` Revelation and its types
Q.Define Revelation
and its types.
Revelation is derived from the word Awha, which means,
secret and swift instruction or special message from Allah. The word revelation
occurs in the Qur’an in several shades of meaning.
Types of Revelation (Wahi)
In Surah Najam Allah says,
“And he does not speak from his desire, but it is a
revelation revealed.” (53:3-4)
This verse signifies that there are two types of revelation I.e
The Quran and Hadith.
1 Wahee-e-Matlu: (The Quran)
Wahee-e- Matlu is also temed as Wahee-e- Jalli :It
means God's revelation in His words and speech, for example, in the Quran. Such
revealed words must be recited in the same accent, diction, and pronunciation
as they were revealed. Thus even after 1400 years, the Quran has remained
unchanged.
2 Wahee-e-Ghair Matlu: (Hadith)
Wahee-e- Ghair Matlu
is also temed as Wahee-e- Khaffi :It is the revelation that Allah
projected in the heart of the Holy Prophet. These are the words of the
Almighty, but the Holy Prophet (PBUH) transmitted these revealed edicts to the
people in his own words.
Q Briefly describe the different ways/ modes of revelation on the
prophet Mohammad (pbuh).
Modes/ Ways of revelations on the
Prophet Mohammad pbuh .
These are the following ways of revelation that Prophet pbuh experienced:
- True vision: The Prophet (peace be upon him)
said: I have been inspired with this or that thing, or I have been
informed of this, or I have been enjoined this, or I have been forbidden
this. All such things relate to the first kind of the wahi and the
divinely inspired traditions (Ahadith Qudsi) mostly belong to this
category of traditions.
- A Bell would ring in the ear, and then the
voice of the angel would come. The wisdom behind it was that Prophet
Mohammad ï·º would draw attention to it by diverting from other things. As
per him, this was the severest form.
- The angel in his real form:
Angel Gabriel would bring revelation in his real form. Then he would
reveal all which was ordered by Allah. This happened twice as mentioned by
Allah in Surah Al-Najm
- The angel would talk to him in the form of a human
being. The Quran itself testifies that it
was conveyed to the Prophet(pbuh) through Angel Gabriel, the trustworthy. (2:97); (42:192-195). The Prophet Mohammad ï·º said that this was the lightest
form of revelation for him.
- Allah would talk to him directly, whether awake or
in dreams.
Allah directly revealed to the prophet ï·º when he was in
the skies during ascension (Mi’raj). The prayers were made mandatory there, and
other things were told.
Q. Describe the forms of revelation mentioned
in the Quran?
Forms
of Revelation mentioned in the Quran
Wahy in the sense of ‘revelation’ is guidance from God for
His creation, brought by the Prophets, who received the word from God through
three different ways mentioned in the Qur'an.
‘It is not fitting for a man that God should speak to him except by
inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by sending of a messenger
to reveal with God’s permission what God wills: for He is Most High,
Most Wise’ (42: 51).
Means/Modes
of revelation are:
1.
Inspiration: in a dream, it is related that Ibrahim
receives guidance in a vision, while asleep, to sacrifice his son. (37: 102.)
2.
Speech hidden way: where
it is related that God spoke to Musa from the fire. (27: 8)
3.
Through Angel Gabriel:
Words (speech) sent through a special messenger from God.it is related that God
sent the Angel Gabriel as the messenger to Muhammad to reveal His message
(2:97).
“And this Qur'an was revealed to me that
I should warn you thereby and also whomsoever it may reach.” (6:19 )
Allah has comforted and urged His Messenger (peace be upon him) to
propagate the message without the least hesitation and not to waver in his
determination for fear of ridicule or lack of response from his people. Therefore,
It is obligatory for all mankind to follow the call. This is the revelation
that guarantees salvation to all believers.
This revelation is prophet-specific.
It is not given to anyone but prophets and messengers (there were 124000
prophets sent, among them 315 were messengers or Rasul.
(Some
Additional notes for long/ subjective responses)
WAHY (Revelation) and its Types Literal Meaning
Inspiration, revelation, suggestion, to point out a thing to someone, to put a
thing into the mind of someone secretly; letter, writing: something revealed or
written or the idea inspired or revealed; saying; commandment; to dispatch a
messenger to someone; to speak with someone secretly; to urge; voice. In
Islamic Terminology Communication of an idea, command, and information from
Allah to a chosen human being is conveyed either directly or through Angels.
Revelation is used
for spoken as well as unspoken and written as well as unwritten inspiration and
revelation.
Recipients of Wahy: We
can classify them according to who the recipients are into the following
categories:
a.
The Prophets: Muhammad
pbuh: He is the paradigmatic recipient
of Revelation as mentioned in the Qur’an and nearly half of the cases in which
the term revelation or its cognates are used in the Qur’an relate to him. Moses
is more frequently mentioned by name among the other prophets.
b.
. The disciples of Jesus
or the mother of Moses.
c.
Angels.
d.
The bee. ( An-Nahl (16):68] Your Lord inspired the bee, saying: "Set up hives
in the mountains and in the trees and in the trellises that people put up.
e.
The heavens. (Surah
Al-Momin, Ayat 12).
Revelation is not restricted to the Prophets. His revelation
reaches out to all forms of creation. The Qur’an teaches that God, the Wise,
has provided His creation with guidance so that they may achieve their
proportionate perfection.
Guidance in natural intuition:
‘so we sent this
inspiration to the mother of Moses . . .’ (28: 7).
– Guidance in instinct:
‘And thy Lord taught
the bee to build its cells in hills, on trees and in (man’s) habitations’ (16:
68). –
- Guidance by signs: ‘
'So Zakaria came out to his people from his chamber: he told
them by signs to celebrate God’s praises in the morning and in the evening’
(19: 11).
– Guidance from evil: ‘
'Likewise, did we make for every messenger an enemy- evil
ones among men and jinn, inspiring each other with flowery discourses through
deception …’ (6: 112).
– Guidance from
God:
‘Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message) …’
(8: 12).
