Definition:
Al-Mutashabih al-Lafzi: verses that share similar or identical wording but differ in context, order, addition, or omission — making it difficult for the memorizer to distinguish them.
Examples:
- "Give good tidings to those who believe" recurs with slight wording differences in Al-Baqarah, Al-Kahf, and others.
- "Then which of your Lord's favors will you deny?" — repeated 31 times in Surah Ar-Rahman.
- "Indeed Allah is Knowing of all things" resembles "Indeed Allah is over all things capable" in multiple places.
Difference from creedal mutashabih: Verbal similarity is a linguistic-memorization issue. Creedal mutashabih refers to verses with multiple possible meanings regarding divine attributes.
Major works:
- Durrat al-Tanzil — Al-Khatib al-Iskafi (d. 420 AH) — first systematic work
- Milak al-Tawil — Ibn al-Zubayr al-Gharnati (d. 708 AH) — most comprehensive
Value: Distinguishing verbally similar verses and understanding the reason for each variation — every textual difference in the Quran has a rhetorical or semantic wisdom.
Question: What is al-mutashabih al-lafzi in the Quran? How does it differ from the creedal mutashabih?
Answer: Al-mutashabih al-lafzi: similar-worded verses differing in context or order. Difference: verbal is a memorization/linguistic issue; creedal relates to verses with multiple possible meanings regarding divine attributes.