To which prophet was the Quran revealed? Reasons for sending down the verses of the Holy Quran. This word comes in different meanings in the Quran.
All praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds!
When the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) turned 40 years old, his prophetic mission began. This mission lasted until his death. For 23 years, the Great Quran was sent down to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). The reasons for which the Qur'an was sent down are indicated by Allah himself in the Qur'an: "We have sent down the Scripture to you to clarify every thing, as a guide to the straight path, mercy and good news for Muslims." (Sura an-Nahl-89)
Allah Almighty also said: “We sent down to you the Scripture with the truth in confirmation of the former Scriptures, and so that it testifies to them. Judge them according to what Allah has revealed." (Sura al-Maida - 48), “We have sent down the Scripture to you, so that you lead people, with the permission of their Lord, from darkness to light - onto the path of the Mighty, Praiseworthy Allah, to Whom belongs everything that is in heaven and on earth. Woe from severe suffering to unbelievers. (Sura Ibrahim - 1-2)
The beginning of the prophethood of Muhammad (s.a.s.)
Before the revelation of the Qur'an, the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) often retired to a cave, which was located near Mecca and was called Hira. In it, he reflected on the Majesty of Allah. In the year 610 AD, in the month of Ramadan on the night from Sunday to Monday, "In the month of Ramadan, the Qur'an was sent down - the right guidance for the people, clear evidence of the right guidance and discernment." (Sura al-Baqarah, verse 175)
one of the Angels, Jabrail, came to the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), by order of Allah, and said to Him: “ Read". With these words, the revelation of the Qur'an began. That night, the Angel Jabrail transmitted the first five verses from Surah The Clot. Here they are: " Read in the name of your Lord, who created all things, created man from a clot of blood. Read, because your Lord is the most magnanimous. He taught with a writing stick - taught a man what he did not know.(Sura Clot 1-5).
How the revelations began is very well told by the wife of the prophet Aisha (radiyallahu "anha ):
“The sending down of revelations to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) began with a good vision in a dream, and no other visions, except for those that came like the dawn of the morning, have never seen. Then a love of solitude was instilled in him, and he often began to retire in a cave on Mount Hira.
(a mountain near Mecca, now called Jabal an-nur), where he engaged in pious deeds, which was expressed in worship (to Allah) for many nights, until he had a desire to return to his family. He usually took with him all the supplies necessary for this, and then returned to Khadija (Khadija bint Khuwaylid (the first wife of the Prophet) and took everything he needed for a new solitude of the same kind. (This continued until) until the truth was revealed to him when he was in the cave (on the mountain) of Hira. An angel appeared to him and ordered: “Read!” - to which he replied: “I can’t read!”
(The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“Then he took me and squeezed me so that I strained to the limit, and then he released me and again ordered: “Read!” I said, "I can't read!" He squeezed me for the second time so that I (again) strained to the limit, and then released and ordered: “Read!” - and I (again) said: "I can't read!" Then he squeezed me a third time, and then let go and said: “Read in the name of your Lord, who created, created man from a clot! Read, and your Lord is most generous
... (Sura Clot 1-3) "
‘Aisha (radiallahu "anha) said:
“And the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, whose heart trembled (from fear), returned with this, entered Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, may Allah be pleased with her, and said: “Cover me, cover me!” He was hidden (and he remained in a similar position) until his fear passed, after which he informed her of everything (and said): “I was afraid for myself!” Khadijah said, “No, no! I swear by Allah, Allah will never shame you, because you keep in touch with relatives, help to bear the burden (weak) and clothe the poor, show hospitality to people and help (them) endure the hardships of fate! And after that, Khadija left the house with him and brought him to her cousin Waraqa bin Nawfal bin Asad bin 'Abd al-'Uzza, who in the era of Jahiliyyah (the times of pre-Islamic paganism in Arabia) converted to Christianity, used the writing of the Jews for his records , wrote out from the Gospel what was pleasing to Allah, and (by that time) was already a deep blind old man. Khadija said to him: “O son of my uncle, listen to your nephew!” Varaka asked him, “O nephew, what do you see?” - and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) informed him of what he had seen. Waraqa said: “This is the same angel that Allah sent to Musa! Oh, that I was young (in these days) and could live to the time when your people will drive you out!” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, asked: “Will they expel me?” Varaka replied, “Yes, for whenever a person appears with anything like what you brought with you, he is always at enmity, but if I live to see that day, I will help you as much as I can!” However, Varaka soon died, and the revelations temporarily ceased.
.
(Al-Bukhari)
Then the revelations resumed Jabir bin ‘Abdullah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: “ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “(Once) I was walking (on the road) and suddenly I heard a voice from the sky. I raised my head and saw an angel Hira appearing to me (in a cave on the mountain), who (this time) was sitting on a throne between heaven and earth. I was afraid of him, returned (home) and said: “Cover me, cover me!” - after which Allah Almighty sent down (verses that said): “O wrapped up! Arise and exhort, and magnify your Lord, and cleanse your clothes, and avoid filth ... " (Sura Wrapped 1-5) » (Bukhari). and ended 9 days before the death of the prophet. The last verse was from Surah al-Baqarah (The Cow): « Fear the day when you will be returned to Allah. Then each person will receive in full what he has acquired, and they will not be treated unfairly. . (Sura al-Baqarah -281)
The verses of the Qur'an were sent down without a main reason, and they were also sent in connection with some event or any issue. These events and questions are called " reason for sending down" ( « sababu nuzul"). For example: Ibn Abbas said: “When the verse “Warn your closest relatives!” was sent down! (Sura ash-Shuara-214), the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) climbed the mountain as-Safa and began to loudly call the tribes of Quraysh: “O Banu Fihr! O Banu Adi! They gathered together, and those who could not come sent someone instead to find out what was the matter. Abu Lahab was there and all the rest of the Quraysh. Finally, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) turned to them: “Tell me, if I tell you that there is a cavalry in the valley that is ready to attack you, will you believe me?” They replied, "Yes, because before you always spoke only the truth." He said, "Now, I have been sent to you to warn you against severe torment." Then Abu Lahab said: “Go to hell for the rest of your life! Have you gathered all of us for this?” . After that, the verses were sent: “May the hands of Abu Lahab perish, and he himself perish. His wealth did not save him and what he acquired (position in society and children). He will fall into the fiery Fire. His wife will carry firewood, and around her neck will be a braided rope of palm fibers. (Sura al-Masad). (The hadith was narrated by Ahmad, al-Bukhari, Muslim, at-Tirmizi, ibn Jarir and others). When wine was forbidden, people asked: « And what about those who were killed in the way of Allah or died, but drank wine, this abomination? And then the verse was sent down. “On those who believe and do righteous deeds, there is no sin for what they ate, if they were God-fearing, believed and performed righteous deeds” . (Sura al-Maida - 93) (As-Suyuti, "Perfection in the Qur'anic sciences. The doctrine of sending down the Qur'an", p. 115.) Also, as an example, one can cite the verses sent down after people accused Aisha (radiyallahu "anha ) in adultery. Allah Almighty sent down verses to protect Aisha (please Allah anha ) and cleanse it of what the liars tried to pollute it with. " Those who slandered the mother of the faithful, Aisha, are a group of yourselves. Don't think it's bad for you. On the contrary, it is good for you. Each husband of them will receive the sin he has earned. And for the one who took on most of this, great torment is prepared ... " (Sura an-Nur - 11-18)
Two periods of revelation of the Qur'an.
The time of prophecy is divided into 2 stages - Meccan and Medina. The Meccan period lasted 13 years (during this period the sending of the Koran began), then 10 years until the death of the Prophet - Medina. Kuliyev's book "On the Way to the Koran" provides a chronological list of suras: Meccan suras (86 suras were sent down in 610-622) - 96, 74, 111, 106, 108, 104, 107, 102, 105, 92, 90, 94 , 93, 97, 86, 91, 80, 68, 87, 95, 103, 85, 73, 101, 99, 82, 81, 53, 84, 100, 79, 77, 78, 88, 89, 75, 83 , 69, 51, 52, 56, 70, 55, 112, 109, 113, 114, 1, 54, 37, 71, 76, 44, 50, 20, 26, 15, 19, 38, 36, 43, 72 , 67, 23, 21, 25, 17, 27, 18, 32, 41, 45, 16, 30, 11, 14, 12, 40, 28, 39, 29, 31, 42, 10, 34, 35, 7 , 46, 6, 13.
Suras of Medina (total 28 suras were sent down in 622-632) - 2, 98, 64, 62, 8, 47, 3, 61, 57, 4, 65, 59, 33, 63, 24, 58, 22, 48, 66 , 60, 110, 49, 9, 5.
In the Meccan period, suras were sent down, in which aspects of faith and morality were touched upon. Most of the suras of the Koran of the Meccan period are devoted to stories from the life of the prophets, for example: sura Maryam, sura Al-Anbiya (Prophets), and also relate to faith in Allah, in future life, in the prophecy of Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), heaven and hell, they also consider moral and ethical aspects (mercy, spirituality, truthfulness, modesty, humility, fear of God, for example: sura al-Maun), tells about death, emancipation of slaves, etc. These suras do not contain laws, but lay their foundations. Medina suras established such prescriptions as prayer (salat) and charity.
In 622, the Hijra occurred, that is, when the Prophet Muhammad, fleeing the Quraysh, who wanted to kill him, moved to Medina. The Medina period began. The suras sent down during this period contain mainly religious instructions, issues related to jihad, family law problems, inheritance, punishments for misconduct and crimes, for example: sura al-Baqara.
Quran writing
The Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was very careful about the verses sent, he gave orders to write down the verses as soon as they were sent down to him. He had about 40 scribes who wrote down the verses. Even when the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was on military campaigns and in difficult periods of life, there was a person next to him who kept records. The first such person in Makkah was Abdullah bin Saad bin Abu Sarh. And in Medina - Ubeyy bin Kaab. Among those who helped the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) in writing the Qur'an were Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman bin Af-fan, Ali bin Abu Talib, az-Zubair bin al-Awwam, Khalid bin Said bin al-As and many others . At this time, the verses were written on the leaves date palms, stones, pieces of leather, ink was made from soot and soot. During the recording, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said in which sura to write this or that ayat. Ibn Abbas said that Usman bin Affan said: “When several suras were sent down at once and some revelation was sent down to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), he called one of the scribes to him and said: “Put this in a sura that says about something." After that, the recorded was listened to and if there were errors, it was corrected. Also, all the suras were memorized by the companions of the Prophet, thanks to this, the Koran has come down to us in the form in which it was sent down to the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
Allah Almighty knows best.
Sura Al-Fatiha is the first sura of the Holy Quran.Her the name translated from Arabic means “Opening the Book”, since it is not only the first in order of location in the Koran, but also the first sura , sent down in its entirety.
"Al-Fatiha", consisting of seven verses, was sent down in the Meccan period of the life of the Messenger of the Almighty (s.g.v.). This is narrated in one of the hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), transmitted from the words of Ibn Abbas: “Once, when we were sitting next to the Messenger of Allah, the angel Jabrail was next to him. Suddenly, he heard a creak above his head, after which Jabrail looked at the heavens and said: “The gates in heaven have opened, which have never opened before.” Through them, he descended to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and said: “Rejoice in the two lights that were given to you, but were not given to any of the previous Prophets. These are Surah Al-Fatiha and the last verses of Surah Al-Baqarah. Everything that you read in them will certainly be granted to you ”(Muslim, Nasai).
Expand sura description
Despite the seemingly small volume, Surah Al-Fatiha carries great meaning and is of great importance in people's lives, and no other verse of any of the Books of the Creator can compare with it. God's Messenger (LH) once said: “I swear by the One in Whose Hand is my soul! Neither in the Taurat (Torah), nor in the Injil (Gospel), nor in the Zabur (Psalter), nor in the Furqan (Koran) anything similar to the Surah Al-Fatiha (Tirmizi, Ahmad) was sent down.
Every Muslim reads Surah Al-Fatiha at least 15 times a day, since its reading is necessary in every rak'ah. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) taught: “If someone made a prayer without reading the Mother of Scripture in it, then his prayer is imperfect” (Muslim).
While reading this sura, the believer enters into a dialogue with the Lord, which is narrated in the following hadith: “Great Allah said: “I divided the prayer into two parts between Me and My slave, who will receive what he asks. When the slave utters the words "Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds", the Creator replies: "My slave gave me praise." When a believer says: “To the Gracious and Merciful,” the Lord answers: “My servant has praised Me.” When a person says: “To the Lord of the Day of Judgment”, the Almighty answers: “My servant glorified Me.” When the one who prays says: “You alone we worship and You alone we pray for help,” the Creator answers: “It will be divided between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks.” When the believer says: “Guide us to the straight path, the path of those whom You have favored, not those on whom anger fell and the erring,” then Allah replies: “This is for My servant, and he will receive what he asks” (Muslim, Tirmizi, Abu Dawud, Nasai).
Reading the Qur'an strengthens our iman, purifies the heart and helps us to approach our Creator through His words. Below are 100 interesting facts about the Quran that you might not know.
1. What does the word "Quran" mean?
2. Where was the Qur'an first revealed?
In the Cave of Hira (Mecca).
3. On what night was the first revelation of the Qur'an sent down?
In Laylatul Qadr (Night of Predestination. in the month of Ramadan.
4. Who sent down the Qur'an?
5. Through whom was the revelation of the Qur'an revealed?
Through the Angel Jabrail.
6. To whom was the Quran sent down?
The last Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
7. Who took responsibility for the preservation of the Qur'an?
8. Under what conditions can one touch the Qur'an?
The person who touches the Qur'an must be in a state of ritual ablution.
9. What is the most read book?
10. What is the main theme of the Quran?
11. What are the other names of the Quran according to the Quran itself?
Al-Furqan, Al-Kitab, Al-Zikr, Al-Nur, Al-Huda.
12. How many surahs of the Qur'an were revealed in Mecca?
13. How many surahs of the Qur'an were sent down in Medina?
14. How many manzils are there in the Quran?
15. How many juz are there in the Quran?
16. How many suras are there in the Quran?
17. How many parts are there in the Qur'an?
18. How many verses are there in the Quran?
19. How many times does the word "Allah" appear in the Qur'an?
20. What scripture is the only religious text where the language of its revelation, including dialects, is still used today?
21. Who is the first hafiz of the Qur'an?
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
22. How many Khuffaz (Hafiz.) were there at the time of the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him)?
23. How many verses after reading which should one perform sajda?
24. In which sura and verse was the first mention of sajda?
Sura 7 verse 206.
25. How many times does the Qur'an mention prayer?
26. How many times does the Quran mention almsgiving and saadaq?
27. How many times in the Quran does the Almighty refer to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as YaAyuKhanNabi?
28. In which verse of the Qur'an is the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) named as Ahmad?
Sura 61 verse 6.
29. How many times is the name Rasulullah mentioned in the Qur'an?
Muhammad (peace be upon him) - 4 times. Ahmad (peace be upon him) - 1 time.
30. The name of which prophet (peace be upon him.) is mentioned in the Koran the most?
The name of the prophet Musa (peace be upon him) - 136 times.
31. Who was the Katibiwahi (recording the divine revelation) of the Qur'an?
Abu Bakr, Usman, Ali, Zayed bin Harith, Abdullah bin Masud.
32. Who was the first to count the verses of the Koran?
33. On whose advice did Abu Bakr decide to put the Qur'an together?
Umar Farooq.
34. By whose order was the Qur'an put into writing?
Abu Bakr.
35. Who adhered to the recitation of the Quran in the style of the Quraysh?
36. How many copies compiled by Uthman have survived in the present?
Only 2 copies, one of which is kept in Tashkent, the other in Istanbul.
37. What sura of the Koran did the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) utter during prayer, upon hearing which Hazrat Jabir bin Musim converted to Islam?
52 Surah of the Qur'an At-Tur.
38. After the recitation of which sura by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), one of his enemies Utba fell on his face?
The first five verses of Surah 41 Fussylat.
39. According to the Qur'an, which is the first and oldest mosque?
40. What two groups does the Koran divide humanity into.
Believers and non-believers.
41. About whom in the Qur'an did Allah Almighty say that his body will remain a warning example for future generations?
About Pharaoh (10:9192).
42. Besides the body of the pharaoh, what will be left for future generations as a warning example?
Ark of Nuh.
43. Where did Nuh's ark end up after it crashed?
To Mount al-Judi (11:44).
44. The name of which companion of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is mentioned in the Qur'an?
Zayed bin Harisa (33:37).
45. The name of which relative of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is mentioned in the Qur'an?
His uncle Abu Lahab (111:1).
46. The name of which Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is mentioned by the name of the mother?
Prophet Isa: Isa bin Maryam.
47. What truce was called Fathhum Mubin and took place without a fight?
Hudaybiya agreement.
48. What names are used in the Qur'an to refer to Satan?
Iblis and Ash-shaitan.
49. Which creatures does the Qur'an refer to as Iblis?
To the genies.
50. What types of worship were prescribed by Allah for the people of Bani Israel, which were continued by the Muslim mind?
Namaz and Zakat (2:43).
51. The Qur'an repeatedly speaks of a certain Day. What is this day?
Judgment Day.
52. Who were those people with whom Allah Almighty was pleased, and they are pleased with him, as it is said in the Qur'an?
Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) (9:100).
53. What surah is called the "Heart of the Qur'an"?
Suru Yasin (36)
54. In what year did vowels appear in the Qur'an?
43 Hijri.
55. Who were the first people who studied the Koran?
Askhabu Suffa.
56. What is the name of the university where the faculty of the Koran was first opened?
Mosque of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
57. How are those who were chosen by the Almighty to carry His message to mankind mentioned in the Qur'an?
Nabi (Prophet) and Rasul (Messenger).
58. What should a person be like from the point of view of the Qur'an?
Mu'min ("Believer"). If “iman” and “Islam” have the same meaning, namely, if “Islam” is understood as the acceptance by the heart of all the precepts of Islam, then every mumin (believer) is a Muslim (submissive, surrendered to Allah), and every Muslim - there is a mumin.
59. What is the measure of human dignity according to the Qur'an?
Taqwa (God-fearing).
60. What is the biggest sin according to the Quran?
61. Where in the Qur'an is water called the place where life originated?
Surah Al-Anbiya, verse 30 (21:30)
62. Which sura of the Qur'an is the longest?
Sura al-Baqarah (2).
63. Which surah of the Qur'an is the shortest?
Al-Kawthar (108).
64. How old was Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) when the first revelation was sent down to him?
65. How long did the Prophet (peace be upon him) receive revelations in Mecca?
66. How many years were the suras of the Koran sent down to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in Medina?
67. Where was the first surah of the Qur'an sent down?
68. Where was the last surah of the Qur'an sent down?
In Medina.
69. How many years did the revelation of the Qur'an take?
70. What sura is read in each rak'ah of prayer?
Al Fatiha.
71. What sura is defined by the Almighty as a dua?
Al Fatiha.
72. Why is Surah Al-Fatiha at the beginning of the Qur'an?
This is the key of the Holy Quran.
73. Which surah of the Holy Qur'an was revealed in full and became the first in the Qur'an?
Surah Al-Fatiha.
74. Which woman's name is mentioned in the Qur'an?
Maryam (r.a.).
75. Which sura of the Qur'an contains the maximum number of instructions?
Sura al-Baqarah (2).
76. Where and when did Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Jabrail (peace be upon him) meet for the second time?
Friday, Ramadan 18 in a cave on Mount Hira.
77. What was the period between the first and second revelation?
2 years and 6 months.
78. What surah does not begin with Bismillah?
Sura at-Tauba (9)
79. In which sura of the Qur'an is the Bismillah repeated twice?
Sura an-Naml (verses 1 and 30).
80. How many surahs of the Qur'an are named after prophets?
Sura Yunus (10);
Sura Hud (11);
Sura Yusuf (12);
Sura Ibrahim (14);
Sura Nuh (71);
Surah Muhammad (47).
81. In which part of the Qur'an is the ayat al-Kursi?
Sura al-Baqarah (2:255).
82. How many names of the Almighty are mentioned in the Qur'an?
83. What names of people who were not prophets are mentioned in the Qur'an?
Luqman, Aziz and Zulkarnain.
84. How many Companions participated in the creation of a single mushaf of the Koran during the reign of Abu Bakr (r.a.)?
75 Companions.
85. What book is memorized by millions of people around the world?
Holy Koran.
86. What did the jinn who heard the verses of the Qur'an say to each other?
We heard a unique speech that shows the true path, and we believed in it.
87. What is the most popular translation of the Koran in Russian?
Translated by Osmanov, Sablukov, Krachkovsky.
88. How many languages has the Koran been translated into?
More than 100 languages.
89. How many prophets are mentioned by name in the Qur'an?
90. What will be our position on the Day of Judgment according to the Qur'an?
Each of us will be in a state of anxiety and restlessness.
91. Which prophet mentioned in the Qur'an was a prophet in the fourth generation?
Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him).
92. What book canceled all the old rules and regulations?
93. What does the Quran say about wealth and wealth?
They are a test of faith (2:155).
94. Who, according to the Qur'an, is "haatamun nabiyin" (the last prophet)?
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
95. What book tells about the creation of the world and the end of the world?
96. What is another name for the city of Mecca in the Qur'an?
Bakka and Baladul Amin.
97. What is the name of the city of Medina in the Koran?
98. According to the Qur'an, whose people are named as "Bani Israel"?
The people of the Prophet Yakub (peace be upon him), also known as Israel.
99. Which mosques are mentioned in the Koran.
There are 5 mosques mentioned in the Quran:
a. Masjid al-Haram
b. Masjid ul Zirar
v. Masjid ul-Nabawi
Masjid ul-Aqsa
e. Masjid Cuba
100. Names of which angels are mentioned in the Qur'an:
The Quran mentions the names of 5 angels:
a. Jabrail (2:98)
b. Mikail (2:98)
v. Harut (2:102)
Marut (2:102)
d. Malik (43:77)
Sayda Hayat
The Holy Quran is the word of Allah. Therefore, it is protected and preserved in the Preserved Tablet, which is spoken of in the Qur'an (meaning):
“That (with which you were sent from Allah) is the Great Quran, (clearly proving the truth of your mission and message). This Qur'an is inscribed on the Preserved Tablet. (No power can either distort or change it!) ”(Sura Al-Buruj, verses 21-22 (85:21-22)).
The sending down of the Qur'an from the Preserved Tablet took place in two stages.
First. He was fully sent down to Baitul-Izza (House of Honor), the exalted house of worship located in heaven. This heavenly home, also known as Baitul-Ma'mur, is located directly above the Kaaba and serves as a place of worship for angels. This happened on the night of Qadr - Laylatul-Qadr (Night of Power).
Second. The gradual revelation of the Qur'an by Revelation to our dear Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), which ended 23 years after the start.
These two kinds of revelation of the Qur'an are clearly described in the Qur'an itself. In addition, Imams Nasai (may Allah be pleased with him), Bayhaqi (may Allah be pleased with him), Ibn Abi Shayba (may Allah be pleased with him), Tabarani (may Allah be pleased with him) and others narrate from Sayyidin Abdullah ibn Abbas ( may Allah be pleased with him) several hadiths confirming that at first the Holy Quran was sent down to the vault of heaven - and this happened at a time, while the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was blessed with the second sending down - and this happened gradually (Sura " Al-Itkan, verse 41 (1:41)).
Explaining the wisdom behind the fact that the Holy Quran was first sent down to the Firmament of Heaven, Imam Abu Shama says that the purpose of this is to show the sublime majesty of the Holy Quran and at the same time inform the angels that this is the last Scripture destined for instructions for all mankind.
Imam Zarqani in Manahil al-Irfan further states that the purpose of the two separate descents of the Qur'an is to affirm that the Book is free from any doubt as to its Divinity and that, in addition to its preservation in the memory of Our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), it also stored in two other places: the Preserved Tablet and Baitul-Izza (“Manakhil-Irfan”, 1:39).
Scholars are unanimous that the second gradual revelation in the heart of our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) began when he was forty years old. According to a widely accepted opinion based on authentic hadiths, this revelation began on the Night of Qadr. On the same date, 11 years later, the Battle of Badr took place. However, it is not known exactly which night of Ramadan this night fell on. There are some hadiths that say it was the 17th night, others report the 19th, others point to the 27th (Tafseer Ibn Jarir, 10:7).
The revelation of the first verses
It is authentically transmitted that the first verses sent down to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) are the initial verses of Surah A'lyak. According to Sahih Bukhari, Sayyida Aisha, razAllahu anha, reports that the first revelations came to our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in true dreams. This aroused in him a craving for solitude, worship and reflection.
During this period, he spent night after night in the cave of Hira and remained there in seclusion, devoting himself to worship until Allah sent an angel into the cave, and the first thing he said was: “ Read! The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) answered him: I can not read". The subsequent events were described by the Prophet himself (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
“The angel then squeezed me so hard that it was hard for me. Then he released me and again said: "READ". Again I replied that I could not read. Then he again squeezed me even harder than before, and let go, and said: "READ", - and I again answered that I could not read. He squeezed me a third time, then released me, saying: “Read [O Prophet] in the name of your Lord, Who created! He created man from a clot. Read! After all, your Lord is the Most Merciful, Who taught a person what he did not know before” (Sura Al-Alaq, verses 1-5 (96: 1-5)).
These were the first revealed verses. Then three years passed without revelations. This period is known as fatrat al-wahi (the stop of the Revelation). Only three years later, the angel Jibril, who visited the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the cave of Hira, appeared before him again between heaven and earth and read the verses from Surah Al-Muddassir. Since then, the process of revelation has been continued again.
Meccan and Medinan
You may have noticed in the titles of various surahs of the Qur'an that they refer to Meccan (Makki) or Medinan (Madani) suras. It is very important to understand what is behind these terms. Most mufassirs believe that the Meccan verse is the verse that was sent to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) before he arrived in Medina, making Hijra from Mecca. Others believe that the Meccan verses are those that were sent to Mecca, and the Medinan ones are those that were sent to Medina. However, most mufassirs consider this opinion to be incorrect, since there are several verses that were not sent in Makkah, but because they were sent down before the Hijra, are classified as Makkah. Thus, the verses that were revealed in the valley of Mina, at Arafat, during Mi'raj and even during the migration from Mecca to Medina are considered Meccan.
Similarly, there are many verses that were not received directly in Medina, but they are attributed to Medina. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made several trips after the Hijra, in which he drove hundreds of miles from Medina, but the verses received during these trips are attributed to Medina, even the verses descended in Mecca and its environs during the conquest of Mecca or The Khudabian truce is also referred to as Medina.
Thus, the verse:
“O you who believe! Allah commands you to justly return all the property of Allah or people entrusted to you to the owners ”(Sura“ An-Nisa’, ayat 58 (4:58)), —
attributed to Medina, although it was sent down in Mecca (Al-Burhan, 1:88; Manahil al-Irfan, 1:88).
There are suras that are wholly and completely related to Meccan or Medinan. For example, Surah Al-Muddassir is entirely Meccan, while Surah Aal Imran is entirely Medinan. But it also happens that some suras are entirely Meccan, but contain one or more Medinan verses. For example, Surah Al-A'raf is Meccan, but several of its verses are Medinan. On the contrary, Surah Al-Hajj is Medinan, but 4 verses from it are Meccan.
Therefore, it must be understood that the classification of suras into Meccan and Medinan is based on the origin of most of its verses, although in some cases the entire sura is considered Meccan because its initial verses were sent before the Hijra, although subsequent verses descended after (Manahil al-Irfan, 1 :192).
Signs of Meccan and Medinan verses
After a thorough analysis of the Meccan and Medinan suras, tafsir scholars have discovered a set of features that help determine whether a given sura is Meccan or Medinan. Some of the signs are universal, while others are more likely.
Universal:
1. Every sura in which the word كلّا (never) appears is Meccan. This word is used 33 times in 15 surahs, all of them in the second half of the Qur'an.
2. Each sura containing the ayat sajadatul-tilyawat is Meccan. This rule only applies if one follows the position of the Hanafis regarding the verses of prostration, since, according to this madhhab, there is no such verse in the Medina sura Al-Hajj. According to Imam Shafi'i, however, there is an ayat of prostration in this sura, therefore, according to the Shafi'i madhhab, this sura will be an exception to the rule.
3. Any sura, with the exception of the sura Al-Baqarah, which mentions the story of Adam and Iblis, is Meccan.
4. Any sura in which there is a resolution of jihad or a description of its prescriptions is Medina.
5. Any verse that mentions hypocrites is Medina. Note that the verses about the hypocrites in the Al-Ankabut sura are Medinan, although the entire sura is considered Meccan.
The following principles are general, and in most cases turn out to be true, but there are also exceptions to them:
1. In the Meccan suras, the form (meaning) “O people” is usually used as an address, while in the Medinan suras (meaning) “O those who believe!”
2. Meccan suras tend to be short and capacious, while Medinan suras are long and detailed.
3. Meccan suras usually touch upon such topics as the affirmation of the Unity of God, prophecy, the affirmation of That life, the events of the Resurrection, the words of consolation of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). And they also deal with events concerning previous peoples. The number of prescriptions and laws in these surahs is much less compared to the Medinan surahs, where family and social laws, war prescriptions, clarification of restrictions (hudud) and duties often appear.
4. The Meccan suras speak of confrontation with idolaters, while the Medinan suras speak of confrontation with the Ahlul-Kitab and hypocrites.
5. In the style of Meccan suras, there are more rhetorical devices, metaphors, similes, allegories along with an extensive vocabulary. The style of the Medinan suras, on the other hand, is comparatively simple.
This difference between Meccan and Medinan suras owes its origin to differences in setting, circumstances, and addressees. During the Meccan period of Islam, Muslims had to deal with pagan Arabs and there was no Islamic state yet. Thus, during this period, greater emphasis was placed on the correction of faith and belief, the reformation of morals, the logical refutation of the polytheists, and the divine nature of the Holy Qur'an.
On the other hand, an Islamic state was established in Medina. People came to Islam in droves. The polytheists were defeated on an intellectual level, and now the Muslims opposed, mainly, the People of the Book. As a result, more attention was given to education in the field of regulations, laws, restrictions and duties and the refutation of the Ahlul-Kitab. The style and method of speech was chosen accordingly (Manahil al-Irfan, 198-232).
The Gradual Revealing of the Quran
We have already said that the Holy Quran was not given to the Blessed Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) all of a sudden and in one go. On the contrary, it was transmitted in batches over a period of about 23 years. Sometimes Jibril, alayhi ssalaam, came with one verse or even a small part of the verse. At other times, several verses were reported at one time. The smallest part of the Qur'an transmitted at one time is غير أولى الضرر (Sura An-Nisa', verse 94 (4:94)), which forms part of a longer verse. On the other hand, the whole Surah Al-An'am was sent down at one time (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 2:122).
Why, instead of being reported at one time, was the Qur'an transmitted little by little? The polytheists of Arabia, accustomed to long speeches (odes) at one sitting, themselves asked this question to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). And Almighty Allah Himself took upon Himself the answer to this question:
« 32. Those who did not believe said, condemning the Qur'an: "Why was the Qur'an not sent down in full at one time?" Verily, We sent down the Qur'an in parts so that your heart would be strengthened in faith when you get to know it and memorize it by reading it in parts, or when Jibril reads to you in parts measuredly, slowly.
33. As soon as the unbelievers bring up some parable or object to you, We bring you the truth with a clear interpretation."(Sura Al-Furqan, verses 32-33 (25:32-33)).
Imam Razi, rahimahullah, gave several reasons why the Qur'an was revealed gradually in his tafsir of the above verse. Below - summary his words:
1. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not know how to write and read (ummi). If the Qur'an were revealed in one go, it would be difficult for him to memorize and document it. On the other hand, Sayyiduna Musa, alayhi ssalaam, was literate, so the Torah was revealed immediately as a complete scripture at a time.
2. If the entire Qur'an were revealed in its entirety at one time, then it would become obligatory to immediately observe all its precepts, which would be contrary to the wisdom of gradualism, which is one of the goals of Shariah.
3. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was tortured daily. The fact that Jibril, alayhi ssalaam, came, again and again bringing the words of the Holy Quran, helped him to withstand these torments and gave strength to his heart.
4. Most of the Qur'an is devoted to answering questions asked by people, while other parts are related to specific events. Thus, the revelation of these verses was timely at the time when these questions were asked or when these events took place. This increased the insight of Muslims, and when the Qur'an revealed what was secret, the Truth triumphed more strongly (Tafsir al-Kabir, 6:336).
Reasons for sending down
Qur'anic verses are divided into two types.
- The first type is the verses that Allah Almighty sent down on their own, and they did not appear due to some event and were not the answer to some question.
- The second type includes those verses that were sent down in connection with some occasion. These events or matters are often referred to as the "circumstances" or "reasons" for the revelation of these verses. In the terminology of the mufassirs, these circumstances or reasons are called asbabu-n-nuzul (literally, “reasons for sending down”).
For example, the following verse of Surah Al-Baqarah:
“A believer should not marry a polytheist until she believes (in the One God). A believing woman, being a slave, is better than a free idolater, possessing wealth and endowed with beauty, even if you like her ”(Sura Al-Baqarah, ayat 221 (2:221)).
This verse was revealed in connection with a certain event.
During the jahiliyah, our master Marsad ibn Abi Marsad al-Ghanawi (may Allah be pleased with him) had an affair with a woman named Anak. After he converted to Islam, he made the Hijra, while Anak remained in Mecca. Some time later, our master Marsad (may Allah be pleased with him) visited Makkah on business. Anak came to him, inviting him to commit a sin. He flatly refused her, saying:
Islam has come between me and you.
However, he wanted to marry her if the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) approved of it. Upon returning to Medina, Marsad (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for permission to marry this woman. Then this verse was sent down, and marriage with idolaters was forbidden (Asbab an-Nuzul - Vahidi 38).
This event is the sha'n or sabaab of the revelation of the verse above. The reasons for sending down the verses are very important for the interpretation of the Qur'an (for tafsir). There are many verses which cannot be understood correctly without knowing the circumstances of the revelation.
Before becoming a prophet, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) never said anything about the fact that a prophecy would be given to him or revelations would be sent down. And he never expected to encounter something like this. The first revelation came to him quite unexpectedly. This is very clear in the Quran:
“You did not expect that the Scripture would be sent down to you, but it was a mercy from your Lord” (al-Kasas 28/86).
The revelation of the Qur'an began on the Night of Destiny in Ramadan, when the Prophet Muhammad was forty years old (about 610) during his seclusion in the cave of Hira near Mecca.
It is transmitted from Aisha (radiyallahu anha): “The sending down of revelations to the Messenger of Allah began with a good vision in a dream, and whatever dream he had, it certainly came true like the morning dawn. Then a love of solitude was instilled in him, and he began to retire often in a cave on Mount Hira, where he engaged in pious deeds - which was expressed in the worship of Allah - for many nights, until he had a desire to return to his family. He usually took with him all the necessary supplies for this, and then returned to Khadija and took everything he needed for another such retreat. This went on until the truth suddenly appeared to him while he was in the cave (mountain) of Hira. An angel appeared to him and ordered: “Read!” - to which he replied: "I can not read!".
The Messenger of Allah said: “Then he took me and squeezed me so that I strained to the limit, and then he released me and again ordered: “Read!”. I said, "I can't read!" He squeezed me for the second time so that I again strained to the limit, and then let go and ordered: “Read!” - and I said again: "I can't read!" Then he squeezed me a third time, and then let go and said: “Read with the name of your Lord, who created, created man from a clot! Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous. He taught with a writing stick. He taught a man what he did not know.
The angel Jibril appeared to him for the first time in the form of a man. Such a conclusion can be drawn from the hadiths in which the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “He hugged me and squeezed tightly.”
Then, when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) returned from Mount Hira to his home, he again saw Jibril (alayhi salam), but this time Jibril covered the entire horizon with him.
It is narrated from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, that (one day) al-Harith bin Hisham, may Allah be pleased with him, asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and welcome him:
“O Messenger of Allah, how do revelations come to you?” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) replied: “Sometimes what comes to me is like the ringing of a bell, which is the most difficult for me, and when I assimilate what was said, it leaves me. Sometimes an angel appears before me in the form of a man and addresses me with his words, and I assimilate what he says.
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