Discover the meaning of the term Al-twrya (تورية) in Islamic vocabulary.
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Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 3 min readThat the speaker intends by his words something other than the apparent sense, as when one says in war: 'your leader has died', meaning one of the men in the front.
It is also called ihham (equivocation), tawjih and takhil; tawriya is more deserving of the name because of the nearness between what is designated and its name: it is the masdar of 'I veiled the statement (waraytu)' when one conceals it and makes something else appear, as though the speaker set it behind him where it is not seen.
Concealment and hiding. In rhetoric (badi'): intending by one's words something other than the apparent sense, such as saying 'stretch forth your arm' while meaning your brother's death; it is mentioned likewise under ihham.
Uttering a word with two meanings, one near and one remote, and intending the remote one.
In language: concealment; in usage: intending by the word something other than what first presents itself to its meaning, expressed as intending by one's speech other than the apparent, like saying in war 'your leader has died' meaning one of the foremost; mentioned by Ibn Kamal (al-Ta'rifat, p. 75). Al-Fayyumi said (al-Misbah al-Munir, art. rawi, p. 252): tawriya is to utter a word apparent for one meaning while intending another meaning which that word reaches but which is contrary to its apparent sense.
That the speaker intends by his words something other than the apparent sense, as when one says in war: 'your leader has died', meaning one of the men at the front.
﴿نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَأَنزَلَ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ وَٱلْإِنجِيلَ﴾
« He has sent down upon you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming what was before it. And He revealed the Torah and the Gospel. »
Surah آل عمران : 3
﴿وَيُعَلِّمُهُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ وَٱلْإِنجِيلَ﴾
« And He will teach him writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel »
Surah آل عمران : 48
﴿وَمُصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَىَّ مِنَ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَلِأُحِلَّ لَكُم بَعْضَ ٱلَّذِى حُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَجِئْتُكُم بِـَٔايَةٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ﴾
« And [I have come] confirming what was before me of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. And I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear Allah and obey me. »
Surah آل عمران : 50
﴿يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَتِ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةُ وَٱلْإِنجِيلُ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦٓ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ﴾
« O People of the Scripture, why do you argue about Abraham while the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed until after him? Then will you not reason? »
Surah آل عمران : 65
﴿۞ كُلُّ ٱلطَّعَامِ كَانَ حِلًّۭا لِّبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ إِلَّا مَا حَرَّمَ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِۦ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تُنَزَّلَ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةُ ۗ قُلْ فَأْتُوا۟ بِٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ فَٱتْلُوهَآ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ﴾
« All food was lawful to the Children of Israel except what Israel had made unlawful to himself before the Torah was revealed. Say, [O Muhammad], "So bring the Torah and recite it, if you should be truthful." »
Surah آل عمران : 93
﴿وَكَيْفَ يُحَكِّمُونَكَ وَعِندَهُمُ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةُ فِيهَا حُكْمُ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّوْنَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ ۚ وَمَآ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾
« But how is it that they come to you for judgement while they have the Torah, in which is the judgement of Allah? Then they turn away, [even] after that; but those are not [in fact] believers. »
Surah المائدة : 43
This term appears in 16 verses of the Quran.