Lesson 4: What is revelation?

Question 1

Statement of Ibn Faris giving the linguistic meaning

Answer 1

• <aside>
  
  **قال ابن فارس الواو والحاء والحرف المعتل أصل يدل . على إلقاء علم في خفاء ، أو غيره إلى غيرك. فالوحي الإشارة، والوحي الكتابة والرسالة، وكل ما ألقيته إلى غيرك حتى عَلِمَه فهو وحي كيف كان**
  
  </aside>> Ibn Faris said: The letters ‘و’ and ‘ح’ and the vowelized letter form a root that indicates imparting knowledge in secrecy or otherwise to another. So ‘وحي’ (revelation) means a sign, and ‘وحي’ also means writing and a message. Everything you impart to another person until they know it is ‘وحي’ in any form.He mentions types of wahy such as ilham-inspiration

Question 2

Example of The Linguistic meaning of revelation (wahy) in the Quran as ilham-Inspiration (this is a type of revelation as Ibn Faris meantioned)

Answer 2

• وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ ۖ فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقِيهِ فِى ٱلْيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِى وَلَا تَحْزَنِىٓ ۖ إِنَّا رَآدُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ> And We inspired to the mother of Moses, “Suckle him; but when you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear and do not grieve. Indeed, We will return him to you and will make him [one] of the messengers.”
  • a female can’t be a prophet, revelation (as how we know it) is only for men

Question 3

What do all the types of revelation go back to as said by Ibn Faris?

Answer 3

they all go back to إلقاء علم في خفاء imparting knowledge in secrecy.

Question 4

Technical meaning of Wahy explained in the Quran

Answer 4

• وَمَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَنْ يُكَلِّمَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَّا وَحْيَا أَوْ مِنْ وَرَائِ حِجَابٍ أَوْ يُرْسِلَ رَسُولًا فَيُوْحِيَ بِإِذْنِهِ مَا يَشَاءُ إِنَّهُ عَلِيٌّ حَكِيمُ> And it is not for any human being that Allāh should speak to him except by revelation or from behind a partition or that He sends a messenger [i.e., angel] to reveal, by His permission, what He wills. Indeed, He is Most High and WiseThis ayah mentioned revelation is 3 types:
  • ﷲ speaks directly to a prophet and the prophet hears it from Allah without any veil (in a way we don’t understand)
  • Allah talks to a prophet from behind a veil-doesn’t see his lord only hears his speech (Musa عليه السلام and the messenger ﷺ according to a view of Ahlul Sunnah)
  • Allah sends a messenger from the angels to the prophet (we only know of Jibreel doing this no other angel)
  the angel that comes with the message to the prophets (especially the prophet Muhammed ﷺ ) and reads/recites it onto him, teaches him the unseen

Question 5

Evidence the language Jibreel عليه السلام spoke Arabic to the messenger ﷺ

Answer 5

وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنْزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَلَمِينَ نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوْحُ الْأَمِينُ عَلَي قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُوْنَ مِنَ الْمُنْذِرِينَ بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِي مُّبِيْنٍ

> And indeed, the Qur’an is the revelation of the Lord of the worlds. The Trustworthy Spirit has brought it down. Upon your heart, [O Muhammad] - that you may be of the warners - In a clear Arabic language.

• the trustworthy spirit is Jibreel عليه السلام
• Upon your heart-the Quran was directly poured into the prophet ﷺ heart
• Clear cut Arabic language