and some say that the Qur'aan was revealed overseveral years in Makkah
and Madinah. Do these opinions contradict one another? Is one right
and the other wrong? Or are they both wrong?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The issue mentioned has two aspects, on one of which there is
consensus and the other is a matter concerning which there are
differences of opinion.
With regard to the aspect on which there is consensus, it is that the
Qur'aan did not come down from heaven to the Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) all at once; rather the
Revelation came down to him from Allah piecemeal, according to events
and circumstances.
There are verses which confirm that quite clearly with no confusion,
and they affirm the wisdom behind its being revealed in that manner:
-1-
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And those who disbelievesay: Why is not the Qur'aan revealed to him
all at once? Thus (it is sent down in parts), that We may strengthen
your heart thereby. And We have revealed it to you gradually, in
stages"
[al-Furqaan 25:32].
Shaykh 'Abd ar-Rahmaan as-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
That isbecause every time something of the Qur'aan was revealed to
him, it increased him in certainty and steadfastness, especially when
there wascause for anxiety. The fact that Qur'aan was revealed when
new developments occurred meant that it hadgreater impact and was more
reassuring to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
And that was more effective than if it had been revealed before
that,then was remembered when the new developments occurred.
"And We have revealed it to you gradually, in stages" means We
revealed it slowly and sentit gradually. All of this indicates that
Allah was taking care of His Book, the Qur'aan, and His Messenger,
Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as He sent down
His Book in accordance with the situations faced by the Messenger and
as needed to address unfolding issues.
End quote from Tafseer as-Sa'di
-2-
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning) says:
"And (it is) a Qur'aan which We have divided (into parts), in order
that you might recite it to men at intervals. And We have revealed it
by stages"
[al-Isra' 17:106].
Shaykh 'Abd ar-Rahmaan as-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"at intervals" means at an easy pace, so that they might ponder it and
think about its meanings, and derive knowledge from it.
"And We have revealed it by stages" means: bit by bit, piecemeal over
twenty-three years.
End quote from Tafseer as-Sa'di, p. 468
What confirms the fact that the Qur'aan was revealed piecemeal is the
suspension of the Revelation concerning the slander incident (al-ifk),
in which 'Aa'ishah (may Allahbe pleased with her) was accused of
adultery. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was
waiting for Qur'aan to be revealed, because of the enormity ofthe
calamity and the accusation that was made against his wife, until the
words of Allah were revealed (interpretation ofthe meaning):
"Verily! Those who brought forth the slander (against 'Aa'ishah the
wife of the Prophet SAW) are a group among you. Consider it not a bad
thingfor you. Nay, it is good for you. Unto every man among them will
be paid that which he had earned of the sin, and as for him among them
who had the greater share therein, his will be a great torment"
[an-Noor 24:11].
Another confirmation that the Qur'aan was revealed piecemeal is the
first few verses of Soorah 'Abasa (no. 80) which were revealed when
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned away
from teaching the blind man Ibn Umm Maktoom in the hope that the
leaders of Quraysh would become Muslim (as he was already talking to
the leaders of Quraysh and the blind mind man came to him in the
middle of that conversion).
Secondly:
With regard to that concerning which there is a difference of opinion,
it has to do with the start of the revelation of the Qur'aan. Was it
sent down all at once to the first heaven, then brought down to the
Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) piecemeal, or was
it all brought down in the samemanner, piecemeal according to events,
as stated above?
The reason for this difference of opinion is differences in
understanding some verses which indicate that the Qur'aan came down
ata particular time, such as the verses in which Allah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for
mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between
right and wrong)"
[al-Baqarah 2:185]
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