While I was going with the Prophet ﷺ through the ruins of Medina and he was reclining on a date-palm leaf stalk, some Jews passed by. Some of them said to the others: Ask him (the Prophet) about the spirit. Some of them said that they should not ask him that question as he might give a reply which would displease them. But some of them insisted on asking, and so one of them stood up and asked, "O Abul-Qasim ! What is the spirit?" The Prophet ﷺ remained quiet. I thought he was being inspired Divinely. So I stayed till that state of the Prophet (while being inspired) was over. The Prophet ﷺ then said, "And they ask you (O Muhammad) concerning the spirit --Say: The spirit -- its knowledge is with my Lord. And of knowledge you (mankind) have been given only a little)." (17.85)  

بَيْنَا أَنَا أَمْشِي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي خَرِبِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَهُوَ يَتَوَكَّأُ عَلَى عَسِيبٍ مَعَهُ فَمَرَّ بِنَفَرٍ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ سَلُوهُ عَنِ الرُّوحِ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لاَ تَسْأَلُوهُ لاَ يَجِيءُ فِيهِ بِشَىْءٍ تَكْرَهُونَهُ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لَنَسْأَلَنَّهُ فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ مَا الرُّوحُ فَسَكَتَ فَقُلْتُ إِنَّهُ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فَقُمْتُ فَلَمَّا انْجَلَى عَنْهُ قَالَ {وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتُيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً} قَالَ الأَعْمَشُ هَكَذَا فِي قِرَاءَتِنَا  

While I was walking with Messenger of Allah ﷺ in one of the fields of Medina and he was walking leaning on a stick, he passed a group of Jews. Some of them said to the others, "Ask him (the Prophet) about the spirit." Others said, "Do not ask him." But they asked him and he stood leaning on the stick and I was standing behind him and I thought that he was being divinely inspired. Then he said, "They ask you concerning the spirit say: The spirit, its knowledge is with My Lord. And of knowledge you (O men!) have been given only a little." ...(17.85) On that some of the Jews said to the others, "Didn't we tell you not to ask?"  

كُنْتُ أَمْشِي مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي حَرْثٍ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَهْوَ مُتَّكِئٌ عَلَى عَسِيبٍ فَمَرَّ بِقَوْمٍ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ سَلُوهُ عَنِ الرُّوحِ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لاَ تَسْأَلُوهُ عَنِ الرُّوحِ فَسَأَلُوهُ فَقَامَ مُتَوَكِّئًا عَلَى الْعَسِيبِ وَأَنَا خَلْفَهُ فَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ {وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً} فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ قَدْ قُلْنَا لَكُمْ لاَ تَسْأَلُوهُ  

While I was walking in company with the Prophet ﷺ in one of the fields of Medina, the Prophet ﷺ was reclining on a palm leave stalk which he carried with him. We passed by a group of Jews. Some of them said to the others, "Ask him about the spirit." The others said, "Do not ask him, lest he would say something that you hate." Some of them said, "We will ask him." So a man from among them stood up and said, 'O Abal-Qasim! What is the spirit?" The Prophet ﷺ kept quiet and I knew that he was being divinely inspired. Then he said: "They ask you concerning the Spirit, Say: The Spirit; its knowledge is with my Lord. And of knowledge you (mankind) have been given only a little." (17.85)  

بَيْنَا أَنَا أَمْشِي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي بَعْضِ حَرْثِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَهْوَ يَتَوَكَّأُ عَلَى عَسِيبٍ مَعَهُ فَمَرَرْنَا عَلَى نَفَرٍ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ سَلُوهُ عَنِ الرُّوحِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لاَ تَسْأَلُوهُ أَنْ يَجِيءَ فِيهِ بِشَىْءٍ تَكْرَهُونَهُ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لَنَسْأَلَنَّهُ فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ مَا الرُّوحُ فَسَكَتَ عَنْهُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَعَلِمْتُ أَنَّهُ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ {وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتُوا مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً} قَالَ الأَعْمَشُ هَكَذَا فِي قِرِاءَتِنَا  

I was with the Prophet ﷺ at one of the farms of Medina while he was leaning on a date palm leaf-stalk. He passed by a group of Jews and some of them said to the other, Ask him (the Prophet) about the spirit. Some others said, "Do not ask him, lest he should tell you what you dislike" But they went up to him and said, "O Abal Qasim! Inform us bout the spirit." The Prophet ﷺ stood up for a while, waiting. I realized that he was being Divinely Inspired, so I kept away from him till the inspiration was over. Then the Prophet ﷺ said, "(O Muhammad) they ask you regarding the spirit, Say: The spirit its knowledge is with my Lord (i.e., nobody has its knowledge except Allah)" (17.85) (This is a miracle of the Qur'an that all the scientists up till now do not know about the spirit, i.e, how life comes to a body and how it goes away at its death) (See Hadith No. 245, Vol. 6)  

كُنْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي حَرْثٍ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَهْوَ يَتَوَكَّأُ عَلَى عَسِيبٍ فَمَرَّ بِنَفَرٍ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ سَلُوهُ عَنِ الرُّوحِ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لاَ تَسْأَلُوهُ لاَ يُسْمِعْكُمْ مَا تَكْرَهُونَ فَقَامُوا إِلَيْهِ فَقَالُوا يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ حَدِّثْنَا عَنِ الرُّوحِ فَقَامَ سَاعَةً يَنْظُرُ فَعَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فَتَأَخَّرْتُ عَنْهُ حَتَّى صَعِدَ الْوَحْىُ ثُمَّ قَالَ {وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي}  

As I was going along with Allah's Apostle ﷺ in a cultivable land and he (the Holy Prophet) was walking with the support of a wood, a group of Jews happened to meet him. Some of them said to the others: Ask him about the Soul. They said: What is your doubt about it? There is a possibility that you may ask him about anything (the answer of) which you may not like. They said: Ask him. So one amongst them asked him about the Soul. Messenger of Allah ﷺ kept quiet and he gave no reply and I came to know that revelation was being sent to him, so I stood at my place and thus this revelation descended upon him:" They ask thee about the Soul. Say: The Soul is by the Commandment of my Lord, and of Knowledge you are given but a little" (xvii. 58).  

بَيْنَمَا أَنَا أَمْشِي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي حَرْثٍ وَهُوَ مُتَّكِئٌ عَلَى عَسِيبٍ إِذْ مَرَّ بِنَفَرٍ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ سَلُوهُ عَنِ الرُّوحِ فَقَالُوا مَا رَابَكُمْ إِلَيْهِ لاَ يَسْتَقْبِلُكُمْ بِشَىْءٍ تَكْرَهُونَهُ فَقَالُوا سَلُوهُ فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ بَعْضُهُمْ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قَالَ فَأَسْكَتَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْهِ شَيْئًا فَعَلِمْتُ أَنَّهُ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ قَالَ فَقُمْتُ مَكَانِي فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ الْوَحْىُ قَالَ { وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً}  

"I took a walk with the Prophet ﷺ on a farm in Al-Madinah, and when he reclined upon a palm-leaf stalk, a group of Jews were passing by. Some of them said, 'We should question him.' Others said: 'Do not question him for he might tell you something that you do not like.' They said to him: 'O Abul-Qasim, narrated to us about the Ruh.' The Prophet ﷺ stood for some time, he raised his head toward the heavens, and I recognized revelation was coming to him, until the revelation ceased. Then he ﷺ said: "The Ruh is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you have been given only a little (17:85).'"  

كُنْتُ أَمْشِي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي حَرْثٍ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَهُوَ يَتَوَكَّأُ عَلَى عَسِيبٍ فَمَرَّ بِنَفَرٍ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لَوْ سَأَلْتُمُوهُ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لاَ تَسْأَلُوهُ فَإِنَّهُ يُسْمِعُكُمْ مَا تَكْرَهُونَ فَقَالُوا لَهُ يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ حَدِّثْنَا عَنِ الرُّوحِ فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ سَاعَةً وَرَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَعَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ حَتَّى صَعِدَ الْوَحْىُ ثُمَّ قَالَ (الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً )  

[Machine] I was walking with the Prophet ﷺ in a field in the city and he was leaning against a tree. Some people from the Jewish community passed by and said to each other, "Ask him about the soul." Some of them said, "Don't ask him." So they asked him about the soul and said, "O Muhammad, what is the soul?" He stood up and leaned against the tree and I thought that he was receiving revelation. He said, "And they ask you about the soul. Say, 'The soul is from the command of my Lord, and you have not been given of knowledge except a little.'" (Surah Al-Isra, 17:85) Some of them said, "We already told you not to ask him."  

كُنْتُ أَمْشِي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي حَرْثٍ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَهُوَ مُتَّكِئٌ عَلَى عَسِيبٍ قَالَ فَمَرَّ بِقَوْمٍ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ سَلُوهُ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لَا تَسْأَلُوهُفَسَأَلُوهُ عَنِ الرُّوحِ فَقَالُوا يَا مُحَمَّدُ مَا الرُّوحُ؟ فَقَامَ فَتَوَكَّأَ عَلَى الْعَسِيبِ قَالَ فَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ {وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا} [الإسراء 85] قَالَ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ قَدْ قُلْنَا لَكُمْ لَا تَسْأَلُوهُ  

[Machine] I was walking with the Prophet in a field in the city, and we passed by a group of Jews. Some of them said to each other, "Ask him about the soul." Some of them said, "Don't ask him." So they said, "O Muhammad, what is the soul?" He stood up while leaning on a stick, and I was behind him, thinking that he was being inspired. He said, "{They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, 'The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And you have not been given of knowledge except a little}'" [Al-Isra, 17:85]. Some of them said to each other, "We had already told you not to ask him."  

كُنْتُ أَمْشِي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي حَرْثٍ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَمَرَّ عَلَى قَوْمٍ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ سَلُوهُ عَنِ الرُّوحِ؟ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لَا تَسْأَلُوهُ فَقَالُوا يَا مُحَمَّدُ مَا الرُّوحُ؟ قَالَ فَقَامَ وَهُوَ مُتَوَكِّئٌ عَلَى عَسِيبٍ وَأَنَا خَلْفَهُ فَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ {يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا} [الإسراء 85] قَالَ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ قَدْ قُلْنَا لَا تَسْأَلُوهُ  

"I took a walk with the Prophet ﷺ on a farm in Al-Madinah, and when he reclined upon a palm-leaf stalk, a group of Jews were passing by. Some of them said, 'We should question him.' Others said: 'Do not question him for he might tell you something that you do not like.' They said to him: 'O Abul-Qasim, narrated to us about the Ruh.' The Prophet ﷺ stood for some time, he raised his head toward the heavens, and I recognized revelation was coming to him, until the revelation ceased. Then he ﷺ said: "The Ruh is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you have been given only a little (17:85).'" (Using translation from Tirmidhī 3141)   

كُنْتُ أَمْشِي مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي حَرْثٍ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَهُوَ مُتَّكِئٌ عَلَى عَسِيبٍ فَمَرَّ بِنَفَرٍ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ لَوْ سَأَلْتُمُوهُ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لَا تَسْأَلُوهُ فَيُسْمِعَكُمْ مَا تَكْرَهُونَ فَقَالُوا يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ أَخْبِرْنَا عَنِ الرُّوحِ فَقَامَ سَاعَةً يَنْتَظِرُ الْوَحْيَ فَعَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ يُوحَى عَلَيْهِ فَتَأَخَّرْتُ عَنْهُ حَتَّى صَعِدَ الْوَحْيُ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ «{وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا} » الْآيَةَ  

"I took a walk with the Prophet ﷺ on a farm in Al-Madinah, and when he reclined upon a palm-leaf stalk, a group of Jews were passing by. Some of them said, 'We should question him.' Others said: 'Do not question him for he might tell you something that you do not like.' They said to him: 'O Abul-Qasim, narrated to us about the Ruh.' The Prophet ﷺ stood for some time, he raised his head toward the heavens, and I recognized revelation was coming to him, until the revelation ceased. Then he ﷺ said: "The Ruh is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you have been given only a little (17:85).'" (Using translation from Tirmidhī 3141)  

كُنْتُ أَمْشِي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي حَرْثٍ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَهُوَ يَتَوَكَّأُ عَلَى عَسِيبٍ فَمَرَّ بِنَفَرٍ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لَوْ سَأَلْتُمُوهُ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لَا تَسْأَلُوهُ فَيُسْمِعُكُمْ مَا تَكْرَهُونَ فَقَامُوا إِلَيْهِ فَقَالُوا يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ حَدِّثْنَا عَنِ الرُّوحِ فَقَامَ سَاعَةً وَرَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَعَرَفْنَا أَنَّهُ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ حَتَّى صَعِدَ الْوَحْيُ ثُمَّ قَالَ {الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا} [الإسراء 85]