What Is the Meaning of “al-Wahy al-Nafsi”?
Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa
Question
What is the meaning of “al-Wahy al-Nafsi,” and why have some Western academics attributed it to the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), and how should one respond to them?
Answer
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and upon his Family and Companions.
The attackers of the Quran have been confused about the origin of this Quran since its revelation until our day, not knowing whether to attribute it to human teaching or to the owner’s soul. Our Lord, exalted is He, described their state when He said:
“We know indeed that they say, ‘It is a man that teaches him.’” [Quran, 16:103]
And the skeptics continue to try to undermine the Book of Allah (Most High), stirring up doubt after doubt until today. Yet, the Noble Quran remains steadfast against them, smashing their doubts and leaving no trace of them, in line with the saying of Allah (Most High):
“It is certainly We Who have revealed the Reminder, and it is certainly We Who will preserve it.” [Quran, 15:9]
His saying:
“It is not (possible) for this Quran to have been produced by anyone other than Allah. In fact, it is a confirmation of what came before and an explanation of the Scripture. It is, without a doubt, from the Lord of all worlds.” [Quran, 10:37]
As for those who claim “al-Wahy al-Nafsi,” they claim that the revelation brought by the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) was nothing but inspiration overflowing from the soul of the Prophet, not from external sources. They believe it was a self-generated matter from his pure soul, his vast imagination, and his enlightened mind, through which he distinguished between truth and falsehood, beauty and ugliness, good and evil. They claim that the revelation he claimed was based on the existence of information and ideas stored in his subconscious mind, which appeared in the form of visions and then strengthened until it seemed to the Prophet that they were external realities.
The proponents of this doubt say we do not doubt the truthfulness of Muhammad in what he saw and heard, but we say the source of that is from within himself, and there is nothing in it that came from the unseen world. For this (unseen) is something whose existence has not been proven to us, nor has what denies it and makes it impossible been proven to us, and the interpretation of unusual phenomena is done by what we know and have proven to us, not by what has not been proven to us. [Rashid Rida, al-Wahy al-Muhammadi; Radd al-Subuhat Hawl ‘Ismat al-Nabi]
According to those who believe in al-Wahy al-Nafsi, prophecy is a natural matter acquired or developed by human beings through practice and striving, and there is no external source beyond oneself.
The accusation of “al-Wahy al-Nafsi” has been of interest to Orientalists and their followers among academics and similar individuals, aiming to sever the connection between Islam, the Quran, and Allah (Most High).
The Orientalist, Emile Darmengham, says:
“The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) spent long hours alone in the ruins of caves, or shifting under the sun’s rays, and walking widely in the wilderness, and whenever he walked, he seemed to hear voices coming from the stones … Then he said: These stars are formed in the desert nights because of their abundance and intense brightness so that it seems to him that he hears the sound of their brightness as he hears the sound of a large fire.” [Emile Dermenghem, Hayat Muhammad (Arabic Translator: Adel Zaiter)]
Another Orientalist, Lothrop Stoddard, says:
“Muhammad was illiterate. He could neither read nor write, nor was he a philosopher, but he continued to think about this matter until he formed in himself through the gradual, continuous revelation a doctrine that was capable of eliminating polytheism.” [Lothrop Stoddard, Hadir al-‘Alam Al-Islami (Translator: Ajaj Nuwayhid); Sa‘id Ahmad bin Saghir Hindi, Athar al-Istishraq ‘ala al-Manhaj al-‘Aqdi fi al-Hind]
Believing in al-Wahy al-Nafsi entails several matters, including:
1. Preserved Tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz)
Denying the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz), which contains the speech of Allah (Most High), about which Allah (Most High) says,
“In fact, this is a glorious Quran, (recorded) in a Preserved Tablet.” [Quran, 85:21-22]
2. House of Honor (Bayt al-‘Izza)
It denies the House of Honor (Bayt al-‘Izza), where the Quran was sent down all at once on the Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr), as mentioned by Ibn ‘Abbas regarding the verse, “Indeed, (it is) We (Who) sent this ˹Quran˺ down on the Night of Glory.” [Quran, 97:1], he said:
“The Quran was sent down in its entirety to the House of Honor in the lowest heaven, and then Gabriel (Allah bless him and give him peace) brought it down to Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) in response to the speech and deeds of the servants.” [Tabarani, al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir; Suyuti, al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]
3. Gabriel
It denies the role of Gabriel, the Trustworthy, who was the mediator between Allah (Most High) and His messengers, peace be upon them, as our Lord described:
“Which the trustworthy spirit (Gabriel) brought down into your heart (O Prophet)—so that you may be one of the warners.” [Quran, 26:193-194] and
“Say, ‘The holy spirit has brought it down from your Lord with the truth to reassure the believers and as a guide and good news for those who submit (to Allah).’” [Quran, 16:102]
The Trustworthy Spirit is the Holy Spirit, Gabriel (Allah bless him and give him peace), as Allah (Most High) says:
“Say, (O Prophet,) ‘Whoever is an enemy of Gabriel should know that he revealed this (Quran) to your heart by Allah’s Will, confirming what came before it—a guide and good news for the believers.’” [Quran, 2:97]
4. Allah’s Words
It denies the reality of Allah (Most High) ’s statement:
“It is not (possible) for a human being to have Allah communicate with them, except through inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger-angel to reveal whatever He wills by His permission. He is surely Most High, All-Wise.” [Quran, 42:51], and
“How can you (O pagans) then dispute with him regarding what he saw? And he certainly saw that (angel descend) a second time at the Lote Tree of the most extreme limit (in the seventh heaven).” [Quran, 53:12-15], and
“Had the Messenger made up something in Our Name, We would have certainly seized him by his right hand, then severed his aorta.” [Quran, 69:44-46]
5. Authentic Hadith
It also denies authentic hadiths, some of which are in the most reliable books of Hadith, including what was narrated by ‘Aisha, Mother of the Believers (Allah be pleased with her): that Harith ibn Hisham (Allah be pleased with him) asked the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), “O Messenger of Allah, how does the revelation come to you?” He replied, “Sometimes it comes to me like the ringing of a bell, which is the hardest on me, and then it parts from me, and I have understood what was said. And sometimes the angel appears to me as a man and speaks to me, so I understand what he says.” ‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) said: “I have seen it descending upon him on a very cold day, and then it parts from him, and indeed, his forehead would sweat.” [Bukhari]
In response to the hadith of Gabriel, who came with revelation to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), as in the hadith narrated by ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (Allah be pleased with him), he said:
“While we were with the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) one day, a man appeared before us, dressed in very white clothes, with very black hair. There were no signs of travel on him, and none of us knew him…. He then left. I stayed for a while. Then he (the Prophet) said to me, ‘O ‘Umar, do you know who the questioner was?’ I said, ‘Allah (Most High) and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘It was Gabriel; he came to teach you your religion.’” [Muslim]
6. Verses of the Quran
Believing in al-Wahy al-Nafsi also entails the rejection of verses that were revealed regarding the prophets and messengers, including Allah’s (Most High) statement:
“And to Moses Allah spoke directly.” [Quran, 4:164], in addition to other matters that will become apparent as we detail our response to this misconception.
The reason that led people to believe in al-Wahy al-Nafsi, in addition to their malice towards Islam, its book, and its Messenger, is their ignorance of the reality of revelation; therefore, it is necessary, before presenting evidence to refute this misconception, to explain the meaning of revelation and to mention the evidence for its possibility.
Linguistic Definition of Revelation
Revelation, in language, as Jawhari said:
“Revelation (الوَحْيُ) is the book, its plural is revelations (وُحِيٌّ), like ornament (حَلْيٍ) and ornaments (حُلِيٍّ)… Revelation is also signaling, writing, messaging, inspiration, secret speech, and everything you convey to another. It is said: I signaled (wahaytu) to him the speech, and I inspired (awhaytu), meaning you speak to him with speech you hide… and Allah revealed to His prophets, and inspired: meaning He signaled.” [Jawhari, al-Sihah]
“The origin of revelation is the quick signaling, which is done through symbolic speech and allusion, and it may be through a voice devoid of composition, by signaling with some limbs, and by writing.” [Isfahani, Mufradat Alfaz al-Quran]
Thus, the meaning of the revelation in the Arabic language is the secret and quick notification specifically directed to whom it is addressed so that it is hidden from others, and it includes various types of communication, including instinctive inspiration like the revelation to the bee:
“And your Lord inspired the bees: ‘Make (your) homes in the mountains, the trees, and in what people construct.’” [Quran, 16:68]
It includes the inspiration of thoughts that Allah (Most High) casts into the minds of people with pure nature and clean souls, like the revelation to Moses’s mother.
“We inspired the mother of Moses: ‘Nurse him, but when you fear for him, put him then into the river, and do not fear or grieve. We will certainly return him to you and make him one of the messengers.’” [Quran, 28:7]
It includes the whispering of Satan, as Allah (Most High) says,
“Surely the devils whisper to their (human) associates to argue with you.” [Quran, 6:121]
Meaning of the Revelation in Sacred Law Terminology
As for revelation in the terminology of the Sacred Law , it means that Allah (Most High) informs whom He has chosen among His servants of all He wishes to reveal to them of guidance and knowledge, but in a secretive, hidden manner not usual for humans.” [Zurqani, Manahil al-Irfan]
It is possible to summarize the various levels and methods of divine revelation to our Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), mentioned in the hadiths and verses as true visions, what the angel casts into his mind, hearing it like the ringing of a bell, and hearing it near his noble face like the buzzing of bees. And the angel coming to him in his angelic form, or the angel appearing to him in a known or unknown human form, or the angel coming to him in a dream, and divine speech during wakefulness (as opposed to sleep). As Allah (Most High) says:
“And to Moses Allah spoke directly.” [Quran, 4:164] [‘Itr, ‘Ulum al-Quran al-Karim; Qattan, Mabahith fi ‘Ulum al-Quran; al-Muqaddimat al-Asasiyya fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]
From the above definition of revelation, it becomes clear to us that there is an external party and a mediator between the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and the source of the revelation, and the matter does not originate from the Prophet himself, as proponents of al-Wahy al-Nafsi suggest. It is not far-fetched for Allah (Most High) to choose from His servants’ souls with such purity of essence and soundness of nature that they are prepared for divine effusion, heavenly revelation, and connection with the higher assembly to receive His messages.
Example
An example that makes the reality of revelation more comprehensible to our minds is the sounds and images carried by today’s ether waves, crossing valleys, deserts, plains, and seas, enabling people to communicate in their most private matters, teachers to interact with their students across vast distances with ease, and doctors to examine patients or even assist in performing complex surgical operations from different locations… and much more.
Two people speaking over a mobile phone today may be heard by those sitting next to them as nothing more than a buzzing sound, similar to the description of the revelation to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) as the buzzing of bees.
Those contemporaries of the revelation and its witnesses have conveyed it to us in a way that provides certain knowledge to subsequent generations. Humanity has felt its impact in the civilization of his nation, the strength of his followers, and their dignity as long as they adhered to it, and their collapse and failure whenever they neglected it, leaving no room for doubt in the possibility and establishment of revelation, and the necessity of seeking guidance through it to quench the spiritual thirst with its lofty examples and spiritual values.
Moreover, our Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) is not the first messenger to whom revelation was sent. Allah (Most High) revealed to the messengers before him what He revealed to him, as the statement of truth informed:
“Indeed, We have sent revelation to you (O Prophet) as We sent revelation to Noah and the prophets after him. We also sent revelation to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and his descendants, (as well as) Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon. And to David, We gave the Psalms. There are messengers whose stories We have told you already and others. We have not. And to Moses Allah spoke directly.” [Quran, 4:163-164]
And Allah (Most High) rebuked the sensible for their wonder at the possibility of revelation descending upon a human, saying:
“Is it astonishing to people that We have sent revelation to a man from among themselves, (instructing him,) ‘Warn humanity and give good news to the believers that they will have an honorable status with their Lord.’? Yet the disbelievers said, ‘Indeed, this (man) is clearly a magician!’” [Quran, 10:2]
The explanation of revelation provided above suffices to refute this misconception. However, we will mention a brief set of responses mentioned by scholars:
1. Why Muhammad Did Not Attribute the Quran to Himself!?
If the source of the Quran had been Muhammad himself (Allah bless him and give him peace), it would have been a matter of pride for him to attribute it to himself. Indeed, he could have claimed divinity, let alone prophethood. He would have been sanctified in people’s eyes as a god more than his sanctification as a prophet, and he would not have needed to seek this false sanctity by attributing the Quran to someone else.
2. The Integrity of the Prophet
Those who propose al-Wahy al-Nafsi overlook that they are talking about the most noble personality known in history for his purity, nobility, trustworthiness, and truthfulness. He is the person who, when passing by his people, would point to him with their fingers and say: “This is the trustworthy, the truthful.” And the fair-minded intellect has always said: Such a truthful and trustworthy person would not lie to people, let alone to Allah (Most High)!!
3. Eloquence
If the Quran were a psychological revelation from the Chosen One (Allah bless him and give him peace), composed in his style – as they claim – then anyone endowed with a sense of eloquence and taste for rhetoric would notice a significant difference between the style of the Quran and that of the prophetic hadith, as well as the vast difference between the capabilities of the Creator and the creation. Here are the Quran and the prophetic hadith still standing among us, calling people to recognize this vast difference. If you have a sense of eloquence and a taste for speech, then explain it!!
If there were any validity to this misconception, those most qualified to speak would have been those Arabs who were challenged by the Quran to produce something like it. They were the most eager to defeat Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) and silence him – for known historical reasons – but they did not say this because they were certain of the outstanding distinctions between the speech of divinity and the speech of prophethood, such that one would not be confused with the other in any way. Thus, those who tasted it knew, and those who were deprived deviated.
4. Silence of the Arab Critics
History witnesses that if the Quran had been from Muhammad himself (Allah bless him and give him peace), those Arabs, known for their eloquence and articulation, would have recognized it as his speech, given their critical acumen and their keen sense of rhetorical taste. They would then have been able to compete with him in what he brought, even if only a little, especially since the Quran only required them to produce a chapter of the like of its shortest chapter; that is, like three short verses among the thousands that the noble book comprises. They were champions of that field and leaders of eloquence and articulation; if the matter had been of Muhammad’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) making and composition – as those fabricators claim – then why were their tongues silenced, and the voices of all generations after them subdued?!
5. Self-Critical Revelation
If this revelation had been from the speech of the Chosen One (Allah bless him and give him peace) and his own inspiration, why would he record against himself that reproach mentioned in the Quran, which we sometimes perceive as gentle and at other times as stern? Like when Allah (Most High) said to him:
“May Allah pardon you (O Prophet)! Why did you give them permission (to stay behind) before those who told the truth were distinguished from those who were lying?” [Quran, 9:43]
“It is not fit for a prophet that he should take captives until he has thoroughly subdued the land. You (believers) settled with the fleeting gains of this world, while Allah’s aim (for you) is the Hereafter. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.” [Quran, 8:67]
“He frowned and turned (his attention) away, (simply) because the blind man came to him (interrupting). You never know (O Prophet), perhaps he may be purified, or he may be mindful, benefitting from the reminder. As for the one who was indifferent, you gave him your (undivided) attention, even though you are not to blame if he would not be purified. But as for the one who came to you, eager (to learn), being in awe (of Allah), you were inattentive to him.” [Quran 80:1-10]
It is not permissible for a rational person to allow that. But the atheists have belittled themselves and claimed, despite these clear proofs, that Muhammad fabricated the Quran against his Lord, so they lied and went astray.
6. Scientific Miracles
The scientific content of the Quran and its knowledge of the unseen confirm that it is impossible for the Quran to be a psychological revelation from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), especially since the one bringing this Quran was an unlettered man in an unlettered nation during the darkest ages of ignorance. As a simple example of such scientific matters, consider embryology, which the Quran discusses:
“And indeed, We created humankind from an extract of clay, then placed each (human) as a sperm-drop in a secure place, then We developed the drop into a clinging clot, then developed the clot into a lump (of flesh), then developed the lump into bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, then We brought it into being as a new creation. So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators. After that, you will surely die, and then, on the Day of Judgment, you will be resurrected. And indeed, We created above you seven levels (of heaven). We are never unmindful of (Our) creation.” [Quran 23:12-17]
Who taught the unlettered Prophet the stages of human creation and that the bones form first and then are covered with flesh, which modern science has only recently discovered after its advancement?!! And who taught him this precise astronomical knowledge, which could not have been known without modern equipment? As mentioned in the Quran:
“It is not for the sun to catch up with the moon, nor does the night outrun the day. Each is traveling in an orbit of their own.” [Quran, 36:40]
7. Timing
If the suspicion were correct and the Quran was the Prophet’s fabrication and his psychological revelation, then the Quran would have been at his disposal, and he would not wish to come up with new Quranic verses except through this accustomed method of preparation. However, reality witnesses that much of what the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) sought – in times of dire need for it – was only attained when Allah willed, and the incident of the slander is a testament to this; when the revelation was delayed to the Prophet while he was in urgent need to clear his and his wife’s honor from what was associated with them… and the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) says to ‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her):
“If you are innocent, then Allah will vindicate you, and if you have committed a sin, seek forgiveness from Allah and turn to Him in repentance.” [Bukhari]
If the Quran was from the Prophet, why would he let people talk about his wife’s honor for a whole month, waiting for revelation to clarify the truth?! Wouldn’t it be more appropriate if the Quran was his psychological revelation to speak a Quran that silences the slanderous tongues?!! A liar does not delay fabricating lies when in dire need of them.
Note: This is not the only instance where the revelation was delayed to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).
8. Unseen Knowledge
The Prophet’s speech about religious and supernatural truths inaccessible to reason, or even contemplation, for this Quran describes to us the beginning and the end of creation, and describes Paradise and its types of bliss, and Hell and its forms of punishment, as if seen with the eye, even counting the number of doors of Hell and Paradise, and the number of angels in charge of those doors. On what rational theory are these mathematical pieces of information and these definitive descriptions based? Indeed, such knowledge cannot be inspired by the mind at all, but it is either false, hence from the inspiration of imagination and conjecture, or it is true and can only be attained through teaching and instruction, but it is the truth attested by the scriptures and certified by their people.
“We have appointed only (stern) angels as wardens of the Fire. And We have made their number only as a test for the disbelievers, so that the People of the Book will be certain, and the believers will increase in faith.” [Quran 74:31]
“And so We have sent to you (O Prophet) a revelation by Our command. You did not know of (this) Book and faith (before). [Quran, 42:52]
“(And say,) ‘I had no knowledge of the highest assembly (in heaven) when they differed (concerning Adam).’” [Quran, 38:69]
9. The Eternal Challenge of the Quran
It is inherently known that future events cannot be ascertained except through true revelation. If the Quran were a psychological revelation from Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), then how could he authoritatively speak of what would happen after a year, in coming years, and what would forever happen or never happen? For example, consider the challenge presented by the Quran, which has made it impossible for the entire world to produce something like it:
“Say, (O Prophet,) ‘If (all) humans and jinn were to come together to produce the equivalent of this Quran, they could not produce its equal, no matter how they supported each other.’” [Quran, 17:88]
“And if you are in doubt about what We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a sura like it and call your helpers other than Allah, if what you say is true. But if you are unable to do so—and you will never be able to do so—then fear the Fire fuelled with people and stones, which is prepared for the disbelievers. [Quran, 2:23-24]
Observe this definitive negation, even an eternal decree! Could an Arab who understands what he says issue such a decree, knowing that the field of literary challenges among the Arabs was wide open and that a later critic, upon closely examining the statement of an earlier one, could not fail to find a lapse to correct or a deficiency to complete?
Another example is the verse where Allah guarantees the protection of His Prophet’s person and safety for his life until he delivers his Lord’s messages:
“O Messenger! Convey everything revealed to you from your Lord. If you do not, then you have not delivered His message. Allah will (certainly) protect you from the people. Indeed, Allah does not guide the people who disbelieve.” [Quran, 5:67]
‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
“The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to be guarded until this verse was revealed: ‘And Allah will protect you from the people.’ Then the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) poked his head out of the tent and said to the people, ‘O people, go away, for Allah has protected me.’” [Tirmidhi]
Look at the Messenger’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) absolute trust in this true promise. Such a guarantee cannot be possessed by a human, even if he were a king surrounded by various forms of protection moving ahead of him and behind him. Would someone who claims the revelation comes from himself do this?! Indeed, Allah protected him in many situations where the danger of death was very near to him, including what was narrated by Jabir:
“We were with the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) until we were at Dhat al-Riqa‘, where we would leave any shaded tree for the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace). Then, a man from the polytheists came while the sword of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) was hanging on a tree. He drew it and said to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), ‘Are you afraid of me?’ He said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Then who will protect you from me?’ He said, ‘Allah will protect me from you.’ Then the companions of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) threatened him, and he sheathed the sword and hung it back…” [Bukhari; Muslim]
After all the evidence we have presented, it becomes clear that the revelation does not originate from the self of Mustafa (Allah bless him and give him peace). Rather, it is an external force that does not connect with the Muhammadan soul except occasionally, and it is undoubtedly a knowledgeable force, for it inspires knowledge in him, and it is a force greater than his because it causes those significant effects in his soul and body, as Allah (Most High) says,
“He has been taught by one (angel) of mighty power and great perfection, who once rose to (his) true form [Quran, 53:5-6]
And it is a noble, infallible force, for it inspires only the truth and commands only to righteousness. What could this force be if not a noble angel?
Summary
What some atheist academics and their modernist contemporaries promote today under the name of “al-Wahy al-Nafsi,” claiming that with this designation, they have brought us a new academic opinion, is not new at all. Instead, these are views derived from the scraps left by those hardened hearts in the early ages of ignorance, not differing in essence or detail. The people of ignorance before depicted the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) as a man of vast imagination and deep sensibility; thus, he was labeled a poet. Then they went further, suggesting his emotions often overwhelmed his senses, making him believe he saw and heard someone speaking to him; and what he supposedly saw and heard was nothing but his own projection, hence they deemed it madness or mere dreams…
Isn’t all this a repeated narrative, echoing the sayings of the ignorant of Quraysh? And so, is today’s atheism in its new guise nothing but a copied, even distorted, image of its oldest form?
“The same was said by those who came before. Their hearts are all alike.” [Quran, 2:118]. [Daraz, al-Naba’ Al-‘Azim; Radd al-Subuhat Hawl ‘Ismat al-Nabi]
Recommendation
I advise you to refer to the book “The Great News (al-Naba’ al-‘Azim)” by ‘Abdullah Daraz (Allah have mercy on him), as it mentions much evidence confirming that this Quran is a revelation from Allah (Most High).
Also, review “The Muhammadan Revelation (al-Wahy al-Muhammadi)” by Rashid Rida, in addition to the books of Quranic sciences when they discuss revelation and the descent of the Quran.
May Allah send blessings upon our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and upon his Family and Companions.
And Allah (Most High) knows best.
Shaykh Anas al-Musa, born in Hama, Syria, in 1974, is an erudite scholar of notable repute. He graduated from the Engineering Institute in Damascus, where he specialized in General Construction, and Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Usul al-Din, where he specialized in Hadith.
He studied under prominent scholars in Damascus, including Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri and Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, among others. Shaykh Anas has memorized the Quran and is proficient in the ten Mutawatir recitations, having studied under Shaykh Bakri al-Tarabishi and Shaykh Mowfaq ‘Ayun. He also graduated from the Iraqi Hadith School.
He has taught numerous Islamic subjects at Shari‘a institutes in Syria and Turkey. Shaykh Anas has served as an Imam and preacher for over 15 years and is a teacher of the Quran in its various readings and narrations.
Currently, he works as a teacher at SeekersGuidance and is responsible for academic guidance there. He has completed his Master’s degree in Hadith and is now pursuing his Ph.D. in the same field. Shaykh Anas al-Musa is married and resides in Istanbul.
