When the Koran was sent down. The very first revelation sent down to Muhammad (ﷺ)

18:33 2018

Regarding which verse of the Holy Quran was revealed last, there are disagreements between scholars:

1. According to the majority of scholars, the last verse sent down is 281 verses of Surah Al-Baqarah:

“And beware of the punishment of that day [Day of Judgment] in which you will be returned to your lord; then each soul will be fully repaid for what she has gained [for all good and bad deeds], and they will not be oppressed and offended ”(Sura Al-Baqarah, 281).

This is reported by An-Nisa'i from Ibn Abbas and Saeed ibn Jubair (may Allah be pleased with them).

Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani writes the following about this: “The most reliable opinion about what was revealed last from the Qur'an is the opinion that it was (verse 281 of Surah Al-Baqarah):

وَاتَّقُوا يَوْماً تُرْجَعُونَ فِيهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ ثُمَّ تُوَفَّ 281

"And beware of the punishment of that day..."(Sura Al-Baqara, 281)." ("Fath Al-Bari").

In the interpretation of this verse, Muhammad Ali As-Sabuni also writes in the book Safwat at-tafasir: “This verse is the last that was sent down from the Qur'an. After it was sent down, the revelation (wahyu) was completely stopped. In it, Allah Almighty reminds His servants of that difficult and difficult day (Day of Judgment).

Ibn Kathir said: "This verse is the last that was sent down from the Holy Quran. After this verse was sent down, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) lived in this World for only nine days, after which he went to Allah Almighty "".

2. In accordance with another opinion, this was 278 verses of Surah Al-Baqarah:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَذَرُوا مَا بَق 278

“O you who believe! Beware of the punishment of Allah (by doing what He has commanded and avoiding what He has forbidden) and leave what is left of riba (growth), if you (truly) believe in Allah Almighty ”(Sura Al-Baqarah, 278).

This is narrated by Imam Bukhari from Abdullah Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them).

3. There is another opinion that it was 282 verses of Surah Al-Baqara:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا تَدَايَنْتُمْ بِدَيْنٍ إِلَ ى أَجَلٍ مُسَمّىً فَاكْتُبُوهَ ... البقرة :282

“O you who believe! When you give each other a loan for a certain period, then write it down [debt]. And let him write down what is between you in this matter, a just reliable scribe [who does not bow to either side] ... ”(Sura Al-Baqakra, 282).

This was reported by Ibn Jarir from Said ibn Musayyab (may Allah be pleased with him).

However, Imam As-Suyuti, in his book Al-Itkan, combined these three opinions and said: “In my opinion, there is no discrepancy between these opinions, according to which each of these three verses (278, 281 and 282 verses, Surah Al-Baqara ) is considered the last of what was revealed from the Qur'an. For it is obvious that all three verses (i.e., 278, 281 and 282 verses, suras Al-Baqarah) were sent down at one time in the order in which they are located in the Qur'an, and they deal with one general question. And each of the transmitters told a part of it, indicating that this particular part is the last that was sent down from the Holy Quran.

There are several more versions regarding the verse that was sent down last, of which it is worth highlighting the opinion according to which the last thing that was sent down from the Qur'an is considered to be the 3rd verse of Surah Al-Maida:

الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ ن ِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلامَ دِيناً المائدة : 3

“Today I (Allah) have completed (and perfected) your religion (and Shariah) for you, completed My grace for you (directing you to the Light of the True Faith) and I have chosen Islam as your religion and I am pleased that this religion is faith for you." (Sura Al-Maida, 3)

But, as Az-Zuhayli writes in his tafsir: “It is unacceptable that this verse be the last, for it was sent down, according to the unanimous opinion of scholars, on the day of Araf during the farewell hajj of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) before it was Sura An-Nasr and the aforementioned 281 verses of Sura Al-Baqarah have been sent down.

Chronology and circumstances of the revelation of the Qur'an

The Holy Quran is the word of Allah. Therefore, it is protected and preserved in the Preserved Tablet, which is spoken of in the Quran (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 Shaiba (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 greatness 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, apart from 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 (“Manahil-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 to 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 believed! Allah commands you to fairly return all the property of Allah or people entrusted to you to the owners" (Sura "An-Nisa', ayat 58 (4:58)), is referred to as Medinan, although he 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 completely Meccan, and Surah Aal Imran is completely 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 careful analysis of the Meccan and Medinan suras, tafsir scholars have discovered a set of features that help determine whether the Meccan or Medinan given surah. 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 sazhdatul-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 instructions 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, simila, allegories, along with 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, more 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 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 Koran 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, verse 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 - Wahidi 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.

The first five verses from Surah al-‘Alaq were sent down first. Allah Almighty said in them:
“Read in the name of your Lord, who created all things. He 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 al-‘Alaq, verses 1-5)
After that, the revelation stopped for a while, and then the first five verses from Surah al-Muddasir were sent down. In them Allah says:
"O wrapped up! Rise and exhort! Praise thy Lord! Cleanse your clothes! Avoid idols!" (Sura al-Muddasir, verses 1-5)
It is reported that the mother of the faithful ‘Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said in a long hadith about how the first revelation was sent down:
“... this continued until the truth was revealed to him when he was in a cave on Mount Hira. An angel appeared to him and ordered: “Read!” - to which he replied: “I can’t read!”. al-Bukhari, 3; Muslim, 160.

Then the first five verses from Surah al-‘Alaq were sent down. It is also reported that Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
“Once I was walking along the road and suddenly I heard a voice from the sky. I raised my head and saw an angel appearing to me in a cave on Mount Hira, sitting on a throne between heaven and earth. I got scared of him, came back home and said: “Cover me, cover me!” - after which Allah Almighty sent down the verses, which said:
“O wrapped up! Arise and exhort, and magnify your Lord, and cleanse your clothes, and avoid filth ... ”” al-Bukhari, 4; Muslim, 161.
It is also reported that Abu Salama ibn ‘Abdu-r-Rahman asked Jabir:
"Which of the Qur'an was revealed first?" Jabir replied: “These are the verses: “O wrapped up!…”” Then Abu Salamah said: “But I was told that the verses were sent down first. “Read in the name of your Lord, who created all things…” Jabir replied: “I only told you what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said. He said: “I stayed for some time in a cave on Mount Hira, and then began to descend from there ...””. And at the end of the hadith it is said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I said to Khadija:“ Cover me and pour over cold water". And then the verses were revealed to me: "O wrapped up! Rise and exhort! Praise thy Lord! Cleanse your clothes! Avoid idols!" al-Bukhari, 4924; Muslim, 161.
Jabir said that the verses from Surah al-Muddasir were sent down first, meaning that they were sent down first after the break that occurred in the revelation, or he meant that these verses were sent down first after after the prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has already become a messenger. After all, after sending down the first five verses from the al-‘Alaq surah, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) became a prophet, and after sending down the verses from the al-Muddasir surah, he became a messenger. Therefore, the scholars say: “Allah made him a prophet by sending down the verse “Read!”, and made him a messenger by sending down the verse “O wrapped up!”.

Two types of revelation of the Qur'an

The revelation of the Quran is divided into two types:
1 - Sending down an verse without any reason - (ابتدائي) that is, there was no obvious reason for sending down this verse. This is how most of the verses of the Qur'an were revealed. For example, the words of the Almighty:
“Among them are those who promised Allah: “If He gives us from His bounty, then we will certainly begin to distribute alms and be one of the righteous.” (Sura at-Tauba, verse 75)
There was no clear reason for this verse to be sent down. It simply speaks of the position of some hypocrites. As for the fact that in some tafsirs it is written in a long story that this verse was sent down because of Sa'lab ibn Khatib, this story was mentioned by many interpreters of the Qur'an and it is told by many preachers, but it is unreliable.
2 - The revelation of the verse for any reason - (سببي) that is, before the revelation of the verse, something happened, and then because of this event, the Koran was revealed. The reasons may be different. For example, any question that Allah answered. As, for example, Allah says: “They ask you about the new moons. Say: "They determine the intervals for the people and the Hajj." (Sura al-Baqara, verse 189)
There could also be some event that needed clarification or warning.
“If you ask them, they will certainly say: “We were just chatting and having fun.” Say: “Have you mocked Allah, His verses and His Messenger? Do not apologize. You became disbelievers after you believed.” (Sura at-Tauba, verses 65-66) These verses were sent down regarding one of the hypocrites. During the march to Tabuk he said: “We have not seen big gluttons, liars and more cowardly in battle than these readers of the Koran”, referring to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his companions reciting the Qur'an. This reached the prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the verses descended, and this hypocrite came to the prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to apologize. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) answered him: “Have you mocked Allaah, His verses and His Messenger?” See Tafsir ibn Kathir, 2/368; "Tafsir al-Tabari", 10/172.
Also, the verses were sent down due to some event, the position (hukm) of which people should have known.
For example, the words of Allah:
“Allah has already heard the words of a woman who entered into an argument with you about her husband and complained to Allah. Allah heard your dispute, because Allah is Hearing, Seeing. Those of you who declare your wives forbidden to you speak words that are reprehensible and deceitful. Their wives are not their mothers, because their mothers are only the women who gave birth to them. Verily, Allah is Forgiving, Forgiving. Those who declare their wives forbidden to themselves, and then recant, must free one slave before they touch each other. By this you are admonished, and Allah is Aware of what you do. If anyone fails to do this, then he must fast for two months without a break before they touch each other. And whoever is not capable of this, he must feed sixty poor people. This is done so that you believe in Allah and His Messenger. Such are the limits of Allah, and for the unbelievers there is a painful torment.” (Sura al-Mujadala, verses 1-4)

Benefits of knowing the reasons for the revelation of verses: Knowing the reasons for the revelation of the verses is very important, since many benefits follow from this.
First benefit:
An explanation that the Qur'an was sent down from Allah Almighty, since the prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked certain questions, and sometimes he did not answer them himself, waiting for a revelation from Allah Almighty. It also happened that the prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not know about any event until the revelation descended.
For example, the words of Allah Almighty:
“They will ask you about the soul. Say: “The soul came into being by the command of my Lord. You are given very little to know about it.” (Sura al-Isra, verse 85)
Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
- Once, when we, together with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), leaning on a bare palm branch, were walking through the ruins of Medina, we met a group of Jews. Some of them began to say to others, "Ask him about the spirit," and some others said, "Don't ask him, for whatever he says, you won't like it!" Others said: “We will definitely ask him!” whereupon one of them stood up and asked: "O Abu-l-Qasim, what is a spirit?" The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) remained silent, and I said to myself: “He is being sent down a revelation,” and stood between him and the Jews so that they would not interfere with him, when the revelation was over, he said: “And they will ask you about the spirit. Say: "The Spirit is from the command of my Lord, but you have been given only a little knowledge." al-Bukhari, 125; Muslim, 2794.
Another example is the verse:
"They say, 'When we return to Medina, the mighty among us will surely drive out the lowly ones from there.'" (Sura al-Munafiqun, verse 8)
Zayd bin Arkam (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
“I took part in one of the military campaigns and heard how ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul (the head of the hypocrites) said: “Do not waste anything on those who are with the Messenger of Allah until they run away from him. Verily, when we return to Medina, the mighty ones will certainly drive out the despicable ones from there!”
And I conveyed these words to my uncle (or: ‘Umar), who, in turn, conveyed them to the prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. He called me to him, and I told him about everything, after which the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, sent for 'Abdullah Ibn Ubayy and his companions, who swore that they did not say this, and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him Allah and salutes, did not believe me and believed 'Abdullah and his companions. Because of this, I was seized with a sadness that I had never felt before. I was sitting at home, and my uncle said to me: “You only wanted to ensure that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, considered you a liar and hated you!” - but then Allah Almighty sent down a sura, beginning with that ayat, which says: “When the hypocrites come to you ...”, as for the prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, he sent for me, read this sura, and then said: “Indeed, Allah has proven you right, O Zayd!” al-Bukhari, 4900; Muslim, 2772.
Second benefit:
Understanding how Allah took care of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and protected him. An example of this is the words of Allah Almighty: “The unbelievers said: “Why was the Qur'an not sent down to him in full at one time?” We did this to strengthen your heart with it, and we explained it in the most beautiful way. (Sura al-Furqan, verse 32)
Also, as an example, one can cite the verses revealed after people accused Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) of adultery. Allah Almighty sent down verses to protect the prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and cleanse him of what the liars tried to pollute him with.
Third benefit:
Understanding the care of Almighty Allah for His servants, as He dispelled the grief of believers and helped them in difficult situations. An example is the ayat of tayamum. It is reported that the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 'Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: “Once, when we, together with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, set out on a journey and reached Baida (or : Zat al-Jaisha), my necklace thread broke. Upon learning of this, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stopped to look for him, and the people who were with him did the same. There was no water in these places, and some people who participated in the campaign came to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and said to him: “Don’t you see what ‘Aisha did? She forced the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and (all other) people who did not have water with them to linger in a waterless area! greets, woke up and it turned out that no one had water, Allah sent down an ayat about cleansing with sand (tayyamum), after which people performed such cleansing. As for Usayd bin Hudair, he exclaimed: “O family of Abu Bakr! This is not the first blessing sent down to you!” al-Bukhari, 334; Muslim, 367.

Fourth benefit:
If a person knows the reason for sending down the verse, then he will be able to correctly understand it. An example is the words of Allah Almighty:
“Verily, as-Safa and al-Marwa are one of the ritual signs of Allah. Whoever makes a hajj to the Kaaba or a small pilgrimage, he will not commit a sin if he passes between them. (Sura al-Baqara, verse 158) And the words “he will not commit a sin if he passes between them” as if they indicate that this rite is neither desirable nor obligatory (mubah). It was narrated from 'Asim ibn Sulaiman who asked: "I asked Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) about as-Safa and al-Marua, and he replied:" We considered that this was from the affairs of the jahiliyyah, so when he came Islam, we left this rite. But Allah Almighty sent down: “Verily, as-Safa and al-Marwa are one of the ritual signs of Allah…” Muslim, 1278. Therefore, the verse was sent down not to point out the ruling (hukm) of this rite, but to point out the wrongness of its abandonment, since they considered it to be from the affairs of jahiliyyah.

It is also reported that ‘Urwa, may Allah Almighty have mercy on him, said:
- Once I turned to 'Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, with the question: "What can you say about the words of Allah Almighty" Verily, as-Safa and al-Marwa are from among the rites of Allah, and therefore for those who perform Hajj or Hajj to the House die there is no sin in going around them. And whoever does good of his own free will, let him not doubt that, verily, Allah is Thankful, Knowing””? I swear by Allah, this can be understood in such a way that there will be no sin on the one who does not go around as-Safa and al-Marwa. In response, ‘Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: “How bad is what you said, O nephew! If your interpretation of this verse were correct, it would say: “There is no sin in not bypassing them,” but this verse refers to the Ansar, and before becoming Muslims, they performed the Hajj for the sake of the idol Manat, nicknamed The “mistress”, whom they worshiped at the mountain al-Mushallal, and at the same time, the one who entered the state of ihram for the sake of this idol considered it sinful to go around as-Safa and al-Marwa. When they accepted Islam, they asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and they said about this: “O Messenger of Allah, verily, we have always avoided bypassing as-Safa and al-Marwa as a sin,” and then Allah Almighty sent down ayat, which says: “Verily, as-Safa and al-Marwa are from among the rites of Allah ...” 'Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, also said: Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and no one should refuse it! Al-Bukhari, 1643.

Meccan and Medinan verses

The Koran was sent down to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in parts for 23 years. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) spent most of this time in Mecca. Allah Almighty said:
“We divided the Qur'an so that you read it to people slowly. We sent it down in parts." (Sura al-Isra, verse 106)
Therefore, the scholars divided the verses into two parts:
1 - Meccan verses - (المكي)) are the verses sent down to the prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) before his relocation (hijra) to Medina.
2 - Medina verses - (المدني)- these are the verses sent down to the prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) after his relocation (hijra) to Medina.
Based on this, we can parse the verse:
“Today, for your sake, I have perfected your religion, completed My mercy on you, and approved Islam as your religion.” (Sura al-Maida, verse 3)
This verse refers to the Medinan verses (as it was sent down after the migration), despite the fact that it was sent down on Arafat (that is, not in Medina) in the farewell Hajj. ‘Umar said: “We know this day and the place where this ayat was sent down to the prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. It was Friday when he stood at Arafat. al-Bukhari, 45; Muslim, 3015.
How to distinguish the Meccan verses from the Medinan ones?
You can distinguish them in two ways:
1 - Style (method, method) - (الأسلوب) most often in the Meccan verses there is a harsh style and strict treatment, because most of those to whom these verses are addressed are arrogant and turn away. They could only be contacted in this way. For example, you can read the suras "al-Muddasir" (No. 74) and "al-Qamar" (No. 54).
As for the Medinan verses, they most often use mild treatment, because most of those to whom these verses are addressed accept the truth and obey it. For example, you can read the sura "al-Maida" (No. 5).
Also, among the Meccan verses, short verses in which strong arguments are given, because most of those to whom these verses are addressed are stubborn people. Allah Almighty treats them as they deserve. For example, you can read Surah at-Tur (No. 52).
As for the Medinan verses, they are most often long. They mention rulings (ahkams). For example, you can read the verse about debt from Surah al-Baqarah (ayat 282).
2 - Subject (subject under consideration) - (الموضوع)
- Most often, the Meccan verses affirm monotheism (tawhid) and correct belief (‘aqidu), namely monotheism in worship (tawhid al-uluhiyya) and faith in the Resurrection, because most of those to whom these verses are addressed denied these things.
As for the Medinan verses, they most often explain different kinds worship and relations between people, because the majority of those to whom these verses are addressed have already firmly understood monotheism and the correct belief.
Also, the Medina verses speak of jihad, its rulings, as well as the situation of hypocrites, since jihad was legalized in Medina, and hypocrisy became obvious.
Why was the Qur'an sent down in parts?
There is a lot of wisdom in this:
First, Allah Almighty strengthened the heart of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Allah Almighty said:
“The unbelievers said: “Why was the Qur’an not sent down to him in full at one time?” We did this (that is, sent it down in parts) to strengthen your heart with it, and we explained it in the most beautiful way. Whatever parable they brought to you (to lead people astray from the path of Allah), We revealed to you the truth and best interpretation". (Sura al-Furqan, verses 32-33)
Secondly, the Qur'an was sent down in parts so that people could easily memorize it, understand it and act in accordance with it. Allah Almighty said: “We divided the Qur'an so that you read it to people slowly. We sent it down in parts." (Sura al-Isra, verse 106)
Thirdly, Allah Almighty awakened fervor in the believers so that they acted in accordance with the Qur'an. The people waited in grief until the following verses descended to them.
Fourthly, shari‘ah was sent down gradually and eventually reached perfection. An example is the verses about the prohibition of alcohol, to which people are accustomed and love. Therefore, it was difficult for people to immediately give up alcohol, and at first Allah Almighty said:
"They ask you about wine and gambling Oh. Say: "They have big sin, but there is also a benefit for people, although there is more sin in them than good. (Sura al-Baqarah, verse 219) This verse prepares people to accept the prohibition of alcohol in the future. Man of sense he will immediately understand that it is not worth approaching that, the sin of which is greater than the benefit.
Then the verse was sent down for the second time: “O you who believe! Do not approach prayer while drunk until you understand what you are saying. (Sura an-Nisa, ayat 43) Almighty Allah ordered people to stop drinking alcohol during the periods of prayers. Then for the third time it was sent down: “O you who believe! Verily, intoxicants, gambling, stone altars (or idols), and divining arrows are the abominable acts of Satan. Stay away from her, you may be successful. Indeed, Satan wants to sow enmity and hatred among you with the help of intoxicating drinks and gambling and turn you away from the remembrance of Allah and prayer. Won't you stop? Obey Allah, obey the Messenger and beware! But if you turn away, then know that only the clear transmission of the revelation is entrusted to Our Messenger.” (Sura al-Maida, verses 90-92) In this verse came an absolute ban on the use of alcoholic beverages, as the souls of people have already prepared for this.

Sequence (tartib) of the Qur'an

It is about reading the Qur'an in order, as it is written and learned by people. There are three topics to consider here:

1 - The sequence of words in the Qur'an - it is imperative to read the words in the verses in order, it is forbidden to rearrange them, reading them in some other way. For example, Allah Almighty says:

﴾ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿

"Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds." (Sura al-Fatiha, verse 2)
It is forbidden to read this verse:

(لله الحمد رب العالمين)

"Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds."

2 - Sequence of verses in the Qur'an -
according to a more reliable opinion, it is imperative to read the verses in the suras in order, it is forbidden to change their places, reading it somehow differently. For example, Allah Almighty says:

﴾ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ (3) مَالِكِ يَوْمِ ﴿

"To the Gracious, the Merciful, the Lord of the Day of Retribution!" (Sura al-Fatiha, verses 3-4)
It is forbidden to read this verse:

(مالك يوم الدين الرحمن الرحيم)

"Lord of the Day of Retribution! Merciful, Merciful."

It came from Imam al-Bukhari from ‘Abdullah ibn Zubayr that he spoke with ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding the words of Allah Almighty:
“If any of you dies and leaves behind wives, then they must bequeath them to be provided for for one year and not be driven away.” (Sura al-Baqara, verse 240)

And this verse was annulled by another verse: "If any of you dies and leaves behind wives, then they must wait four months and ten days." (Sura al-Baqara, verse 234) ‘Abdullah ibn Zubayr asked:
“Why did you put the annulling ayat before the one to be annulled?” ‘Uthman replied: “O son of my brother! I left everything the way it came." al-Bukhari, 4530.
It is also reported from the words of ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him),
that sometimes the prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent down several verses from different suras and he called those who wrote down the verses, saying to them: “Put this verse in that sura that says such and such.” Ahmad, 399; Abu Dawud, 786; an-Nasai in Sunan al-Kubra, 8007; at-Tirmidhi, 3086.
3 - Sequence of suras in the Qur'an -
The order of the suras in the Qur'an is established by ijtihad and is not obligatory when reading. Hudhaifa ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
that he prayed with the prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) one of the nights. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited Surah al-Baqarah (No. 2), then Surah An-Nisa (No. 4), and then Surah Ali ‘Imran (No. 3). Narrated by Muslim, 772.
Also narrated by al-Bukhari in the form /mu‘allaq/ from Ahnaf that
he read in the first rak'ah sura al-Kahf (No. 18), and in the second - sura Yusuf (No. 12) or sura Yunus (No. 10). He also mentioned that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab did the same in the morning prayer.
Sheikh ul-Islam ibn Taymiyyah said: “It is permitted to read this surah before that one, and it is also permitted to write them in that order. Therefore, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) had a different order of suras in the scrolls, but then they converged in the order of suras during the reign of 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and this became the sunnah of the righteous caliphs, and we have a hadith, in which says that their Sunnah must be followed.

Sheikh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen

[may Allah have mercy on him]

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Merciful!

Usulu fi-t-Tafsir" Sheikh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy on him.

Translation into Russian of one of the most useful books about the holy Quran for a beginner Muslim. At the beginning of the book, it is said about how the Book of Allah was sent down, about what was sent down first, about the reasons for sending down some verses, about Meccan and Madinan suras, about writing the Qur'an and memorizing it, about the collection of the Qur'an at the time of Abu Bakr and Umar (yes Allah will be pleased with them).
The second part talks about how the scholars explained the Qur'an, what they relied on when they wrote their tafsirs, talks about some disagreements in the understanding of the verses.
Then the sheikh tells about the translation of the Qur'an into various languages, what is the ruling regarding this.
Then biographies of famous interpreters of the Qur'an from among the companions and those who followed them are given.
Then it talks about clear verses (mukhkam), as well as those verses that may be incomprehensible to some people. What is the wisdom of this?
At the end of the book, it talks about the oaths that are mentioned in the Qur'an and about the parables (qassas) that Allah Almighty brought.

5 Dhul Qa'ada, 1433 AH.

Holy Quran

Sharia meaning of the word « القرآن » /Quran/- these are the words of Almighty Allah, which were sent down to His messenger, the last of the prophets - Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). This Qur'an begins with a sura <<аль-Фатиха>> and ends with a harsh <<ан-Нас>> Allah Almighty said:
"Indeed, We have sent down the Qur'an to you in parts." (Sura al-Insan, verse 23) And also: “Verily, We have sent it down in the form of the Qur’an on Arabic so that you can understand it." (Sura Yusuf, verse 2)
Allah Almighty protected this Great Quran from changes, additions and subtractions. Allah Almighty Himself took upon Himself the safety of this Book, saying:
"Indeed, We sent down the Reminder, and We guard it." (Sura al-Hijr, verse 9)
Many centuries have passed, and whoever of the enemies of Allah would not try to change anything in this Book, add or subtract anything, Allah will certainly disgrace them and reveal their deed.
Allah Almighty described this Book with many qualities that indicate its greatness, grace (baraka), the traces that it leaves, and the fact that it has absorbed everything. This Book is the judge of all the Scriptures that have been sent down before it.
Allah Almighty said:
“We have given you seven oft-repeated (surahs or verses) and the great Quran.” (Sura al-Hijr, verse 87)

And: "By the Glorious Qur'an!" (Sura Qaf, verse 1)
Allah Almighty also said:
“This is a blessed Scripture which We have sent down to you, so that they may meditate on its verses, and so that those who have understanding may remember the admonition.” (Sura Sad, verse 29)

And also: “This is the blessed Scripture which We have sent down. Follow him and be God-fearing, and then you will have mercy.” (Sura al-An'am, verse 155)

And : "Verily, this is a noble Qur'an." (Sura al-Waqi'a, verse 77)

And: "Indeed, this Qur'an points to the most correct path." (Sura al-Isra, 9)
Allah Almighty also said:
“If We had sent down this Quran on a mountain, you would have seen how it humbly splits for fear of Allah. Such parables We bring to people in order that they might think. (Sura al-Hashr, verse 21)

And also: “When a sura is sent down, then among them is one who says: “Whose faith has become stronger from this?” As for those who believe, their faith is strengthened by this, and they rejoice. And as for those whose hearts are afflicted with disease, this adds doubt to their doubt, and therefore they will die unbelievers. (Sura at-Tauba, verses 124-125)

And also: "(Say:)" This Qur'an was given to me as a revelation, so that I would warn you and those to whom it reaches by means of it. (Sura al-An'am, verse 19)

And: “Therefore, disobey the unbelievers and wage with them through it (the Qur'an) a great jihad (that is, jihad by argument and proof). (Sura al-Furqan, verse 52)
Allah Almighty also said: “We have sent down to you the Scripture for the clarification of all things, as a guide to straight path mercy and good tidings for Muslims." (Sura an-Nahl, verse 89)
Allah Almighty also said: “We have sent down to you the Scripture with the truth, in confirmation of the former Scriptures, and so that it bears witness to them. Judge them according to what Allah has revealed." (Sura al-Maida, verse 48)
This noble Qur'an is the basis of the Islamic Shari'ah. Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was sent with him to all people.

Allah Almighty said:
“Blessed is He Who sent down to His servant the Discrimination (Quran), so that he becomes a warning warner for the worlds.” (Sura al-Furqan, verse 1)

And also: “We have sent down the Scripture to you so that you lead people, with the permission of their Lord, from darkness to light - to 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, verses 1-2)
The Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is also the basis of Shari'ah, for this was confirmed by the Quran itself. Allah Almighty said:
“Whoever submits to the Messenger submits to Allah. And if anyone turns away, then We did not send you as their guardian. (Sura an-Nisa, verse 80)

And: “And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has fallen into obvious error.” (Sura al-Ahzab, verse 36)

And: “Take what the Messenger has given you and avoid what he has forbidden you.” (Sura al-Hashr, verse 7)

And also: “Say: “If you love Allah, then follow me, and then Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, because Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (Sura Ali Imran, verse 31)

Sending down the Quran

The first time the Quran was sent down on the Night of Destiny in the month of Ramadan. Allah Almighty said:
"Indeed, We sent down it (the Qur'an) on the Night of Destiny." (Sura al-Qadr, verse 1)

And also: “We sent it down on a blessed night, and We warn. All wise deeds are decided in it.” (Sura ad-Duhan, verses 2-3)

And also: "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)
When the Qur'an first came down, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was forty years old, according to the better known opinion of the possessors of knowledge. This opinion is transmitted from ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), ‘Ata (ibn Abi Rabah), Sa‘id ibn al-Museyyib and others. This is the age when a person reaches prudence (maturity), perfect reason and understanding.
Jibril descended from Allah Almighty to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) with the Koran. Jibril is one of the closest, honored angels. Allah Almighty said about the Quran:
“Verily, this is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. The Faithful Spirit (Jibril) descended with him on your heart so that you become one of those who warn. It was sent down in clear Arabic." (Sura Ash-Shu'ara, verses 192-195)
Jibril (peace be upon him) is described as praised and great qualities. Among them: generosity, power, closeness to Allah Almighty, fidelity, beautiful appearance and purity from any lack. He has a high place and honor among other angels. Through all these qualities, Jibril deserved to be a messenger to the messengers of Allah.

Allah Almighty said:
"These are the words of a noble messenger, possessor of power under the Lord of the Throne, mighty, who is obeyed there (in heaven), entrusted." (Sura at-Takuir, verses 19-21)

And also: “He taught him (Muhammad) possessing mighty strength and excellent constitution. He ascended to the highest horizon." (Sura an-Najm, verses 5-7)

And also: "Say that the Holy Spirit (Jibril) brought it (the Qur'an) from your Lord with the truth to strengthen those who believe, and also as a guide and good news for Muslims." (Sura an-Nahl, verse 102)
In these verses, Allah Almighty told us about the qualities of Jibril. Jibril descended with the Quran from Allah Almighty. This indicates the greatness of the Qur'an, as one who is great is only sent with something great.

The first thing that was sent down from the Qur'an

The first five verses from Surah al-‘Alaq were sent down first. Allah Almighty said in them:
“Read in the name of your Lord, who created all things. He 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 al-‘Alaq, verses 1-5)
After that, the revelation stopped for a while, and then the first five verses from Surah al-Muddasir were sent down. In them Allah says:
"O wrapped up! Rise and exhort! Praise thy Lord! Cleanse your clothes! Avoid idols!" (Sura al-Muddasir, verses 1-5)
It is reported that the mother of the faithful ‘Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said in a long hadith about how the first revelation was sent down:
“... this continued until the truth was revealed to him when he was in a cave on Mount Hira. An angel appeared to him and ordered: “Read!” - to which he replied: “I can’t read!”. al-Bukhari, 3; Muslim, 160.

Then the first five verses from Surah al-‘Alaq were sent down. It is also reported that Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
“Once I was walking along the road and suddenly I heard a voice from the sky. I raised my head and saw an angel appearing to me in a cave on Mount Hira, sitting on a throne between heaven and earth. I got scared of him, came back home and said: “Cover me, cover me!” - after which Allah Almighty sent down the verses, which said:
“O wrapped up! Arise and exhort, and magnify your Lord, and cleanse your clothes, and avoid filth ... ”” al-Bukhari, 4; Muslim, 161.
It is also reported that Abu Salama ibn ‘Abdu-r-Rahman asked Jabir:
"Which of the Qur'an was revealed first?" Jabir replied: “These are the verses: “O wrapped up!…”” Then Abu Salamah said: “But I was told that the verses were sent down first. “Read in the name of your Lord, who created all things…” Jabir replied: “I only told you what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said. He said: “I stayed for some time in a cave on Mount Hira, and then began to descend from there ...””. And at the end of the hadith it is said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I said to Khadija:“ Cover me and pour cold water over me. And then the verses were revealed to me: "O wrapped up! Rise and exhort! Praise thy Lord! Cleanse your clothes! Avoid idols!" al-Bukhari, 4924; Muslim, 161.
Jabir said that the verses from Surah al-Muddasir were sent down first, meaning that they were sent down first after the break that occurred in the revelation, or he meant that these verses were sent down first after after the prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has already become a messenger. After all, after sending down the first five verses from the al-‘Alaq surah, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) became a prophet, and after sending down the verses from the al-Muddasir surah, he became a messenger. Therefore, the scholars say: “Allah made him a prophet by sending down the verse “Read!”, and made him a messenger by sending down the verse “O wrapped up!”.

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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 - to 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 cover you with shame, 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 Jahiliyya (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 teaching on sending down the Qur'an", p. 115.) Also, as an example, one can cite the verses sent down after people accused Aisha (radiallahu "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 Mecca 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 of 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.

The Almighty sent down the Holy Quran as an edification and a guiding star to all people in this world. The righteous path, which is marked by success both in this life and on the Day of Judgment, is based on faith in the One Lord.

In the Qur'an, believers can find the fundamental rules and principles that their lives must comply with in order to comprehend the contentment of the Creator. At the same time, sending down new verses to people Holy Scripture, Allah was guided solely by his own will and was not limited by any framework.

We do not have access to the true reasons for sending down a large number verses. However, there are those who know the circumstances that preceded the revelation, and in some cases they are indicated in the Book itself.

In the Qur'anic sciences there is a special term that characterizes the reasons for sending down - "sabab (in plural"asbab") un-nuzul". Literally, this expression is translated as “the reason for sending down.” But the word "nuzul" is often understood as the very Revelation of the Almighty - the Holy Quran. In general, the reason for sending down is some question, a historical event that caused the appearance of an ayat or a whole sura.

Reasons for sending down are available only for those verses that were directly related to certain events during the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). That is why we do not know the true reasons for the appearance of the verses, which tell about the life of the previous prophets and messengers of Allah. The same applies, for example, to Surah Elephant, which tells about the punishment the Almighty sent to the army of the Ethiopian ruler. The arrival of his army on elephants to Mecca was not the reason for sending down the 105th sura of the Holy Quran, but served only as an edification:

“Have you not seen what your Lord has done to the owners of the elephant? Did He not confuse their wiles and send flocks of birds upon them? They threw stones of baked clay at them and turned them into the likeness of corroded withered cereal leaves” (105:1-5)

Part of the information can be found in the hadiths of the Final Messenger of God (S.G.V.), as well as various historical sources that contain stories of the companions of the Prophet (S.G.V.). Knowledge of such reasons allows Muslims to better understand the true meaning of the Qur'anic text, which, ultimately, serves to strengthen faith and increase the piety of a person. In addition, it is important to bring arguments against possible attacks on religion, which periodically occur from a variety of forces.

In the context of studying the reasons for sending down, the principle of reliability of transmitters of information about a particular event plays an important role. It rests on two basic rules:

1) the chain of transmitters (isnad) should lead to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) or to one of the Sahaba;

2) there are at least two truthful evidence of why the verse or sura was sent down.

Let us give some examples of the reasons for sending down.

1. Historical event

The Messenger of the Almighty (s.g.v.) called his fellow tribesmen from Mecca after the verse from the sura "Poets" was sent down, which says:

"Warn your next of kin!" (26:214)

He turned to them and asked: “If I were to tell you now that on the other side of this hill there are enemies preparing to attack you, would you believe me?” The people replied that they certainly would have believed it, since Muhammad (S.A.W.) before the beginning of his prophetic mission was respected by almost all Meccans for his honesty. After that, the Final Messenger of the Almighty (LGV) declared that all people are under the threat of serious punishment if they do not stop committing excesses and do not believe in the unity of the Creator. After that, Abu Lahab began to pronounce curses on the Prophet (s.g.v.), not believing his words. Following this, a sura was sent down:

“May the hands of Abu Lahab wither, and he himself has already perished. Wealth did not help him, and he did not gain anything. He will fall into the fiery Fire. His wife will carry firewood, and around her neck will be a braided rope of palm fibers” (111:1-5)

2. Question

Once, a woman approached the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and complained about her husband, who did not want to have sex with her because of her age. As an excuse, he stated that the woman was suitable for him as a mother. After that, the Creator sent down the first two verses of the sura:

“Allah has already heard the words of a woman who entered into an argument with you about her husband and complained to Allah. Allah heard your dispute, because Allah is Hearing, Seeing. Those of you who declare your wives forbidden to you speak words that are reprehensible and deceitful. Their wives are not their mothers, because their mothers are only the women who gave birth to them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving, Forgiving” (58:1-2).