Surah shura ayat 3 Tafsir Quran 42:3

﴿كَذَٰلِكَ يُوحِي إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ اللَّهُ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ﴾
[ الشورى: 3]

42:3 Thus has He revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and to those before you - Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

Thus — in other words in the same manner of revelation — does He reveal to you and did He reveal to those who were before you God Allāhu is the agent of the action of revelation the Mighty in His kingdom the Wise in His actions.

In like manner does Allah inspire to you O Muhammad, even as He inspired to those sent before you His veritable revelations and disclosure of knowledge, precepts and injunctions. Thus Say Allah AL-Aziz (the Almighty), and AL-Hakim (the source of wisdom and wise mysterious dispensations)

Which was revealed in Makkah بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Revelation and Allah's Might We have previously discussed the individual letters. كَذَلِكَ يُوحِى إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ اللَّهُ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ ( Likewise Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise sends revelation to you as to those before you. ) means, `just as this Qur'an has been revealed to you, so too the Books and Scriptures were revealed to the Prophets who came before you.' اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ ( Allah, the Almighty ) means, in His vengeance الْحَكِيمُ ( the All-Wise ) means, in all that He says and does.
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, narrated that `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "Al-Harith bin Hisham asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , `O Messenger of Allah, how does the revelation come to you' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ  said:
«أَحْيَانًا يَأْتِينِي مِثْلَ صَلْصَلَةِ الْجَرَسِ، وَهُوَ أَشَدُّهُ عَلَيَّ فَيَفْصِمُ عَنِّي وَقَدْ وَعَيْتُ مَا قَالَ، وَأَحْيَانًا يَأْتِينِي الْمَلَكُ رَجُلًا فَيُكَلِّمُنِي فَأَعِي مَا يَقُول»
( Sometimes it comes to me like the ringing of a bell, which is the most difficult for me; then it goes away, and I understand what was said.
And sometimes the angel comes to me in the image of a man, and he speaks to me and I understand what he says. )" `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "I saw him receiving the revelation on a very cold day, and when it departed from him, there were beads of sweat on his forehead." It was also reported in the Two Sahihs, and the version quoted here is that recorded by Al-Bukhari. لَهُ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَت وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ ( To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, ) means, everything is subject to His dominion and control. وَهُوَ الْعَلِىُّ الْعَظِيمُ ( and He is the Most High, the Most Great. ) This is like the Ayat: الْكَبِيرُ الْمُتَعَالِ ( the Most Great, the Most High ) ( 13:9 ), and وَهُوَ الْعَلِىُّ الْكَبِيرُ ( He is the Most High, the Most Great ) ( 22:62 ).
And there are many similar Ayat. تَكَادُ السَّمَـوَتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِن فَوْقِهِنَّ ( Nearly the heavens might be rent asunder from above them, ) Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ka`b Al-Ahbar said, "Out of fear of His might." وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِمَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ ( and the angels glorify the praises of their Lord, and ask for forgiveness for those on the earth. ) This is like the Ayah: الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُـلَّ شَىْءٍ رَّحْمَةً وَعِلْماً ( Those who bear the Throne and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe (saying ): "Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge,") ( 40:7 ) أَلاَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ( Lo! Verily, Allah is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. ) This is a reminder, to take heed of this fact. وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ ( And as for those who take as protecting friends others besides Him ) This refers to the idolators, اللَّهُ حَفِيظٌ عَلَيْهِمْ ( Allah is Hafiz over them. ) meaning, He is Witness to their deeds, recording and enumerating them precisely, and He will requite them for them in full. وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيْهِم بِوَكِيلٍ ( and you are not a trustee over them. ) meaning, `you are just a warner, and Allah is the Trustee of all affairs.'

(42:3) Thus does Allah, the Most Mighty, the Most Wise reveal to you even as (He revealed) to those (Messengers) who preceded you. *1

Thus has He revealed to you, [O meaning

*1) The style of the opening verses by itself shows that in the background there are the misgivings, wonder and amazement which were being expressed at that time in every assembly, every meeting place, every street and every house and shop of Makkah at the message of the Holy Prophet and the themes of the Qur'an.
The people said, " Wherefrom is this tnan bringing us new revelations everyday? The like of these we had never heard nor seen before.
How strange that he rejects as false the religion that our forefathers have been following in the past, the religion that is still being followed by all of us, and the traditions and ways that have been prevalent in the country for so many centuries; and he says that the religion that he presents only is right and true. " They said: `Had he presented even this new religion in a way as to substitute some of the falsehood he found in the ancestral paganism and prevalent customs with certain others which might be the result of his own thought, there could be a dialogue with him.
But he says that what he recites is Divine Word.
How can we accept this? Does God visit him, or dces he visit God? Or does some dialogue take place between him and God?" It is in the background of such expression of wonder and doubt that although the address is apparently directed to the Holy Prophet, the disbelievers have in fact been told: "Yes: these very things are being revealed by the Almighty, All-Wise Allah, and with the same themes has its Revelation been coming down to all the former Prophets."
Lexically, wahi means "swift and secret instruction" , i.e.
an inspiration which is made with such haste and speed that none may know it except the inspirer and the one being inspired.
As a term this word has been used for the guidance and instruction that is put in the mind of a man by Allah like a flash of lightning.
What is meant to be said here is this: `There is no question of Allah's visiting somebody or somebody's visiting Allah and speaking face to face with Him.
He is All-Mighty and All-Wise.

Whenever He pleases to have a contact with a servant for the guidance and instruction of mankind, nothing can obstruct His will and intention, for He adopts the method of revelation for the purpose by His wisdom.
" This very theme has been repeated in the last verses of the Surah with greater clarity and detail.
As to the people's objection that the Holy Prophet was presenting strange and novel things, it has been said: There is nothing strange and novel in what Muhammmad ( upon whom be Allah's peace ) presents; Allah has been giving the same guidance and instruction to the Prophets who came before him in the world.
"
 

Which was revealed in Makkah بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Revelation and Allah's Might We have previously discussed the individual letters. كَذَلِكَ يُوحِى إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ اللَّهُ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ ( Likewise Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise sends revelation to you as to those before you. ) means, `just as this Qur'an has been revealed to you, so too the Books and Scriptures were revealed to the Prophets who came before you.' اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ ( Allah, the Almighty ) means, in His vengeance الْحَكِيمُ ( the All-Wise ) means, in all that He says and does.
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, narrated that `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "Al-Harith bin Hisham asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , `O Messenger of Allah, how does the revelation come to you' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ  said: «أَحْيَانًا يَأْتِينِي مِثْلَ صَلْصَلَةِ الْجَرَسِ، وَهُوَ أَشَدُّهُ عَلَيَّ فَيَفْصِمُ عَنِّي وَقَدْ وَعَيْتُ مَا قَالَ، وَأَحْيَانًا يَأْتِينِي الْمَلَكُ رَجُلًا فَيُكَلِّمُنِي فَأَعِي مَا يَقُول» ( Sometimes it comes to me like the ringing of a bell, which is the most difficult for me; then it goes away, and I understand what was said.
And sometimes the angel comes to me in the image of a man, and he speaks to me and I understand what he says. )" `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "I saw him receiving the revelation on a very cold day, and when it departed from him, there were beads of sweat on his forehead." It was also reported in the Two Sahihs, and the version quoted here is that recorded by Al-Bukhari. لَهُ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَت وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ ( To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, ) means, everything is subject to His dominion and control. وَهُوَ الْعَلِىُّ الْعَظِيمُ ( and He is the Most High, the Most Great. ) This is like the Ayat: الْكَبِيرُ الْمُتَعَالِ ( the Most Great, the Most High ) ( 13:9 ), and وَهُوَ الْعَلِىُّ الْكَبِيرُ ( He is the Most High, the Most Great ) ( 22:62 ).
And there are many similar Ayat. تَكَادُ السَّمَـوَتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِن فَوْقِهِنَّ ( Nearly the heavens might be rent asunder from above them, ) Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ka`b Al-Ahbar said, "Out of fear of His might." وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِمَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ ( and the angels glorify the praises of their Lord, and ask for forgiveness for those on the earth. ) This is like the Ayah: الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُـلَّ شَىْءٍ رَّحْمَةً وَعِلْماً ( Those who bear the Throne and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe (saying ): "Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge,") ( 40:7 ) أَلاَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ( Lo! Verily, Allah is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. ) This is a reminder, to take heed of this fact. وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ ( And as for those who take as protecting friends others besides Him ) This refers to the idolators, اللَّهُ حَفِيظٌ عَلَيْهِمْ ( Allah is Hafiz over them. ) meaning, He is Witness to their deeds, recording and enumerating them precisely, and He will requite them for them in full. وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيْهِم بِوَكِيلٍ ( and you are not a trustee over them. ) meaning, `you are just a warner, and Allah is the Trustee of all affairs.'

( Thus Allah the Mighty ) in retribution against those who do not believe in Him, ( the Wise ) in His command and decree, He commands that none should be worshipped except Him; it is also said this means: the Mighty in His sovereignty and dominion, the Wise in His command and decree ( inspireth thee (Muhammad ) as ( He inspired ) those before thee) of messengers; Allah says: just as We have revealed to you ( Ha. Mim. ’Ayn. Sin. Qaf. ) We have also revealed to those messengers who came before you.

Likewise Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise inspires you (O Muhammad SAW) as (He inspired) those before you.

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