Description Of The Meanings Of Wahy And Place Of Its Application

In Arabic dictionary, the word Wahy (Revelation) was used to indicate several meanings. Some of those meanings were:

• to point towards something

• writing down of Prophetic messages

• ilham or inspiration

• a secret communication, and

• a covert dialogue

It was for these meanings that the word Wahy had been used in the Qur’an. Therefore, the Qur’anic Verse:

وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰ أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ

“So We sent “Wahy” (inspiration) to the mother of Moses: "Suckle (thy child)” (28:7).

Here the word Wahy was used in the context of inspiration on her mind.

Again, in Surah Al-Nahl:

وَأَوْحَىٰ رَبُّكَ إِلَى النَّحْلِ أَنِ اتَّخِذِي مِنَ الْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا وَمِنَ الشَّجَرِ وَمِمَّا يَعْرِشُونَ

“And your Lord sent Wahy (revealed) to the bee saying: Make hives in the mountains and in the trees and in what they build” (16:68).

Meant that the bee was empowered or as some other commentators had suggested that bee was inspired to perform a particular task.

Or, regarding John the Baptist (Yahya), it was said:

فَخَرَجَ عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ مِنَ الْمِحْرَابِ فَأَوْحَىٰ إِلَيْهِمْ

“So he went forth to his people from his place of worship, then he made known to them…” (19:11).

Similarly, in the Qur’anic Verse:

عَدُوًّا شَيَاطِينَ الْإِنسِ وَالْجِنِّ يُوحِي بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ زُخْرُفَ الْقَوْلِ غُرُورًا

“... (evil ones among men and jinns), inspiring each other with flowery discourses by way of deception” (6:112).

the word Wahy was used in the context of secret communication.

So, the literal meanings of Wahy was - “Alqaish shay illul ghair ala wajhhir sirree” (to send some covert messages to the other), but in the language of Shariah, the word Wahy meant the message that came from God to His messengers, overpowering their speech.

The Phiosophical And Religious Significance Of Wahy

Since, it was Wahy that distinguished between a true and a false prophet, as described in the Qur’an:

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ

“Say: I am only a mortal like you; it is revealed to me that your god is one Allah” (18:110).

Therefore, some further elaborations were required on this topic due to its significance.

We must understand that the theologians have named revelation as a key feature - Malikate Nubuwa of the prophecy. They explained this in the following manner. They said among the Prophets, intellectual depth was beyond ordinary human beings. Our senses simply discovered material things, but mind could approach and discover higher echelons of reality Wahy however, was even beyond this level. It could detect elevated forms of certainty, and this judgement was so perfect that it did not require further thought nor it needed any logical justifications in its conclusions.

Higher reality in revelation appeared in a manner similar to an intuition or as a physical touch. Since, this knowledge was imparted without any human interference by the One, who knew the secrets of hidden things, that is why it was called Wahy or inspiration in the language of Shariah. It was therefore, suggested by some scholars that Wahy was not the name of an external reality or occasional teachings of God, but it was a result of Prophets higher level of understanding and awareness, which was given to them from the beginning, including some incomparable mental qualities and ingrained knowledge that made it easy for them to understand the will of God, while other people were devoid of it.

However, we cannot name this capability as Wahy. At the most we could call it the natural potential or an asset of the prophecy. Nevertheless, Wahy was the name of that external reality through which God chose to inform His Messengers via Angels or through Ilham (Inspiration).

Distinction Between Qur’an, Hadith Al-Qudsi And Ordinary Hadith

It was beyond doubt that Prophetic knowledge, information, teachings and sermons were all under the umbrella of Wahy. The only difference would be that if words and their meanings were both from God and they would also have a miraculous panache. Then, such a collection would be called the Qur’an, Zaboor or Injeel.

If, however, words and its meanings were both from God but the text was not of the standard of miraculous splendour, it was called Hadith al-Qudsi.

If on the other hand, the meanings were from God and the words were chosen by the Prophet, it was then called Hadith or a Prophetic tradition.

On this basis, the scholars have named the first kind of Wahy as Wahy Matlu (that could be recited) and Sunnah of the Prophet is called Wahy Ghair Matlu (non recitable).

Satanic Revelations

Whatever, we have described so far was related to the revelations from God. In opposition to this there were satanic revelations as well. These were described by God as what Satan and his associates transmitted as Wahy to their friends. This transmission was in the form of doubts and distrusts. Therefore, if some mentally retarded persons, either under the influence of Satan or due to their own disturbed mind started projecting his proclamations as a message from God, and began to assume himself as a prophet, then instead of accepting his assertion, such a person should be taken to a mental clinic for treatment.

Three Types Of Shariah Revelation

There are several ways in which Prophets were inspired. God had said, “There is no one among humans who could say that God had spoken to him in a manner other than Wahy, behind a veil and through a Messenger, (angel) who is explicitly approved by God to speak to a person of His choice. Allah is all wise.”

Further Approval Of Author’s Opinion

What the honourable author had mentioned about the modes of Wahy was supplemented by quite a few Ahadith of the Prophet and Imams, which was also logically possible. However, Shaykh Al-Mufid’s criticism of this approach, due to certain hesitations and far-fetched doubts was not up to the mark. It was strange that at this juncture he censured author’s approach by considering his evidence based on a rare Hadith, but while discussing Pen and the Tablet, where Abu Ja’far proposed that those were two Angels.

Shaykh Al-Mufid rejected his approach by suggesting that the proposed methodology of Wahy by Shaykh Abu Ja’far’s was the result of numerous traditions and narrations. He said: “Therefore, the Angels after viewing the Guarded Tablet remembered the message that they were commanded to take to the Prophets, and also comprehended the instructions they had to abide by. In this respect, there were several narrations and reports from the Prophet and Imams.”

On such issues Allama Al-Majlisi said, “Subjects of this type that are present in the Qur’an and Hadith should not be reinterpreted on the basis of a far-fetched doubt, without clear cut evidence.”