Why Wasn’t the Quran Revealed to the Prophet at Once?
Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa
Question
Why wasn’t the Quran revealed to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) all at once?
Answer
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.
Wisdom Behind the Gradual Revelation of the Quran
There are many reasons and wisdoms behind the gradual revelation of the Quran over a period of twenty-three years to the heart of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). Some of these wisdoms include:
Strengthening and Comforting the Heart of the Prophet
As Allah (Most High) says:
“The disbelievers say, ‘If only the Quran had been sent down to him all at once!’ (We have sent it) as such (in stages) so We may reassure your heart with it. And We have revealed it at a deliberate pace.” [Quran, 25:32]
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was sent to a people who were harsh, with strong enmity and numerous plots against him. The gradual revelation of the Quran provided continuous solace, support, and reinforcement for the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), as it maintained his connection with the higher realms.
Accompanying Events and Incidents as They Occurred
The Quran was revealed in response to new developments, with verses suited to specific situations and events. This allowed Allah (Most High) to clarify His rulings in detail according to the needs of the time.
Among these ongoing events were the questions that people posed to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), whether these questions were aimed at seeking enlightenment and understanding Allah’s ruling, or for the purpose of verifying his Prophethood (Allah bless him and give him peace).
For example, the reason for the revelation of Surat al-Kahf is that the Quraysh asked the Jews in Madina about the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). The Jewish rabbis said to them: ‘Ask him about three things; if he tells you about them, then he is a true Prophet…’ [Bayhaqi, Dala’il al-Nubuwwa]
The verses of the Quran were then revealed to answer these three questions in Surat al-Kahf [17:85] regarding the young men of the cave, the story of Dhu al-Qarnayn, and the verse about the soul:
“They ask you (O Prophet) about the spirit. Say, ‘Its nature is known only to my Lord, and you (O humanity) have been given but little knowledge.’” [Quran, 17:85]
Another significant event that led to the revelation of verses from the Book of Allah (Most High) was the false accusation against ‘Aisha, the Mother of the Believers, of slander (Hadith al-Ifk). In response, ten verses were revealed to clarify the truth about this slander and to declare the innocence of the pure and chaste woman from above the seven heavens, condemning those who spread it:
“Indeed, those who came up with that (outrageous) slander are a group of you…” [Quran, 24:11]
Gradual Nurturing of the Emerging Muslim Community
The Quran employed a wise educational approach to the community, making it easier for them to abandon their false beliefs, corrupt practices, and reprehensible customs.
This gradual approach helped ease them into giving up these practices little by little. As Islam succeeded in eliminating one falsehood, it moved on to the next, starting with the most important issues and then addressing the less critical ones until it ultimately purified them from all these defilements without causing them undue hardship or burden.
‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) explained the reason why alcohol was not prohibited all at once. She said: “When the people embraced Islam, the prohibitions of lawful and unlawful things were revealed. If the first thing to be revealed was, ‘Do not drink alcoholic drinks,’ they would have said, ‘We will never give up alcoholic drinks.’ And if there had been revealed, ‘Do not commit illegal sexual intercourse,’ they would have said, ‘We will never give up illegal sexual intercourse.’” [Bukhari]
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many wisdoms behind the gradual revelation of the Quran. I recommend you to read the book al-Naba’ al-‘Azim by Abdullah Daraz, where he explains many of these wisdoms in detail. [See: Zurqani, Manahil al-‘Irfan; ‘Itr, ‘Ulum al-Quran]
May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.
And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa
Shaykh Anas al-Musa, born in Hama, Syria, in 1974, is an erudite scholar of notable repute. He graduated from the Engineering Institute in Damascus, where he specialized in General Construction, and Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Usul al-Din, where he specialized in Hadith.
He studied under prominent scholars in Damascus, including Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri and Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, among others. Shaykh Anas has memorized the Quran and is proficient in the ten Mutawatir recitations, having studied under Shaykh Bakri al-Tarabishi and Shaykh Mowfaq ‘Ayun. He also graduated from the Iraqi Hadith School.
He has taught numerous Islamic subjects at Shari‘a institutes in Syria and Turkey. Shaykh Anas has served as an Imam and preacher for over 15 years and is a teacher of the Quran in its various readings and narrations.
Currently, he works as a teacher at SeekersGuidance and is responsible for academic guidance there. He has completed his Master’s degree in Hadith and is now pursuing his Ph.D. in the same field. Shaykh Anas al-Musa is married and resides in Istanbul.
