42 Ash-Shura (Consultation)
Mecca Period 53
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمَا
كَانَ
لِبَشَرٍ
أَن
يُكَلِّمَهُ
اللَّهُ
...
42:51. It is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to him...
C4597. This leads us on to the higher spiritual meaning of verses 49-50, as leading up to verses 51-53.
Man is but a speck in Allah's creation. His growth and family relationships are not by any means comparable to Allah's creative acts, whose various stages are referred to in n. 120 to 2:117, n. 916 to 6:94, and n. 923 to 6:98.
That being so in the mysteries of man's daily life, how much more profound is the contrast between man and Allah in the apprehension of the higher spiritual problems concerned with Revelation?
How can man be fit to speak to Allah?
He is not fit. But there are three ways in which Allah, in His infinite Mercy, communicates with man, as described in verses 51-53.
... إِلَّا وَحْيًا ...
... except by inspiration,
C4598. Allah is Most High, Most Wise: man is, in spite of his high destiny, often the lowest of the low (95:5). Yet Allah, out of His infinite Mercy and Grace, has bestowed His revelation on man.
How does it come about?
Three ways are mentioned:
- Wahyun, Inspiration;
- from behind a veil; and
- by the sending of a Messenger: see the notes following, Wahyun.
Inspiration, is interpreted to be of two kinds:
1. a suggestion thrown by Allah into the heart or mind of man, by which man understands the substance of the Message, whether it is a command or prohibition, or an explanation of a great truth; and
2. verbal or literal inspiration, by which the actual words of Allah are conveyed in human language. (R).
... أَوْ مِن وَرَاء حِجَابٍ...
or from behind a veil,
C4599. Behind a veil: not of course a material veil, but the veil of Light. (R).
Muslim relates a tradition that the Prophet said:
"His veil is Light: were He to withdraw it, then would the august splendours of His countenance surely consume everything that comes within His Sight." (R).
...أَوْ يُرْسِلَ رَسُولًا فَيُوحِيَ بِإِذْنِهِ مَا يَشَاء...
or by the sending of a Messenger to reveal, with Allah's permission, what Allah wills:
C4600. Messenger: Rasul: the angel Gabriel, through whom the revelations were given to the Holy Prophet.
These spiritual visions, conveying the message of Revelation, are the basis of the Quran.
...إِنَّهُ عَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ ﴿٥١﴾
for He is Most High, Most Wise.
وَكَذَلِكَ
أَوْحَيْنَا
إِلَيْكَ
رُوحًا
مِّنْ
أَمْرِنَا
مَا
كُنتَ
تَدْرِي
مَا
الْكِتَابُ
وَلَا
الْإِيمَانُ...
42:52. And thus have We, by Our command, sent inspiration to thee: thou knowest not (before) what was Revelation, and what was Faith;
C4601. Before the receipt of his mission in his fortieth year, the holy Prophet, though a man of steadfast virtue and purity and unflinching in his search for Truth, was yet unacquainted with Revelation in the highest sense of the term and with the certainty that comes from perfected Faith, or realized nearness to Allah.
Ruh, which I have here translated Inspiration has also been understood by some Commentators to refer to the angel Gabriel, the vehicle of Revelation.
The Light of the Quran made all things clear to man, and to the world.
...وَلَكِن جَعَلْنَاهُ نُورًا نَّهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ نَّشَاء مِنْ عِبَادِنَا...
but We have made the (Qur'án) a Light, wherewith We guide such of Our servants as We will;
...وَإِنَّكَ لَتَهْدِي إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿٥٢﴾
and verily thou dost guide (men) to the Straight Way --
C4602. The Quran and the inspired Prophet who proclaimed it, are here identified. They were a Guide to men, showing the Straight Way.
This Way is described in various ways:
for example, see 1:6, and n. 22;
18:1-2, and notes 2326-27;
and 90:11-18.
صِرَاطِ
اللَّهِ
الَّذِي
لَهُ
مَا
فِي
السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَمَا
فِي
الْأَرْضِ...
42:53. The Way of Allah, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth:
C4603. The most comprehensive description of the Straight Way is that it is the Way of Allah, the Way of the Universal Law; for Allah is the source, centre, and goal of all things in heaven and earth. Everything goes back to Him.
According to our own understanding we make out own laws, our own standards, and our own institutions. But the ultimate test of their validity or authority is Allah's Will, as revealed to us by His Revelation.
...أَلَا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَصِيرُ الأمُورُ ﴿٥٣﴾
Behold (how) all affairs tend towards Allah!
Asad’s Version:
42:51 And it is not given to mortal man that God should speak unto him otherwise than through sudden 52 inspiration, or [by a voice, as it were,] from behind a veil, or by sending an apostle to reveal, by His leave, whatever He wills [to reveal]: 53 for, verily, He is exalted, wise.
42:52 And thus, too, 54 [O Muhammad,] have We revealed unto thee a life-giving message, 55 [coming] at Our behest. [Ere this message came unto thee,] thou didst not know what revelation is, nor what faith [implies]: 56 but [now] We have caused this [message] to be a light, whereby We guide whom We will of Our servants, and, verily, [on the strength thereof] thou, too, shalt guide [men] onto the straight way –
(42:53) the way that leads to God, to whom all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth belongs. Oh, verily, with God is the beginning and the end of all things! 57
[[ Asad’s notes - 52 This is the primary meaning of wahy, a term which combines the concepts of suddenness and inner illumination (Raghib); in the usage of the Qur'an, it is often, though by no means always, synonymous with "revelation". - The above passage connects with the first paragraph of verse 48, which speaks of the divine message entrusted to the Prophet.
53 Cf. 53:10.
54 I.e., in all the three ways mentioned in the preceding verse.
55 The term ruh (lit,, "spirit" or "soul") has in the Qur'an often the meaning of "divine inspiration" (see surah 16, note 2). In the present context, it evidently denotes the contents of the divine inspiration bestowed on the Prophet Muhammad, i.e., the Qur'an (Tabari, Zamakhshari, Razi, Ibn Kathir), which is meant to lead man to a more intensive spiritual life: hence my above rendering.
56 I.e., that the very concept of "faith" implies man's complete self-surrender (islam) to God.
57 Lit., "unto God do all things (al-umur) pursue their course": i.e., all things go back to Him as their source, and from His will depends the course which they take (Baydawi). ]]