View source for Firm and Ambiguous Verses

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What is meant by firm (muhkam) and ambiguous (mutashabih) verses in the Qur'an?  {{question end}}
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The existence of firm and ambiguous verses is explicitly mentioned in [[verse 7 of Surah Al-Imran]], where the firm verses are called the ''[[Umm al-Ketab]]'' (Mother of the Book), The term "firm" (''muhkam'') refers to that which is solid and prevents any form of distortion or corruption. In contrast, "ambiguous" (''mutashabih'') means similar, indicating a resemblance that might lead to confusion between truth and falsehood.

Several reasons are given for the presence of ambiguous verses in the Qur'an. These include the limitations of language in conveying profound meanings, the inability of human intellect to fully comprehend the [[Supernatural|supernatural]] and the afterlife, the encouragement for people of reason to reflect and ponder on the [[Qur'an]], and the referral of [[People to those deeply rooted in knowledge|people to those deeply rooted in knowledge]], such as the [[Prophet]] (peace be upon him) and his family ([[Ahl al-Bayt]]).