THE RASIKHUNA FIL ILM (The one firmly rooted in knowledge)

AYAH MUHKAMAT (decisive) & MUTASYAABIHAT (allegorical)

هُوَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ ۖ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَاءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ ۗ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ۗ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّنَا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ {3:7}

[Q3:7] Huwal lazeee anzala 'alaikal Kitaaba minhu Aayaatum Muh kamaatun hunna Ummul Kitaabi wa ukharu Mutashaabihaatun faammal lazeena fee quloobihim ziyghun fa yattabi'oona ma tashaabaha minhubtighaaa 'alfitnati wabtighaaa'a taaweelih; wa maa ya'lamu taaweelahooo illal laah; warraasikhoona fil 'ilmi yaqooloona aamannaa bihee kullum min 'indi Rabbinaa; wa maa yazzakkaru illaaa ulul albaab.
[Q3:7] He it is Who has revealed the Book to you; some of its verses are decisive, they are the basis of the Book, and others are allegorical; then as for those in whose hearts there is perversity they follow the part of it which is allegorical, seeking to mislead and seeking to give it (their own) interpretation. But none knows its interpretation except ALLAH (SWT), and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge say: We believe in it, it is all from our Lord; and none do mind except those having understanding.

[Q3:7] Dialah yang menurunkan kepadamu (wahai Muhammad) Kitab Suci Al-Quran. Sebahagian besar dari Al-Quran itu ialah ayat-ayat "Muhkamaat" (yang tetap, tegas dan nyata maknanya serta jelas maksudnya); ayat-ayat Muhkamaat itu ialah ibu (atau pokok) isi Al-Quran dan yang lain lagi ialah ayat-ayat "Mutasyaabihaat" (yang samar-samar, tidak terang maksudnya). Oleh sebab itu (timbulah faham yang berlainan menurut kandungan hati masing-masing) adapun orang-orang yang ada dalam hatinya kecenderungan ke arah kesesatan, maka mereka selalu menurut apa yang samar-samar dari Al-Quran untuk mencari fitnah dan mencari-cari Takwilnya (memutarkan maksudnya menurut yang disukainya). Padahal tidak ada yang mengetahui Takwilnya (tafsir maksudnya yang sebenar) melainkan ALLAH (SwT) dan orang-orang yang tetap teguh serta mendalam pengetahuannya dalam ilmu-ilmu agama, berkata: Kami beriman kepadanya, semuanya itu datangnya dari sisi Tuhan kami dan tiadalah yang mengambil pelajaran dan peringatan melainkan orang-orang yang berfikiran.

As explained in the commentary of verse 2:2 of al Baqarah the Qur’an was revealed to the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad). HE KNEW THE TRUE MEANING OF EVERY VERSE, OR AFTER HIM, IT WAS ALI WHO CLAIMED THAT HE KNEW WHEN, WHY AND FOR WHOM EVERY VERSE OF THE QUR’AN WAS REVEALED.

v  MOST OF THE VERSES OF THE QUR’AN ARE CLEAR AND DECISIVE. THERE IS NO AMBIGUITY IN THEM. They are known as the MUHKAMAT. They *relate to the fundamentals of the faith, such as *the oneness of ALLAH (SWT), *the directions pertaining to the practice of the faith and *the laws governing the day to day life of the faithful. They can neither be changed nor modified. Any man of average intelligence can understand and follow them.

v  The MUTASHABIHAT are the verses which HAVE BEEN COMPOSED IN SUBTLE AND PROFOUND DICTION AND STYLE. They carry implications other than the literal meanings, AND THEREFORE, are capable of giving different significations, like "The hand of ALLAH (SWT) is on their hands" in verse 48:10 of al Fat-h.

Verse 11:1 of al Hud says that the Qur’an is a book of clear and decisive verses. Verse 39:23 of al Zumar says that ALLAH (SWT) has sent down the very best discourse as a book conformable in its repetition and consimilarity. Only the men of understanding who possess a higher level of intelligence contemplate and find out the meaningful implications of such verses. Average and ordinary minds cannot figure out or have knowledge of the real purport of such verses, AND IF they try this on their own, they are bewildered and go astray.

Ø  As mentioned in the commentary of verse 2:1 of al Baqarah, the huruf muqatta-at are also meaningful BUT their subtle and profound meanings are known to ALLAH (SWT) and His chosen representatives (Muhammad and ali Muhammad) only. THEREFORE, those who know the true purport of these symbolic letters occupy the highest position in the domain of knowledge and wisdom.

      IN THE WELL-KNOWN TRADITION OF THAQALAYN THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) HAS CLEARLY MADE KNOWN THE FACT THAT WHOSO REMAINS ATTACHED WITH THE QUR’AN AND HIS AHLUL BAYT, AFTER HIS DEPARTURE FROM THIS WORLD, WILL NEVER GO ASTRAY, BECAUSE THESE TWO WEIGHTY AUTHORITIES WILL NEVER BE SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER, AND JOINED TOGETHER, THEY SHALL MEET THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) AT THE SPRING OF KAWTHAR; AND "I AM THE CITY OF KNOWLEDGE AND ALI IS ITS GATE", SAID THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) IN ORDER TO GUIDE THE FAITHFULS SO THAT, TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE QUR’AN, THEY MUST REFER TO ALI AND HIS AHLUL BAYT, WHO ALONE KNOW THE TRUE MEANINGS OF THE MUTASHABIHAT.

Zaygh means disease, perversity, evil, and wicked intention, the inclination to go against the truth and to blunder, revolt and go astray. 

Fitna means to create mischief, or to create difference of opinion and to mislead.

"None knows its interpretation except ALLAH (SWT) and those (who are) firmly rooted in knowledge", renders null and void all attempts made by scholars to discover the true meanings of the mutashabihat. 

THE FIRMLY ROOTED IN KNOWLEDGE ARE THOSE WHOM ALLAH (SWT) HIMSELF GIVES THE KNOWLEDGE, as verse 29:49 of al Ankabut says: “But it is clear revelations in the hearts of those who have been given knowledge.”

HOW THE COMPLEX VERSES CAN BE INTERPRETED IS NOT MENTIONED IN THIS VERSE, NOR ANYWHERE IN THE QUR’AN, BUT it is clearly disclosed that besides ALLAH (SWT) only those, endowed with divine knowledge, know the true meanings of the mutashabihat. 

Ä  The firmly rooted in knowledge are the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and his Ahlul Bayt, the thoroughly purified ones (Ahzab 33:33),

Ä  who possess the desired purity of heart and soul, essential for receiving and holding the truth in order to use it (Waqi-ah 56:77 to 79) to do good to themselves and to others. It is obvious that there is no conceivable necessity of revealing complex verses or letter symbols if even the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), to whom the Qur’an was revealed, did not know their meanings.

Ä  It is only a hypothetical inquiry, otherwise there is the clear mention of rasikhuna fil ilm (the firmly rooted in knowledge) in this verse, the first among whom is the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), and after him, as said earlier, his Ahlul Bayt are the custodians of his knowledge and wisdom, who alone are entitled to interpret every word of the Qur’an.

IN REPLY TO ANAS BIN MALIK'S QUERY ABOUT RASIKHUNA FIL ILM THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) SAID:

"they are those whose hands do not do aught but that which is just, righteous and good; whose tongues do not utter aught but that which is true; whose hearts and minds are enlightened and rational; whose stomachs are free from that which is forbidden."

THE AYAH AL TAT-HIR (AHZAB 33:33) CONFIRMS THAT ONLY THE THOROUGHLY PURIFIED MUHAMMAD AND ALI MUHAMMAD ARE THE RASIKHUNA FIL ILM. 

v  Verse 31:13 of Luqman says THAT POLYTHEISM (SHIRK) IS THE MOST GRIEVOUS INEQUITY, THE WORST TYPE OF IMPURITY.

[*] It is a historical fact that all the companions of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), before embracing Islam, for a long time in their lives, were idolworshippers.

[**] The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), Bibi Fatimah and Ali ibne Abi Talib and their children were the only ones who were free from the impurity of polytheism right from the day they were born. All Muslims, in every age, add karamallahu wajhu (ALLAH (SWT) graced and honoured his face above others) after the name of Ali, BECAUSE he never worshipped any ghayrallah (other than ALLAH (SWT)).

Ø  The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) pointed out the essential purity of body and soul in Ali, equal to his own purity, when he said:

"O Ali! Your flesh is my flesh, your blood is my blood. You and I are from one and the same divine light"

©  verses 3:18 of ali imran, 4:162 of al nisa, 29:49 of ankabut, and 58:11 of al mujadalah REFER

TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DIVINELY ENDOWED WITH KNOWLEDGE.

**AS ORDINARY HUMAN BEINGS are unable to know the meanings of the mutashabihat, the divine mercy guides the sincere seekers of the truth to turn to the ahladh dhikr, [the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and his Ahlul Bayt] (see commentary of verse 16:43 of al Nahl and verse 21:7 of al Anbiya): "So ask the people of dhikr (the reminder or the Qur’an) if you do not know."

NOTHING IN THE EARTH OR IN THE HEAVENS IS HIDDEN FROM ALLAH (SWT), THE SELF-SUBSISTING, BECAUSE HE IS THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK OF CREATION (the development of the embryo has been mentioned in the previous verse as an example).

In this verse He says that the author of the ‘book of creation’ is also the author of the ‘book of legislation’ (the Qur’an).

Ë  The “book of creation” (the universe) contains miscellaneous signs. *Some are clear. *Some are intricate and perplexing. For example (in the book of creation) the function and the significance of every part of the human structure has been studied and defined except the "appendix".

ï  Now a rational student of the book of creation will say: "As no part is without some significance, this also must have some meaning, though I have not yet understood it."

ï  On the contrary a mischief-maker will mix up that which is known with that which is not known and deny both by saying: "As no reason or significance is found in this part, therefore, there is no reason or significance in the whole."

Ë  Likewise in the “book of legislation”, *some signs (verses) are clear and decisive (muhkam), and *some have several possible meanings (mutashabih), THEREFORE,

ï  THE RATIONAL MIND will try to understand the mutashabih (unclear) verses in the light of the muhkam (clear and decisive) verses, by proceeding from the known to the unknown or from the concrete to the abstract; BUT

ï  THE PERVERSE MIND will judge that which is certainly precise and definite in the light of the complex so as to mislead people by dubious misinterpretations.

Verse 11:1 of al Hud says that all the verses of the book are *well arranged and firmly established. **The arrangement of the words in the verses and the verses in the surahs is so accurate and proper that they all form a consistent unity, though they were separately revealed. It implies that the Qur’an was already arranged and established before its revelation, which is confirmed by verse 17:105 of Bani Israil.

In verse 39:23 of al Zumar, the book is presented as *consistent, *consimilar and *conformable in its parts (mutashabihan). BUT in this verse mutashabihat refers to *the meanings, *the implications, *the connotations and *the denotations of the complex passages.

–  Muhtam (clear) and mutashabih (complex) are relative terms. What is unclear to some may be apparent and definite to others. There may be quite a few features and viewpoints inherent in certain ideas, or commands, or narrations. Studying them from a particular angle will make their meaning and purpose crystal clear BUT THEIR clarity may turn into obscurity when they are viewed from another standpoint.

AT ALL EVENTS, *the complex should be examined AND *interpreted in the light of that which is clear and decisive, *OR AS explained by the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), *OR BY those whose authority has been established by the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and the Qur’an (see commentary of verses 1:6 and 7 of al Fatihah, and verses 2:2, 30 to 37 and 124 of al Baqarah). In the light of verses 75:16 to 19 of al Qiyamah, the divine agency collects, recites and interprets the Qur’an.

AS THE BOOK IS A GUIDANCE FOR MANKIND, THERE SHOULD BE NO UNINTELLIGIBLE OR INCOMPREHENSIBLE PASSAGE IN IT. THERE IS NONE.

»    As asserted by the Ahlul Bayt, rasikhuna fil ilm is conjuncted with ALLAH (SWT) and yaquluna is an adverbial clause qualifying the state of knowledge, referring to rasikhun. In the Nahj al Balagha, Ali ibne Abi Talib says that the rasikhuna fil ilm believe in the unknown in the light of the known.

      As explained in the commentary of verse 2:3 of al Baqarah the knowledge of the ghayb (unknown) is with the infinite, therefore, the awareness of the finite created beings, EVEN IF they are endowed with the divine insight, cannot be at par with the absolute wisdom of the ghayb ul mutlaq, the hayyul qayyum creator.

ALL THAT WHICH BECOMES (IN OBEDIENCE) EFFECTIVE, AS SOON AS HE WILLS, IS KNOWABLE TO MAN. A finite being can know as much as the infinite all-wise likes him to know and grow in knowledge, which implies that basically his knowledge was insufficient BUT he rises towards the level of perfection, with the help of divine endowment, on his own merits, to become aware of the meanings of all that which has been revealed in the book, because, IF IT IS NOT SO, SUCH REVELATIONS (MUTASHABIHAT) WOULD BE UNPROFITABLE AND FRUSTRATING. So what Imam Ali ibne Abi Talib and Imam Muhammad bin Ali al Baqir have said in this connection is true.

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(3:7) It is He Who has revealed the Book to you. Some of its verses are absolutely clear and lucid, and these are the core of the Book. *5 Others are ambiguous. *6 Those in whose hearts there is perversity, always go about the part which is ambiguous, seeking mischief and seeking to arrive at its meaning arbitrarily, although none knows their true meaning except Allah. On the contrary, those firmly rooted in knowledge say: 'We believe in it; it is all from our Lord alone.' *7 No one derives true admonition from anything except the men of understanding.

*5. Muhkam means that which has been made firmly and perfectly. The muhkam verses mentioned here are those Qur'anic verses which are embodied in clear and lucid language and whose meaning is not liable to any ambiguity and equivocation. The words of these verses are clear pointers to their true meaning and, therefore, it is difficult to subject them to arbitrary interpretation. Such verses form the core of the Holy Book; they are the verses which fulfil the true purpose for which the Qur'an was revealed, and they invite the whole world to Islam. They embody admonition and instruction as well as the refutation of erroneous doctrines and the elucidation of the Right Way. They also contain the fundamentals of the true faith; teachings relating to belief, worship and morality, and mandatory duties and prohibitions. These are the verses which will guide the genuine seeker after Truth who turns to the Qur'an in order to find out what he ought and ought not to do. 
*6. 'Ambiguous' verses are those whose meaning may have some degree of equivocation. It is obvious that no way of life can be prescribed for man unless a certain amount of knowledge explaining the truth about the universe, about its origin and end, about man's position in it and other matters of similar importance, is intimated to him. It is also evident that the truths which lie beyond the range of human perception have always eluded and will continue to elude man; no words exist in the human vocabulary which either express or portray them. In speaking about such things, we necessarily resort to words and expressions generally employed in connection with tangible objects. In the Qur'an, too, this kind of language is employed in relation to supernatural matters; the verses which have been characterized as 'ambiguous' refer to such matters.
At best, such expressions may serve to either bring man close to or enable him to formulate some view of reality, even if it is a faint one. The more one tries to determine the precise meaning of such verses, the more their ambiguities proliferate, and the more one is confronted with choosing between several plausible interpretations. All this is likely to alienate one progressively further away' from the Truth instead of bringing one closer to it. Those who seek the Truth and do not hanker after the satisfaction of their egocentric quest for exotic superfluities, will be satisfied with the dim vision of reality derived from these verses. They will concentrate their attention instead on the clear and lucid 'core' verses of the Qur'an. It will be left to those who are either out to make mischief and mislead people or who have an abnormal passion for superfluities to devote their attention to hair-splitting discussions about the contents of the 'ambiguous" verses.
*7. This might give rise to an unnecessary problem: How can people believe in 'ambiguous' verses when the contents of these cannot be grasped?
The fact is that a reasonable person will believe that the Qur'an is the Book of God through his reading of its clear and lucid verses, rather than by learning fanciful interpretations of the ambiguous verses. Once so convinced, he is not likely to be worried by doubts and anxieties caused by the ambiguities of the verses concerned. One who seeks the Truth is satisfied with the obvious meaning of these verses, and wherever he encounters complications and ambiguities he abstains from pursuing their solution too far. Instead of wasting his time splitting hairs, he is content to believe in the things laid down in the Book of God, without seeking to know them precisely and in detail. He turns his attention, in the main, to questions of a practical nature.

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ {3:8}

[Q3:8] Rabbanaa laa tuzigh quloobanaa ba'da iz hadaitanaa wa hab lanaa mil ladunka rahmah; innaka antal Wahhaab.

[Q3:8] Our Lord! Make not our hearts to deviate after Thou hast guided us aright, and grant us from Thee mercy; surely Thou art the most liberal Giver.

[Q3:8] (Mereka berdoa dengan berkata): Wahai Tuhan kami! Janganlah Engkau memesongkan hati kami sesudah Engkau beri petunjuk kepada kami dan kurniakanlah kepada kami limpah rahmat dari sisiMu; sesungguhnya Engkau jualah Tuhan Yang melimpah-limpah pemberianNya. 

THIS IS A PRAYER OF THE RASIKHUNA FIL ILM, A PRECAUTION TO AVOID POSSIBLE PERVERSION OF THE MIND AND THE HEART, EVEN AFTER RECEIVING THE GUIDANCE. They pray for ALLAH (SWT)'s mercy on the day of judgement. The aim and purpose of their lives in the world, a temporary and transient stay, is to make preparation for the eternal life of the hereafter.

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(3:8) They pray to Allah: 'Our Lord! Do not let our hearts swerve towards crookedness after You have guided us to the right way, and. bestow upon us Your mercy. Surely You, only You, are the Munificent Giver!

الصَّابِرِينَ وَالصَّادِقِينَ وَالْقَانِتِينَ وَالْمُنْفِقِينَ وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالْأَسْحَارِ {3:17}

[Q3:17] Assaabireena wassaa diqeena walqaaniteena walmunfiqeena walmus taghfireena bil ashaar.

[Q3:17] The patient, and the truthful, and the obedient, and those who spend (benevolently) and those who ask forgiveness in the morning times.

[Q3:17] (Dan juga) orang-orang yang sabar (dalam menjunjung perintah ALLAH (SwT)) dan orang-orang yang benar (perkataan dan hatinya) dan orang-orang yang sentiasa taat (akan perintah ALLAH (SwT)) dan orang-orang yang membelanjakan hartanya (pada jalan ALLAH (SwT)) dan orang-orang yang beristighfar (memohon ampun) pada waktu sahur.

**the patient, **the truthful, **the devout AND **those who spend in the way of ALLAH (SWT) are entitled to receive the grace of ALLAH (SWT).

Ì  ALSO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PRAYER AT EARLY DAWN TO SEEK FORGIVENESS HAS BEEN EMPHASISED IN THIS VERSE.

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(3:17) men who are steadfast, *13 truthful, obedient, spend (in the way of Allah) and implore the forgiveness of Allah before daybreak.

*13. That is, they are those who remain steadfast in the cause of Truth; who do not lose heart when they either suffer losses or are subjected to afflictions; who do not despair when they encounter reverses; who are not seduced by temptations. They are the ones who remain faithful to the Truth, even when it apparently stands no chance of prevailing (see also Surah 2, n. 60 above). 

شَهِدَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ وَأُولُو الْعِلْمِ قَائِمًا بِالْقِسْطِ ۚ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ {3:18}

[Q3:18] Shahidal laahu annahoo laa ilaaha illaa Huwa wal malaaa'ikatu wa ulul 'ilmi qaaa'imam bilqist; laaa ilaaha illaa Huwal 'Azeezul Hakeem.

[Q3:18] ALLAH (SWT) bears witness that there is no God but He, and (so do) the angels and those possessed of knowledge, maintaining His creation with justice; there is no ALLAH (SWT) but He, the Mighty, the Wise.

[Q3:18] ALLAH (SwT) menerangkan (kepada sekalian makhlukNya dengan dalil-dalil dan bukti), bahawasanya tiada Tuhan (yang berhak disembah) melainkan Dia, Yang sentiasa mentadbirkan (seluruh alam) dengan keadilan dan malaikat-malaikat serta orang-orang yang berilmu (mengakui dan menegaskan juga yang demikian); tiada Tuhan (yang berhak disembah) melainkan Dia; Yang Maha Kuasa, lagi Maha Bijaksana.

ALLAH (SWT) HIMSELF BEARS WITNESS TO HIS OWN UNITY. It is His infinite mercy that He makes known His self-subsisting and everliving existence (wajib ul wujud) to His created beings who, otherwise, could never know anything about Him. See commentary of verse 2:255 of al Baqarah. The finite created beings can only say that there is no ALLAH (SWT) save ALLAH (SWT).

IN THIS VERSE SHAHADAT (BEARING WITNESS) HAS BEEN RESTRICTED

[1] TO ALLAH (SWT),

[2] THE ANGELS AND

[3] THOSE ENDOWED WITH (DIVINE) KNOWLEDGE,

ALTHOUGH in many other verses it is stated that every being in the heavens and the earth glorifies ALLAH (SWT) and bears witness to His unity (tawhid). 

Ü  The restriction is justified because, in this verse, shahadat has been used in the sense of a particular knowledge which contains perceptual insight to realise the truth of His tawhid ALLAH (SWT) directly knows that "there is no ALLAH (SWT) save He", because HE IS THE KNOWN, THE KNOWING AND THE KNOWER.

THOSE WHO HAVE ATTAINED THE PERCEPTUAL INSIGHT of the realisation of truth, by complete mental absorption of the absolute, possess the same quality of knowledge. WHOEVER reaches this stage naturally becomes entitled to bear witness over His creation. In the Qur’an such witnesses have been described as shuhada. 

Ì  In verses 4:41 of al-Nisa and 16:89 of al Nahl, ALLAH (SWT) SAYS THAT HE WILL CALL THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) AS WITNESS OVER OTHER WITNESSES.

»    For ulul ilm (those endowed with divine knowledge) see commentary of rasikhuna fil ilm in verse 7 of this surah.

»    Qa-iman bil qist means that ALLAH (SWT) is the vigilant, enduring and (ever) lasting upholder and maintainer of justice.

ANY UNJUST BEING, OR ANY BEING WITH AN IOTA OF INIQUITY, CAN NEVER BE ALLAH (SWT), BECAUSE if arbitrariness had been applied as a primary force to effect and control the universe, no law, physical as well as social, devoid of reason and equity, would be valid and operative. IN THAT CASE, ALLAH (SWT) could not have an essential existence to be proved by reason, BUT a contingency that might or might not exist. So it is an imperative fact that absolute justice is ingrained and implanted in the activity of the active factor.

ABSOLUTE JUSTICE, by itself, is one of the aspects of the infinite mercy of the almighty Lord, which regulates and manages His kingdom, the whole universe. It is essentially evident in His every will and act.

“He has prescribed for Himself mercy,” (An-am 6:12)

JUSTICE is one of the 5 fundamental doctrines of Islam-Original, Shi-aism. It distinguishes Shi-a faith from other schools of thought. The 5 roots of the faith (usul al din) are given below:

1)       TAWHID: There is no God save ALLAH (SWT).

2)       ADL: ALLAH (SWT) is all-just.

3)       RISALAT: The prophets or messengers of ALLAH (SWT), appointed by Him, were truthful, holy and infallible. The last messenger of ALLAH (SWT), the seal of prophethood, is Muhammad al Mustafa. (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad)

4)       IMAMAT: After the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), the office of the prophethood was terminated, BUT the divine guidance continued, for which ALLAH (SWT) appointed the twelve Imams in the progeny of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).

5)       QIYAMAT: The day of final judgement.

FAITH IN ALLAH (SWT)'S JUSTICE IS ESSENTIAL. THE LAWS MADE BY HIM TO OPERATE THE UNIVERSE ARE PRECISE AND DECISIVE. THESE ARE BOUND BY RULES BASED UPON JUSTICE, AND ARE NOT ARBITRARILY CHANGED. THAT IS WHY THERE IS COMPLETE HARMONY IN THE WORKING OF THE WHOLE CREATION, OTHERWISE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN CHAOS AND CONFUSION. ALL ALLAH (SWT)'S ACTS ARE JUST AND RIGHT.

If qa-iman bil qist is treated as the adverbial clause qualifying the state of ulul ilm (those endowed with knowledge), then grammatically it should have been in plural, THEREFORE, it is true that it qualifies the state of the divine unity. It lays stress on the interrelation between the unity of His essence and His justice, which, as His all embracing attribute, defines and determines His action, and reflects itself in all His attributes. The source of all the attributes manifesting in His justice is the unity of His essence.

Ä  According to the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) the structure of the whole universe stands on the foundation of His justice. SO NONE CAN PERCEIVE HIM AND HIS UNITY UNLESS ONE UPHOLDS AND MAINTAINS JUSTICE. JUSTICE IS WITH UNITY AND UNITY IS WITH JUSTICE. THEY ARE CORRELATIVE AND INSEPARABLE. ISLAM TEACHES US THAT ALL EXCELLENCES FLOW FROM THE SUBLIME SOURCE OF JUSTICE AND ALL VICES PROCEED FROM THE BASE ROOT OF INJUSTICE- see Nisa 4:135; Ma-idah 5:8; and Hadid 57:25.

In verse 7 of this surah the Qur’an refers to the decisive verses (muhkamat) as the essence of the book, in the light of which all the other complex verses (mutashabihat) should be interpreted. In view of the interrelation between the unity of His essence and His justice, all the verses in His book of creation and in His book of legislation should be interpreted in a manner which must always be in harmony with the unity of His essence and His justice.

THE LOGICAL METHOD, PRESCRIBED BY THE QUR’AN, IS TO PROCEED FROM THE KNOWN TO THE UNKNOWN. As the whole universe stands on the basis of the unity and justice of the absolute, it is essential to prescribe justice (adl) as the second article of faith, immediately after tawhid, the first article of faith.

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(3:18) Allah Himself bears witness that there is no God but He; *14 and likewise do the angels and the men possessed of knowledge *15 bear witness in truth and justice that there is no God but He, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

*14. The testimony in question is from God Himself, Who knows directly all the realities of the universe, Who observes every existing thing without obstruction. It is the testimony of the One from Whose sight nothing is hidden, and who can be a better first-hand witness than He? His testimony is that no one but He is possessed of the attributes of godhead; no one has the power to govern the universe, and no one has the right to claim the rights which belong exclusively to God. 
*15. After God, the most trustworthy testimony is that of the angels, for they carry out the administration of the universe. The testimony of the angels, based on their own observations, is that the Will of God alone reigns supreme in the universe, and they turn to Him alone in the governance of the heavens and the earth. Moreover, all creatures possessing knowledge of reality have testified, unanimously, that no one except the One True God reigns and rules over the universe.