سُوْرَةُ الشُّوْرٰي
Surah Ash-Shura (42) — Ayah 51
۞ وَمَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَن يُكَلِّمَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا وَحْيًا أَوْ مِن وَرَآئِ حِجَابٍ أَوْ يُرْسِلَ رَسُولًا فَيُوحِىَ بِإِذْنِهِۦ مَا يَشَآءُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِىٌّ حَكِيمٌ ﴿51﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
It is not given to any human being that Allâh should speak to him unless (it be) by Revelation, or from behind a veil, or (that) He sends a Messenger to reveal what He wills by His Leave. Verily, He is Most High, Most Wise.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ وَمَا
wamā
And not
كَانَ
kāna
is
لِبَشَرٍ
libasharin
for any human
أَن
an
that
يُكَلِّمَهُ
yukallimahu
Allah should speak to him
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah should speak to him
إِلَّا
illā
except
وَحْيًا
waḥyan
(by) revelation
أَوْ
aw
or
مِن
min
from
وَرَآئِ
warāi
behind
حِجَابٍ
ḥijābin
a veil
أَوْ
aw
or
يُرْسِلَ
yur'sila
(by) sending
رَسُولًۭا
rasūlan
a messenger
فَيُوحِىَ
fayūḥiya
then he reveals
بِإِذْنِهِۦ
bi-idh'nihi
by His permission
مَا
mā
what
يَشَآءُ ۚ
yashāu
He wills
إِنَّهُۥ
innahu
Indeed, He
عَلِىٌّ
ʿaliyyun
(is) Most High
حَكِيمٌۭ
ḥakīmun
Most Wise
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
It is not possible for any human being that Allah should speak to him except by revelation, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger (angel) to reveal, by His permission, what He wills [71]. Surely, He is Most High, Most Wise.
[71]
The Different Ways of Revelation:
In this verse, the word "wahyan" is used in its literal meaning (a swift and quick sign, i.e., inspiration and suggestion), and the word "yuhi" is used in its technical meaning (i.e., Allah sending a message to His Prophet through an angel). Thus, in this verse, three ways in which Allah speaks to a human are mentioned:
(1) Inspiration or suggestion. This type of revelation can also occur to a non-prophet, as it happened to the mother of Musa. [28: 7] In fact, it can even occur to a non-human, as Allah inspired the honeybee. [16: 68] And such revelation can also come to prophets in dreams, as when Sayyiduna Ibrahim saw in a dream that he was sacrificing his son. [37: 102]
(2) The second way is that Allah speaks from behind a veil, and the meaning of the veil is that a human can hear Allah's speech, but cannot see Allah. With this material body and these apparent senses, it is impossible for a human to see Allah. Such conversation Allah had with Sayyiduna Musa at the foot of Mount Tur. But despite his desire and request to see Allah, he could not see Allah.
(3) There are two forms of sending an angel. One is that Jibreel descends upon the heart of the Prophet and conveys Allah's message to him. The revelation of all heavenly books occurred in this way. The second is that the angel comes in human form and speaks face to face, as the angels came to Sayyiduna Ibrahim and Sayyiduna Lut, and gave Sayyiduna Ibrahim the glad tidings of a son, Ishaq, and informed Sayyiduna Lut of the coming punishment upon his people. And such revelation can also occur to a non-prophet, as Sayyiduna Jibreel came before Sayyida Maryam and gave her the glad tidings of a son, Sayyiduna Isa.
[71]
The Different Ways of Revelation:
In this verse, the word "wahyan" is used in its literal meaning (a swift and quick sign, i.e., inspiration and suggestion), and the word "yuhi" is used in its technical meaning (i.e., Allah sending a message to His Prophet through an angel). Thus, in this verse, three ways in which Allah speaks to a human are mentioned:
(1) Inspiration or suggestion. This type of revelation can also occur to a non-prophet, as it happened to the mother of Musa. [28: 7] In fact, it can even occur to a non-human, as Allah inspired the honeybee. [16: 68] And such revelation can also come to prophets in dreams, as when Sayyiduna Ibrahim saw in a dream that he was sacrificing his son. [37: 102]
(2) The second way is that Allah speaks from behind a veil, and the meaning of the veil is that a human can hear Allah's speech, but cannot see Allah. With this material body and these apparent senses, it is impossible for a human to see Allah. Such conversation Allah had with Sayyiduna Musa at the foot of Mount Tur. But despite his desire and request to see Allah, he could not see Allah.
(3) There are two forms of sending an angel. One is that Jibreel descends upon the heart of the Prophet and conveys Allah's message to him. The revelation of all heavenly books occurred in this way. The second is that the angel comes in human form and speaks face to face, as the angels came to Sayyiduna Ibrahim and Sayyiduna Lut, and gave Sayyiduna Ibrahim the glad tidings of a son, Ishaq, and informed Sayyiduna Lut of the coming punishment upon his people. And such revelation can also occur to a non-prophet, as Sayyiduna Jibreel came before Sayyida Maryam and gave her the glad tidings of a son, Sayyiduna Isa.
