51۞ وَما كانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَن يُكَلِّمَهُ اللَّهُ إِلّا وَحيًا أَو مِن وَراءِ حِجابٍ أَو يُرسِلَ رَسولًا فَيوحِيَ بِإِذنِهِ ما يَشاءُ ۚ إِنَّهُ عَلِيٌّ حَكيمٌAli UnalIt is not for any mortal that God should speak to him unless it be by Revelation or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger (angel) to reveal, by His leave, whatever He wills (to reveal).1 Surely He is All-Exalted, All-Wise.Every human being has the potential to be addressed by God. However, in order to use this potential, one has to have attained to a certain degree of spiritual and intellectual purity. The Prophets had the highest degree of this purity. God’s special speaking to the Prophets is called wahy (Revelation). Revelation occurs in three ways. One is that God suddenly puts the meaning in the Prophet’s heart and he knows that this meaning is from God. This is the first way mentioned in the verse as by Revelation. The second way or form is that God speaks to a human being from behind a veil, as He spoke to the Prophet Moses, upon him be peace, in the Valley of Tuwā, from behind a tree; or as He did on Mount Sinai, where Moses, upon him be peace, heard God’s speech from behind a veil, the identity of which we do not know. The third way is that God sends an angel to convey His Message to the Prophet. The Qur’ān was revealed to God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, in this way. The archangel Gabriel brought it to him. The Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, saw him and heard his speech. A person can also receive God’s Message in dreams. If a Prophet receives such a message in dream, it is Revelation. An ordinary person can also have true dreams through which he or she can receive some meaning from the Almighty. Such dreams sometimes require interpretation, but sometimes are clear enough not to need an interpretation. The meanings or messages an ordinary believer receives in true dreams are called “glad heralds” according to a Prophetic Tradition (al-Bukhārī, “Ta’bīr,” 5). God also reveals to or inspires in animals (16: 88). This is either an intrinsic, constant knowledge deposited in them, or a constant orientation or direction from God (see Appendix 9).