Asbāb al-Nuzūl

Asbāb al-Nuzū

Alī ibn Ahmad al-Wāhidī

Series Editor’s Introduction and Foreword

The Great Tafsirs of the Holy Qur’an project (www.altafsir.com) of the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, Amman, Jordan (www.aalalbayt.org) is pleased to make available for the first time ever in English translation one of the most significant works in the branch of the Qur’anic sciences (‘ulum al-Qur’an) known as “asbab al-nuzul” — the occasions, reasons, and contexts for the Revelation of the Holy Qur’an. The present work by ‘Ali ibn Ahmad al-Wahidi, (d. 468/1075) Asbab al-Nuzul is the earliest and best-known representative work of this genre. For most of the Qur’an, the exact occasions and contexts of Revelation were not preserved in the historical record. However, for those that have been, the original context of the revelation of a particular verse of the Qur’an will aid the reader in better understanding the historical context of the revelation and the issues that confronted the Prophet Muhammad and the nascent Muslim community. Such issues as the relations between Muhammad and the Jews and Christians are highlighted herein. The reader will also discover details about the relationship of Muhammad to various individuals such as from among the Companions and Followers, groups and tribes such as the Aws and Khazraj, and also to the Ummah which give insight into his prophetic mission, his personal qualities and attributes — such as his exemplary humility and generosity, his relationship to his enemies, his conduct of war, how he dealt with false allegations of infidelity against his favourite wife ‘A’ishah, to cite but a few examples.

Muslims and non-Muslims are often not aware of the occasions of the revelation of the verses when they quote verses from the Qur’an. Thus, this leads to a situation whereby verses are quoted out of context, and misapplied in order to justify violent and inhuman acts in the name of Islam. It is often suggested by those who have little or no understanding of Qur’anic exegesis that what is required is a reinterpretation of the Qur’an to meet the demands of the 21st century. Rather, it is knowledge of the history of the Qur’an’s interpretation coupled with an understanding of contemporary social and political issues which contribute to a better-informed understanding. In other words, the most pressing need as with any religious tradition or scripture, is to understand the fundamental sources particular to that tradition. Asbab al-Nuzul along with other works that appear in the Great Tafsirs series will elucidate the meanings of the Qur’anic verses.

Notwithstanding the translator Mokrane Guezzou’s scholarly critical assessment of Asbab al-Nuzul, he concludes with a positive affirmation of al-Wahidi’s work and its importance to Islamic learning. Moreover, the single volume length makes this an indispensable reference for students and scholars of Islamic and religious studies, and for those who have a particular interest in the Qur’anic sciences.

Mokrane Guezzou also undertook the translation of the second volume of the series, Ibn Abbas’s

(attrib.) Tanwir al-Miqbas fi Tafsir Ibn ‘Abbas.

Forthcoming titles in this series include Sahl al-Tustari’s Tafsir, Osman Bakar’s Scientific Commentary on the Qur’an, Kashani’s Ta’wilat, Baydawi’s Tafsir, Qushayri’s Lata’if al-Isharat, Nasafi’s Tafsir, Tabari’s Tafsir, and Fakhr al-Din al-Razi’s Great Tafsir (Mafatih al-Ghayb).

Yousef Waleed Meri Series Editor Amman, Jordan

24 Jumada I 1428/ 10 June 2007

Introduction

The Qur’an is the heart and soul of Islam. It is the ultimate and uncontested authority in the worldview of Islam which decides truth from falsehood and right from wrong.1 Everything that is Islamic has its origin in or takes inspiration from the Qur’an, whether it is a question of norms of daily life, tenets of faith, law or spirituality. The firm idea that the Qur’an is Islam’s normative text is not a belated conclusion that Muslim apologetics had awoken to or accredited their sacred Book with late in history. This is echoed time and again in the Glorious Qur’an itself: (The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind, and a clear proof of the guidance and the Criterion (of right and wrong)…) [II:185], (And We reveal of the Qur’an that which is healing and a mercy for believers…) [XXVII:82], (Lo! This Qur’an guideth unto that which is straightest…) [XXVII:9]. This same firm conviction is also reiterated in many traditions of the Prophet of Islam, God’s blessings and peace be upon him. In one of these traditions he is reported to have said at the farewell pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada‘), at the end of his sermon: “I have left with you two things which, if you were to adhere to them, you will never err: the Book of Allah and my practice”.2 In another tradition, Imam ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib also reported that the Prophet said: “[…] The Book of Allah contains the narrations of nations that have come before you and the news of nations that will come after you as it is the ultimate judgment between you […]. Whoever seeks guidance in other than it, Allah will send him astray. It is God’s firm Rope, the Wise Remembrance and the Straight Path […]. Its wonders are endless”.

And because the Qur’an is the highest code for Muslims in everything relating to their spiritual, religious, ethical, social and legal matters, they have been strongly prompted to study and teach it. In fact, when carried out with sincere intention, studying the Word of God and teaching it to others is considered one of the greatest acts of worship in Islam. “The best among you are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it to others”, declared the Messenger of God, God’s blessings and peace be upon him.3 The prophetic Companions were in the habit of memorising small passages from the Qur’an at a time, ten verses at a time as reported by the prophetic Companion ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud. Once the practice of all the guidance and injunctions contained in these small passages which they memorised were perfected, they went back to the Prophet to learn more. They also taught what they had learnt by helping others to memorise what they knew and also, and most importantly one may add, through their practical example which reflected directly what they had learnt from the Qur’an.

The Qur’an lent itself easily to the prophetic Companions. They understood its comprehensive content in all its details with relative ease because it was revealed in their mother tongue. Moreover, for as long as the Messenger of God, God’s blessings and peace be upon him, was in their midst, the Qur’an continued to be easily understood by Muslims. The prophetic Companions confined themselves, at this stage, to simply receiving and understanding what was communicated to them. They listened to the Prophet and followed him. And whenever something seemed problematic to them, they questioned him to clarify the matter. They were therefore completely dependent on the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, for their understanding of the Qur’an. After the death of the Prophet, the prophetic Companions moved from a phase of dependency vis-à-vis the Prophet in everything relating to the understanding of the texts of the Qur’an and the prophetic Practice to a phase of dependency on their own ability to fathom the scope and implications of the same texts.4

However, it quickly became clear that the prophetic Companions differed in their understanding of the purports and implications of some passages of the Qur’an and certain traditions from the prophetic Practice. It is true that such disagreements between the prophetic Companions existed in the Prophet’s lifetime. But the Prophet was the supreme authority who resolved their difference of opinion. With the disappearance of this supreme authority, difference of opinion among the prophetic Companions was left open and even accepted as legitimate. It was accepted as legitimate because the prophetic Companions followed, in their understanding of the Qur’an, a clear and well- defined methodology which they inherited from the Prophet as well as from their long acquaintance with the Qur’anic text whose revelation in instalments they personally witnessed.

1 One of the names of the Qur’an is al-Furqan, the Distinguisher or Criterion.

2 Narrated by Imam Malik in his Muwatta’.

3 Narrated by Bukhari and Tirmidhi.

4 Cf. Mustafa Ahmad al-Zarqa, al-Fiqh al-Islamiyy wa-Madarisuh, Damascus: Dar al-Qalam, 1995, pp. 38-39.

The necessity and extreme importance of codifying the knowledge and methodological tools required for a proper understanding and interpretation of the Qur’an, and also of some other disciplines, was greatly felt when the prophetic Companions dispersed in different parts of the Muslim world. Other social, political and theological factors also played a major role in channelling the efforts of Muslim scholarship to codify the knowledge inherited from the Prophet and his Companions. Less than three decades after the death of the Prophet, different ethnic groups came under the fold of Islam. Muslims also came into contact with the pre- Islamic religions of Byzantium and Persia. Political dissent and schisms among Muslims impacted on how some Muslims approached their religion at the intellectual, theological and practical levels. And matters were further complicated by the emergence of the Kharijites, the Shi‘ites and the Mu‘tazilites within the House of Islam. Against this backdrop, the sciences of the Qur’an (‘Ulum al-Qur’an) emerged as a separate discipline, just as Islamic law, theology, Hadith and other specialised branches of knowledge did emerge as independent disciplines.

A quick glance at the contents of any major classical work on the sciences of the Qur’an5 will reveal that Muslim scholars have left nothing to chance and did exert a great deal of effort to cover every possible aspect that the commentator of the Qur’an might need in his or her objective appreciation of the Qur’an; aspects without which a comprehensive understanding and interpretation of the Book of Islam is extremely difficult, and even impossible. These sciences deal, among others, with the knowledge of the first and the last passages of the Qur’an to be revealed; the portions of the Qur’an revealed in Mecca and those revealed in Medina; the passages of the Qur’an revealed while the Prophet was travelling; those passages which were revealed at night and those which were revealed during the day; the sections of the Qur’an which were revealed in summer and those which were revealed in winter; how the Qur’an was sent down; the different names of the Qur’an and Surahs; the collection and ordering of the Qur’an; the names of the prophetic Companions who memorised the Qur’an and the names of those who transmitted it; the different types of recitation (al-Qira’at), those which are accepted and those which are not; the proper pronunciation and recitation of the Qur’an; the different Arabic dialects used in the Qur’an; the foreign vocabulary of the Qur’an; homonyms and key-words which the commentator of the Qur’an needs to know; the clear and obscure verses (al-Ayat al-Muhkamat/al-Ayat al-Mutashabihat); the passages of the Qur’an which are of general applicability and those which are of particular applicability; the abrogating and abrogated passages of the Qur’an (al-Nasikh/al-Mansukh); the passages which require details and explanation in order to be properly understood and those passages which do not require further elaboration; the passages whose purport is applied without restriction and those which are applied with restriction; the inimitability of the Qur’an, etc. It is not our intention here to give a detailed list of all the topics covered in works on the sciences of the Qur’an. If we have listed quite a few of these topics above, it is only in order to show the seriousness with which Muslim scholars have approached their Holy Book and their thorough and comprehensive way of exploring it.6

One of these sciences of the Qur’an is the Asbab al-Nuzul, i.e. the occasions, reasons or causes of revelation. The Qur’an, as is well known, was revealed in instalments over a period of nearly twenty three years. Muslim scholars agree that the revelations of the Qur’an can be divided into two broad types. One type includes passages of the Qur’an which were revealed in response to specific events, incidents or questions put forward to the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace. The second type includes passages of the Qur’an which were not direct responses to any historical or social development in the life of the Muslim community.7 A thorough understanding and full appreciation of the scope of the first type of Qur’anic passages, therefore, depend on knowing the circumstances, facts and details of the events which occasioned them. Such knowledge is an invaluable tool for grasping the meanings of this type of Qur’anic verses. Knowledge of the occasions about which particular Qur’anic passages were revealed also helps in understanding the motif or wisdom behind the legislation of certain legal rulings. Delimiting the scope and extent of the legal applicability of certain Qur’anic passages is also another factor which highlights the

5 See, for example, the contents of Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti’s al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Qur’an (Dar al-Nadwah al-Jadidah, Beirut, n.d) which is considered one of the best books on the sciences of the Qur’an; and for an English translation of these contents, see: Al-Tabari, The Commentary on the Qur’an, volume 1, (tr. J. Cooper), Oxford University Press, 1987, pp. XXXVII-XXXIX.

6 The importance and necessity of the different sciences of the Qur’an cannot be emphasised enough. However, from the point of view of personal spiritual discipline alone, a Muslim does not need to know all the detailed knowledge that these sciences provide. This is

because from this particular point of view, all that matters is how to regain the sense of eternity — which is the aim of any genuine spiritual discipline — and partake in the realm of the ‘eternal now’ which is the realm of the Qur’an. All that a Muslim is required to do, in this regard, is to approach the Word of God with awe and utter indigence and make the Qur’an his point of focus on the Divine.

7 Cf. Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti’s al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Qur’an (hereafter Itqan), Dar al-Nadwah al-Jadidah, Beirut, n.d., p. 28.

importance of knowing their occasions. This is amply illustrated, for instance, by one of the narrations which Imam al-Wahidi (d. 468/1075) cites in his Asbab al-Nuzul upon treating the occasions of verse III:187. He mentioned that Marwan ibn al-Hakam, then governor of Medina, was alarmed by the saying of Allah, exalted is He, (Think not that those who exult in what they have given), for he thought that everyone exults in what he gives and likes to be praised for what he has not done. Ibn ‘Abbas explained to him that his understanding was out of context. He informed him that one day the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, summoned the Jews and asked them about a certain matter. They concealed from him the correct answer and instead informed him about something else. They then expected him to praise them for informing him about that which he asked them and exulted in their act of concealing the matter from him. The above verse was revealed about them. From this example it becomes clear that if the wording of a given Qur’anic passage is of general applicability and there is proof that it is, in fact, of particular applicability, knowledge of its occasion will help explain the different possible scenarios upon which this given passage can be applied and any other scenario upon which it cannot be applied can then be excluded.8

Knowledge of the occasions of revelations is acquired through sound and authentic transmissions from the Prophetic Companions. Mere guessing and personal opinion are strictly forbidden in this domain. Apart from a few instances whose occasions were mentioned in the Qur’an itself, knowledge of most of the occasions is related from the prophetic Companions. The latter knew these occasions either because some Qur’anic passages were revealed in connection to something that occurred to them personally, or because some revelations were revealed regarding incidents they witnessed or because they had access to other corroborating facts and indications that only someone in their position could have access to.9

Muslim scholarship has produced a relatively abundant body of literature on Asbab al-Nuzul. It may not be as extensive as the literature dealing with some other sciences of the Qur’an such as the abrogating and abrogated genre, the different readings and recitations of the Qur’an, or even the stylistic, grammatical and linguistic aspects of the Qur’an. But considering the nature of the material itself and its restricted mode of communication, the body of writings on this genre remains quite substantial.10 The earliest known work on Asbab al-Nuzul, as mentioned by Ibn al-Nadim (d. 380/990) in his al-Fihrist, is attributed to ‘Ali ibn al- Madini (d. 234/848), the Shaykh of Imam al-Bukhari; his book is entitled Kitab al-Tanzil.11 This work is unfortunately no longer extant. The earliest extant and most famous work in the genre is undoubtedly Asbab al-Nuzul of Abu’l-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Ahmad al-Wahidi about which more is said below. Another well-known and popular work in this genre is Lubab al-Nuqul fi Asbab al-Nuzul of Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 911/1505). This work might be considered a slight improvement on the classic contribution of al-Wahidi. It contains a few additional narrated materials not included in al-Wahidi’s work. Lubab al-Nuqul fi Asbab al-Nuzul may also claim an added advantage over Asbab al-Nuzul of al-Wahidi in that the contents of the latter have been thoroughly edited by al-Suyuti. However, even though Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti wrote his book more than four centuries after the death of al-Wahidi, and despite being more expert in Hadith than his predecessor, his Lubab al-Nuqul contains drawbacks, some of which he had himself pointed out in the work of al-Wahidi.12

The extent and scope of usefulness of the occasions of revelation have been a matter of contention among Muslim scholars. Some scholars overstressed their importance so much that they gave the impression that every passage of the Qur’an must have an occasion, while others seemed inclined to play down their usefulness and importance altogether. In the introduction to his Asbab al-Nuzul, Imam al-Wahidi wrote: “… As a result, we have ended up benefiting the beginners in the sciences of the Book, by expounding the occasions for which it was revealed. This is because it is the best that one ought to know and the most appropriate thing to which one should direct one’s attention, since it is not possible to know the interpretation of a given verse or the meaning it alludes to without knowing its story and the occasion of its

8 Itqan, op. cit., pp. 28-29.

9 Cf. Al-Wahidi’s introduction to his Asbab al-Nuzul; Itqan, op. cit., p. 31.

10 See, the introduction of al-Sayyid Ahmad Saqr to his edition of al-Wahidi’s Asbab al-Nuzul, Damascus: Mu’assasat ‘Ulum al-Qur’an, 1987, pp. 23-28; A. Rippin, “The Exegetical Genre Asbab al-Nuzul: A Bibliographical and Terminological Survey”, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 1985, vol. 48, pp. 1-15. This survey is not comprehensive but covers some of the main writings in the field.

11 A. Rippin, ibid., p. 3. The author also mentions in footnote no. 21 that W. Ahlwardt in his Handschriften Verzeichnisse (I, 185) gives

the title of al-Madini’s work as Asbab al-Nuzul. But Andrew Rippin casts doubt on the existence of this work. The fact that the book is no longer extant is not a sufficient proof for its non-existence.

12 For a critical assessment of al-Suyuti’s Lubab al-Nuqul fi Asbab al-Nuzul, see: the introduction of al-Sayyid Ahmad Saqr to his edition of al-Wahidi’s Asbab al-Nuzul, op. cit., pp. 28-32.

revelation”.13 A statement such as this, if not qualified and presented in a relevant context, can be very problematic. One says problematic not least because al-Wahidi, for example, mentions only the occasions of about 570 verses out of over 6600 verses which make up the entirety of the Qur’an. Moreover, some of the occasions of these 570 verses are not well-authenticated, some occasions are cited in connection with more than one incident, some are self-contradictory while others are not occasions at all but proper commentaries by the prophetic Companions on particular verses. The same can practically be said about most, if not all, of the works on the occasions of revelation at hand, for the material contained in them is more or less the same.

These are some of the factors which perhaps have led some scholars, especially in the last three centuries, to be more critical in their assessment of the usefulness and importance of the occasions of revelation. Shah Waliullah al-Dahlawi (d. 1176/1762), for instance, was of the view that there are two kinds of occasions of Revelation.14 One kind is required for the understanding of Qur’anic passages which were revealed in connection with specific historical events. What happened to the believers and their enemies at the battles of Uhud and the Ditch, for instance, the Qur’an has dealt with at length, highlighting in the process too many nuances and direct messages regarding all parties involved. In cases such as these, Shah Waliullah states that the events must be clearly explained. This is done by reference to the historical incidents themselves as they have come down to us through transmission. On the other hand, there are Qur’anic passages whose wordings are of general applicability and the meanings of which are very clear independently of any reference to historical events. In Shah Waliullah’s opinion, mentioning the occasions of revelation of such Qur’anic passages is unnecessary. And when it is said in relation to this kind of Qur’anic passage ‘such-and-such verse was revealed about this or that incident’ what is meant is the depiction of any eventuality upon which a particular Qur’anic passage applies, regardless of whether this eventuality did take place before the revelation of the passage in question or after it.

The Indian scholar Hamid al-Din al-Farahi (d. 1930) and his student Amin Ahsan Islahi (d. 1997) have also played down the importance of Asbab al-Nuzul. These two scholars have tackled the issue of the occasions of revelation from within the perspective of their grand theory of the coherence of the Qur’an (Nazm al-Qur’an). According to this theory, the Qur’an is self-explanatory. And if it is admitted that some social or historical events might have occasioned certain verses or Surahs of the Qur’an, it must nonetheless be emphasised that these occasions of revelation should be derived from the Qur’an itself. Rather than viewing them as a tool which helps the commentator of the Qur’an to appreciate the shades of meaning and different nuances of Revelation, al-Farahi and Islahi thought that the occasions of Revelation render such an appreciation difficult in that they quite often make a Surah look like a completely disjointed discourse.15

An objective and balanced summary evaluation of the usefulness and importance of the whole genre of Asbab al-Nuzul is provided by Muhammad al-Tahir ibn ‘Ashur (d. 1973), the great Usuli and commentator of the Qur’an.16 According to him, there are certain occasions of revelation that the commentator of the Qur’an ought to know, for they provide elaboration on and explanation of Qur’anic verses which require elaboration and explanation or they may clarify points of detail which are not readily clear. Some occasions serve as sufficient commentaries on the verses which were revealed as an answer to them. There are other occasions which direct the commentator of the Qur’an to seek scriptural proofs which may enable him to explain or understand a given verse. Lastly, there are occasions of the Qur’an which alert the commentator of the Qur’an to stylistic peculiarities which are due to the implications that different conditions and circumstances give rise to.

Furthermore, Ibn ‘Ashur is of the opinion that all the sound occasions of revelation that have come down to us can be grouped in five categories.17 First, there are occasions the knowledge of which is indispensable for understanding the meaning of a given passage of the Qur’an. An example of this is the story of Khawlah bint Tha‘labah who went to the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, to complain about her husband and about whom it was revealed: (Allah hath heard the saying of her that disputeth with

13 Imam al-Wahidi’s assessment of the usefulness of Asbab al-Nuzul does not belong to either of the two extreme tendencies described above. However, as we shall see below, what he considers to be an occasion of revelation differs from the narrow sense that most Muslim scholars give to the meaning of a Sabab al-Nuzul.

14 Shah Waliullah al-Dahlawi, al-Fawz al-Kabir fi Usul al-Tafsir, Lucknow: Dar al-Sunnah, 1993, pp. 107-108.

15 Mustansir Mir, Coherence in the Qur’an: A Study of Islah’s Concept of Nazm in Tadabbur-i Qur’an, Washington: American Trust Publications, 1986, pp. 29-30 & pp. 61-62.

16 Tafsir al-Tahrir wa’l-Tanwir, Tunis: Dar Suhnun lil-Nashr wa al-Tawzi‘, n.d., vol. I, part 1, p. 47.

17 Tafsir al-Tahrir wa’l-Tanwir, op. cit., vol. I, part 1, pp. 47-49.

thee (Muhammad) concerning her husband…) [58:1]. Second, there are occasions which help as an extra aid to understanding certain verses and serve also as illustrations for the legal rulings that these verses elucidate. The narration of Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah about whom was revealed (And whoever among you is sick or hath an ailment of the head…) [2:196] is an example. Occasions of revelation like this one do not restrict the applicability of the verses they have occasioned. Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah is reported to have said: “… This was specifically revealed about me but it applies to all of you”.18 Third, there are incidents which involve or happen to one person but the like of which happen quite often. Some Qur’anic verses were revealed about similar events in order to clarify the legal rulings surrounding them and to rebuke whoever is involved in them. In this context, when the commentators of the Qur’an say “this Qur’anic verse was revealed about this incident”, what they mean is that the particular case which this specific event depicts is one of the cases or scenarios covered by the meanings of this Qur’anic verse. In other words, the particular case is simply one possible illustration of the meanings of the said verse. This category of occasions of revelation is found in abundance in the commentaries of the Qur’an and in the narrations of story-tellers. Ibn ‘Ashur thinks there is no benefit in mentioning these occasions at all. Fourth, some genuine historical events correspond to the meanings of certain verses of the Qur’an. But the statements of the early pious Predecessors give the impression that the meaning of these verses of the Qur’an is solely confined to these specific events when this is not the case. And finally, there are occasions which elaborate upon Qur’anic passages which require details in order to be properly understood or which clear ambiguities. Ibn ‘Ashur gives the following example. God says in the Qur’an (… Whoso judgeth [wa-man] not by that which Allah hath revealed: such are disbelievers) [5:44]. If ‘whoso’ [man] in this verse is understood to be a conditional particle, it will be difficult to explain how transgressing in judgment can turn into disbelief. But if one knows that the verse was revealed about the Christians, one will also realise that ‘whoso’ here serves as a definite conjunctive pronoun. The meaning of the verse then becomes very clear. If the Christians had already failed to judge by the Gospel, it is not farfetched that they should disbelieve in Muhammad, Allah bless him and give him peace. Also included in this last category are occasions of revelation which do not provide details to unclear Qur’anic passages nor elucidate difficulties in ambiguous verses but, nevertheless, bring to the fore the harmony of the Qur’an and the correspondence of its verses with each other. For example, when God revealed (Those who believe and obscure not their belief by wrongdoing [Zulm]…) [6:82], the prophetic Companions were confused. They could not understand how wrongdoing can obscure faith.  But the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, explained to them that term Zulm here refers to associating partners with God and he recited the verse (… Ascribe no partners unto Allah. Lo! To ascribe partners (unto Him) is a tremendous wrong [Zulmun ‘Azim]) [31:13].

Concluding his assessment of the Asbab al-Nuzul’s extent of applicability, Ibn ‘Ashur made a remark which helps to put the whole genre in perspective. He opined that the Qur’an was revealed as a book of guidance and legislation for the Muslim community. This guidance and legislation was revealed in the form of didactic and legislative universal discourses. This was done only in order to make the religion easy to understand and to allow the scholars to deduct relevant rulings and legislations for as long as the Muslim community exists. This being the case, the discourses of the Qur’an should not entirely be confined to partial, particular scenarios for this will annul what is intended by them. Likewise, those passages of the Qur’an which are certain to be of particular applicability should not be generalised, just as the discourses which are applied without restriction should not be restricted and those which are restricted should not be unrestricted in their applicability. Failing to take this into consideration will lead to confusion regarding God’s intent in His Revelation.19

18 See below the occasion of revelation of verse 196 of Surah al-Baqarah.

19 Tafsir al-Tahrir wa’l-Tanwir, op. cit., vol. I, part 1, p. 50.

Imam al-Wahidi and his Book Asbab al-Nuzul

Abu’l-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Wahidi20 was born in the city of Nishapur and it is in this same city that he died at an advanced age. He belonged to a family of merchants who had originally come from the city of Sawah, located halfway between Rayy and Hamadhan.21 According to Abu Ahmad al-‘Askari, the affiliation al-Wahidi can be traced back to a family ancestor by the name of al-Wahid ibn al-Din ibn Muhrah.22 Al-Wahidi was a poet, philologist, grammarian and Qur’anic commentator. He was, in fact, hailed as the greatest commentator of the Qur’an of his time. He studied the different sciences of the Qur’an and Qur’anic exegesis with Abu’l-Qasim ‘Ali ibn Ahmad al-Busti, Abu ‘Uthman Sa‘id ibn Muhammad al- Hiri (d. 427/1036) and Abu’l-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al-Farisi (d. 431/1040). But his main teacher in this field was the famous scholar Abu Ishaq Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Tha‘labi (d. 427/1036) the author of al- Kashf wa’l-Bayan ‘an Tafsir al-Qur’an, among others. He studied lexicography and philology with Abu’l-Fadl Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-‘Arudi (d. 416/1025), and grammar with Abu’l-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al-Darir and Abu ‘Imran al-Maghribi al-Maliki (d. 430/1039).23 His teachers in Hadith included Abu Tahir ibn Mahmish, the judge Abu Bakr al-Hiri, Abu Ibrahim Isma‘il ibn Ibrahim al-Wa‘iz, Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Muzakki, ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Hamdan al-Nasruyiyy and Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Najjar.24 Al-Wahidi seems to have enjoyed the patronage of the Seljuq vizier Nizam al-Mulk (d. 485/1092) and, after the death of the latter, he continued to enjoy the favour and protection of Nizam al-Mulk’s brother Abu’l-Qasim ‘Abd Allah al-Faqih al- Ajall (d. 499/1106).

Imam al-Wahidi was a prolific writer even if some of his works have not reached us. Among the books he authored, in fields other than those of Qur’anic sciences and exegesis, mention can be made of: al- Tahbir fi’l-Asma’ al-Husna, Kitab al-Da‘awat wa’l-Mahsul, al-Ighrab fi’l-I‘rab, Kitab al-Maghazi, al-Wasit fi’l- Amthal25 and Sharh Diwan al-Mutanabbi.26 In the fields of Qur’anic studies and Tafsir, al-Wahidi authored the following: Maqatil al-Qur’an, from which Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali in his Lata’if al-Ma‘arif quotes,27 Nafy al-Tahrif ‘an al-Qur’an al-Sharif, Tafsir al-Nabiyy Salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa-Sallam. But his scholarship was perhaps cemented due to his three different commentaries on the Qur’an al-Wajiz fi Ma‘ani al-Qur’an al-‘Aziz in one volume,28 al-Wasit in four volumes29 and al-Basit in 16 volumes.30 Al-Wahidi also mentions in the introduction to his book al-Wasit that he had authored before the latter three summae (Majmu‘at) which he had entitled Ma‘ani al-Tafsir, Musnad al-Tafsir and Mukhtasar al-Tafsir.31 These three sums are no longer extant but it is likely that their material was incorporated in al-Wasit and al-Basit.

Nonetheless, the one work that has ensured the fame of Imam al-Wahidi and due to which he will always have a prominent place in the field of Qur’anic studies is his book Asbab al-Nuzul. Not only is this book the earliest extant work in the genre, but it is also the standard upon which all subsequent works on the occasions of revelation were modelled. In fact, it is possible that one of the reasons why we no longer possess works on Asbab al-Nuzul which predate al-Wahidi’s is the high scholarly quality of the latter which had rendered all other anterior works obsolete.32

20 On the life and works of Imam al-Wahidi, see: Yaqut al-Hamawi, Mu‘jam al-Udaba’: Irshad al-Arib ila Ma‘rifat al-Adib, Beirut: Dar al- Gharb al-Islami, 1993, vol. 4, pp. 1659-1665; Ibn Khallikan, Wafayat al-A‘yan wa-Anba’ Abna’ al-Zaman, Beirut: Dar al-Thaqafah, n.d., vol. 3, pp. 303-304; Imam al-Dhahabi, Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’, Beirut: Dar al-Fikr, vol. 13, pp. 627-629; Imam al-Dhahabi, Ta’rikh al- Islam wa-Wafayat al-Mashahir wa’l-A‘lam, Hawadith wa-Wafayat 461-470, Beirut: Dar al-Kitab al-‘Arabi, 1994, pp. 257-260; Ibn Qadi Shuhbah, Tabaqat al-Shafi‘iyyah, Hyderabad: Da’irat al-Ma‘arif al-‘Uthmaniyyah, vol. 1, pp. 277-279. See also the article ‘al-Wahidi’ in the Encyclopaedia of Islam, second edition, for a summary essay on al-Wahidi’s life and career.

21 Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’, op. cit., p. 227.

22 Wafayat al-A‘yan, op. cit., p. 304.

23 Mu‘jam al-Udaba’, op. cit., pp. 1661-1663.

24 Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’, op. cit., p. 628.

25 Edited by ‘Afif Muhammad ‘Abd al-Rahman and published in Kuwait in 1975 (cf. al-Dhahabi, Ta’rikh al-Islam, op. cit., p. 259, footnote 6).

26 Edited by Friedrich Dieterici, Berlin, 1858-1861. Ibn Khallikan [Wafayat al-A‘yan, op. cit., p. 303] thinks it is the best commentary on the Diwan of al-Mutanabbi.

27 See, the introduction to al-Wahidi’s Asbab al-Nuzul, op. cit., p. 21.

28 Published by Dar al-Qalam, Beirut, 1981.

29 Published by Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1994.

30 Tabaqat al-Shafi‘iyyah, op. cit., vol.1, p. 278.

31 Cf. Al-Sayyid Ahmad Saqr’s introduction to his edition of al-Wahidi’s Asbab al-Nuzul, op. cit., p. 18.

32 If it were true, as some Western scholars seem to assume, that al-Wahidi’s Asbab al-Nuzul was the first authored book in the genre, we would have expected Imam al-Wahidi to be the first one to say so. We have many examples in which Muslim scholars are shown to

vii

In this book, al-Wahidi gives traditions concerning the occasions of verses in 83 out of 114 Surahs of the Qur’an. The bulk of transmitted occasions relate to verses in the longest Surahs: 76 verses in Surah al- Baqarah, 48 in Al ‘Imran, 43 in Surah al-Nisa’ and 31 in Surah al-Ma’idah. Some Surahs, such as al-Jumu‘ah, al-Munafiqun, al-Takathur and al-Ma‘un, have traditions relating to just one or two verses. It is also clear from the outset that what al-Wahidi understood to be a Sabab Nuzul is much broader than what most Muslim scholars understand by the same, i.e. an event or incident which happened during the prophetic era and which occasioned the revelation of a Qur’anic verse or Surah. Examples of the latter abound in the book of al-Wahidi, but there are other occasions which do not fit the description. In al-Baqarah, 2:102, for instance, al-Wahidi mentions as an occasion the story of the demons with the Prophet Solomon; in al- Baqara, 2:114, he cites as its occasion the sacking of Jerusalem by Titus the Byzantine and Bukhtunassar the Persian; in al-Baqarah, 2:260, he cites as the occasion of revelation the story of the Prophet Abraham when he asked his Lord to show him how He brings the dead back to life; in al-A‘raf, 7:175, he mentions Bal‘am ibn Ba‘ura as the occasion of revelation while in al-A‘raf, 7:189, the occasion of revelation relates to the Prophet Adam and his wife. Indeed, in some instances — like in Surah al-Fil and al-Ma’idah, 5:3 — one wonders whether the traditions cited by al-Wahidi constitute occasion of revelations or themes of the Surahs and verses in question.

At times, al-Wahidi seems to lack a well-defined method of selecting what is relevant as occasions of revelation. Upon dealing with the occasion of revelation of al-Nisa’, 4:2, the author quotes the statement of ‘A’ishah, the mother of the believers, to the effect that this verse is of general applicability. But then he goes on to cite the opinions of Muqatil and al-Kalbi who give for this verse an obscure occasion. Furthermore, sometimes al-Wahidi gives too much credence to the opinion of his teacher al-Tha‘labi even when this is contradicted by historical facts. He states, for instance, that the verse 58 in Surah al-Nisa’ was revealed about ‘Uthman ibn Talhah on the day of the conquest of Mecca when, in fact, ‘Uthman was part of the Muslim army which conquered Mecca. He had embraced Islam before this event and migrated to Medina. In verse 131 of Surah Ta Ha, which is Meccan, he cites as an occasion of revelation the episode of the armour of the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, whereas it is well known that this episode happened at the end of the Medinan period.

More serious than all the preceding is perhaps the question of the authenticity of the material that al-Wahidi presents as occasions of revelation. In his introduction to Asbab al-Nuzul, al-Wahidi was categorical in his warning: “It is unlawful to advance an opinion regarding the occasions of the revelation of the Book unless it is based on narration and transmission from those who have witnessed the revelation and were aware of the occasions, in that they seriously sought to know them. The Sacred Law threatens the ignorant who stumbles in this science with hell fire…”. It is therefore remarkable and surprising to discover that al- Wahidi did not always heed his own warning. Sometimes he cites narrations without any chain of transmission at all. The occasions of revelation of some verses — like al-Baqarah, 2:121 — are based on pure guess work. And his book is replete with expressions such as “Qala al-Mufassirun” [the commentators of the Qur’an said], “Qala Ahlu al-‘Ilm” [the scholars said], “Qala al-Suddi” [al-Suddi said] and “Qala al-Kalbi” [al-Kalbi said], expressions which are then followed by what is supposed to be the occasions of revelation of the verses under examination. Are not these supposed occasions of revelation based on mere personal opinion rather than transmission?

Al-Wahidi was never recognized as a scholar of Hadith, but his lack of expertise in this field is clearly manifest in his book Asbab al-Nuzul. This is indeed the main and most serious drawback of the book. He unhesitatingly narrates from Muhammad ibn Marwan ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Isma‘il (al-Suddi al-Saghir) and Muhammad ibn al-Sa’ib ibn Bishr ibn ‘Amr (al-Kalbi) who are both accused of being liars. He also relates from his teacher al-Tha‘labi who often narrates from unreliable narrators and even narrators accused of lying in the transmission of Hadith. In fact, some Hadith experts question the reliability of al-Tha‘labi himself. Some of the inauthentic narrations related by al-Wahidi from his teacher al-Tha‘labi, or through al-Suddi al- Saghir and al-Kalbi, are corroborated by other narrations related through different channels of transmission. But a few of them are definitely inauthentic and inadmissible as occasions of revelation.

Notwithstanding these remarks, al-Wahidi’s Asbab al-Nuzul remains an invaluable piece of scholarship. From a historical point of view, it is the first extant attempt to collect all the material regarding the occasions of revelation in one single volume. Al-Wahidi’s work also helps to appreciate the evolution of

be little reluctant or apprehensive to state that they were the first to write on a particular issue or the first to deal coherently with a specific topic or that none before them had tackled a certain subject as they themselves have tackled it!

this science of the Qur’an. It is clear from this work that the definition of a Sabab al-Nuzul was not permanently fixed, since al-Wahidi’s broad definition of a Sabab Nuzul was challenged by later scholars.33 Moreover, judging from what al-Wahidi views as a Sabab Nuzul, his work can be considered a direct application of the methodology of the traditionist school of Qur’anic exegesis (Madrasat al-Tafsir b’l-Athar) on one of the sciences of the Qur’an. Al-Wahidi’s Asbab al-Nuzul has also stood the test of time. It is still the standard work on the occasions of revelation despite several attempts by leading Muslim scholars to surpass its scholarly quality or improve on it.

For the present translation of Asbab al-Nuzul, I have relied mainly on the critical edition of al-Sayyid Ahmad Saqr, third edition, 1987, published jointly by Dar al-Qiblah lil-Thaqafah al-Islamiyyah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Mu’assasat ‘Ulum al-Qur’an, Damascus, Syria. In preparing this edition, the editor has used three different manuscripts (from Ahmad III (Turkey), Dar al-Kutub al-Misriyyah and Maktabat al-Azhar (Egypt) respectively) as well as the edition of Matba‘at Amin Hindiyyah, Cairo, 1316 A.H. which was reprinted by Mustafa al-Babi al-Halabi, Cairo, in 1379 A.H.34 The uncritical edition of Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah (Beirut, Lebanon, First edition, 2000) has also been consulted.

33 A. Rippin, Asbab al-Nuzul in Qur’anic Exegesis, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, LI:1, p. 2.

34 For a partial description of the Manuscripts used by al-Sayyid Ahmad Saqr, see the latter’s introduction to his edition of Asbab al-Nuzul

of al-Wahidi, op. cit., pp. 33-34.

Translation

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Author’s Introduction

Praise be to Allah, the Generous, the Giver, Defeater of the confederates, Opener of doors, Creator of the clouds, Fixer of the hills and Sender of the Book upon the advent of incidents which have different occasions. He sent down the Book in parts over different instalments and deposited therein legal rulings and sciences. He says, glorified is He: {And (it is) a Qur’an that We have divided, that thou mayest recite it unto mankind at intervals, and We have revealed it by (successive) revelations} [al-Isra’ 17:106].

Shaykh Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Asfahani informed us> ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Hayyan> Abu Yahya al-Razi> Sahl ibn ‘Uthman al-‘Askari> Yazid ibn Zuray‘> Abu Raja’ who said: “I heard al-Hasan al- Basri say regarding Allah’s saying (And (it is) a Qur’an that We have divided, that thou mayest recite it unto mankind at intervals, and We have revealed it by (successive) revelations): ‘It was mentioned to us that there was an interval of 18 years between the first revealed verses of the Qur’an and the last; it was revealed to him [the Prophet] in the span of eight years in Mecca, before he migrated, and then during ten years in Medina’ ”. Ahmad informed us> ‘Abd Allah> Abu Yahya al-Razi> Sahl> Yahya ibn Abi Bukayr> Hushaym> Dawud> al-Sha‘bi who said: “Allah revealed it [the Qur’an] in parts, such that the interval between the first and last revelations was twenty years or so”.

Allah revealed it to the Seal of Messengers, who openly explained its meaning, guided the community, removed distress, spoke words of wisdom and was further sent with mercy; Allah revealed it to him a glorious Qur’an, a wise Remembrance, an extended Rope, a well-known Covenant, a prevailing Shade and a straight Path. In the Qur’an are contained dazzling miracles, manifest signs, true proofs and eloquent meanings. Through the Qur’an Allah has refuted the proofs of the liars, averted the schemes of those who scheme and strengthened Islam and the Din.1 Its way was thus clarified, its light rekindled, its grace prevailed and its wisdom conveyed. The Messenger raised the banners of Truth, re-established the signposts of trueness, refuted lies, effaced the traces of these lies, suppressed idolatry and destroyed its citadel. By means of its proofs he persisted in opposing the idolaters until the Din was established and the doubts of the deniers were nullified. May Allah bless him abundantly with a blessing that is unending in its duration and uninterrupted in its flow, and may He also abundantly bless his Companions whom He has guided, purified, chosen and elected to keep his company.

To proceed from this: the sciences of the Qur’an and their varieties are plentiful, and one will never be able to explore them thoroughly or give them their full due even if one writes numerous and elaborate volumes. I have already written, praise be to Allah, sums which include most of them as well as the finest amongst them. Anyone who seeks these sciences will find contentment and sufficient knowledge therein. He will be able to do without any other works, for mine contain most of them, painstakingly examined and systematically presented to the reader. Today, however, people’s desires for the sciences of the Qur’an are false and restrained, as they are turned away from them. And no amount of censure could prevent this from happening. As a result, we have ended up benefiting the beginners in the sciences of the Book, by expounding the occasions for which it was revealed. This is because it is the best that one ought to know and the most appropriate thing to which one should direct one’s attention, since it is not possible to know the interpretation of a given verse or the meaning it alludes to without knowing its story and the occasion of its revelation.

It is unlawful to advance an opinion regarding the occasions of the revelation of the Book unless it is based on narration and transmission from those who have witnessed the revelation and were aware of the

1 Din (var. Deen) can be defined as religion, obedience, abasement, and submissiveness, usually to God. On the concept of Din, see: Syed Muhammad al-Naquib al-Attas, Islam and Secularism, Kuala Lumpur, 1978, chap. III.

occasions, in that they seriously sought to know them. The Sacred Law threatens the ignorant who stumble in this science with hell fire. Abu Ibrahim Isma‘il ibn Ibrahim al-Wa‘iz informed us> Abu’l-Husayn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Hamid al-‘Attar> Ahmad ibn al-Husayn ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar> Layth ibn Hammad> Abu ‘Awanah> ‘Abd al-A‘la> Sa‘id ibn Jubayr> Ibn ‘Abbas who said: “Allah’s Messenger, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: ‘Avoid reporting anything from me other than what you know, for whoever lies about me shall be in hell fire; and whoever lies about the Qur’an shall enter hell fire’. ”

The Predecessors,2 may Allah’s mercy be upon them, were extremely cautious about giving their opinion regarding the verses’ occasion of revelation. Abu Nasr Ahmad ibn ‘Ubayd Allah al-Makhladi informed us> Abu ‘Amr ibn Nujayd> Abu Muslim> ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Hammad> Ibn ‘Awn> Muhammad ibn Sirin who said: “I asked ‘Ubayda3 about a verse of the Qur’an but he said: ‘Fear Allah and do not say except that which is right; those who know the occasions of the Qur’an have passed on’ ”.

As for nowadays, every person invents something and contrives lies and fabrications, and by doing so he throws himself in the grip of ignorance, paying no heed to the threat issued to the ignorant regarding the occasions of different verses. This is what has driven me to dictate this book which brings together all the different occasions, so that those who seek this subject as well as those who deal with the revelation of the Qur’an can consult it, know what is true, do away with falsification and lies, and then strive to preserve it after seeking its knowledge and receiving by transmission.

But first, it is necessary to speak about the beginning of revelation, how the Qur’an was initially revealed to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, how Gabriel was entrusted with bringing the revelation down and also to reveal all these states and summarily say something about them. After this, we shall deal in detail with the occasion of revelation of every single verse whose occasion has  been transmitted. And Allah is the One Who gives success to that which is right and correct, as it is He Who keeps us from falling from the straight path.

The First Revelation of the Qur’an

Abu Ishaq Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Muqri’ informed us> ‘Abd Allah ibn Hamid al-Asfahani> Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Hafiz> Muhammad ibn Yahya> ‘Abd al-Razzaq> Ma‘mar> Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri> ‘Urwa> ‘A’ishah who said: “The first that Allah’s Messenger, Allah bless him and give him peace, was initiated with of revelation was true vision in sleep, such that he did not see anything in dream vision except that it took place like the break of dawn. Then, retreat was made beloved to him. He used to go to Hira’ for meditation for several nights on end, taking his provision with him during this time. When his provision would finish, he returned to Khadijah to get more provision, again for another retreat of a few more nights. This continued until the truth suddenly came to him while in the cave of Hira’.4 The angel said to him: ‘Read!’ and Allah’s Messenger, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: ‘I said to him: I cannot read’. He said: ‘He seized me and then pressed me so hard that I felt exhausted and then he released me, saying: ‘Read!’ I said: ‘I cannot read’. He seized me again and pressed me so hard that I felt exhausted and then he released me, saying: ‘Read!’ I said, ‘I cannot read’. He seized me a third time and pressed me so hard that I felt exhausted and then he released me, saying: (Read: In the name of thy Lord who createth) until he reached (… that which he knew not) [96:1-4]’. He went back home, his limbs trembling, and when he entered in on Khadijah, may Allah be well pleased with her, he said: ‘Cover me!’ They covered him and when his alarm left him, he said: ‘O Khadijah! What is wrong with me?’ After informing her of what had happened, he said: ‘I was afraid for myself’. She said to him: ‘Nay, this is a herald of good tidings for you. By Allah, Allah shall never disgrace you; you keep the ties of kinship, say the truth, support the orphan, host the guests and help to alleviate the misfortunes of time’. “Narrated by Bukhari from Yahya ibn Bukayr, and by Muslim from Muhammad ibn Rafi‘, and both these two narrators narrated it from ‘Abd al-Razzaq.

Al-Sharif Isma‘il ibn al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn al-Husayn Tabari informed us> his grandfather> Abu Hamid Ahmad ibn al-Hasan al-Hafiz> ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Bishr> Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah> Muhammad ibn Ishaq> al-Zuhri> ‘Urwa> ‘A’ishah who said: “The first of the Qur’an to be revealed is: (Read: In the name of

2 The pious Predecessors (al-salaf al-salih) refers to first three generations of Muslims.

3 ‘Ubayda ibn ‘Amr al-Salmani (d. circa 72 A.H.) embraced Islam two years before the death of the Prophet. As such he is counted as a

Tabi‘i (follower of the prophetic Companions).

4 A small cave (4 yards long, 1.75 yard wide) at Mt. Nur (‘The Mountain of Light’), about two miles from Mecca.

XI

thy Lord who createth)”, narrated by al-Hakim Abu ‘Abd Allah in his Sahih5 from Abu Bakr al-Sibghi> Bishr ibn Musa> al-Humaydi> Sufyan.

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Muqri’ informed us> Abu’l-Husayn ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al-Jurjani> Nasr ibn Muhammad al-Hafiz> Muhammad ibn Makhlid that Muhammad ibn Ishaq narrated to them from Ya‘qub al-Dawraqi> Ahmad ibn Nasr ibn Ziyad> ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Waqid> his father> Yazid al-Nahwi> ‘Ikrimah and al-Hasan who said: “The first of the Qur’an to be revealed is (In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful)”. This is therefore the first of the Qur’an to be revealed in Mecca while the first Surah revealed is [the Surah which begins with] (Read: In the name of thy Lord).

Al-Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Farisi informed us>Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Fadl al-Tajir> Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Hafiz> Muhammad ibn Yahya> Abu Salih> al-Layth> ‘Uqayl> Ibn Shihab> Muhammad ibn ‘Abbad ibn Ja‘far al-Makhzumi that he heard one of their men of knowledge say: “The first revelation that Allah revealed to His Messenger, Allah bless him and give him peace, is (Read: In the name of thy Lord who createth, createth man from a clot. Read: and thy Lord is the Most Bounteous, Who teacheth by the pen, teacheth man that which he knew not). They said: this is the beginning of the Surah which was revealed to Allah’s Messenger, Allah bless him and give him peace, on the day of Hira’. The rest of the Surah was revealed after what Allah willed of time”.

As for the rigorously authentic hadith which related that the first of the Qur’an to be revealed is Surah al- Muddaththir, this is what has been reported to us from the teacher Abu Ishaq al-Tha‘alibi> ‘Abd Allah ibn Hamid> Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub> Ahmad ibn ‘Isa ibn Zayd al-Tinnisi> ‘Amr ibn Salamah> al-Awza‘i> Yahya ibn Kuthayr who said: “I asked Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman: which of the Qur’an was revealed first? He said: ‘(O thou enveloped in thy cloak) [Surah 74]’. I said: Or (Read: In the name of thy Lord). He said: ‘I asked Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari: which of the Qur’an was revealed first?’ He said: ‘(O thou enveloped in thy cloak)’. I said: ‘or (Read: In the name of thy Lord)’. Then Jabir said: ‘I will relate to you what Allah’s Messenger, Allah bless him and give him peace, related to us. Allah’s Messenger, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: I stayed at Hira’ for a month. When my stay came to an end, I came down but when I reached the bottom of the valley I was called. I looked in front, behind, on my right and on my left, and then I looked skyward and there he was — i.e. Gabriel — in mid-air sitting on a throne. Trembling seized me. I went to Khadijah; I ordered them to cover me and then throw water on me. Allah, exalted is He, then revealed to me: (O thou enveloped in thy cloak, arise and warn!) [74:1-2])’ ”, narrated by Muslim from Zuhayr ibn Harb> al-Walid ibn Muslim> al-Awza‘i.

This however does not contradict what we have said initially, for Jabir heard this last report from the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, but did not hear the first report. For this reason he imagined that Surah al-Muddaththir was the first of the Qur’an to be revealed when, in fact, this is not the case. Rather it was the first revealed after Surah Iqra’ ”.

This is evidenced by what has been reported to us> Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Hamid> Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Zakariyya> Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Daghuli> Muhammad ibn Yahya> ‘Abd al- Razzaq> Ma‘mar> al-Zuhri that he said: “Abu Salamah related to me from Jabir who said:6 ‘I heard Allah’s Messenger, Allah bless him and give him peace, upon talking about the period of revelation, saying: As I was walking, I heard a voice coming from heaven. I looked up and saw the angel who had come to me in Hira’ sitting on a throne mid-way between heaven and earth. I lied down out of fear of him. Upon returning home, I said: cover me! Cover me! And they covered me. Allah, exalted is He, revealed: (O thou enveloped in thy cloak)’ ”. This is narrated by Bukhari from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad and also by Muslim from Muhammad ibn Rafi‘ and both these narrators reported it from ‘Abd al-Razzaq.

From these prophetic tradition it emerges that the revelation had stopped for a while after the revelation of (Read: In the name of thy Lord), and then (O thou enveloped in thy cloak) was revealed. This is supported by the fact that the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, informed that the angel who had come to him at Hira’ was this time sitting, which indicates that this event took place after the revelation of (Read …).

Abu Ishaq Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Muqri’ informed us> Abu’l-Husayn ‘Ali Muhammad al-Muqri’> Abu’l- Shaykh> Ahmad ibn Sulayman ibn Ayyub> Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Hasan ibn Shaqiq> ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Waqid> his father who said: “I heard ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn say: ‘The first Surah revealed to Allah’s Messenger, Allah bless him and give him peace, in Mecca is (Read: In the name of thy Lord)’ ”. And the last

5 That is al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn.

6 Narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad.

XII

Surah revealed to Allah’s Messenger, Allah bless him and give him peace, in Mecca is Surah the Believers [Surah 23], and it is also said it is Surah the Spider [Surah 29]. And the first Surah revealed in Medina is (Woe unto the Defrauders) [Surah 83] and the last Surah revealed in Medina is Surah Repentance [Surah 9]. And the first Surah that Allah’s Messenger, Allah bless him and give him peace, openly announced in Mecca is (By the Star…)7 [Surah 53], while the hardest Qur’anic verse on the dwellers of hell fire is (So taste (of that which ye have earned). No increase do We give you save of torment) [78:30]. And the verse which instils more hope for those who profess the divine oneness of Allah is (Lo! Allah forgiveth not that a partner should be ascribed unto Him. He forgiveth (all) save that to whom He will) [Surah 4:48]. The last Qur’anic verse revealed to Allah’s Messenger, Allah bless him and give him peace, is (And guard yourselves against a day in which ye will be brought back to Allah …) [Surah 2:281]. The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, lived just another nine nights after this revelation and died.8

The Last Revelation of the Qur’an

Abu Ibrahim Isma‘il ibn Ibrahim al-Wa‘iz informed us and Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya narrated to us, both> Abu ‘Amr ibn Matar> Abu Khalifah al-Fadl ibn al-Hubab al-Jumahi> Abu’l-Walid> Shu‘bah> Abu Ishaq who said: “I heard al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib say:9 ‘The last Qur’anic verse revealed is (They ask thee for a pronouncement. Say: Allah hath pronounced for you concerning distant kindred) [4:176], and the last Surah revealed is Surah Repentance [Surah 9]’ ”. Narrated by Bukhari in Tafsir from Sulayman ibn Harb from Shu‘bah, and he also narrated in a different place from Abu’l-Walid; the same report was also narrated by Muslim from Bundar> Ghundar> Shu‘bah.

Abu Bakr al-Tamimi informed us> Abu Muhammad al-Hayyani> Abu Yahya al-Razi> Sahl ibn ‘Uthman> ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak> Juwaybir> al-Dahhak> Ibn ‘Abbas that he said: “The last Qur’anic verse revealed is (And guard yourselves against a day in which ye will be brought back to Allah …) [2:281]”.

Abu Bakr informed us> Abu Muhammad> Abu Yahya> Sahl ibn ‘Uthman>Yahya ibn Abi Za’idah> Malik ibn Mighwal who said: “I heard ‘Atiyyah al-‘Awfi say: ‘the last verse revealed is (And guard yourselves against a day in which ye will be brought back to Allah …)’ ”.

Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Nahwi> Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Sinan al-Muqri’> Ahmad ibn ‘Ali al- Mawsili> Ahmad ibn al-Ahmas> Muhammad ibn Fudayl> al-Kalbi> Abu Salih> Ibn ‘Abbas who said regarding Allah’s saying (And guard yourselves against a day in which ye will be brought back to Allah …): “It is said that this verse and the last verse of the Surah Women [Surah 4] are the last to be revealed of the Qur’an”.

Isma‘il ibn Ibrahim al-Sufi>Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Ya‘qub> al-Hasan ibn ‘Abd Allah al-‘Abdi> Muslim ibn Ibrahim> Shu‘bah> ‘Ali ibn Zayd> Yusuf ibn Mihran> Ibn ‘Abbas> Ubayy ibn Ka‘b that he said: “The last Qur’anic verse revealed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, is (There hath come unto you a messenger) [9:128]”, and he read up to the end of the Surah. This report is narrated by al-Hakim Abu ‘Abd Allah in his Sahih from al-Asamm> Bakkar ibn Qutaybah> Abu ‘Amir al-‘Aqdi> Shu‘bah.10

Abu ‘Amr Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, in his epistle, informed us> Muhammad ibn al-Husayn al-Haddadi> Muhammad ibn Yazid> Ishaq ibn Ibrahim> Waki‘> Shu‘bah> Ibn Yazid> Yusuf ibn Mahak> Ubayy ibn Ka‘b who said: “The latest portion of the Qur’an to come from Allah is (There hath come unto you a messenger) to the end of the verse; and Monday was the first day in which the Qur’an was revealed”.11

Abu Ishaq al-Tha‘alibi informed us> Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Zakariyya al-Shaybani> Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Daghuli> Ibn Abi Khaythamah> Musa ibn Isma‘il> Mahdi ibn Maymun> Ghaylan ibn Jarir> ‘Abd Allah ibn Ma‘bad al-Zammani> Abu Qatadah that a man said to the Messenger of Allah: “What do you say about fasting the day of Monday?” He replied: “The Qur’an was revealed to me on that day”. And

7 Quoted by Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti in al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Qur’an, Dar al-Nadwah al-Jadidah, Beirut, n.d., I:25.

8 Al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Qur’an, op. cit., I:27.

9 Imam al-Tabari, Jami‘ al-Bayan ‘an Ta’wil Ay al-Qur’an (30 parts in 15 volumes), Dar al-Fikr, 1984 [hereafter Tabari; the roman numeral refers to the part], VI:40-41, Imam Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Ansari al-Qurtubi, al-Jami‘ li-Ahkam al-Qur’an, (22 volumes), Dar al-Fikr, 1987 [hereafter Qurtubi], III:375; Imam al-Suyuti, al-Durr al-Manthur fi’l-Tafsir bi’l-Ma’thur (8 volumes), Dar al- Fikr, 1983 [hereafter Durr], II:759.

10 Cf. Durr, IV:330-331.

11 Qurtubi, VIII:303

the first month in which the Qur’an was revealed is the month of Ramadan. Allah, may His mention be exalted, says: (The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an) [2:185].

‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Hamdan al-Nasruyiyy informed us> Abu Muhammad ‘Abd Allah ibn Ibrahim ibn Masi> Abu Muslim Ibrahim ibn ‘Abd Allah> ‘Abd Allah ibn Raja’ ibn al-Haytham al-Ghudani> ‘Imran> Qatadah> Abu’l-Malih> Wathilah that the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said:12 “The Scrolls of Abraham were revealed on the first night of Ramadan; the Torah was revealed on the sixth day of Ramadan; the Gospel was revealed on the thirteenth day of Ramadan; the Psalm was revealed on the eighteenth day of Ramadan and the Qur’an was revealed on the twenty-forth day of Ramadan”.13

On the Basmala and its Revelation

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Muqri’ informed us> Abu’l-Husayn ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al-Jurjani> Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Jawhari> Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Mandah> Abu Kurayb> ‘Uthman ibn Sa‘id> Bishr ibn ‘Umarah> Abu Rawq> al-Dahhak> Ibn ‘Abbas that he said: “The first that Gabriel brought down to the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, is that he said to him: ‘O Muhammad! Seek refuge [in Allah] and then say: In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful’ ”.14

Abu ‘Abd Allah ibn Abi Ishaq informed us> Isma‘il ibn Ahmad al-Khallali> Abu Muhammad ‘Abd Allah ibn Zayd al-Bajali> Abu Kurayb> Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah> ‘Amr ibn Dinar> Sa‘id ibn Jubayr> Ibn ‘Abbas that he said: “Allah’s Messenger, Allah bless him and give him peace, did not know the end of any given Surah until ‘In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful’ would be revealed to him”.15

‘Abd al-Qahir ibn Tahir al-Baghdadi informed us> Muhammad ibn Ja‘far ibn Matar> Ibrahim ibn ‘Ali al- Dhuhli> Yahya ibn Yahya> ‘Amr ibn al-Hajjaj al-‘Abdi> ‘Abd Allah ibn Abi Husayn who mentioned that ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud said: “We did not know the dividing point between any two Surahs until ‘In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful’ would be revealed”.16

Sa‘id ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Ja‘far informed> his grandfather> Abu ‘Amr Ahmad ibn Muhammad al- Harashi> Muhammad ibn Yahya> Muhammad ibn ‘Isa ibn Abi Fudayk> ‘Abd Allah ibn Nafi‘> his father> Ibn ‘Umar that he said: “‘In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful’ was revealed in every Surah”.17

12 Tabari, II:145.

13 Cf. Durr, I:456.

14 Al-Tabari, The Commentary on the Qur’an, volume 1, (tr. J. Cooper) [hereafter Commentary], Oxford University Press, 1987, p. 54.

15 Durr, I:20.

16 Durr, I:20

17 Durr, I:20.