ibn Sina (Avicenna)
(c.980-1037), on the other hand, reestablished the philosophy on a bilateral
sect in his famous work named „al-Fasl al-Maqâl‟. For this purpose, the first
duty should be removing the prejudices against the philosophy in the Muslim
world. He says in the introduction of this book: "We claim that the
philosophy is nothing other than looking into creation and to consider over it
in order to be guided to the Creator because the knowledge of creation leads
to recognition of Creator through the knowledge of the created. The more
perfect becomes the knowledge of creation, the more perfect becomes the
knowledge of Creator. For this reason, the Religion encourages and
motivates us to investigate creation. Thus, it is clear that this is to be taken
either as a religious injunction or as something approved by the Religion.
Moreover, the Religion encourages us to observe creation by means of
reason, and demands knowledge rational in character. We aim by this work
to search the religious view to philosophy; whether philosophical
investigation and reason/logic branch of knowledge are allowed or forbidden
or ordered by the Religion”.13
According to him, both the religion and the philosophy have the same aim;
'to reach knowledge of the Truth', but their means and methods could be
different.14 Thus, he intended to arrive at a reliable synthesis between
religion and philosophy. As the Islam emphasizes the knowledge of God and
His creation by inference, it is incumbent on anyone who wishes to know
God and His whole creation by inference to learn the kinds of inference,
their conditions and that which distinguishes philosophy from dialectic
(hitabî) and exhortation (cedelî) from syllogism (burhanî). This is impossible
unless one possesses knowledge beforehand of the various kinds of
reasoning and learns to distinguish between reasoning and what is not
reasoning. This cannot be done except one knows its different parts, that is,
the different kinds of premises.15
Ibn Rushd says that, one cannot claim that this kind of reasoning is a heresy
(bid„ah) in Islam, because it wasn‟t used in the early days of Islam.
However, legal reasoning and its kinds were invented also in later ages, and
no one claimed they were heresy. Such should also be our attitude towards
philosophical reasoning. There is another reason why it should be so, but this
is not the proper place to mention it. A large number of the Muslims confirm
philosophical reasoning, except a small minority from Hashewism. Now, as

13
The concept of „Shari„a‟ means legislation literally, as a religious term means Islamic law.
But, Ibn Rushd used this term in sense of the religion, namely Islam.
14
Ibn Rushd, al-Fasl al-Maqâl wa al-Taqrîr mâ Beyn al-Shari„a wa‟l-Hikma min al-ittisâl,
Dâr al-Sirâc, Beirut,1402/1982, p. 13-15.
15
Ibn Rushd, al-Fasl al-Maqal, p. 14.

Vol 3 No 2 December 2010 87

JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH

it is established that the Religion makes the consideration of philosophical

reasoning and kinds of it as necessary as legal reasoning, if none of our
predecessors has made an effort to enquire into it, we should begin to do it,
and so help them, until the knowledge can be complete.16
According to him, preventing people from this way and hindering them from
The Truth is the peak of the ignorance. By moving with prejudice, those who
say „the philosophy leads astray‟, who prevent people from learning the
philosophy or forbidding the teaching of it just seem like those who prevent
people from drinking cold and pleasant water with the claim that „some
people died while they were drinking water‟, whereas dying while drinking
water is accidental not essential. As a matter of fact, there are many
jurisprudents whom the jurisprudence had reduced their consciousness of
God, however jurisprudence essentially necessitates virtuous life.17
Ibn Rushd never distinguished between Muslims and others in a way of
scientific beneficial use from them. He said: “If somebody has enquired into
it before us, we should derive help from what he has said. It is quite
immaterial whether that man is our co-religionist or not; for the instrument
by which purification is perfected is not made uncertain in its usefulness by
its being in the hands of one of our own party, or of a foreigner, if it
possesses the attributes of truth. By these latter we mean those Ancients who
investigated these things before the advent of Islam. If all what they said are
true we must accept them; if they are wrong, we should warn them. Thus,
when we have finished this kind of research we shall have acquired
instruments by which we can observe the universe, and consider its general
character. Since a man who does not know the general character of the
creation, he can not know the created, and so he cannot know The
Creator”.18
According to him, when the religion necessities the rational effect and
considering on all beings, this effort is not but deriving the unknown from
known. This is exactly an analogy or by analogy, therefore we must turn our
views to beings by rational inferences. It is clear that, this kind of thought
that the religion invented and encouraged is the best inference. This was
named as 'al-Burhân' (syllogism) by him.19
Ibn Rushd complained about Muslims accusing each other of being an
unbeliever because of his different opinions in the field of theological
interpretation. Therefore, they lost their social unity between them. In order
to end this process, Muslims must correctly return to the Qur’ân by a

16
Ibn Rushd, ibid, p. 15.
17
Ibn Rushd, ibid, p. 18.
18
Ibn Rushd, ibid, p. 16.
19
Ibn Rushd, ibid, p.14.

88 Vol 3 No 2 December 2010

 JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH

new reading and perspective. According to him, the false belief and
thought in the religious field are rising from incorrect and incomplete
interpretations made by Esh„arism and Mutezilism and thus, Islam is worn
out by this kind of interpretations and evil desires. To solve this problem,
there is no way but reconciliation between the philosophy and the Religion;
because they are two foster brothers regarding their characters and two
friends regarding their essences. In the case, we must end the enmity
between them.20
Also al-Ġazalî lodged a complaint against the Muslim sects accusing
themselves with disbelief, because of every sect was regarding the different
belief, thought and interpretation as disbelief. For solving this problem, al-
Ġazalî defined the faith and unfaith as that: the unfaith is to deny the Prophet
Mohammad (peace be upon him) and his bringing from God; while, the faith
is to approve them. In spite of this definition, he accused al-Farabî and Ibn
Sina with unbelief due to their different explanations about some subjects.
According to al-Ġazalî, they interpreted some Qur'anic verses as contrary to
their literal meaning. For this reason, they certainly should be accused with
unbelief.21
Ibn Rushd, firstly, asked that question; what is aim of the religion?
According to him, the essential aim of the religion is to teach people the true
knowledge and the correct acts. The true knowledge is considering God and
his creatures especially the preeminent of them and learning happiness in
this life and after death. This instruction comes true by two ways:
affirmation (tasdik) and imagining (tasawwur) methods. For people, there
are three affirmation ways: syllogism (burhânî), dialectic (cedelî) and
rhetoric (hitabî) methods. The imagining (tasawwur) comes true by two
ways; imagining a thing itself or its example.22 Our philosophers systematize
all these topics by using ta'wîl (interpretation) concept. According to him,
there is a unique way that can solve these problems; this way is
reestablishing a true methodology of interpretation, which is 'usûl al-ta'wil'.
The concept of 'ta'wîl' and its special role in Ibn Rushd's Methodology.
The concept of „ta‟wîl‟ has a fundamental importance to understand and to
interpret the Islamic sacred texts, particularly the Qur‟ânic verses. Such it
was said that: 'The Islamic civilization is culture of the texts and the
interpretation.'23 At the early of Islâm, the Muslim commentators interpreted
the Qur‟ânic verses by the quotes from friends of the Prophet (the peace be

20
Ibn Rushd, ibid, p.38
21
See, al-Ġazali, al-Faysal al-Tafriqa, (Macma' al-Resâil al-Gazalî), p. 117- 132.
22
Ibn Rushd, ibid, p. 31.
23
Nasr Hâmid Ebu Zeyd, İlâhî Hitabın Tabiatı (Mefhum al Nass Dirase fî Ulûm al-Qur‟ân,
translated to Turkish by Mehmet Ali Maşalı, Kitabiyat, Ankara, 2002), p. 265.

Vol 3 No 2 December 2010 89

JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH

upon him) and whose following them. At later times, in addition to these
quotes, the Muslims began to interpret the Holy Qur‟ân by reason using
some materials. To attain the most comprehensive and profound meaning of
the Qur‟ân, the Muslim reason used very materials. These materials were
consisting of historical, philological and sociological sources. In general, the
first activity has been called as „tafsir‟, while the second has been named as
„ta'wîl‟.24Because of providing a wider perspective and pointing out various
areas of the senses, the Muslim commentators preferred using of „ta'wîl‟ to
„tafsir‟. For example, the Great Commentator el-Tabarî (d. 310 a.h.) named
his famous work as „Câmî al-Bayân „an Ta'wîl al-Qur‟ân‟. When he
interprets a verse of the Qur‟ân, he gives the title: “ta'wîl hâzâ‟l-ayeh”
namely „the explanation or interpretation of this verse‟. Therefore, the
classical commentators used the concept of ta'wîl in the meaning of
explanation or interpretation. In this way, the sacred text opened its doors
and windows for the reason. As a matter of fact, the Holy Qur‟ân calls us
insistently to read itself by rational means. Moreover, the Holy Qur‟an
criticizes the persons who do not read it by rational way. For example:
“Hence, indeed, We made this Qur‟an easy to bear in mind: who, then, is
willing to take it to heart?25. “Verily, the vilest of all creatures in the sight of
God are those deaf, those dumb ones who do not use their reason.26
From the beginning to 4/10 century, the concepts of the ta‟wîl and tafsîr
were used in a same or near meaning; while using of the former was
prevalent. Even the concept of ta‟wîl was used in the time of the Prophet;
while he prayed for Ibn Abbas: “Allahumm faqqih hu fi‟d-dîn wa „allimhu
al-ta'wîl”. Namely, „My God! Make him well informed in the religion and
teach him inner meaning of the Qur‟ân‟.27 Also, the names of the most of the
works written in this period of time carry the titles as „Ta'wîl al-Qur‟ân‟ or
„Ta'wîlât al-Qur‟ân‟. But, after then the concept of ta'wîl became bringing a
negative meaning to mind except in the works of sects of Sûfi and Shi„a. Is
that so, what happened in this process? In my opinion, these developments
should not be independent from sovereign religious, politic and cultural
conditions of the period of time. According to some, the base factor after this

24
The concepts of „tafsir‟ and „ta‟wil‟ have productive literature etymologically and
semantically. For details of this subject, see: Ibn Manzur, Camaluddin b. Mohammed, Lisan
al-Arab, V/3413; al-Zabidî, Muhammad Murtadha, Tâc al-Arûdh, Egypt, 1306, III/470; Ibn
Faris, Ebu al-Husayn Ahmad, Mu‟cam Meqâyis al-Luğa, Eygpt, 1969, I/158; al-
Zamahsherî, Ebu‟l-Kasım Mahmud b. Omar, al-Esâs al-Balağa, Dar Sadır, Beirut, 1979, p.
473; al-Zarkashî, Mohammad b. Abdullah, al-Burhân fî „Ulûm al-Qur‟ân, Dâr al-Fikr,
Beirut, 1408/1988, II/163-4-5.
25
The Qur‟ân, al-Qamar, 54/17; see this kinds of verses: al-Qamar, 54/ 22, 32, 40.
26
The Qur‟ân, al-Anfal, 8/22; see: al-Isrâ‟, 17/41; al-Furqân, 25/50; al-An„am, 6/126.
27
See, Ibn Sa„d, al-Tabaqât al-Kubrâ, Dâr Sadır, Beirut, 1985, II/365; al-Buharî, al-Câmi al-
Sahih,„Ilm, 17.

90 Vol 3 No 2 December 2010

 JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH

process is the endeavors of suppression the opposite religious thought.28

Adherents of the dominant decline accused the opposites as „muavvilîn‟
(interpreters) blamed in the surah of Âl-İmrân 7. These endeavors got strong
in the later times. So, the using the concept of ta'wîl was almost forbidden
practically. Therefore, we must return to the original meaning of the concept,
then we can understand the insistence of Ibn Rushd on the concept of ta'wîl.
According to Ibn Faris, who is a famous philologist, the meanings of
concepts expressing the things are reduce to three; ma„nâ (meaning), tafsîr
(exegesis) and ta'wîl (interpretation). But its intention with them is nearer
meanings, even if their utterances are different:
The word of ma„nâ ( ‫ )معنى‬is the purpose and the intention. It is said that:
„aneytu bi hâzal kalâm kezâ‟; namely, I intentioned and aimed that... This
word also means disclosing. For example, it is said that: „„anet al qirba‟
when the folder didn‟t conserve the water but disclosed it.
The concept of „tafsir‟ (exegesis) even reduces to discovering and bringing
out. This word has been derived from „tafsira‟ (‫)تفسرة‬. The word of „tafsira‟
means a little water that the doctor investigates it to diagnosis the illness.
Thus, mufassir (interpreter) discovers the verse‟s state, meaning, story,
reason etc. Some others said „tafsir‟ is transformed from word of „safara‟.
The meaning of „safara‟ even is the discovering. It‟s said that: „safarat al-
mar‟a sufûran‟, when a woman removed her veil from her face.29
The word of „tafsir‟ occurred at one place in the Qur‟ân: (…) and that they
(who deny the truth) might never taunt thee with any deceptive half-truth
without Our conveying to thee the (full) truth and (providing thee) with the
best explanation” (al-Furqân, 25/33). The commentators rendered the word
of „tafsîr‟ as „explanation‟30 or „find out an inner meaning which the word
indicates to it.31
As a scientific concept, „tafsir‟ is to know the verse‟s reveal, the line up as
period of Mecca or Madina, the clear in (muhkam) and allegorical
(muteshabih), the annulling (nasih) and annulled (mensûh), the unlimited
(mutlak) and limited (mukayyed), the closed (mucmel) and disclosed
(müfesser) of them. Some others added that: „Tafsir‟ is to know the
legitimate and unlegitimate, the good news and bad news about after death,

28
Nasr Hâmid Ebu Zeyd, ibid, p.265-6.
29
al-Isfahan, Rağıp, al-Mufredât fî Ġarîb al-Qur‟ân, Dâr al-Qahramân, İstanbul, p. 571;
Cevherî, al-Sıhah, II/780; al-Zarkaşî, al-Burhan fî„Ulûm al-Qur‟ân, Dâr al-Fikr, Beirut,
1988, II/162-3.
30
Al-Tabarî, ibid, 9/388; Asad, ibid, p. 554.
31
Al-Zamahsharî, ibid, 3/91; al-Razi, Fahruddin, al-Tefsir al-Kebîr, Dâr al-Kutub al-
„İlmiyye, Beirut, 1411/1990, 24/70.

Vol 3 No 2 December 2010 91

JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH

the order and disorder, the precedents and lessons learned of them. These
topics are not known by reason.32
The term of ta‟wil (interpretation) is derived from word of „a-w-l‟ (‫ ) اول‬in
Arabic. This word literally has some meanings: to return to the origin; to
address the intentioned meaning of knowledge or happening; to explain the
final result of a thing or an occurrence;33 it is said that „the word of ta'wîl
derived from „iyâle‟ means „politics (siyaseh)‟ that its result must be
considered. So, the maker ta'wîl to statement equalize that statement,
namely, places meaning of the word its place.34
To clarify the term of ta'wîl, we must enlighten area of meaning of its use in
the Qur‟ân. As a key term of the Qur‟an, ta'wîl occurs at seventeen place in
the Qur‟an (Al-i İmrân, 7 (2); al-Nisâ, 59; al-A„râf, 53 (2); al-Yunus, 39; al-
Yusuf, 6, 21, 36, 37,44, 45, 100, 101; İsrâ, 35; al- Kahf, 78, 82).
According to Ibn Abbas, the meaning of „ta'wîl‟ occurring in the surah of Al
İmrân (3/7) is to become exhausting of period of the Prophet‟s message and
his society. According to a quote from Ibn Abbas, Jews were desiring the
date of give out of the Islam by using the Calculation of Cummel about some
single letters called al-muqatta‘at, which occur at the beginning of some
surahs of the Qur‟ân35. But al-Zamahsharî renders this term as „interpretation
that they desire it‟36. As for Muhammad Asad explains the term of „ta'wîl‟ as
„the final meaning‟37. The phrase of „ahsen-u ta'wîlen‟ occurring at the surah
of Nisâ is rendered as „the best in the end‟38. The meaning of the „ta'wîl‟
occurring at the surah of A„râf, (53) is interpreted by al-Zamahsharî as „end
of Mohammed‟s mission‟39, while rendered by Asad as „the final meaning of
that (Day of Judgment)‟40
Al-Tabarî interprets the term of „ta'wîl al-ehâdît' occurring in the surah of
Joseph (12/6), as „to know the result of the happenings that will be made by
humans‟41. Al-Zamahsherî renders the word of „al-ahâdîs‟ occurring at this
verse as „dreams‟; so, renders the concept of the „ta'wîl al-ehâdît' as
„expression and explanation of dreams‟42; As for Asad interprets same
32
al-Zarkaşî, Muhammad b. Abdullah, al-Burhân fî Ulûm al-Kur‟ân, II/163-4.
33
al-Isbahanî, Rağıb, el-Mufradât fî Ġarîb al-Qur‟ân, Dâr al-Kahraman, İstanbul, p. 38.
34
al-Cavharî, ibid, IV/1627; al-Zarkashî, ibid, II/164.
35
al-Tabari, Muhammad b. Carir, al-Câmi al-Bayân fî Ta‟wil al-Qur‟ân, Dâr al-Kutub al-
Ilmiyye, Beirut, 1412/1992, III/181.
36
al-Zamahsharî, Carullâh Mahmud b. Omar, al-Kashshaf „an Haqâiq al-Tanzîl wa al- „Uyûn
al-Aqâwîl fî wucûh al-Ta‟wîl, Dâr al-Marife, Beirut, I/413.
37
Asad Muhammad, The Message of The Qur‟ân, Dâr al-Andalus, Gıbraltar, 1980, p. 67.
38
Asad, ibid, p. 115.
39
al-Zamahsherî, ibid, II/82.
40
Asad, ibid, p. 211.
41
al-Tabarî, ibid, 7/150.
42
al-Zamahsherî, ibid, II/303.

92 Vol 3 No 2 December 2010

 JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH

concept as „inner meaning of happening‟43; the term of „ta‟iwîl al-ahlâm‟

(Joseph (12/44), as „deep knowledge of the real meaning of dreams‟.44 He
also interprets the term of „ta'wîl ru‟yâ‟ (Joseph (12/100), as „real meaning of
my dream‟.45
The concept of ta'wîl has been used by the most of Muslim scholars
belonging to various sects, especially by the philosophers and the sûfists. In
general, all Muslim scholars except the minority mentioned at below accept
the using of ta'wîl in the Qur‟ân. Because to pass through beyond the literal
meaning and to interpret them is an absolute necessity. In addition, the
interpretation is immanent in all languages. According to al-Ġazalî, the
reason of this is that: „Because the meanings are unlimited, while the words
are limited. To explain the unlimited meanings by the limited words is
impossible or at least it is very difficult. On the other hand, God expressed
his message in a form of the human language. Because who must understand
it is the human. However the human uses in his speech metaphoric and
implicit expressions. So, God used in the Qur‟ân „misâl (example)‟, „remz
(sign)‟, „majaz (metaphor)‟, tashbih (simile)‟ and „mutashabih (allegorical)‟
and etc. expressions.46 That is, the language of the Qur‟ân does not consist
of the literal. But, it must be adjusted to some rules to get at the correct
meaning. These rules are stated in the relevant books. Briefly, it can be said
that: “Ta'wîl is an endeavor of the widening of meaning; therefore, it is a
kind of interpretation.47
According to al-Ġazalî, the concept of ta‟wîl explains the meaning of the
word after removing its literal meaning. He divided the ta‟wîl into two parts:
a- decisive ta'wîl and b- probable ta‟wîl. For example: “For He alone holds
away over His creatures” (al-An„am, 18) al-Ġazalî says: „The meaning of
the word „over‟ mentioned in this verse is not a physical place, but a spiritual
degree. Therefore, this meaning is a decisive ta‟wîl.48 He also categorized
the people into two classes about ta‟wîl; the extremists and the moderates.
The extremists are also divided into two parts in his opinion; they changed
all outward texts or much of them as interpreted them, like Batinîyyûn
(interiorers); they claim that: “(…) but their hands ill speak unto Us, and
their feet will bear witness to whatever they have earned (in life)” (Yâ-sîn,
36); “And they will ask their skins, „Why did you bear witness against us?‟ –
(and) they will reply: „God, who gives speech to all things, has given speech
to us (as well)” (Fussilat, 21) and such verses are allegorical statements. The

43
Asad, ibid, p. 337.
44
Asad, ibid, p. 344.
45
Asad, ibid, p. 353.
46
See, al-Ġazâli, İhyâ, I/102; al-Ilcâm, p. 104..
47
Aydın,, S. Mehmet, İslam Felsefesi Yazıları, Ufuk Kitapları, İstanbul, 2000, p.69.
48
al-Ġazâli, al-Ilcâm, p.71.

Vol 3 No 2 December 2010 93

JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH

others do not accept any meaning but literally, like Hanbalian. Even some
people belonging to sect of Hanbalian said that „Ahmad b. Hanbal who
found this sect forbade interpretation of that verse: „He but says unto it, „Be‟
and it is‟ (Ya-sin, 82). They claim that this is an act of addressing by letter
and comes into existence from God in all time by number of existence of all
occurred. He said that: They closed the door of interpretation, even forbade
it. al-Ġazalî defined al-Esharitian as moderates about the ta'wîl.49 However
al-Ġazalî criticized who accept their religious thought as correct while they
accused the thoughts of the other sects as false and unbelief. al-Ġazalî
defined these kinds of men as the most blinds. According to him, no one
should accuse the other as unbeliever about probability meanings.50
It appears that the concept of ta‟wîl returns around the „final or deep or real
meaning‟ which occurs beyond the literally. The endeavors of Ibn Rushd
aimed at establishing the final and real meaning of the Holy Qur‟ân, then
reconstructing the Islamic thought on this base by this means. He claims that
because human beings are different in their capacity of knowledge and
perception, these typical features must be considered when people are
educated. Since it is impossible to teach the same thing to people whose
capacities of knowledge and perception are different, they can deny some
subjects that could not be perceived by them. On the other hand, the religion
addresses all the people without distinguishing their knowledge and
perception capacity, but performs this state by different statement ability.
Therefore, the religion addresses to the people with three statement ability
according to their knowledge and perception capacities; rhetorical (hitâbî),
dialectical (cedelî) and syllogistical (burhânî) ways. Because some subjects
are not clear, they can not be perceived by no way but the syllogistical way.
For this reason, God expresses these subjects to the people who can not find
the way to syllogism (burhân) by examples and metaphors. This is a blessing
from God to them because these examples and metaphors can provide the
affirmation with evidences shared by all the people. According to Ibn Rushd,
this is the reason to distinguish the religion as zâhir (external) and bâtin
(internal). He also derives this distinction from this verse: „Invite to the path
of your Lord by wisdom and fair preaching and argue with them in a way
that is better” (Qur‟ân XVI, 125).51
The „burhân‟ is the focusing term of the Ibn Rushd‟s thought system and
definitive analogy that states the knowledge of a thing as a matter of fact by
a cause that the thing exists with it.52 In his systematic, the methods of

49
al-Ġazâlî, al-İhyâ, I/103-104.
50
al-Ġazâlî, al-Faysal al-Tafriqa, (Macmu'ât al-Resâil, III) p. 118.
51
Ibn Rushd, al-Fasl al-Maqâl, p. 20.
52
Ibn Rushd, al-Talkhîs al- Kitâb al-Burhân (ed. Mahmud Kasım), al-Hey‟et al-Mısriyy al-
„Amme li‟l-Kutub,, 1986, p. 38

94 Vol 3 No 2 December 2010

 JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH

„burhân‟, „cedel‟ and „hitâbeh‟ are based on the definitive knowledge, guess
and imagination, respectively. According to him, the second and third
methods may be turn to the former by the way of ta'wîl. „Ta‟wîl is the
reconstruction of the religious statement in a rational form on condition that
its internal totality must be protected.53
According to him, the sacred texts are interpreted as a recommendation to
use them either purely rational inferences (al-qiyâs al-'aqlî), or to use them
together with inferences based on the Shari„a (el-qiyâs al-shar„î). Thus the
Shari„a establishes the legitimacy of rational speculation, whose method
reaches perfection with demonstrative syllogism (burhân). Here there has
been a conflict between him and other theologians about the definition of
faith and what part of it should play an important role in intellectual
knowledge. His opinion is that: “The Shari„a obliged a duty on Muslims:
commands of the religion related to rational thought about beings must be
obeyed. Before undertaking rational thought, one should proceed degree by
degree and take account of what plays the same role on thought that lead to
instruments, then to action. The Shari„a demands more knowledge of
rational analogy than that of jurisprudence analogy, which is indispensable
to reach to true knowledge of God and makes possible to know exactly
God‟s commandments.”54
Ibn Rushd studies the question of ta'wîl into three levels:
1- The possibility of ta'wîl: He says: If the 'burhanî' method (syllogism)
leads to any thing, it is expressed by the revelation or is not; if it is not
expressed there is no problem, because this field can be established by the
rational analogy. If it is expressed, it is harmonic to the revelation or is not.
If it is harmonic to the revelation, there is no problem. If it is not harmonical
to it, the sacred texts must be interpreted in accordance with the reason. Ibn
Rushd argues for the possibility of ta'wîl with that: the grand mujtehids and
leaders of law schools used the same method and held the internal meanings
by leaving literal meanings.55
2-Limitation of ta'wîl: Ibn Rushd categorizes texts of religion into two type;
zahir (apparent, obvious or literal meaning)56 and batin (interior meaning).
He says that, in the religion there are some topics which none will not know
them except 'Burhaniyyûn', because of their mysterical structures. So, God
sent these things in a form of some examples owing to his blessing for all
people. For every one belonging to different intelligence and training levels

53
Ibn Rushd al-Fasl al-Maqâl, p. 19-20.
54
Ibn Rushd, ibid, p. 14.
55
Ibn Rushd, ibid, p.20.
56
The meaning of 'zahir' is external, obvious, or literal meaning of a word, while 'batin' is
contrary to 'zahir', namely interior or internal meaning of word.

Vol 3 No 2 December 2010 95

JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH

can understand and affirm these topics. These examples are zahir (literal)
meaning of them; as for, batin (interior) is that meanings which do not
appear except for 'Burhanniyyûn'. He also classifies the zahir texts into
three parts: i- There are some texts which can not be interpreted. This kind of
texts is dealing with foundations of belief. Interpretating these texts is the
unbelief. ii- There are some texts which only authorized persons
(Burhâniyyûn) must interpret them. They can not interpret these texts
according to their literal meaning because this is also the unbelief for them.
iii- There are some kind of texts wavering between above categories. There
is suspicion in this kind of texts. Some accept them from 'zahir', while some
regard them as 'batin'.57
According to Ibn Rushd, the reason to take part of 'zâhir' and 'batîn'
expressions in the Qur'ân is due to different capacities of people; all people
are not equal about understanding the texts and confirming meanings of
them. At this context, he explains the relation between ta'wîl and icma'
(consensus of Muslim scholars). When all Muslim scholars come to an
agreement on that issue: 'these kind of texts must be understood and affirmed
according to their literal (zahir) meaning or vice- versa', does an
interpretation (ta'wil) conflict with that agreement (icma')? Ibn Rushd says:
If the agreement is determined by definite way the interpretation can not be
made; but it is determined by non definite way, this kind of texts can be
interpreted differently from the agreement.58
On the other hand, Ibn Rushd does not allow the right of ta'wîl to all people.
But he limits it to the special class of them. To distinguish this class from the
others, he categorizes all the people into three parts:
a- al-Hitâbiyyûn (‫)الخطابيون‬: The recommendation and fair preaching is
sufficient for them. The religion came generally by 'hitâbî' way for the
people representing the majority of the humanity. They should not be
allowed to study on „muawwal‟ (interpreted) texts because these interpreted
meanings can lead astray them.59
b- al-Cedeliyyûn (‫)الجدليون‬: They have got some beliefs and defend them; but
they can not derive internal meanings from the sacred texts because they can
not perceive their remote intents. They can also not be permitted to study on
the 'muawwal' (interpreted) texts.

57
Ibn Rushd, ibid, p.29.
58
Ibn Rushd, ibid, p. 20-21.
59
According to al-Ġazâlî, the absolute confirmation comes into on some degrees: 1- it comes
into by al-burhan (rational evidence) which is the best preeminent; 2-which comes into by
fearing teological evidence; 3-which comes into by retoric evidence (hitabî); 4-it comes
into by pure hearing from good men etc. (see, al-Gazali, al-Ilcam, p. 115-7)

96 Vol 3 No 2 December 2010

 JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC RESEARCH

c- al-Burhâniyyûn )‫) البرهانيون‬: They have bright minds which the literal
meanings are not just sufficient for them but they want to plunge into their
internal meanings. They are proficient persons about ta'wîl.
According to Ibn Rushd, the religious books must be written for each every
one regarding their intellectual and training levels. For disregarding this
principle may lead people astray. Therefore he criticized al-Ġazalî and some
claimed themselves belonging to philosophy, because they neglected this
rule60.

Conclusion
From the Ibn Rushd‟s point of view, we have become aware of the degree of
error that occurred as a result of allegorical interpretation. It was his desire to
fulfill the intent of the Religion with regard to the abilities of all the
statements: i.e., to discuss which of them have to be interpreted allegorically
and which not, and, when they have to be interpreted, to whom the
interpretations should be given. The intent which he has pursued in this book
is now accomplished; because he has held it to be the most important aim
connected with the sacred text. For a new methodology for Islamic teaching,
we must study opinions of Ibn Rushd, which can light our way for future
studies in Islamic branches of knowledge.

60
Ibn Rushd, ibid, p.33.

Vol 3 No 2 December 2010 97