I will give you an example which will be sufficient for the...

I will give you an example which will be sufficient for the elaboration of this issue. This is related to Prophet Ibrahim -as , When Ibrahim -as said: I am going towards my Lord, thus, his going towards his Lord -azwj was, in fact his act of worship, to be taken as a metaphor for his perception ‘Ijtihad’. Can’t you see its interpretation is contrary to its literal meanings?

Allah -azwj Says: Eight pairs of four-legged animals were sent down [89] and also Says: We have sent down iron which is extremely hard. [90] To be used by His creation . And Says: You may say if it were possible that my Lord had a son then I would be the first one to worship Him . [91] For the interpretation of this Verse, it is important that one should know that its intrinsic meanings are very different from its extrinsic ones.

Prophet Mohammed -saww has explained the meanings of the former verse; ‘Are they expecting that angels would visit them or their Lord or His ‘Ayat’ (Symbols), that the hypocrites and infidels were hoping that angels would visit them so that they can see them. Whereas the meanings of ‘Their Lord would come to them or His Signs’ is that they (incorrectly) expected to receive direct ‘Amr’ (Commandments) of Allah -azwj and/or His ‘Ayat’ (Symbols).

As, Allah -azwj ‘s Wrath on them, in this world, will be similar to the ones which were faced by the other nations in the past, as it had descended on ‘Qaroon’. And Allah -azwj Says: Don’t you see that we trim down the earth from its sides, We, then, bring it back to its original shape, meaning that whoever is killed by Allah -azwj between ‘Qurn and Haqrn’ [92] it is registered as ‘Atiyan’ [93] .

And Allah -azwj Says: ‘Allah may kill them, they are running away’ this means Allah -azwj rebuke them with the curses, but using the word ‘kill them’ . Similarly, (Allah -azwj Says) ‘ Allah may kill those who are unthankful’ [94] here unthankful people are admonished. And Allah -azwj Says: ‘ Thus Allah has killed them and not you, and Allah had tossed towards them handful of dust instead of yourself’ [95] here the actions of His -azwj Prophet -saww have been referred to Him -azwj .

Again, don’t you see the interpretation of these Verses is, in fact, against their superficial meanings, (as one would try to infer).