3:7: Basic Law of Hermeneutics For Studying Scripture

Today, while driving home, I was listening to a Christian polemicist who was attempting to validate his Trinitarian views by attacking verses from the Quran. It struck me that his entire methodology involved taking either allegorical verses or ones open to multiple interpretations and using these verses to draw sweeping conclusions that fundamentally contradict the core of the scripture. Interestingly, the person uses the same flawed approach to understand both the Quran and the Bible.

This epiphany immediately made me think of Sura 3, verse 7 of the Quran, which warns that those with perversity in their heart use this approach. Yet, it dawned on me that this way of studying scripture is not limited to the Quran but applies to all of God’s scriptures (Torah & Gospel).

3:7 He sent down to you this scripture, containing straightforward verses—which constitute the essence of the scripture—as well as multiple-meaning or allegorical verses. Those who harbor doubts in their hearts will pursue the multiple-meaning verses to create confusion, and to extricate a certain meaning. None knows the true meaning thereof except GOD and those well founded in knowledge. They say, “We believe in this—all of it comes from our Lord.” Only those who possess intelligence will take heed.

هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِنْهُ ءَايَـٰتٌ مُّحْكَمَـٰتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَـٰبِهَـٰتٌ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَـٰبَهَ مِنْهُ ٱبْتِغَآءَ ٱلْفِتْنَةِ وَٱبْتِغَآءَ تَأْوِيلِهِۦ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَٱلرَّٰسِخُونَ فِى ٱلْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّآ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ

As fate would have it, right after listening to a Christian polemicist’s arguments and contemplating this idea, I came across a clip from Rabbi Tovia Singer that had just been uploaded the day before and beautifully articulated this exact point.