017:086

The Holy Qor-aan                                                                                                   017:086

وَيَسۡـــَٔلُوۡنَكَ عَنِ الرُّوۡحِ‌ ؕ قُلِ الرُّوۡحُ مِنۡ اَمۡرِ رَبِّىۡ وَمَاۤ اُوۡتِيۡتُمۡ مِّنَ الۡعِلۡمِ اِلَّا قَلِيۡلًا

Wa-yus-aa-loo-na-ka-aa-nir-roo-hay                                                                                              Qo-lir-roo-ho-min-um-ray-ub-bi                                                                                                        Wa maa-oo-tee-toom-may-nul-il-may-il-laa-qa-le-laa

And they ask about the Revelation?                                                                                      Say, ‘The Inspiration is an Order of my Lord,                                                                And you are not given the knowledge of it save a little.”

• وَ  — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses; additionally; but; also; more over; though; when; while; yet)
• يَسۡـَٔلُونَ — Yus-a-loo-na — They ask (= v., pres. pl., 3^rd person. Ask; demand; inquire; question; seek info. Relative to God Almighty this word in a prayer means beg, beseech, pray and request)
• كَ — Ka — You (= pro., s., m., 2^nd person. You. The addressee here is the                                 Holy Prophet, s.a.w.  See Note 002:005)
• عَنِ — Aa-n (ir) — About (= Concerning; regarding; relative to)
• الرُّوۡحِ‌ — Roo-hay — The Revelation (= n., Essence; inspiration; revelation. Ref is to the Angel Gabriel Jibraeel who brings the messages from the Almighty God to His Messengers. A/t/a, ‘Ruh (the spirit),’ ‘spirit (of inspiration),’ ‘soul’ and ‘the revelation, and the human soul.’ See Commentary Prayer, Command or Response)
• قُلۡ —  Qool — Say (= v., pres., s, 2^nd person. Announce; broadcast; convey; explain; inform; instruct; maintain; preach; proclaim; profess; propagate; state; teach; tell. See Commentary ‘You say’ means … )
• الرُّوۡحُ — Roo-ho — The spirit (= n., Essence; inspiration; revelation. See الرُّوۡحِ‌  above)
• مِنۡ — Min — From (= Among, from or out of the class or category of several articles, counts, kind, things, persons or phenomenon)
• اَمۡرِ  — Um-ray — The Order (= n., s., 1. Authority; command; control; decision; decree; direction; instruction; judgment; responsibility; rule. 2. Affair; issue; matter; situation. See Note 002:211. A/t/a, ‘command,’  ‘commandment’ and ‘one of the things’)
• رَبِّ — Rub-bay — The Provider (= The Almighty Allah who fills all needs of all His creatures; Creator; Master; One Who Sustain; The Lord provident; The Ultimate Provider of Air, water, food and whatever we need to live and subsist)
• ىَ — Ya — My (= pro., s., 1^st person., I; me; my)
• وَ  — Wa– And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ  above)
• مَاۤ — Maa — All that (= Absolutely not; no; never)
• اُوۡتِىَ — Oo-tee — Are given (= v., past., pl., 2^nd person. Awarded; bestowed; blessed;  conferred; gifted; granted; handed down; has received)
• تُمُ  — Toom … (in) — You — (= pro., pl., 2^nd person. You all men. The Holy Qor-aan has addressed men and women jointly this way)
• مِّنَ — May-na … (ul)  From (= Among, from or out of the class … See  مِنۡ  above)
• الۡعِلۡمِ — Il-may — The knowledge (= n., Awareness; experience; expertise; familiarity with   facts; intellect; intelligence know-how; power of mind; solid information accumulated based upon wisdom)
• اَلَّا — Ul-laa — Nothing but (= Except; save)
• قَلِيۡلًا — Qa-lee-laa — A little (= Adj., A bit; a few; a short while in time; comparatively insignificant; less, little, small or tiny in number, quality or quantity. Also, meager, paltry or trifling)

** Note 017:086. The Holy Prophet s.a.w. was inspired with this verse (See Prayers All Are in the Holy Qor-aan) and see how different authors have translated this verse..

1. “They ask thee concerning   The Spirit (of inspiration).    Say: The Spirit (cometh)           By command of my Lord:      Of knowledge it is only     A little that is communicated              To you (O men!)” – A Yusuf Ali

2. “And they ask thee about the revelation. Say: the revelation is by commandment of my Lord, and of knowledge you are given but a little.” — Maulana Muhammad Ali

3. “And they ask thee concerning the soul. Say, ‘The soul is by the command of my Lord; and of the knowledge thereof you have been given but a little.” – Maulwi Sher Ali

4. “They question thee concerning the soul. Tell them: The soul has been created by the command of my Lord and you have been granted but little knowledge concerning it.”    M Zafrulla Khan

5. “And they question you about the revelation, and the human soul. Say, ‘The revelation and the soul is by the command of my Lord, (because) little is the knowledge there of that you have been given.’ — Malik Ghulam Farid

6. “And they ask you (O M a.w) concerning the Ruh (the spirit). Say, The Ruh (the spirit) is one of the things , the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little.” – M Mohsin Khan and Taqi-ud-din Al-Hilali