The Meaning of “From” in “and a Spirit from Him” (Wa-rūḥun Minhu)

According to some reports, a Christian physician in the court of Hārūn al-Rashīd said to ʿAlī ibn Ḥusayn al-Wāqidī al-Marwazī that your Qur’an also considers the existence of Jesus to be a part of God: “And a spirit from Him” (wa-rūḥun minhu), because it uses “from” (min), which is a sign of partition (tabʿīḍ).

Al-Wāqidī responded by reciting this verse: “And He has disposed for your benefit whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth; all is from Him” (45:13); meaning, if “from” (min) everywhere indicates being a part, then all the beings of heaven and earth must be parts of God!(108) “From” (min) in these cases indicates the source of emergence (mansha); that is, the existence of all things is from God.