Surah An-Najm (The Star): Verse 4

{إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ}

(It is not except revelation revealed.)

This verse follows the preceding one, {وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ} (Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination). Since Allah stated that the Prophet (PBUH) does not speak from mere desire, a question arises: From what does he speak—from proof/reasoning (dalīl) or from personal judgment (ijtihād)? The answer is: No, he speaks only by revelation from Allah. This raises several issues:

The particle إِنْ (In) is used here in place of مَا (Mā) for negation, just as مَا is sometimes used in place of إِنْ for conditionality, as in: {مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نُنسِهَا نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِّنْهَا} (Whatever We abrogate of a verse or cause it to be forgotten, We bring forth [one] better than it or similar to it).

The similarity between إِنْ and مَا lies in both form and meaning:

1. Formally: إِنْ consists of Hamza and Nūn, while مَا consists of Mīm and Alif. Alif is analogous to Hamza, and Nūn is analogous to Mīm. This is supported by the permissibility of inversion (swapping letters) and assimilation (merging letters).
2. Meaning: إِنْ denotes negation in one sense and affirmation in another, but its indication of negation is stronger and more emphatic. In conditional sentences using إِنْ (e.g., "If you do good, you get reward; if you do evil, you get punishment"), the condition must be non-existent (either in command/prohibition or in knowledge/existence) for the statement to be meaningful. If the intent is merely to explain the state of two uncertain possibilities (e.g., "If this gem is glass, its value is half; if it is a jewel, its value is a thousand"), the existence of either is unknown, and this lack of knowledge is akin to non-occurrence in commands/prohibitions. Thus, the use of إِنْ necessitates non-existence—either of the command, the knowledge, or the existence itself (which occurs when the condition is met). This is why grammarians state that saying, "If the unripe date ripens, I will come to you," is inappropriate, as ripening is inevitable. They permit using إِنْ for things that will never occur, such as in expressions of despair: "If the pitch turns white, you will overcome me." Allah says: {فَإِنِ اسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُ فَسَوْفَ تَرَانِ} (But if he remains in his place, then you will see Me), where neither remaining nor seeing occurred. Therefore, its indication of negation is more complete, and since its meaning is closer to that of مَا, one is used in place of the other. This is the apparent view, though some argue that إِنْ and مَا are inherently two negative particles, making the substitution unnecessary.

The pronoun هُوَ (It) refers either to a known entity or a previously mentioned one. There are two main interpretations:

1. The most famous view: It refers to a known entity, which is the Qur'an. The meaning is: "The Qur'an is nothing but revelation." This aligns with the view that the term النَّجْم (The Star) in the preceding verses does not refer to the Qur'an.
2. The second view: It refers to something implicitly mentioned: the Prophet's (PBUH) speech and words. Since {وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ} implies speech and utterance, Allah is effectively saying: "His speech, which is his utterance, is nothing but revelation."

There is a third, more subtle interpretation: The preceding verses established that the Prophet (PBUH) was not mad ({مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ}) and not possessed by Jinn (thus not a soothsayer/Kāhin), nor was he a poet ({وَمَا غَوَىٰ}), as poets are followed by the misguided. In this context, {إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ} refutes the claims that his speech was that of a soothsayer or a poet. Allah confirms: "His speech is nothing but revelation, not the speech of a soothsayer or a poet," similar to {وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَاعِرٍ قَلِيلًا مَّا تُؤْمِنُونَ * وَلَا بِقَوْلِ كَاهِنٍ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ} (Nor is it the saying of a poet; little do you believe. Nor is it the saying of a soothsayer; little do you remember).

الْوَحْي (Al-Wahy) can be interpreted as a noun or a verbal noun (Masdar).

• As a noun, it means "The Book" (the Qur'an). If هُوَ refers to the Qur'an, the meaning is: "The Qur'an is nothing but a written Book."
• As a verbal noun (Masdar), it has meanings including sending/dispatching (إرسال), inspiration (إلهام), writing, speaking, signaling, and making understood.

If هُوَ refers to the Prophet's speech:

• الْوَحْي means Inspiration (إلهام) from Allah, or Dispatch/Sending (إرسال).

Sub-Issue 1: The Prophet's Utterance

The apparent meaning contradicts the view held by some commentators that the Prophet (PBUH) never spoke except through revelation. There is no proof for this assumption in the verse. If هُوَ refers to the Qur'an, the meaning is clear. If it refers to his speech (which they claimed was poetry), Allah refutes them by saying it is not poetry, but revelation (the Qur'an). If we adopt the view that هُوَ refers to his speech, then الْوَحْي must be interpreted as Inspiration.

Sub-Issue 2: The Prophet's Personal Judgment (Ijtihād)

This verse seems to imply that the Prophet (PBUH) never engaged in personal judgment (Ijtihād). This contradicts the apparent reality, as he exercised Ijtihād in battles, and Allah corrected him in matters where he permitted something Allah had not permitted (e.g., {عَفَا اللَّهُ عَنكَ لِمَ أَذِنتَ لَهُمْ}). However, the verse, as established, does not necessarily prove the negation of Ijtihād.

Sub-Issue 3: The Derivation of يُوحَىٰ (Yūḥā) vs. وَحْي (Waḥy)

The phrase is {وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ} (revelation revealed). We must consider whether يُوحَىٰ is derived from وَحْي (Masdar of وَحَى) or أَوْحَى (Masdar of إِيحَاء).

The verb يُوحَىٰ is derived from أَوْحَى (Form IV), not وَحَى (Form I), even though both forms often share meaning. Allah uses the Masdar الْوَحْي when mentioning the noun form, but the verb أَوْحَى when mentioning the action. Similarly, regarding love: Allah uses the Masdar الْحُبّ but the verb يُحِبُّ (derived from أَحَبَّ).

This usage relates to a rule in morphology concerning the relationship between the Masdar and the Past Tense verb in triliteral roots:

• View 1 (Past Tense is the Origin): Some argue the Masdar is derived from the past tense verb. Evidence: The Masdar form for transitive verbs (فَعْل) often has a quiescent middle letter (فَعْل), while intransitive verbs often use (فُعُول). This suggests the past tense dictates the Masdar form. Furthermore, existence is always specific (e.g., a specific human being, who is also an animal, etc.). The action (like striking) exists first as a general concept, and then we specify if it was past, present, or future. Thus, the general concept (Masdar) is derived from the specific occurrence (Past Tense).

• View 2 (Masdar is the Origin): Others argue the Masdar is the origin. Evidence: Nouns are primary, and verbs are derived from them; the Masdar is inflected (مُعْرَب), while the past tense is indeclinable (مَبْنِي), and inflection precedes indeclinability. Also, comparing قَالَ (he said) and قَوْل (saying), we use the Masdar to determine the origin of the vowel in the past tense (e.g., the Alif in قَالَ comes from Wāw because the Masdar is قَوْل). Conceptually, words are set for concepts in the mind, and the general concept (Masdar) precedes the specific (time-bound verb).

Conclusion on Usage: If we follow the view that the Masdar is derived from the triliteral past tense, then حُبّ and أَحَبَّ are on the same level, as both derive from حَبَّ (he loved). However, in Form IV (أَفْعَلَ), the added Alif in أَحَبَّ and أَوْحَى conveys a meaning not present in the simple triliteral form (Form I), such as increased transitivity or removal of ambiguity regarding necessity. Therefore, the Form IV verb was used for the action.

{إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ} (It is not except revelation revealed) is more emphatic than simply saying {هُوَ وَحْيٌ} (It is revelation).

1. Negation of Opposing Claims: The opponents claimed it was the speech of a soothsayer or a poet. The structure إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا (It is nothing but...) effectively negates their claims while affirming the truth.
2. Emphasis through Redundancy: The addition of {يُوحَىٰ} (revealed) after وَحْيٌ (revelation) serves to confirm the reality, similar to {وَلَا طَائِرٌ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ} (Nor any bird that flies with its wings). This removes any possibility of metaphor. Just as some exaggerate by calling poetry magic or a miracle, others might hyperbolically call the Prophet's speech "revelation" metaphorically. Stating {يُوحَىٰ} removes this potential metaphor, confirming it is genuine, divinely sent revelation.

{عَلَّمَهُ شَدِيدُ الْقُوَىٰ}

(Taught him by one mighty in strength.)

Allah then states: {عَلَّمَهُ شَدِيدُ الْقُوَىٰ} (Taught him by one mighty in strength).