Haqiqat al-Tawil
- Author died
- 1386 AH
- Editions
- T Atlas
Haqiqat al-Tawil (The Reality of Figurative Interpretation) is a theological treatise on Islamic creed by the Yemeni scholar Abd al-Rahman al-Muallimi al-Yamani (d. 1386 AH / 1966 CE) . The work examines the concept of ta'wil (interpretation or diversion of textual expressions from their apparent meanings), distinguishing valid interpretations from invalid ones, and defending the clarity of the Sharia against accusations of ambiguity or obscurity .
Purpose and Scope
Al-Muallimi composed the treatise to address the issue of invalid ta'wil among later theologians (al-muta'akhkhirun), arguing that misunderstandings of scriptural texts became a primary source of doctrinal deviations and the emergence of dissenting theological factions . He aimed to establish that acknowledging legitimate forms of interpretation does not imply that divine revelation contains misleading equivocation (tawriyah), riddles (ilghaz), or mystification (ta'miyah) .
Structure and Content
The treatise is organized into three main chapters, though al-Muallimi left the text incomplete before finishing all of its intended discussions :
- Chapter One: On the Meaning of Ta'wil (Fi ma'na al-ta'wil): Covers the linguistic origin of ta'wil (derived from al-awl, meaning returning or transitioning from one state to another) and its technical derivation . It explores the applications of the term to dreams and visions (al-ru'ya), actions (al-fi'l), and verbal expressions (al-lafz) .
- Chapter Two: On Truthfulness and Falsehood (Fi al-sidq wa-al-kadhib): Serves as a foundational inquiry into truth and untruth . It includes a section on the Sharia's strict prohibition of lying, supported by scriptural proofs; a section analyzing textual dispensations for specific forms of speech categorized under untruth and the scholars' commentaries on them; an examination of the harms of lying; and an analysis of permissible double-entendres and allusions (tawriyah) used out of necessity, concluding with an emphasis on the impermissibility of falsehood without compelling need .
- Chapter Three: On the Legal Ruling of Ta'wil (Fi hukm al-ta'wil): Addresses the theological rulings on interpretation and analyzes the detrimental effects of corrupted interpretation (jinayat al-ta'wil al-fasid) . Al-Muallimi engages with debates concerning divine attributes—such as divine life, knowledge, the face, the hands, and loftiness (al-uluww)—and critiques the claims of philosophers and theologians regarding rational contextual indicators (qara'in) .
Manuscripts and Publication
The manuscript of the work consists of 47 medium-sized pages, with roughly 16 lines per page . The treatise was published as the opening work within a compendium of ten creedal treatises in the sixth volume of Athar al-Shaykh Abd al-Rahman al-Muallimi al-Yamani . It was also edited and published independently as a single-volume monograph by Jarir ibn al-Arabi Abi Malik al-Jaza'iri .
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