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He it is Who revealed to you the Book, wherein are verses [that are] clear, lucid in proof, forming the Mother Book, the original basis for rulings, and others allegorical, whose meanings are not known, such as the opening verses of some sūras. He [Allahu ta’ālā] refers to the whole [Qur'ān] as:

1) 'clear' [muhkam] where He says [A Book] whose verses have been made clear [Q. 11:1], meaning that it contains no imperfections; and as

2) 'allegorical' [mutashābih], where He says A Book consimilar [Q. 39:23], meaning that its parts resemble each other in terms of beauty and veracity. As for those in whose hearts is deviation, inclination away from truth, they follow the allegorical part, desiring sedition, among the ignorant of them, throwing them into specious arguments and confusion, and desiring its interpretation, its explanation, and none knows its interpretation, its explanation, save Allahu ta’ālā, Him alone.¹ And those firmly rooted, established and capable, in knowledge (al-rāsikhūna fī'l-'ilm is the subject, the predicate of which is [what follows]) say, 'We believe in it, the allegorical part, that it is from Allahu ta’ālā, and we do not know its meaning; all, of the clear and the allegorical, is from our Rabb'; yet none remembers (yadhdhakkar, the initial tā' [of yatadhakkar] has been assimilated with the dhāl), that is, none is admonished, but people of pith, possessors of intellect, who, when they see those following that [allegorical part only], also say: