The third division classifies wording according to how manifest or concealed its meaning is. Its four clear grades are zahir, nass, mufassar and muhkam. A single Qur’anic statement can illustrate different aspects of zahir and nass, as in the distinction between lawful trade and prohibited riba.
With mufassar, kulluhum ajmaʿun adds clarification that rules out specification and alternative interpretation. The examples of muhkam concern definitive divine knowledge and justice, truths that cannot be abrogated.
The next lesson turns to their counterparts: khafi, mushkal, mujmal and mutashabih, with their definitions and legal effects.