يُنَزِّلُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ بِٱلرُّوحِ مِنْ أَمْرِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦٓ أَنْ أَنذِرُوٓا۟ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱتَّقُونِ 2
Translations
He sends down the angels, with the inspiration [i.e., revelation] of His command, upon whom He wills of His servants, [telling them], "Warn that there is no deity except Me; so fear Me."
Transliteration
Yunazzilul-malā'ikata bir-rūhi min amrihi 'alā man yashā'u min 'ibādihi an andhirū annahu lā ilāha illā anā fattaqūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how Allah sends down the angels with the Spirit (Revelation) from His command upon whomever He wills from His servants, commanding them to warn humanity that there is no deity except Allah and to fear Him. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse establishes the method of divine revelation through the angels as messengers, emphasizing that prophethood is a gift granted by Allah's will alone, not achieved through human effort. The phrase 'bir-rūhi' (with the Spirit) refers to Gabriel (Jibril) or the revelation itself, which brings life and guidance to the hearts of the prophets and believers.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah An-Nahl, a Meccan surah that addresses the signs of Allah in creation and His mercies. It comes in the context of establishing the legitimacy of Muhammad's prophethood and the method by which divine guidance reaches humanity through chosen messengers, responding to the disbelievers' rejection of the prophetic mission.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari 4953: The hadith of Jibril (Gabriel) visiting the Prophet in human form to teach the companions about Islam, Iman, and Ihsan, demonstrating how revelation came through the angel Gabriel. Also relevant is Muslim 177: Where the Prophet describes how the revelation comes to him through Gabriel, showing the direct connection between this ayah and prophetic experience.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that guidance comes from Allah alone through His chosen servants, emphasizing humility before divine knowledge and the importance of heeding the message of monotheism and God-consciousness. For believers today, it reinforces that the responsibility to convey Islamic teachings is a divine trust, not a personal achievement, and should be approached with sincerity and reliance upon Allah.