Question: Is Wahi (Divine
revelation) sent only to the Prophets by God Almighty? If so, then what
does the following verse signify?
And your Lord has sent Wahi towards the
honey bee... (16:68)
Answer: The
word Wahi has a literal meaning and is also used as a term. It is
used in the literal meaning (to put something in the mind) in the verse
you have referred to. As a term, it is used in the Qur’an at many
instances as you very well know. When used as a term, it means religious
guidance provided by the Almighty to His messengers.
So one must try to determine when
a word is used literally and when it is used as a term. Such variation
in usage is very customary for many other Arabic words as well. Take the
case of the word Zakah for example. As a term, it means a prescribed
amount given in the way of Allah to obtain purity of heart and to obtain
the blessings of Allah. Literally speaking, however, the word Zakah,
in Arabic, has two meanings: ‘purity’ and ‘growth’. The words ‘purify them’
in the first and ‘people who will increase their wealth’ in the second
verse of the Qur’an quoted below indicate these two meanings of
the word:
Take alms from their wealth [O Prophet!] in order
to cleanse them and purify them with it. (9:103)
And that which you give as loan on interest in
order that it may increase on other people’s wealth has no increase with
Allah; but that which you give as Zakah, seeking Allah’s countenance,
it is these people who will increase their wealth [in the Hereafter]. (30:39)
In other words, in these two verses, the
word Zakah is used in its two literal meanings and not used as a
term.
So one must appreciate that all words
that become terms are never stripped of their original literal meaning.
The real thing is that one must be able to distinguish the difference in
such usage. Consulting a good commentary or some scholar could always be
of help on such occasions.
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