Darʾ Taʿâroud al-ʿAql wa-n-Naql - Ibn Taimiya - (10/208)

behind a veil, or by sending a messenger who reveals, by His permission, whatever He wills.’ [al-Shūrā: 51]

“Revelation, then, is the occurrence of that meaning within the soul of its recipient, without the intermediary of an utterance He creates. Rather, that meaning is disclosed to him through an act He performs within the soul of the person addressed. As He, Most High, says:

‘And he was two bow-lengths away or nearer. Then He revealed to His servant what He revealed.’ [al-Najm: 9–10]

“His words, ‘from behind a veil,’ refer to speech conveyed through utterances He creates in the hearing of the one He has chosen to receive His speech. This is speech in the true sense, and it is what Allah singled out Moses to receive. Hence He said:

‘And Allah spoke directly to Moses.’ [al-Nisā’: 164]

“As for His words, ‘or by sending a messenger who reveals, by His permission’ [al-Shūrā: 51], this is the third category: that which occurs through the intermediary of an angel.”

He said:

“Allah’s speech may also include what He imparts to scholars, who are the heirs of the prophets, through demonstrative proofs.”

وراء حجاب أو يرسل رسولا فيوحي بإذنه ما يشاء} [الشورى: ٥١] . فالوحي هو وقوع ذلك المعنى في نفس الموحى إليه بغير واسطة لفظ يخلقه، بل بانكشاف ذلك المعنى له بفعل يفعله في نفس المخاطب. كما قال تعالى: {فكان قاب قوسين أو أدنى * فأوحى إلى عبده ما أوحى} [النجم: ٩-١٠] . وقوله: {من وراء حجاب} هو الكلام الذي يكون بواسطة ألفاظ يخلقها في سمع الذي اصطفاه بكلامه، وهذا هو كلام حقيقي، وهو الذي خص الله به موسى، ولذلك قال: {وكلم الله موسى تكليما} [النساء: ١٦٤] . وأما قوله: {أو يرسل رسولا فيوحي بإذنه} [الشورى: ٥١] ، فهذا هو القسم الثالث، وهو الذي يكون بواسطة الملك. قال: وقد يكون من كلام الله ما يلقيه إلى العلماء، والذين هم ورثة الأنبياء، بواسطة البراهين.