wayasalūnaka ʿani l-rūḥi quli l-rūḥu min amri rabbī wamā ūtītum mina l-ʿil'mi illā qalīlan
Translation
And they ask you, [O Muḥammad], about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair [i.e., concern] of my Lord. And you [i.e., mankind] have not been given of knowledge except a little."
Verse 85 of Surah Al-Isra (17:85), a Meccan surah, is in juz 15, on page 290 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 73 reciters.
Listen to verse 85 of Surah Al-Isra
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Tafsir of verse 85
Al-Mukhtasar
O Messenger, the disbelievers among the People of the Book ask you regarding the reality of the soul. Say to them: The soul is from the command of my Lord. And the knowledge you and all the creation of Allah have been granted is little in comparison to the knowledge of Allah.
They ask you [O Prophet] about the spirit76. Say, “The soul is only known to my Lord, and you have not been given knowledge except a little.”
Notes
[76] i.e., the spirit that sustains life in the body or the Archangel Gabriel.
And they ask you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) concerning the Rûh (the Spirit); Say: "The Rûh (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."
They are asking thee concerning the Spirit. Say: The Spirit is by command of my Lord, and of knowledge ye have been vouchsafed but little.
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!)"
And they ask you about the soul. Say: The soul is one of the commands of my Lord, and you are not given aught of knowledge but a little.
And they ask you about the Spirit. Say, "The Spirit is of the Command of my Lord; and in no way have you been brought of knowledge except a little."
And if whatever trees upon the earth were pens and the sea [was ink], replenished thereafter by seven [more] seas, the words of Allāh would not be exhausted. Indeed, Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise.
Say, "If the sea were ink for [writing] the words of my Lord, the sea would be exhausted before the words of my Lord were exhausted, even if We brought the like of it in [continual] supplement."
He gives wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever has been given wisdom has certainly been given much good. And none will remember except those of understanding.
Say, "Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel - it is [none but] he who has brought it [i.e., the Qur’ān] down upon your heart, [O Muḥammad], by permission of Allāh, confirming that which was before it and as guidance and good tidings for the believers."
