Faiz Kashani's Mystical Linguistics in Interpreting Ambiguous Terms of the Quran

There are four viewpoints about the ambiguous terms of the Quran: appearance of the verses, verbal commonality, truth, metaphor and spirit of meaning. According to the theory of spirit of meaning, words carry semantic spirits, while the features of referents have not been stipulated in their meanings. Hence their application can be true with regard to intelligible referents as well. Therefore the ambiguous words used in the Quran in regard to abstract and intelligible referents are used in their true sense not metaphorically. This philosophical-mystical approach about language was presented for the first time by Gazzal and after him other Muslim thinkers have been offering it till date. In Particular one may mention Mulla Sadra, Allama Tabtabaie Hakim Sabzvari and Imam Khomeini. The present paper’s main thrust is to explain Faiz Kashani’s viewpoints.