In this article, we present Quranic evidence for the stance that the speech of the messenger is indeed, at least in part, in the Qur'an.

THE SPEECH OF A NOBLE MESSENGER

In this article, we aim to advance—using evidence—the understanding that the words of the Messenger are indeed in the noble Qur’an.

We will also, in shā’ Allāh, clarify many issues regarding the relationship believers were, and are, meant to have with the Messenger of Allah, upon him be peace.

(For the sake of closeness to the arabic, we have used the word "Informant" instead of "Prophet")

Qur’anic Attribution of Speech to the Messenger

To begin, we observe that the Qur’an—often referred to as “It” in translation (as “huwa” in Arabic, which can mean either “he” or “it” depending on context)—is described in the following verses:

إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ It is the word of a noble messenger, (69:40)

إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ It is the word of a noble messenger, (81:19)

In the first verse (69:40), the context suggests it refers to the Informant Muhammad, the recipient of the Qur’an. It continues by mentioning what would have happened had he ascribed false sayings to Allah—something a human could hypothetically do. (In my current understanding, angels do not disobey Allah’s commands, though this is a matter of scholarly debate.)

In the second verse (81:19), however, the context clearly excludes Muhammad, as it continues:

ذِى قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِى ٱلْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍ Possessor of power, with the Lord of the Throne secure, (81:20)

This—to my knowledge— refers to Jibreel (Gabriel). It’s interesting to note the phrase “possessor of power,” as the name Jibreel is linked to “Jabr,” suggesting might or greatness. (This may be explored in another article, in shā’ Allāh.)

These verses establish that the Qur’an is referred to as the qawl (speech) of a messenger—though this does not carry the same connotation as in English. The very next verse clarifies:

تَنزِيلٌ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ A revelation (or "downloaded" if you will) from the Lord of All Creation! (69:43)

The Misquoted: "He does not speak out of desire"

Many who adhere to traditional interpretations (i.e., mainstream sects claiming to follow the early Muslim tradition) quote the following verses to argue that everything the Informant said was revelation:

مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَىٰ

Your companion has not strayed, nor has he erred,

(53:2)

وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ

Nor speaks he from vain desire.

(53:3)

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْىٌ يُوحَىٰ

IT is only a revelation revealed,

(53:4)

عَلَّمَهُۥ شَدِيدُ ٱلْقُوَىٰ

Taught him by one strong in power,

(53:5)

(Interesting how this last verse connects to the earlier quote regarding Jibreel.)

The traditionalist claim is that “it” refers to everything the Informant says. However, the pronoun “it”, in the Qur'an, consistently refers to the Qur’an itself—unless explicitly defined otherwise.

Thus, the verses can be read as: The Qur’an is only a revelation revealed. This interpretation aligns with the context: people accused the Informant of inventing the Qur’an, and these verses affirm that it is indeed revelation.

Evidence of the Informant Speaking from Himself

We also have Qur’anic evidence that the Informant did speak from himself—and was corrected by Allah for doing so. For example:

وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى ٱللَّـهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥٓ أَمْرًا أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ ٱلْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ وَمَن يَعْصِ ٱللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَـٰلًا مُّبِينًا

And it is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when God and His messenger have decided on a matter, that there be for them a choice about their affair; and whoso disobeys God and His messenger: he has gone astray into manifest error.

(33:36)

From the Informant's own perspective, "God and His Messenger" would include Allah and Jibreel, since the Informant himself is a believing man. (Although that would sound curious to some, this is my argument and Sam Gerran's, and does fit in in the context)

This links to the next ayat:

وَإِذْ تَقُولُ لِلَّذِىٓ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ زَوْجَكَ وَٱتَّقِ ٱللَّـهَ وَتُخْفِى فِى نَفْسِكَ مَا ٱللَّـهُ مُبْدِيهِ وَتَخْشَى ٱلنَّاسَ وَٱللَّـهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخْشَىٰهُ فَلَمَّا قَضَىٰ زَيْدٌ مِّنْهَا وَطَرًا زَوَّجْنَـٰكَهَا لِكَىْ لَا يَكُونَ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَرَجٌ فِىٓ أَزْوَٰجِ أَدْعِيَآئِهِمْ إِذَا قَضَوْا۟ مِنْهُنَّ وَطَرًا وَكَانَ أَمْرُ ٱللَّـهِ مَفْعُولًا

And when thou saidst to him whom God has favoured, and whom thou hast favoured: “Hold thou thy wife to thee, and be thou in prudent fear of God,” and wast concealing in thyself what God reveals[...]. And thou fearedst men, when God has more right that thou fear Him. Then when Zayd had concluded any need of her, We gave her to thee in marriage, that there be not blame upon the believers concerning the wives of their adopted sons, when they have concluded any need of them. And the command of God is carried out.

(33:37)

This indicates that the Informant was corrected for concealing a matter (or rather abstaining from a permitted path/choice of action) out of fear of the people (the social taboos of his society at that time)—while God is more worthy of being feared/taken into account.

How Did the Messenger Handle Rulings?

While we cannot know historical details for certain beyond what Allah reveals, the Qur’an does show that the Messenger often referred questions back to Allah.

While it is possible the Informant gave rulings on communal matters (e.g., military decisions, distribution of war spoils following the principles of what Allah revealed), it is evident that in eternal, legal matters, the final word is always from Allah.

Example:

يَسْتَفْتُونَكَ قُلِ ٱللَّـهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِى ٱلْكَلَـٰلَةِ إِنِ ٱمْرُؤٌا۟ هَلَكَ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌ وَلَهُۥٓ أُخْتٌ فَلَهَا نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ وَهُوَ يَرِثُهَآ إِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّهَا وَلَدٌ فَإِن كَانَتَا ٱثْنَتَيْنِ فَلَهُمَا ٱلثُّلُثَانِ مِمَّا تَرَكَ وَإِن كَانُوٓا۟ إِخْوَةً رِّجَالًا وَنِسَآءً فَلِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّـهُ لَكُمْ أَن تَضِلُّوا۟ وَٱللَّـهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌۢ

They ask thee for a ruling. Say thou: “God gives you the ruling concerning those without an immediate heir: if a man perishes without a child but has a sister: for her is half of what he left, and he inherits from her if she has not a child. But if there are two females: for them is two-thirds of what he left. And if they are brethren, men and women: for the male is the like of the share of two females.” And God makes plain to you lest you go astray; and God knows all things.

(4:176)

This shows the Informant deferring to Allah in legal rulings. The same occurs in other verses:

يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ قُلْ مَآ أَنفَقْتُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبِينَ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمٌ

They ask thee what they should spend. Say thou: “Whatever you spend of good for parents and relatives, and the fatherless, and the needy, and the wayfarer,[...]. And whatever you do of good, God knows it.”

(2:215)

The Informant responds not with specific percentages (like 2.5% as claimed in tradition), but with a more general, non-legalist answer. (i use the concept of a legalist as "someone who cares more for the form or semantics than the content or spirit of a ruling" this applying both to people forbidding things without right out of subtle connections to what Allah actually legislated, but also people looking for legal loopholes, in semantics, when clearly the general ruling would forbid him what he wills to do, ie: fishing on the sabbath in an automated way to pretend to not be working during that day)

“What the Messenger Gives You…” – In Context

This verse is often quoted out of context:

“And what the Messenger gives you: take it; and what he forbids you: refrain.”

But the full context is crucial:

مَّآ أَفَآءَ ٱللَّـهُ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦ مِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْقُرَىٰ فَلِلَّـهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ وَلِذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ كَىْ لَا يَكُونَ دُولَةًۢ بَيْنَ ٱلْأَغْنِيَآءِ مِنكُمْ وَمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَىٰكُمْ عَنْهُ فَٱنتَهُوا۟ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ

What God gave in spoil to His messenger from the people of the cities belongs to God and His messenger, and to relatives, and the fatherless, and the needy, and the wayfarer[...] that it be not a distribution by turns between the rich among you. And what the Messenger gives you: take it, and from what he forbids you: refrain — and be in prudent fear of God; God is severe in retribution —

(59:7)

This clearly refers to distribution of war spoils. The instruction to “take what he gives you” is tied directly to that event.

Thus, this verse—as with other commands to “obey the Messenger”—was context-dependent. If taken universally, it would mean believers today should expect the Informant to distribute spoils of war—an absurd conclusion since the Informant is no longer among us.

And with this, we wrap it up for today, may Allah help us in our journey to understand the speech of Him and His noble messengers!

Salamun 3alaikum