"Misinterpreting" Verses

This is Sheikh M. al-Khatib's first allegation: that when the Shias translate the Holy Qur'an, they misinterpret it and give it "a meaning other than that which was understood by the noble Companions who received it directly from the Prophet, and the other than that which was understood by the Imams of Islam who received it from the very generation amongst whom the Qur'an descended by way of Divine Revelation."

It is surprising that Sheikh M. al-Khatib did not give us an example of at least few verses which were thus affected. Perhaps those who are still alive, and who continue with his work, will do us that favour when they decide to reply to this book. At the moment, I would like our readers to understand that, as is the case with the translations of the Qur'an by Muslims of other madhaahib, some of the translations by the Shias contain authentic as well as unauthentic transmissions. When reading the books written by Shia interpreters of the Qur'an and scholars of Hadith, one will see how these experts analyse them - by either accepting or rejecting such transmissions. And the same is the case with the Sunnis.

But if Sheikh M. al-Khatib insists that all Shias must be in the wrong for the simple reason that some of their scholars have "misinterpreted" some of the verses - irrespective of the fact that such misinterpretations (taawil) are not accepted by all the Shias - what should Shias say about similar action by the Sunnis? Does it mean that Sheikh M. al-Khatib, and others of the same opinion as his, are not aware of the misinterpretations (ta'wil) in the Sunni books on the translation of the Qur'an - such as ad-Durrul Manthur by Suyuti, Gharaibul Qur'an by an-Nishaburi, Tafsirul Qur'anil Adhim by Tustari, Araisul Bayan by Shirazi, Tafsir by Ibn Arabi, and others? Or does he dispute that all the scholars mentioned here are Sunni, and not Shia?

Therefore, my fellow Muslim, this issue about the ta'awil of the verses should not be an excuse for stopping Shia and Sunni coming closer to each other and cooperate in the interests of Islam. For what is alleged against the Shia, could as well be alleged against the Sunni.