Muhkam and Mutashābih from Ibn Barrajān’s Perspective

Muhkam and Mutashābih are of the important issues in the Qur’anic exegeses. One of the Islamic West mystics and commentators in the sixth century AH was Ibn Barrajān. This research examines Ibn Barrajān’s view on Muhkam and Mutashābih. Based on documentary and descriptive-analytical method, it was concluded that Ibn Barrajān first referred to Mutashābih as the description of Muhkam. He based his idea on the hierarchy of Divine Revelation and its descendant, that is 'Umm al-Kitāb (i.e. Kitāb Mubīn or Lawh Mahfūz), Muqatta’a letters and the Qur’an. Second, he referred to Mutashābih as the similarity of verses with each other in miracle and truthfulness, the similarity of verses with the verses of 'Umm al-Kitāb, and the similarity of some verses with others, which cause reader’s confusion. According to Ibn Barrajān, Muqatta’a letters are Muhkam in a sense and Mutashābih in another sense. Also, it was not found that Ibn Barrajān was influenced by others. It seems his idea of Muhkam and Mutashābih is based on his own perception and Ijtihad of the verses and Prophetic narrations.