if a poem from the poetry of some Arabs containing parables, admonitions, and wisdom were recited to them: "Take heed from the parables therein, and remember the admonitions therein"—except in the sense of commanding them to understand the speech of the Arabs and know it, then to take heed from the wisdom it alerted them to (1). As long as they are ignorant of the meanings of the speech and discourse therein, commanding them to follow what the meanings of its parables and lessons indicate is impossible. Indeed, commanding them to do that is equal to commanding animals, unless it is after gaining knowledge of the meanings of the discourse and clarification contained therein.

Likewise, regarding the lessons, wisdom, parables, and admonitions in the verses of God's Book, it is not permissible to say "Take heed from them" except to one who is knowledgeable about the meanings of its clarification and familiar with the speech of the Arabs; or in the sense of commanding—for one who is ignorant of that—to learn the meanings of the speech of the Arabs, and then reflect upon it afterward, and take lesson from its wisdom and various types of admonitions.

Since that is so—and God, Glorified be His Praise, has commanded His servants to reflect upon it and urged them to take heed from its parables—it is known that He did not command that of one who is ignorant of what its verses indicate. And since it is not permissible that He command them with that unless they are knowledgeable about what it indicates to them, it is proven correct that they are aware of the interpretation (taʾwīl) of those of its verses whose knowledge has not been withheld from them—excluding what God reserved knowledge of to Himself to the exclusion of His creation, the description of which we have previously presented. And since that is proven correct, the statement of whoever rejects the Tafsir (exegesis) by the exegetes—of God's Book and His Revelation—of that whose interpretation has not been withheld from His creation, is invalid.