CONCEPT OF REVELATION

Assalamu alaikum warahmathullah!

Under concept of revelation we will be looking at asbab-ul-nuzul  which is translated as  cause of revelation  in English. Firstly we must understand that the exact cause of revelation cannot be known for all the verses as it not possible to make any educated guesses regarding this. The only possible way to know about the cause is when  companions tell us.

However, we have to understand that there could be multiple causes
for revelation. And sometimes we find that one of them is unauthentic while the other is authentic, so we just neglect the one that is not authentic. But sometimes we find a number of incidents that occurred and all of which are claimed to be the cause of revelation of a particular verse.

For an example for the ayah in Surah Noor (24:4-9)
"And for those who accuse their wives, but have no witnesses except themselves, let the witness of one of them be four testimonies (swearing) by Allah that, indeed, he is of the truthful, and the fifth that Allah's curse be upon him if he should be of the liars (against her). But it will avert the punishment from her if she gives four testimonies (swearing) by Allah that indeed he is of the liars, and the fifth (oath) that Allah's wrath be upon her if he was of the truthful."

In terms of this ayah we see that there are two incidents that occurred in a similar time frame, and so the verse came down catering to both of these situations.( *1.Please check the footnote of this lesson for the two incidents)

Furthermore, there are incidents where the same verse is revealed more than once.This is because of the different causes that occurred at different timings.
For an example for the ayah in Surah Al-Tawbah, verse 113
“It’s not possible for the Prophet and the believers that they seek forgiveness for those who are pagans.”
It is reported that this ayah came down for different reasons which took place in different timings.( *2.Please check the footnote of this lesson for the incidents)

Also there are instances where several verses are revealed over a period of time catering a particular incident.
For an example Umm Salamah - the wife of the Prophet PBUH, said “O Messenger of Allah, I see that Allah always mentions men in the Quran, and He never mentions women.”
So in response to this, Allah Almighty revealed a number of verses over a period of time such as
Surah An-Nisa’a: 32,Surah Al-Ahzab: 35, Surah al-`Imran: 195.( *3.Please check the footnote of this lesson for the ayahs)
FOOTNOTES
*1
It is narrated that a certain companion by the name of Helal ibn Umayyah accused his own wife of committing adultery. And the ruling had been up until that time that if you accuse another woman of committing adultery you had better bring four witnesses. If you don’t bring four witnesses, then you are going to be punished for slandering a woman.
But Helal came home one day and he saw– we seek Allah’s refuge- and he saw this evil act and he couldn’t help but say that “O messenger of God. She is my wife and I can’t now go to her now that I have seen her betraying me. I’ve seen her with another man. What do you expect me to do?” And so Allah Almighty revealed in the Quran that those of you who accuse their wives of adultery, they have this option.
So Allah revealed it responding to Helal ibn Umayyah’s dilemma. And the dilemma was as we said that he couldn’t remain married to a woman that he knew was not faithful and disloyal to him. He knows it, he has seen it. And he said “O Messenger of Allah, a man sees his own wife committing an evil act, the act of fornication. Should he go and find four witnesses? This is my wife now, how can I go and find four witnesses?”
And so the Prophet (peace be upon him) couldn’t do anything because there was no revelation revealed, until Allah revealed a verse in the Quran which is verse number 6 of chapter 24 Al-Noor.

We also find that in Sahih Al-Bukhari we learn that another companion, Owaimer Al-Ajlani, also accused his wife, and he came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said the same thing to him, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Oh Owaimer, Allah has revealed verses regarding you", and he recited this verse to him.
*2
It is reported that one incident was when the Prophet PBUH wanted to seek forgiveness for his own mother, and so Allah revealed this verse.
Another incident tells us that the Prophet PBUH wanted to seek forgiveness for his uncle Abu Talib, and so Allah Almighty wanted to reveal this verse, These two incidents are in different time frames.
*3
“..Men will have a reward for what they have done and earned, and women will have a reward for what they have done and earned”.(4:32)

“Believing men and women, pious mean and women, righteous men and women, charity-giving men and women, fasting men and women, patient men and women…” (33:35)

“Never will I allow the work of any of you to go unrewarded, whether they are male or female. You are together members of one another.”(3:195)