The Third Aspect:

3176 - I read to Muhammad b. al-Fadl, Muhammad b. 'Ali reported to us, Muhammad b. Muzahim informed us, from Bukayr b. Ma'ruf, from Muqatil: His saying: "And others are those that are not entirely clear," he means, according to what has reached us: Alif-Lam-Mim, Alif-Lam-Mim-Sad, Alif-Lam-Ra, and Alif-Lam-Ra; these four are the not entirely clear [verses].

The Fourth Aspect:

3177 - My father narrated to us, al-Hasan b. al-Rabi' reported to us, Ibn Idris reported to us, Muhammad b. Ishaq reported to us: "And others are those that are not entirely clear," he did not distinguish the discourse regarding them as he did with the decisive verses; they are ambiguous to the intellects of men, and interpretation oscillates within them. Allah thereby tested the servants in them, just as He tested them in the lawful and the forbidden.

3178 - Muhammad b. Yahya narrated to us, Abu Ghassan informed us, Salamah reported to us, he said: Muhammad b. Ishaq said: "Not entirely clear," in truth they have derivation, alteration, and interpretation; Allah tested the servants in them just as He tested them in the lawful and the forbidden, so that they might not be diverted toward falsehood and not be altered from the truth.

His saying: "So as for those in whose hearts is deviation"

[The First Aspect]

3179 - Abu Badr 'Abbad b. al-Walid al-Ghubari narrated to us, in what he wrote to me, Muhammad b. 'Abbad al-Huna'i reported to us, Humayd al-Khayyat narrated to me, he said: I asked Abu Ghalib about this verse: "So as for those in whose hearts is deviation," he said: Abu Ghalib narrated to me, from Abu Umamah, from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), that they are the Khawarij.

3180 - Al-'Abbas b. al-Walid b. Mazyad al-Bayruti informed us by recitation, my father informed me, 'Abd Allah b. Shawdhab narrated to me, he said: I was in the mosque of Damascus when the heads of some of the leaders of the Azariqah were brought, which had been sent by al-Muhallab. They were set up at the steps of the Damascus mosque, and the people gathered to look at them. I approached them, and Abu Umamah came, entered the mosque, and prayed. Then he approached the heads and said: "Dogs of Hell"—three times—"the worst of those killed who were killed under the shadow of the sky"—three times. Then he looked at the people and saw me. He said: "Do you not read this verse which is in Al 'Imran: 'So as for those in whose hearts is deviation, they follow that which is not entirely clear of it?'" It was said to him: "Do you see what you are saying about these people? Is it something you said by your own opinion, or something?