It used to graze in Paradise since the last forty years...

It used to graze in Paradise since the last forty years prior to this and it was not born of a female; the Almighty had created it with His intention. All the animals that shall be slaughtered in Mina shall all be ransom of Ismail.

In this commentary many narrations on this topic are quoted, however the Late Maulana Farman ‘Ali (t.s.) has remarked under the translation of this verse that: “Though commentators have construed a fat ram of Paradise by “the great sacrifice” this is absolutely against reason, because even though it be of Paradise and no matter how fattened it may be, in comparison to a prophet it cannot be ‘great’.

In my view “the great sacrifice” could not be anything other than the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (a.s). That is why the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) used to say: Husayn is from me and I am from Husayn.”[^5] The respected Maulana has differed with the commentators in his writings and with all due respect and reverence I also beg to differ with the Maulana. No proof is required of the fact that the apparent explanation of the Qur’anic verse is different from their hidden interpretation.

It is an established fact accepted by all sects of Islam that the Qur’an is revealed with seven letters or seven layers of meanings. Thus it is reported from Jabir Ibn Abdullah Ansari: I asked the interpretation of some verse from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s) and he informed me of it. Then I asked him about it again and he gave me a different reply. So I told him: May I be sacrificed on you. Before this day you had given a different reply to this question. He replied: O Jabir!

There is an interior of the Qur’an and an interior of the interior. And it has an exterior and an exterior of the exterior. O Jabir! Nothing is beyond the intellects of the people more than the exegesis of Qur’an.

Because for most of the verses the beginning portion is about one thing and the last portion is about something else while apparently the statement seems continuous and connected and different meanings are construed from it.” Have you noted how clearly the Holy Imam (a.s) has explained that there are multiple meanings of the Qur’an. And if one believes in the apparent meaning it does not mean that one is denying the inner interpretation.

And neither does it mean that one who believes in the inner meaning should reject the apparent explanation.