بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The linguistic meaning of tafwid has been explained by several scholars, one of whom is Ibn Faris, who states:

[(فَوَضَ) الْفَاءُ وَالْوَاوُ وَالضَّادُ أَصْلٌ صَحِيحٌ يَدُلُّ عَلَى اتِّكَالٍ فِي الْأَمْرِ عَلَى آخَرَ وَرَدِّهِ عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ يُفرّع فَيَرُدُّ إِلَيْهِ مَا يُشْبِهُهُ. مِنْ ذَلك فَوَضَ إِلَيْهِ أَمْرَهُ، إِذَا رَدَّهُ. قَالَ اللَّهُ - تَعَالَى - فِي قِصَّةِ مَنْ قَالَ: {وَأُفَوِّضُ أَمْرِي إِلَى اللَّهِ} [غافر: ٤٤] . وَمِنْ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُمْ: بَاتُوا فَوْضَى، أَيْ مُخْتَلِطِينَ، وَمَعْنَاهُ أَنَّ كُلًّا فَوَّضَ أَمْرَه إلَى الْآخَرِ.]

“The word (fawadha), composed of the letters Fa’, Waw, and Dhad, originates from a root meaning that indicates dependence on another in a matter and handing over that matter to them. This root is then developed to encompass meanings that resemble it. For instance, it is said, ‘Fawwadha ilayhi amrahu’ (he entrusted his matter to him) when he hands it over to him. Allah the Exalted says in the Qur’an regarding the one who said: {وَأُفَوِّضُ أَمْرِي إِلَى اللَّهِ} (And I entrust my matter to Allah) [Ghafir: 44].

[Maqayis al-Lughah (4:460)]

Additionally, they say: ‘Batu Fawdha’, meaning they were in a mixed or disordered state, and its meaning is that each one entrusted their matter to another.”

Ibn Manzhur states:

[فَوَّضَ إليه الأمر : صَيَّره إليه وجعله الحاكم فيه. وفي حديث الدعاء: فوضت أمري إليك أي رددته إليك. يقال: فَوَّضَ أمره إليه إذا ردَّه إليه وجعله الحاكم فيه]

“Fawwadha ilayhi al-amr” means: to hand over a matter to someone (making it their responsibility) and to make them the authority (arbiter) over that matter. In the hadith about supplication, it is mentioned: ‘Fawwadhtu amri ilaika’ (I entrust my matter to You), meaning to return and hand over that matter to You. It is said: ‘Fawwadha amrahu ilayhi’ when someone entrusts their matter to another (making it their responsibility) and appoints them as the arbiter over that matter.”

[Lisan al-‘Arab (7:210)]

Hence, tafwid is handing over the matter of mutashabihat to Allah by saying we believe in verse of Yad as it it but we handover the matter of its meaning to Allah.

Allah ﷻ knows best

جَزَاكَ اللهُ خَيْرًا