Discover the meaning of the term Al-mṭlq (مطلق) in Islamic vocabulary.
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Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 2 min readWhat indicates a single undetermined one.
The opposite of the restricted (muqayyad): what indicates a single undetermined one, or what has not been restricted by any of its qualities and accidents. In the glosses of the Sharh al-Wiqaya: the mutlaq is what spreads through its genus: a portion of reality receptive of many portions, neither inclusive nor determinate; the muqayyad is what has been brought out of generality by a restriction, like 'a slave for emancipation' and 'a believing slave for emancipation'.
In language: the unrestricted; one says: 'a man open-handed (taliq al-yadayn or al-yad)': generous; 'a horse taliq al-yad': unhobbled. Itlaq: mentioning the thing by its name without joining qualification, condition, time, number, or anything resembling that. In religious law, in the Dastur al-'Ulama: the mutlaq is what indicates a single undetermined one, or what has not been restricted by some of its qualities and accidents. In the glosses of the Sharh al-Wiqaya: the mutlaq is what spreads through its genus: a portion of reality receptive of many portions, neither inclusive nor determinate. In the Mizan al-Usul: attending to the essence without the qualities; its analogue is God's saying: 'or the freeing of a slave'.
The word indicating a single undetermined one.
What indicates the quiddity without restriction, or what is restricted neither by an intellectual nor a verbal qualification; restriction is confining the word to one of its two parts according to its reason.
What indicates a single undetermined one, or the word reaching the essence without qualities, neither by negation nor affirmation; opposed to the muqayyad (restricted).
﴿وَٱلْمُطَلَّقَـٰتُ يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ ثَلَـٰثَةَ قُرُوٓءٍۢ ۚ وَلَا يَحِلُّ لَهُنَّ أَن يَكْتُمْنَ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ فِىٓ أَرْحَامِهِنَّ إِن كُنَّ يُؤْمِنَّ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۚ وَبُعُولَتُهُنَّ أَحَقُّ بِرَدِّهِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ إِنْ أَرَادُوٓا۟ إِصْلَـٰحًۭا ۚ وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَيْهِنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ وَلِلرِّجَالِ عَلَيْهِنَّ دَرَجَةٌۭ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ﴾
« Divorced women remain in waiting for three periods, and it is not lawful for them to conceal what Allah has created in their wombs if they believe in Allah and the Last Day. And their husbands have more right to take them back in this [period] if they want reconciliation. And due to the wives is similar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable. But the men have a degree over them [in responsibility and authority]. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise. »
Surah البقرة : 228