Wahey literally means inspiration, revelation, suggestion,
to point out a thing to someone, to put a thing into the mind of someone
secretly; letter, writing: something revealed or written, or the idea inspired
or revealed; saying; commandment; to dispatch a messenger to someone; to speak
to someone secretly; to urge; voice. In Islamic terminology, Wahey means
communication of idea, command and information from Allah to a chosen human
being, conveyed either directly or through supernatural agencies like angels.
According to the Glorious Qur’an, there are three basic
methods of revelation as explained in Surah as-Shura Ayah 51, “It is not
possible for a man that he should receive the message of Allah except either by
inspiration or from behind a curtain, or
Allah sends angels and the angels bring the message of Allah, whatever Allah
wishes. Verily, Allah is High, Omniscient.”
Inspiration are of two types; True Dreams and Prophetic
Inspirations.
True Dreams: Before the formal proclamation of prophethood
(Be‘that), the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) used to receive Divine Messages
through this medium. In the first dream, he (s.a.w.a.s.) saw that Umayyads were
climbing his pulpit like monkeys. He was so grieved by this dream that he did
not smile from then to his last breath. The sorrow was based on his sure
knowledge that Umayyads would destroy his religion, as they did. The dreams of
prophets and the Pure Imams are never a false dream; whatever he dreams is a
message or command from Allah.
Prophetic Inspirations may be accompanied by clear
words or may be in the form of a thought without a word. Surah al-Najm Ayahs
3 and 4, “He (i.e. the Prophet) does not speak of his own desire, it is nothing,
but a revelation revealed.”
By the authority of these Ayahs, even the traditions of
the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) are treated as revelation.
Revelations from behind the curtain: Such revelations
are also of many kinds:
The first is like hearing some low murmuring sounds and
knowing the interpretation.
The second is like hearing high-pitched sounds and knowing
the interpretation.
The third is the hearing the sound from a material object;
One example is prophet Musa seeing the bush burning yet remaining unconsumed by
the fire followed by his appointment as a prophet. The other example is on the
night of Ascension (Mai’raj), he (s.a.w.a.s.) arrived at a sublime place where
neither any prophet nor angel had ever reached. He saw a curtain of light, and
then heard a voice from it.
The fourth is the hearing of a voice of an angel without
seeing him. This type is not reserved for prophets, but other chosen people may
be honored by this angelical conversation. They are called “al-Muhaddath”.
Revelation through angels: This is the last mode of
revelation. Normally Gabriel came either in his usual image or like a man.
These messages were mostly oral.
Suyyuti in Tafsir of Dure Manthur narrates, “One day, the
Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) ordered that all doors except Imam Ali (a.s.)
around the Mosque which would open inside the Mosque, be closed. Hazrat Hamza
complained to the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) about it. The Noble Messenger
(s.a.w.a.s.) said, “O People! Neither I closed the doors nor opened it. Neither
I exited you nor stationed him (Ali). (What transpired was the command of
Allah). Then he recited the Ayahs 1 to 4.
Sources:
The Glorious Qur’an and Qur’an and Hadith by Allama Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi
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