Tawil and the Meaning of the Text in the Arabic Language: An Introduction to Understanding the Qur'an

The question of clarifying the meaning of a given Arabic text is a subtle one, especially as high literature texts can often be read in more than one way. Arabic is rich in figurative language and this can lead to variety in meaning, sometimes in ways that either adhere closely or diverge far from the 'original' meaning. In order to understand a fine literary text in Arabic, one must have a comprehensive understanding of the issue of tawil, and the concept that multiplicity of meaning does not necessarily lead to contradiction. This article surveys the opinions of various literary critics and scholars of balagha on this issue with a brief discussion of the concepts of tafsir and sharh, which sometimes overlap with tawil.