Occasion of Revelation (Sahih — Agreed Upon):
Abdullah ibn Masud said: "I was walking with the Prophet ﷺ in some farmland in Medina. He passed some Jews, and one of them said: Ask him about the soul. They asked, and he stood looking up at the sky — and I knew he was receiving revelation — then was revealed:
'And they ask you about the soul. Say: The soul is of the affair of my Lord.'"
The Jews said to one another: "We told you he wouldn't be able to answer!" Then they were silenced by the verse that exposed their own ignorance.
Significance:
- The soul belongs to Allah's exclusive knowledge
- "You have been given of knowledge only a little" — a lesson in humility before the unknown
- The wise answer: silence about the unknown and attributing it to Allah is a Quranic principle
Question: Who suggested asking the Prophet ﷺ about the soul, and what was the goal?
Answer: The Jews of Medina — they intended to test and embarrass him. The verse was revealed with a wise answer that silenced them.