The True Nature of the Soul & the Inimitability of the Quran
Messenger Muhammad encountered challenges when carrying out the duty of conveying the Islamic message. Some of which were questions that his contemporaries asked about issues that Messenger Muhammad, as a human being, could have no knowledge about.
Knowing the true nature of the soul has been one of the issues human beings could not and cannot have conclusive conception and understanding about. That is because only Allah knows the true nature of the soul as He mentioned in the Quran.
Allah granted His Messengers miracles, confirming their truthfulness. For example, He granted Moses the stick, which became a snake by the permission of Allah; He made Jesus heal the blind and the lepers by His permission; He revealed the Quran to His Messenger Muhammadﷺ, which all people and the jinn cannot bring the like thereof.
(They ask you about the soul. Say, ‘The soul is a thing that only my Lord knows about, and you have not been given knowledge but a little.’
If We willed, We would surely take away what We have revealed to you. Then you would find no supporter against Us.
But, We did not will so as mercy from your Lord. Indeed, His bounty on you is ever great.
Say, ‘If men and the jinn were to gather to produce the like of this Quran, they could never produce the like thereof, even if they were to help one another.’
Indeed, We have diversely clarified every kind of example for people in this Quran. Yet most people refuse to accept nothing but disbelief.) [Quran Surah al-Isra: 85-89]
Relationship with the Previous Part
The previous part was concluded with, (Say, ‘Everyone acts according to his own way. Your Lord knows best who is rightly guided.’) [84] The ayah refers to the fact that every person acts in accordance with what agrees with his disposition. If his soul is righteous and pure, his acts will be righteous, and if his soul is wicked, his acts will be wicked. Thus, the following part speaks about the true nature of the soul.
Ayah (85): Cause of Revelation
Abdul-Allah bin Mas’ûd, may Allah be pleased with him, said, ‘I was walking with Messenger Muhammad on a cultivated land in al-Madinah, and the Messengerﷺ was holding a palm branch in his hand. He passed by a group of the Jews. Some of them said to one another, ‘Ask him about the true nature of the soul.’ some of them said, ‘Do not ask him lest his reply may have something that you dislike.’ And some of them said, ‘Let’s ask him.’ Thus, a man stood up and said, ‘O abû al-Qãsm! What is the true nature of the soul?’ The Prophetﷺ did not reply, and remained silent. Abdul-Allah felt that Messenger Muhammad was receiving revelation from the heaven, so he left him alone. When the revelation stopped, Messenger Muhammad recited: (They ask you about the soul. Say, ‘The soul is a thing that only my Lord knows about, and you have not been given knowledge but a little.’)
Commenting on ayah (85), Imam Ibn Jarîr at-Tabarî said, ‘Allah says to His Messenger Muhammad ‘The people of the Scripture ask you about the true nature of the soul. Tell them that the soul is a thing that only Allah knows about its true nature. You have not been given knowledge but a little.’ It was narrated that those who asked Messenger Muhammad about the soul were a group of the Jews.
Tafsir
(They ask you about the soul. Say, ‘The soul is a thing that only my Lord knows about, and you have not been given knowledge but a little.’) [85]
The ayah indicates a warning to those who ask questions out of stubbornness, and they do not ask questions in order to have knowledge about important matters. Some Jews asked Messenger Muhammad about the true nature of the soul, which is an invisible matter that no one can describe its true nature. However, they do not have sufficient knowledge about things that they should have knowledge about. Therefore, Allah instructed Messenger Muhammad to tell those who asked him about the true nature of the soul that it is a thing that only Allah knows about its true nature. Moreover, no great benefit will be gained by answering their question. Rather, they should have asked about important things that they needed to have knowledge about. The ayah is a proof that if a person is asked about a matter that is not of great importance, he should not answer it, and guide the questioner to what he needs and benefit him.
Then the ayat present what indicates an aspect of the ability of Allah.
(If We willed, We would surely take away what We have revealed to you. Then you would find no supporter against Us.) [86]
If Allah willed, He would surely take away the Quran, which He have revealed to Messenger Muhammad. Thus, it will be removed from his memory and his companions’ memories. Indeed, Allah is able to do so. Nothing can stop Allah’s will. If Allah did so, Messenger Muhammad would find no supporter nor helper, who can help him against Allah, the Omnipotence.
Abdul-Allah bin Mas’ûd, may Allah be pleased with, said, ‘Indeed, this Quran that is available among you now is about to be taken away.’ He was asked, ‘How it will be taken away though we have memorized it, and written it on the Mus-haf (a written copy of the Quran)?’ Abdul-Allah said, ‘It will be taken away from the memories of its memorizers in a particular night, and what has been written in the copies of the Quran will be removed. Thus, the people will wake up in the morning and find nothing of it.’ Then he recited, (If We willed, We would surely take away what We have revealed to you. Then you would find no supporter against Us.)’
(But, We did not will so as mercy from your Lord. Indeed, His bounty on you is ever great.)[87]
Verily, had We so willed, We would have taken away the Quran from your memory, and you would find no one, who could bring it back to you; however, We did not will so, and We kept it in your memory out of mercy from Us.
O Muhammad! Indeed, the bounty of Allah on you is ever great. He has revealed the Quran to you, kept it in your memory, made you the master over the children of Adam, and the final messenger, and granted you the praised status of intercession on the Day of Judgment.
(Say, ‘If men and the jinn were to gather to produce the like of this Quran, they could never produce the like thereof, even if they were to help one another.’) [88]
O Messenger! Say to the disbelievers, who claimed that they could bring the like of the Quran - (When Our clear ayat are recited to them, they say, ‘We have heard. If we wished, we could say the like thereof. Indeed, this is nothing, but fables of the ancients.)[Q 8:31]- ‘By Allah! If men and the jinn were to gather and agree to bring the like of the Quran that Allah revealed to His Messenger Muhammad, they could never bring the like thereof, even if they were to help one another.
Definitely, their efforts will fail as the speech of the created beings never resembles the speech of the Creator, Allah, Exalted is He.
Verily, the disbelievers were unable to bring even one ayah, or surah, or ten surahs like the Quran let alone to bring an entire book that is like the Quran. This is a conclusive proof that the Quran, which Messenger Muhammad brought, is revelation from Allah, Exalted is He.
People and the jinn are specifically mentioned in the ayah because those who deny that Allah revealed the Quran belong to them. As for the angels, they are honorable slaves of Allah. They never disobey Allah, and do what they are commanded to do.
Though the disbelievers were unable to bring a book like the Quran, they persisted in disbelief, and transgression.
(Indeed, We have diversely clarified every kind of example for people in this Quran. Yet most people refuse to accept nothing but disbelief.) [89]
Indeed, Allah has presented diverse and clear examples in the Quran. However, people refuse to accept nothing but disbelief. Those people are the disobedient and the heedless. They persist in following the path of misguidance and favor it over following the path of guidance, which is belief in the Oneness of Allah.
The ayah mentions that the majority of people are disbelievers while believers, who believe in the Oneness of Allah and obey His commandments, are a few number.
Learned Lessons
• The disbelievers asked about the true nature of the soul. The reply to this question is that no one knows the true nature of the soul but Allah, who has created it. This indicates that man is unable to know the true essence of his own self. Thus, if he is ignorant of the true nature of his own soul, how could he know the right path by himself if there is no revelation, showing him the right path, and which Allah, the Creator, has revealed?
• Man has little knowledge. On the other hand, Allah’s knowledge is comprehensive.
• Just as Allah has revealed the Quran to Messenger Muhammad, He is able to take it away from him. No one could help him to bring it back. However, Allah did not will to do so out of mercy and bounty on Messenger Muhammad.
• Indeed, the bounty of Allah on Messenger Muhammad is great.
• Men and the jinn will never be able to produce the like of the Quran even if they help one another.
• The Quran is a comprehensive guide map. It contains everything that man needs to know about in this world and the Hereafter.
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