عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ كُنْتُ أَمْشِي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي حَرْثٍ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَهُوَ مُتَّكِئٌ عَلَى عَسِيبٍ قَالَ فَمَرَّ بِقَوْمٍ مِنْ الْيَهُودِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ سَلُوهُ عَنْ الرُّوحِ قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لَا تَسْأَلُوهُ فَسَأَلُوهُ عَنْ الرُّوحِ فَقَالُوا يَا مُحَمَّدُ مَا الرُّوحُ فَقَامَ فَتَوَكَّأَ عَلَى الْعَسِيبِ قَالَ فَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ {وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلْ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا} [الإسراء: 85] قَالَ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ قَدْ قُلْنَا لَكُمْ لَا تَسْأَلُوهُ
Narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), he says: I was walking with the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in a field of Madinah, while he (peace and blessings be upon him) was leaning on a twig. Meanwhile, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by a group of Jews. They said to one another: Ask him about the soul. Some said: Do not ask him anything. But then they asked and said: O Muhammad! What is the soul? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up leaning on the twig. I thought that revelation was being sent down upon him. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this verse: {وَیَسْأَ لُونَکَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَ مْرِ رَبِّی وَمَا أُوتِیتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِیلًا} … They ask you concerning the soul. Say: The soul is by the command of my Lord, and you have been given only a little knowledge. Then some of them began to say to others: Did we not tell you not to ask him?