ِّ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى- وَ كَذلِكَ أَوْحَيْنا إِلَيْكَ رُوحاً مِنْ أَمْرِنا
ما كُنْتَ تَدْرِي مَا الْكِتابُ وَ لَا الْإِيمانُ قَالَ خَلْقٌ مِنْ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ جَبْرَئِيلَ وَ مِيكَائِيلَ كَانَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص يُخْبِرُهُ وَ يُسَدِّدُهُ وَ هُوَ مَعَ الْأَئِمَّةِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ.
*Al-Kāfī* (Islamic edition), vol. 1, p. 273
Abū Baṣīr reports: I asked Imam al-Ṣādiq (AS) about the words of God, Blessed and Exalted:
«وَ كَذلِكَ أَوْحَيْنا إِلَيْكَ رُوحاً مِنْ أَمْرِنا... مَا كُنْتَ تَدْرِي مَا الْكِتابُ وَ لَا الْإِيمانُ»
“And thus We have revealed to you a spirit from Our command … You did not know what the Book or faith was.” (Sūrat al-Shūrā, verse 52)
The Imam (AS) said:
“It is a creation of God, Mighty and Majestic, greater than Gabriel and Michael. It was with the Messenger of God (PBUH), informing him and strengthening him, and it is with the Imams who came after him as well.”
After the Prophet of Islam (PBUH), a spirit from the divine command remains with God’s proofs—that is, the Imams—and connects them with the highest realm in the loftiest manner. They are connected through a spirit that conveys God’s command to them, whose rank and status surpass those of Gabriel and Michael. This verse is proof of the legitimacy and exalted status of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS)!
In fact, this noble hadith explains one of the most important Quranic concepts—“رُوحٌ مِنْ أَمْرِنا”—which has a distinctive interpretation in the school of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS):
The nature of “رُوحٌ مِنْ أَمْرِنا”:
This “spirit” is a created being, yet it ranks above the angels closest to God. Other narrations refer to it as “the greatest creation.”
It is not an angel—for it is said to be greater than Gabriel and Michael—but a more luminous creation, serving as a channel for divine grace and bearer of unseen knowledge.
The functions of this spirit:
يُخْبِرُهُ: It informs the Prophet (PBUH) and the Imams (AS), conveying to them knowledge of the unseen and other special knowledge.
يُسَدِّدُهُ: It supports and strengthens them, protecting them from error and granting them strength and resolve in their mission and spiritual authority.
Its continuing presence with the Imams (AS):
The key point in the hadith is: “وَ هُوَ مَعَ الْأَئِمَّةِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ”. After the Prophet (PBUH), this spirit remains with and supports the infallible Imams (AS).
This statement explains the source of the Imams’ knowledge of the unseen and their infallibility. The same spirit that aided the Prophet also supports and guides the Imams (AS) in their mission of guidance and imamate.
The connection to the verse:
The verse says, “You did not know what the Book or faith was,” and then speaks of the descent of a “spirit.” This shows that the Prophet’s (PBUH) knowledge of the Book and faith came from this very “spirit.” In this interpretation, the Imam identifies that spirit as one of the sources of the Imams’ (AS) knowledge.
Conclusion:
This hadith reveals the link between prophethood and imamate. “رُوحٌ مِنْ أَمْرِنا” is the single reality of divine guidance, first manifested in the person of the Prophet (PBUH), and then in the persons of the Imams (AS), connecting them to God-given knowledge and divine support. This interpretation underscores the continuation of divine authority and guidance after the Prophet (PBUH).
The journey along the divine path never ends. When you complete one stretch, a new path opens before you, and you must travel that one too. Then another path opens, another journey begins, and so on … At the end, all these paths lead to God, though by different routes. This may be one of the ways in which human beings surpass the angels: they follow one path, but human beings do not. And these openings go on and on …
Only one path leads to the Real and to truth; there are no different paths. Every path but that one ends in misguidance!
Al-Anʿām 6:153 وَ أَنَّ هذا صِراطي مُسْتَقيماً فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَ لا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَنْ سَبيلِهِ ذلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
“This is My straight path, so follow it. Do not follow other paths, lest they lead you away from His path. This is what He commands you, so that you may be mindful of Him.”