Esoteric Interpretation of The Quran - Islamic Legitimacy - There Is A Verse in Qur'an Related To Esoteric Interpretations

There Is A Verse in Qur'an Related To Esoteric Interpretations

He it is who has sent down to thee the Book: In it are verses basic (of established meaning); they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical, seeking discord, and searching for its hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except God. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord:" and none will grasp the Message except men of understanding.(Sura 3:7 )

In the verse quoted above, there is a stop between …except God and And those who.. and reading this way the verse attributes the knowledge of the Qur'an's hidden meanings to God alone. By removing the stop it becomes:" ...no one knows its hidden meaning except God and those who are firmly grounded in knowledge, they say…" which suggests that those firmly grounded in knowledge can extract these hidden meanings.

Both forms are valid in the Arabic language; Sunni Muslims usually read the verse with the stop, while Shi'a Muslims usually read it without the stop, and consider their Imams, who, according to Shi'a belief, are the heirs of Muhammad's knowledge, to be authorized to explain these hidden meanings.

• A Sunni view
• A Shi'a view

In Sufi tradition, it is believed that the esoteric meanings of the Qur'an can be extracted through mystic experiences, and as such, esoteric interpretations presented by Sufi Shaykhs are considered authentic. Today, the majority of Muslims (except Salafis) respect Sufi interpretations at least as an alternative view of the Qur'an.