Surah Ash-Shura (42) — Ayah 3

(Ayah 3) ➊ { كَذٰلِكَ يُوْحِيْۤ اِلَيْكَ: ’’ كَذٰلِكَ ‘‘} (In this way) refers firstly to those subjects and meanings which are in this Qur’an or this Surah, that is, the revelation sent to you regarding monotheism, the Hereafter, prophethood, and other beliefs, actions, and events is not something novel that the disbelievers are astonished by it. Rather, Allah has been revealing such subjects to you and to the prophets before you. There may be differences in some temporary rulings, but the fundamental call for which you and all previous prophets were sent is the same, as He said: « وَ مَاۤ اَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رَّسُوْلٍ اِلَّا نُوْحِيْۤ اِلَيْهِ اَنَّهٗ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّاۤ اَنَا فَاعْبُدُوْنِ » [الأنبیاء : ۲۵ ] “And We did not send any messenger before you except that We revealed to him that there is no deity except Me, so worship Me.” Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ اَلْأَنْبِيَاءُ إِخْوَةٌ لِعَلَّاتٍ، أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ شَتّٰی وَ دِيْنُهُمْ وَاحِدٌ ] [بخاري، أحادیث الأنبیاء، باب قول اللّٰہ تعالٰی : « واذکر في الکتاب مریم…» : ۳۴۴۳ ] “The prophets are paternal brothers (born of different mothers), their mothers are different but their religion is one.” And {’’ كَذٰلِكَ ‘‘} (in this way) also refers to the method of revelation, meaning just as this Surah or this Book is being revealed to you, Allah has been revealing in the same way to the prophets before you. He chooses whom He wills for His messengership, then speaks to him in one of the forms of revelation which He has mentioned at the end of this Surah as the ways He speaks to any human. (See Ash-Shura: 51, 52) No one can say why Allah did not reveal to me, or why did He not speak to me.

Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that Harith bin Hisham (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): “O Messenger of Allah! How does revelation come to you?” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: [ أَحْيَانًا يَأْتِيْنِيْ مِثْلَ صَلْصَلَةِ الْجَرَسِ وَهُوَ أَشَدُّهُ عَلَيَّ فَيُفْصَمُ عَنِّيْ وَقَدْ وَعَيْتُ عَنْهُ مَا قَالَ، وَأَحْيَانًا يَتَمَثَّلُ لِيَ الْمَلَكُ رَجُلاً فَيُكَلِّمُنِيْ فَأَعِيْ مَا يَقُوْلُ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ يَنْزِلُ عَلَيْهِ الْوَحْيُ فِي الْيَوْمِ الشَّدِيْدِ الْبَرْدِ، فَيَفْصِمُ عَنْهُ وَ إِنَّ جَبِيْنَهُ لَيَتَفَصَّدُ عَرَقًا ] [ بخاري، بدء الوحي إلی الرسول صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ، باب : ۲ ] “Sometimes revelation comes to me like the ringing of a bell, and this is the hardest for me, then it leaves me, and I have already memorized what was said. And sometimes the angel comes to me in the form of a man and speaks to me, and I remember what he says.” Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “I saw him receiving revelation on a very cold day, and when that state ended, his forehead would be dripping with sweat.”

➋ { وَ اِلَى الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ:} For its explanation, see Surah An-Nisa, verses (163 to 165).

➌ {اللّٰهُ الْعَزِيْزُ الْحَكِيْمُ:} The verses of Surah An-Nisa, which were referenced above, after mentioning the revelation to the prophets, conclude with Allah’s being always Mighty and Wise, as He said: « وَ كَانَ اللّٰهُ عَزِيْزًا حَكِيْمًا» [ النساء : ۱۶۵ ] “And Allah has always been dominant, perfectly wise.” In the Qur’an, wherever the mention of revelation is found, after that, according to the context, some of Allah’s names and attributes are also mentioned. For the appropriateness of mentioning Mighty and Wise along with the revelation of the Book of Allah, see the explanation of the first verse of Surah Az-Zumar, and also refer to the explanation of the first verse of Surah Al-Mu’min.