Wahy — Divine Revelation in Islam

Wahy (divine revelation) is the means by which Allah communicates His guidance to His chosen prophets and messengers. It is the foundation of all religious knowledge in Islam. The Quran describes three modes of divine communication: "And it is not for any human being that Allah should speak to him except by revelation (wahy), or from behind a veil, or that He sends a messenger (angel) to reveal by His permission what He wills" (Quran 42:51). Understanding wahy is essential to understanding why Muslims hold the Quran and authentic Sunnah as authoritative sources of guidance.

Forms of Revelation

The scholars identify several forms in which revelation came to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). True dreams (al-ru'ya al-sadiqah) were the first form, as Aishah reported: "The first thing that began for the Messenger of Allah was true dreams. He would not see a dream except that it would come true like the break of dawn" (Sahih al-Bukhari). The angel would cast the revelation into the Prophet's heart without being seen. The angel would appear in human form and speak to the Prophet directly. The revelation would come like the ringing of a bell (the most intense form), as the Prophet described: "Sometimes it comes to me like the ringing of a bell, and that is the hardest on me" (Sahih al-Bukhari). Allah spoke to the Prophet directly during the Isra and Miraj. Jibril appeared in his true angelic form on two occasions.

The Physical Effects of Revelation

Receiving revelation was physically demanding. The Prophet would perspire heavily even on cold days. If he was riding a camel when revelation came, the camel would kneel under the weight. Zayd ibn Thabit said: "The Prophet's thigh fell on my thigh when revelation was descending upon him, and by Allah, I have never felt anything heavier than the thigh of the Messenger of Allah" (Sahih al-Bukhari). These physical manifestations were witnessed by the companions and served as evidence that the Quran was not the Prophet's own speech but a weighty divine message being transmitted through him.

The Quran vs. the Sunnah

Both the Quran and the Sunnah originate from divine revelation, but they differ in form. The Quran is the literal speech of Allah, revealed in both meaning and wording, and is recited in worship. The Sunnah is revelation in meaning but expressed in the Prophet's own words and actions. The Prophet said: "Indeed, I have been given the Quran and something like it with it" (Sunan Abu Dawud), indicating that the Sunnah is also divinely guided. The Quran commands obedience to the Prophet: "And whatever the Messenger has given you, take it; and what he has forbidden you, refrain from it" (Quran 59:7).

The Preservation of Revelation

Allah guaranteed the preservation of the Quran: "Indeed, it is We who sent down the reminder, and indeed, We will be its guardian" (Quran 15:9). This preservation manifests through mass memorization (there have always been millions of huffaz) and meticulous written transmission. The Sunnah was preserved through the science of hadith, with its rigorous chain-of-narration (isnad) system and narrator evaluation. No other civilization in history developed such a thorough methodology for preserving and authenticating oral and textual tradition, ensuring that the guidance revealed to the Prophet remains accessible and reliable for all subsequent generations.