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The question

What are the forty-five remaining parts of prophethood, in addition to true visions?

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Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

Scholars have differed on the meaning of the : "A good vision is one of forty-six parts of prophethood." Ibn al-Arabi said: "The true nature of the parts of prophethood is known only to an angel or a prophet, and the vision is a part of it because it allows insight into the unseen." Al-Mazari said: "Not everything can be known in detail, and this is one of those things." Others went further, stating that the Prophet received revelation in his sleep for six months, and then while awake, and that the proportion of revelation in sleep was one of forty-six parts. However, this interpretation was rejected by Ibn Battal, Al-Khattabi, and others. Al-Nawawi held that it has not been established that the period of visions for the Prophet was six months. Al-Khattabi said: "The meaning of the hadith is that the vision corresponds to prophethood because it is a remaining part of it." Ibn al-Athir emphasized that prophethood is not acquired, but rather a grace from Allah. In summary, prophethood has ceased, and a true vision is like parables presented by an angel to the seer, which are as truthful as the meaning indicated by the revelation of prophethood. The specification of this number (forty-six) is a matter of divine decree, the wisdom of which is not known.

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Original fatwa ID
7182
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