True nature of Revelation

Can we understand the true nature of Revelation?

It is impossible for human beings to fully understand the true nature of the Revelation. Only the Messengers to whom the Revelation was made can know its true nature. The attempt of ordinary people to define the Revelation process is like a blind man trying to describe colors. However, depending on the forms and times of the Revelation, the people in the Messenger’s close vicinity would witness certain manners and attitudes, such as his body trembling, a change in facial color, sweating despite cold weather, the emission of certain sounds, or feeling heavier than usual. All of these were evidence that a Revelation was descending. Also, as the angels are able to take different forms by God’s will, the Archangel would
sometimes appear to the Companions in the disguise of Dihya, one of the Companions of the Prophet, and sometimes the angel came to the Prophet in the form of an unfamiliar person, as the angels that were sent to Prophet Abraham and Virgin Mary had done. The world of creatures (the universe) is not composed of only those things that are visible to us. There are many things that we can feel but cannot see. Intelligence, love, fear, and grief are just some of the realities which exist that we can never see with our eyes. Thus, it would not be wise to deny that they exist just because we are unable to see them.

 

Akgul, Muhittin (2009). The Quran in 99 Questions (Abdullah Erdemli Trans.). New Jersey: Tughra Books. (Originally published in Turkish as Kur’an İklimine Seyahat)