Welcome to the program. One of the characteristics of the holy Qur’an is that it is a revealed Book. In this episode we are going to see what revelation is.

By the way, what is revelation?

The researchers of heavenly Scriptures, especially those of the holy Qur’an, have presented many definitions for revelation such as innate inspiration, mysterious intuition, whispering something to the angels, speaking of God with the apostles and so on. But revelation, according to the Qur’anic sciences, means a hidden relation between God and His Select ones.

This relation is carried out in three ways: insinuation of the meaning and purpose to the heart of the apostle without the medium of an angel, God’s speaking with the apostle from behind the hidden curtain and whispering of something to the angel of revelation to communicate it to an apostle. Ayah 51 of surah Shra reads in this regard, “It is not possible for any human that Allah should speak to him except through revelation or from behind a curtain, or send an angel who reveals by His permission whatever He wishes. Indeed He is All-Exalted, All-Wise.”

For sure, cognizance of revelation is not understandable for us since we are engaged in a world that we feel it through our senses. Although the divine messengers are similar to us physically they have the privilege of receiving the revelation. Only God knows who deserves this status at any given time for they are infallible and immune from any sin or mistake. Thus, unlike the worldly posts which are assigned by humans through nomination, selection or election, it is God who directly appoints the messengers and infallible leaders (Imams). This is because nobody knows human beings as much as God. Part of ayah 124 of surah An’am reads in this regard, “Allah knows best where to place His apostleship.”

One of the manifest examples of revelation are the Heavenly Books like Scriptures of Abraham, Psalms of David, Torah of Moses, Evangel of Jesus and the holy Qur’an which confirms the books of previous messengers. Therefore, contrary to the false statements of the ill-wishers, the heavenly Scriptures were not fabricated by messengers; rather they are absolutely divine. However, it is only the holy Qur’an which has remained intact from distortions. Ayah 6 of surah Naml reads, “Indeed you receive the Qur’an from One who is All-Wise, All-Knowing.”

  Another reason to prove that the holy Qur’an is a revealed Book and the Prophet had no role in it, is that the Prophet, due to the sending down of the complete Qur’an which occurred once in a year in the Night of Qadr, knew it by heart in advance and would begin reciting before Gabriel revealed the ayahs to him gradually on various occasions. But God ordered him, “Do not hasten with the Qur’an before its revelation is completed and say, ‘My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.”

Some enemies of Qur’an tried to stir brouhaha and hatch various conspiracies, in a vain bid, to sell to the public that the Qur’an is not a Book of revelation; hence the Prophet is a liar. God said decisively, “It is indeed the speech of a noble apostle, and it is not the speech of a poet. Little is the faith that you have! Nor is it the speech of a soothsayer. Little is the admonition that you take! Gradually sent down from the Lord of all the worlds.”

Can anyone still say that the Qur’an is not a revealed Book? Are there any words more expressive and clear than those of God?

RM/SS