Sura -42 [ Ash-Shura, Mecca 53 ]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:

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...

Asad’s Version:

Asad’s version

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 –

[[Asad’s notes - 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.]]