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The Qur'an has been revealed for guidance,
for all times and situations to come. However, various
ayat were revealed at a particular time in history and
in particular circumstances. The Arabic word sabab (pl.
asbab) means reason, cause and 'marifa asbab al-nuzul'
is the knowledge about the reasons of the revelations,
i.e. the knowledge about the particular events and circumstances
in history that are related to the revelation of particular
passages from the Qur'an.
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Wahidi (d. 468/1075), one
of the best classical scholars in this field wrote: 'The
knowledge about Tafsir of the ayat is not possible without
occupying oneself with their stories and explanation of
(the reasons) for their revelation.' [Asbab
al-nuzul, by al-Wahidi al-Nisaburi. Cairo, 1968, p 4]
Knowledge about the asbab
al-nuzul helps one to understand the circumstances in
which a particular revelation occurred, which sheds light
on its implications and gives guidance to the explanation
(tafsir) and application of the aya in question for other
situations.
In particular, knowledge about
the asbab al-nuzul helps one to understand:
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The direct and immediate
meaning and implication of an aya, as it can be
seen within its original context.
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The imminent reason
underlying a legal ruling.
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The original intent
of the aya.
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Whether the meaning
of an aya is specific or of general application,
and if so, under which circumstances it is to be
applied.
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The historical situation
at the time of the Prophet and the development of
the early Muslim community.
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Example:
'To God belong the East
and the West: whithersoever ye turn, there is the presence
of God, for God is all-pervading, all-knowing' (2:115).
Without knowing the sabab
(reason), one might easily conclude that this revelation
permits the Muslim to face any direction when performing
prayer, while it is well known that to face qibla is one
of the conditions without which prayer becomes invalid.
The circumstances in which this revelation occurred explains
its implications:
According to Wahidi [op. cit. pp. 20-21] a group of Muslims travelled on
a dark night and they did not know where the qibla was,
so they later realised that they had prayed in the wrong
direction. They asked the Prophet about it and he kept
silent until the above verse was revealed. ' [Based
on a report from Jabir b. 'Abdullah. Wahidi also informs
us about some other situations when the aya reportedly
applied:
- That one may pray voluntary prayer on one's riding camel,
in whichever direction it may turn (based on Ibn 'Umar).
- That the Companions of the Prophet asked why they were
ordered to pray for the dead Negus of Abyssinia, who had
prayed towards a different qibla than their own (based
on Ibn 'Abbas and 'Ata').
- That the Jews asked, why the qibla of the Muslims had
been changed from bait al-maqdis (based on Ibn Abi Talha).
See Wahidi, op.cit., p.21. All this supports the view
(to which in particular K. Murad drew my attention) of
Suyuti based on Zarkashi (Suyuti, Lubab an nuzul, Tunis,
1981, p.7.) that when the suhaba of the Prophet spoke
about an aya of the Qur'an, saying 'It was revealed concerning
...'(nazalat fi kadha) they do not restrict themselves
to narrating a single 'cause' for the revelation of an
aya but rather refer to the 'situations' to which particular
verses where found applicable during the lifetime of the
Prophet while the occasion of the first revelation of
the aya may have been much earlier. In this lie great
avenues for understanding and tafsir of the Qur'anic message.] Taking into account this reason for the revelation one cannot
come to the wrong conclusion that it is unimportant where
to turn in prayer. The scholars say however that this
verse excuses the mistake of those who un-willingly and
under adverse circumstances fail to observe the correct
qibla.
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The well-known asbab al-nuzul have been
related to us by the reliable Companions of the Prophet
Muhammad. Only reports which are sahih can be considered
fully reliable, as is the case in the science of hadith
generally. A particular condition here is also that the
person who relates it should have been present at the
time and occasion of the event (the revelation). [Wahidi. p.4.] Reports from
tab'iun only, not going back to the Prophet and his Companions
are to be considered weak (da'if). Hence one cannot accept
the mere opinion of writers or people that such and such
verse might have been revealed on such and such occasion.
Rather one needs to know exactly who related this incident,
whether he himself was present, and who transmitted it
to us.
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There are two kinds of reports
on asbab al-nuzul:
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Definite reports.
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Probable reports.
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In the first kind (definite)
the narrator clearly indicates that the event he relates
is the sabab al-nuzul.
Example:
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: the
verse 'Obey Allah and obey the apostle and those of
you (Muslims) who are in authority ...' (4: 59) was
revealed in connection with 'Abdullah bin Hudafa bin
Qais bin 'Adi when the Prophet appointed him as the
commander of a sariyya (army detachment). [Bukhari, VI, No. 108.]
In the second kind (probable)
the narrator does not indicate clearly that the event
narrated is the sabab al-nuzul, but suggests this probability.
Example:
Narrated 'Urwa: Az-Zubair
quarrelled with a man from the Ansar because of a natural
mountainous stream at Al-Harra. The Prophet said: O
Zubair, irrigate (your land) and then let the water
flow to your neighbour. The Ansar said: O Allah's apostle
(this is because) he is your cousin? At that the Prophet's
face became red (with anger) and he said: O Zubair.
Irrigate (your land) and then withhold the water till
it fills the land up to the walls and then let if flow
to your neighbour. So the Prophet enabled Az-Zubair
to take his full right after the Ansari provoked his
anger.
The Prophet had previously given an order
that was in favour of both of them. Az-Zubair said:
'I don't think but this verse was revealed in this connection:
But no, by your Lord, they can have no faith, until
they make you judge in all disputes between them' (4:
65). [Bukhari, VI,
No. 109.]
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There are three kinds of 'reasons'
which are connected with revelation of particular passages
from the Qur'an:
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Revelation in response
to an event or a general situation.
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Revelation in response
to a particular question that has been asked by
someone.
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Revelation for other
reasons, known or not known to us.
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Examples:
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Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: The
Prophet went out towards Al-Batha' and ascended the
mountain and shouted: 'O Sabahah', so the Quraish people
gathered around him. He said: 'Do you see? If I tell
you that an enemy is going to attack you in the morning
or in the evening, will you believe me?' They replied:
'Yes'. He said- 'Then I am a plain Warner to you of
a coming severe punishment'. Abu Lahab said: 'Is it
for this reason that you have gathered us? May you perish!'
Then Allah revealed 'Perish the hands of Abu Lahab'
(Sura 111: verse 1). [Bukhari, VI, No. 496.]
The Sura concerning Abu Lahab was revealed
in response to this event, when Abu Lahab said: 'May you
perish!'
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Sura 2:158 concerning Safa
and Marwa was revealed in response to a particular situation
in Makka during the time of the Prophet.
Narrated 'Urwa: I asked
'A'isha (regarding the Sa'i between As-Safa and Al-Marwa).
She said: 'Out of reverence to the idol Manat which
was placed in Al-Mushallal those who used to assume
Ihram in its name, used not to perform Sa'i between
As-Safa and Al-Marwa (because there were two other idols
between these two hills). So Allah revealed: Verily
As.-Safa and Al-Marwa are among the symbols of Allah.'
Thereupon Allah's apostle and the Muslims used to perform
Sa'i (between them). Sufyan said: The (idol) Manat was
at Al-Mushallal in Qudaid. 'A'isha added: 'The verse
was revealed in connection with the Ansar. They and
(the tribe of) Ghassan used to assume Ihram in the name
of Manat before they embraced Islam'. 'A'isha added
'There were men from the Ansar who used to assume Ihram
in the name of Manat which was an idol between Makka
and Medina. They said, O Allah's Apostle! We used not
to perform the Tawaf (sa'i) between As-Safa and Al-Marwa
out of reverence to Manat. ' [Bukhari, VI, No. 384; also Nos. 22. 23.]
In response to this situation 2: 158 was
revealed.
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On many occasions the Muslims
addressed questions to the Prophet concerning Islamic
beliefs and the Islamic way of life. An example of the
many occasions when a revelation was revealed in response
to such a question posed to the Prophet is Sura 4:11
Narrated Jabir: The Prophet
and Abu Bakr came on foot to pay me a visit (during
my illness) at Banu Salama's (dwellings). The Prophet
found me unconscious, so he asked for water and performed
the ablution from it and sprinkled some water over me.
I came to my senses and said O Allah's apostle! What
do you order me to do as regards my wealth?
So there was revealed 'Allah
commands you as regards your children's (inheritance)'
(4: 11). [Bukhari,
VI, No. 101.]
The verse in question is concerned
with inheritance and explains the rules of inheritance
for children as follows:
God (thus) directs you as
regards your children's (inheritance):
'To the male a portion equal to that of
two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share
is two-thirds of the inheritance. If only one, her share
is half ...' (4:11).
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On other occasions, the Prophet
himself asked questions. Sura 19: 64 was revealed in response
to such a question by the Prophet Muhammad:
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: The Prophet said
to the Angel Gabriel, What prevents you from visiting
us more often than you visit us now? So there was revealed:
'And we (angels) descend not but by the command of your
Lord. To Him belongs what is before us and what is behind
us ...' (19: 64).' [Bukhari, VI, No. 255.]
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There are numerous occasions
when revelation was sent down providing guidance concerning
general questions that had arisen in the Muslim community.
Thabit narrated from Anas:
Among the Jews, when a woman menstruated, they did not
dine with her, nor did they live with them in their
houses; so the Companions of the apostle (may peace
be upon him) asked the apostle (may peace be upon him)
and Allah the Exalted revealed:
'And they ask you about
menstruation: say it is a pollution, so keep away from
women during menstruation' to the end (Qur'an 2: 222).
The messenger of Allah (may
peace be upon him) said: Do everything except intercourse
... [Muslim, I. No. 592.]
This report is also a good example of how
the Prophet himself explained the meanings of the revelation
when such questions arose.
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Often a general rule which
became part of the Qur'anic revelation, was first revealed
in response to the circumstances or needs of a particular
person, e.g. Sura 2:196:
'... And if any of you is
ill, or has an ailment in his scalp (necessitating shaving)
he should in compensation either fast or feed the poor
or offer sacrifice ...' Ka'b bin 'Ujra said this verse
- and if one of you is ill or has an ailment in his
scalp, - was revealed concerning me. I had lice on my
head and I mentioned this to the Prophet and he said:
Shave (your head) and compensate by fasting three days
or a sacrifice or feed six poor, for each poor one Sa'.
[Muslim, II, Nos. 2735, 2738, 2739; Wahidi, op.cit., p.31.
One sa' is a cubic measure of approx. 2.6 kg.]
This is again an example of
the Prophet himself explaining the revelation in detail.
At other times such revelation could not be applied but
to the respective person. The best example of such a revelation
is Sura Lahab (111) already referred to above. Other examples
are references to the Prophet Muhammad in the Qur’an,
such as e.g. Sura 75: 16:
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas (as
regards Allah's statement) 'Move not your tongue concerning
(the Qur'an) to make haste therewith' (75:16).
When the Angel Gabriel revealed
the divine inspiration to Allah's Apostle he moved his
tongue and lips, and that stage used to be very hard
for him, and that movement indicated that revelation
was taking place. So Allah revealed in Sura al-qiyama
which begins: 'I do swear by the Day of Resurrection
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The Verses: 'Move not your tongue concerning
(the Qur'an) to make haste therewith. It is for us to
collect it (Qur'an) in your mind and give you the ability
to recite it by heart' (75:16-17). [Bukhari.
VI. No. 451.]
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From the reports of the sahaba
it appears that particular passages of the Qur'an were
revealed in response to more than one event, situation
or question, or that the application of a particular passage
of the Qur'an was for more than one particular occasion,
as pointed out above.
Examples:
Sura al-ikhlas (112) firstly
responds to the mushrikun in Makka before the hijra, and
secondly to the ahl al-kitab encountered in Madina after
the hijra. [Itqan, I, p.35; Wahidi, op.cit., pp.262-3.]
Another example is Sura 9:
113:
This aya was revealed firstly
in connection with the death of the Prophet's uncle Abu
Talib, where Muhammad said 'I will keep on asking (Allah
for) forgiveness for you unless I am forbidden to do so'.
Then there was revealed: it is not fitting for the Prophet
and those who believe that they should pray for forgiveness
for pagans, even though they be of kin, after it has become
clear to them that they are the companions of the Fire.
[Bukhari, VI, No. 197.]
The other occasion reported is when the
Companions and in particular 'Umar b. al-Khattab found
the Prophet shedding tears when he visited the graveyard.
The Prophet explained that he had visited his mother's
grave and that he had asked his Lord's permission to visit
it which had been granted to him and that he had also
asked his Lord's permission to pray for her forgiveness
which had not been granted to him and the above aya had
been revealed. [Wahidi,
op. cit., p. 152.]
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A well-known example for several
revelations, which are connected with one particular circumstance,
are three verses which according to reliable reports,
came down in response to the question of Umm Salama, whether
or why only the men had been referred to in the Qur'an,
as being rewarded. According to Al-Hakim and Tirmidhi
the verses 3:195, 4: 32 and 33:35 were revealed in response
to this question:
'And their Lord has accepted
of them and answered them: Never will I suffer to be
lost the work of any of you be he male or female: Ye
are members, one of another: those who have left their
homes, or have been driven out therefrom, or suffered
harm in My cause, or fought or been slain - verily I
will blot out from them their iniquities and admit them
into gardens with rivers flowing beneath; a reward from
the presence of God and from His presence is the best
of rewards' (3: 195).
'And in no wise covet those
things in which God has bestowed His gifts more freely
on some of you than on others; to men is allotted what
they earn and to women what they earn: but ask God of
His bounty for God has full knowledge of all things'
(4: 32).
'For Muslim men and women - for believing
men and women - for devout men and women, for true men
and women, for men and women who are patient and constant,
for men and women who humble themselves, for men and
women who give in charity, for men and women who fast,
for men and women who guard their chastity, and for
men and women who engage much in God's praise - for
them has God prepared forgiveness and great reward'
(33:35). [Salih, op
cit., p. 148]
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It also occurs that the Companions
of the Prophet when mentioning a revelation, differed
in their views about its sabab al-nuzul. This is due to
the fact that as already shown above there have been various
asbab for one particular revelation, and each of the persons
reporting the circumstances had been present only on one
of the various occasions.
Otherwise several views about
the same revelation have to be judged on their merits
according to the rules of 'ulum al-,hadith, and one of
them will be found to be stronger than the others.
Example:
There are two reports concerning
the revelation of Sura 17: 85:
According to Ibn 'Abbas, as
reported in Tirmidhi, the Quraish asked the Jews to give
them something they could ask the Prophet about and they
were advised to ask about the Spirit (al-ruh). Then the
aya 17:85 was revealed.
From Ibn Mas'ud, as reported
in Bukhari, it is related that he said:
While I was in the company
of the Prophet on a farm, and he was reclining on a
palm leaf stalk, some Jews passed by. Some of them said
to the others: Ask him about the Spirit. Some of them
said: What urges you to ask him about it. Others said:
(Don't) lest he should give you a reply which you dislike,
but they said, Ask him. So they asked him about the
Spirit. The Prophet kept quiet and did not give them
any answer. I knew that he was being divinely inspired
so I stayed at my place. When the divine inspiration
had been revealed, the Prophet said 'They ask you (O
Muhammad) concerning the Spirit. Say: "the Spirit",
its knowledge is with my Lord and from the knowledge
it is only a little that has been given to you (mankind)'
(17: 85).
The second report, although the first one
has been declared sahih by Tirmidhi, is considered to
be stronger because it comes from Ibn Mas'ud, who says
that he was present on the occasion of the revelation,
while the report from Ibn 'Abbas in Tirmidhi does not
contain this information. [See
Salih, op.cit., pp. 145-6; Bukhari, VI, No. 245.]
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Another question leads directly
to the field of tafsir, but is still connected with asbab
al-nuzul. When one knows about the sabab al-nuzul, it
is still to be decided whether the revelation has a specific
implication for the particular occasion it was connected
with, or whether it is of general implication and needs
to be applied by all Muslims at all times.
Example:
'As to the thief, male or
female, cut off his or her hands: a punishment by way
of example, from God, for their crime: and God is exalted
in power' (5: 41).
This verse although it was revealed concerning
a specific person who had stolen a piece of armour and
had been punished accordingly, is of general application.
[See Wahidi, op.cit., p.111; also Tafsir Ibn
al-Jauzi, Beirut, 1964, Vol.II, p.348.]
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In some cases scholars have
provided us with the background of certain events that
have been narrated in the Qur'an. Obviously, however,
such information does not belong to the field of asbab
al-nuzul. Although it may help to understand the message
of the revelation, it is not related in a direct and reliable
way, showing immediate reason for or the occasion of the
revelation.
Example:
'Seest thou not how thy
Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant?' (105:1).
The following passage from
a book of tafsir, although it contains information about
the background of the event narrated in the sura, does
not belong to the field of asbab al-nuzul:
(The companions of the elephant) had come
from the Yemen and wanted to destroy the Ka'ba (they
were) from Abyssinia and their leader was Abraha al-Ashram,
the Abyssinian. [Tujibi,
mukhtasar min tafsir al-Tabari, Cairo, 1970, II, p.529.]
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The branch of 'ulum al-Qur’an
concerned with the asbab al-nuzul is one of the most important
areas of knowledge for the proper understanding and explanation
of the Qur'anic revelation. The message of the Qur'an
is guidance for all times. However its ayat were revealed
at particular points of time in history and in particular
circumstances.
One of the most crucial steps
in meaningful interpretation is to distinguish between
that part which is attached solely to the historical event
and that part, which, although attached to the historical
event, also has wider implications. The knowledge of asbab
al-nuzul helps to distinguish between these two by:
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Clarifying the events
and circumstances, which are connected with the
revelation of certain ayat.
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Illustrating the
application of such ayat by referring to situations,
when the Companions of the Prophet found them proper
and applicable.
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