Tafsir and Ta'wil — A Fundamental Distinction
terms
Level: intermediate
quran-sciences
trm-006
إِنَّ هَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ يَهۡدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقۡوَمُ
— الإسراء 9
Tafsir: Uncovering the verse's apparent intended meaning through language rules, Sharia, and context.
Ta'wil: Directing a word to a possible meaning requiring evidence — broader, less certain than tafsir.
Conditions for correct tafsir: By the Quran itself, by authentic Sunnah, by companions and their followers, by reliable Arabic language.
Source: Ibn Taymiyya, Introduction to Tafsir; Al-Zarkashi (2/148)
Question: What is the main difference between tafsir and ta'wil?
Answer: Tafsir: apparent intended meaning with greater certainty. Ta'wil: directing to a possible meaning with less certainty.