Islamic Online University FOIS Module 2.2

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The Foundations of Islamic Studies 101
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The Foundations of Islaamic Studies

By Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips
Module TWO
TAFSEER
2.2 MAKKAN AND MADEENAN REVELATIONS

The Qur aan was revealed in sections to Prophet Muhammad (r) from the beginning of his prophethood until shortly before his death. Thus, the Qur aan came down continuously over a period of twenty-three years. Many sections of the Qur aan were generally revealed to solve the problems which existed among the Muslim communities in both Makkah and Madeenah. Since the problems and needs of Makkah were different from those of Madeenah, the revelations of Makkah and Madeenah have special characteristics of their own. It is important to know the difference between the revelations of Makkah and Madeenah if the Qur aan itself is to be clearly understood. Because of the great importance of the Qur aan to Islaam, Muslim scholars from the time of the Sahaabah have devoted much time and effort in this area of study. THE FEATURES OF MAKKAN REVELATIONS Makkan revelations are defined as all verses and chapters of the Qur aan which were brought by Jibreel to the Prophet (r) before the Hijrah1 (622 C.E.). This includes verses which were revealed in Taa!if as well as those revealed in other areas outside of Makkah. These revelations represent the first stage of the Islamic movement in which its fundamentals were established. 1. Tawheed : When Islaam was first presented to the people of Makkah, they were in a state of disbelief. Most of them believed in Allaah, but they had put between themselves and Allaah many intermediaries. They made idols to represent these intermediaries and worshipped them instead of Allaah. Thus, the early revelations taught the people about Allaah s unity and power over all things. They told the people that Allaah was without parents, offspring or any partner
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The emigration of the Prophet (r) to Madinah.
who shared His powers. They also pointed out that idols could neither bring good nor hold back evil. And they questioned the logic of worshipping things which could not even see or hear. 2. Salaah : After the first verses of revelation came informing the Prophet (r) that he had been chosen for prophethood, Allaah sent Jibreel to teach him the correct method of prayer. This was necessary because the correct method of prayer could not be arrived at by logical reasoning. Therefore, even the Prophet (r) himself had to be taught the correct method of worshipping Allaah. Thus, the early verses called upon the Prophet (r) and his early band of followers to make their Salaah regularly. Since the Makkans were in the habit of worshipping idols in the belief that these home-made gods would carry their prayers to Allaah for them, the early verses were also aimed at clarifying this misconception. The verses taught that Salaah should only be made for and to Allaah, as He is the only one who can answer them. Great stress was placed on Salaah because of its relationship to Tawheed. Correct Salaah directed to Allaah alone is the most basic way of putting Tawheed into practice. 3. The Unseen : Since there was no way that human beings could possibly come to know about the unseen world, the early verses taught them about its wonders, its mysteries, and its horrors. The verses described Paradise and its pleasures in order to encourage the believers to continue to do good deeds and to assure them of a reward. They also described the Hell -fire and its torments in order to encourage the believers to strive to avoid evil deeds. Descriptions of the fire and its inhabitants also reassured the believers that those who do wrong in this life will not escape Allaah s punishment. Such descriptions were also aimed at scaring the disbelievers into reconsidering their position before it became too late. Some of the verses also reasoned with those who could not accept the resurrection by giving them examples from nature, such as rain falling on dead earth bringing it back to life.
And it is Allaah who sends the winds sturring the clouds and We drive them to the earth after its death. Likewise (will be) the Resurrection.! Soorah Faatir (35) : 9 Others pointed out logically that the recreation of life would be easier than its creation, although it is all the same to Allaah. And it is He who originates the creation, then recreates it (after it has perished) which is easier for Him....! Soorah ar-Room (30) : 27 4. Allaah"s Existence : There were some individuals among the Makkans who were in doubt about Allaah s very existence. Thus, some of the early verses presented logical arguments proving Allaah s existence. Sometimes proofs were taken from nature and the creatures common to the society. Allaah asked the Makkans, Why didn"t they look at the camels and how they were created, and the sky and how it was raised, and the mountains and how they are firmly fixed and the earth and how it was spread out?! Soorah alGhaashiyah (88) : 17-20 At other times straight logic was used. Allaah asked them if they were created from nothing or if they created themselves: Were they created of nothing, or were they themselves the creators?! Soorah at-Toor (52) : 35 The answer had to be one or the other. Since they knew they had not created themselves, they had to realize that they were created. Even if they said that they came from their parents and their parents came from their parents and so on. The numbers eventually decrease to one who came from nothing. Thus, Allaah, the Creator, has to be accepted for our existence to make sense. 5. Challenges :
In order to prove to the Quraysh that the Qur aan was from Allaah and that Muhammad (r) was a prophet of Allaah, some of the Makkan verses challenged the Arabs to imitate the Qur aan. Many of the chapters began with individual letters like "Alif, Laam and Meem, " Saad, or " Noon in order to tease the Makkans with the same letters of the alphabet that they made their flowery speeches and poetry with. Allaah made the Qur aan with the same letters, but they just could not imitate it. Since the Arabs were unable to produce even a chapter resembling the smallest chapter of the Qur aan, the miraculous nature of the Qur aan and its divine origin were clearly proven to the people at that time. However, many of them preferred to look at the Qur aan as a magical spell, and the Prophet (r) as a master magician.
6. The People of Old : The Makkan verses often mentioned historical examples of earlier civilizations, like the !Aad and the Thamood. They were mentioned in order to warn those who had rejected the message of Islaam. The verses spoke about the wonders of the ancient civilizations. They listed the many blessings which Allaah had bestowed on the peoples of those civilizations. Then they recounted how the people disobeyed Allaah and denied His blessings, and how Allaah s punishment caught them when they were totally unaware of what could become of them if Allaah so willed. These examples were quite familiar to the Arabs because the ruins of such civilizations could still be seen. For example, the stone tombs of Madaa # in Saalih were directly on the trade route to Syria. 7. Eemaan : Very few laws were revealed in the Makkan verses. Instead, the verses concentrated on principles which would build the Eemaan (faith) of the early Muslims. These verses spoke of the importance of fearing Allaah and being aware of His presence and knowledge of all things. They were often filled with advice about being patient, perseverant, truthful and trustworthy, in order to build the moral spiritual character of the early Muslims who were in a minority and under a lot of pressure from Makkan society. 8. Short Verses :
The Makkan Soorahs usually had short verses, catchy rhymes, and a very strong rhythm. These qualities were meant to catch the attention of listeners who were basically opposed to the message of Islaam. The verses had to be short because the audience would not be willing to listen to long, drawn-out statements. As soon as they heard any of the Qur aan, they would stick their fingers in their ears and turn away. Thus, the verses often had to strike home immediately. They often resembled the chants of the oracles and fortunetellers, but their meanings were very clear, whereas the chants were mostly obscure and vague. For example, the oracle Zabraa warned her people about a disaster which would soon strike them as follows : By the fluttering wind, and the falling night. By the shining morn, and the piercing star. By the rain-laden clouds, Verily, the trees of the valley are really deceptive, and teeth gnash until twisted. Verily, the boulders of the mountain warn of mourning, that you won t find any escape from. The Fortuneteller Zabraa THE FEATURES OF MADEENAN REVELATIONS Madeenan revelations are all those verses and chapters of the Qur aan which were revealed after the Hijrah. This includes verses which were revealed during the battles, as well as those revealed in Makkah and Minaa during and after the Farewell Pilgrimage. All of these verses are considered Madeenan because they represent the revelations of the second stage of the Islamic movement in which the consolidation of the Islamic state took place. The following are some of the main characteristics of Madeenan verses : 1. Laws :
Once Madeenah had become the new center of the Islamic movement, the Islamic state was born. The Prophet (r) became ruler over the Muslims of Madeenah, as well as the Jews and the Arab idol worshippers who lived there. A constitution was drawn up and a system of justice was established. Thus, the verses during the Madeenan stage contained the many social, economic and spiritual laws which were necessary for the organization and development of an Islamic state. It was during this period that the last three pillars of Islaam, Zakaah, Sawm and Hajj, were revealed. Likewise, it was during this period that drinking alcohol, eating swine and gambling were all forbidden. 2. People of the Book : In Madeenah, Muslims came in contact with the Jews for the first time. In order to try to shake the beliefs of the Muslims, the Jews used to ask the Prophet (r) various questions about Allaah, the earlier prophets, and the unseen. They asked questions about the origin of the soul and what it was made of. Thus, a number of Madeenan verses represented answers to the many questions raised by the Jews. The Muslims of Madeenah also came in contact with the Christians on a larger scale. As a result of that, we find a number of Madeenan verses clarifying Christian misconceptions about Prophet Jesus and Allaah. They pointed out that Jesus birth was not greater than that of Aadam who had neither father nor mother. Surely the likeness of Jesus in Allaah"s sight is as the likeness of Aadam.. He created him from dust, then said to him, #Be !" And he was.! Soorah Aal - !Imraan (3) : 59 They also stressed that the miracles of Jesus, such as bringing the dead back to life, were only by Allaah s permission. Thus, Jesus was not a god nor the son of Allaah, and Allaah was not the third of three. 3. The Munaafiqoon : For the first time since the beginning of the final message we find people entering Islaam, yet not believing in it. In Makkah, Muslims were oppressed and attacked, so no one would enter Islaam unless he truly believed. On the other hand, the Muslims of Madeenah were strong and they ruled the city. Thus, we find some
people entering Islaam in order to benefit from its strength and to oppose it from within. !Abdullaah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool was about to be crowned King of Madeenah when the Prophet (r) arrived. The Prophet (r) was made the ruler of Madeenah and Ibn Salool s hopes were ruined. Since the Muslims were strong and he could not openly oppose them, he accepted Islaam and worked against it from within. He eventually became the head of the Munaafiqoon (hypocrites). Thus, the verses of the Madeenan stage warned the Muslims about the dangers of the hypocrites and taught them how to deal effectively with them. 4. Jihaad : The right of fight against the enemy was given for the first time in al-Madeenah. During the Makkan period, Muslims were forbidden to fight back. This was for two basic reasons : (1) The Muslims were a minority and could easily be completely wiped out, and (2) only the strong could survive this test. The Makkan period prepared the foundation of the Islamic movement to come. It was during the Madeenan stage that a series of battles were fought against the forces of disbelief until finally Makkah was conquered and the whole of the Arabian peninsula came under the rule of Islaam. Thus, a number of the Madeenan verses taught Muslims the Islamic principles of war. For example, they taught how to deal with prisoners of war and they forbade retreat during an attack except as a trick to trap the enemy. They also encouraged the Muslims to prepare themselves with the best weapons and battle gear they could find.
5. Long Verses : The Madeenan verses tended to be longer than those of Makkah. In fact, there are a number of Madeenan verses which are longer than whole soorahs of the Makkan period. The longest verse of the Qur aan is the verse on loans2 in the Madeenan Soorah, al-Baqarah. This verse contains approximately 143 words. The shortest Soorah of the Qur aan is the Makkan Soorah al-Kawthar , 3 which contains a total of only 11 separate words in its three short verses. The need to catch the attention of unwilling listeners was no longer there because Islaam had become strong and its followers were many. Thus, the audience at this stage was quite willing to listen attentively to longer verses teaching the vital laws of Islam.
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Soorah al-Baqarah (2) : 292. The Soorah 102.
6. Order of the Soorahs : Although all of the Makkan verses were revealed during the same period, they were neither memorized nor written in the same order in which they were revealed. Verses from various Soorahs were revealed at once. Whenever single verses were revealed at once. Whenever single verses were revealed, the Prophet (r) would tell his scribes to write it in the Soorah to which it belonged. If a new Soorah was revealed, he would recite the Soorah in the order it was to be recorded. Once the Madeenan verses and Soorahs began to be revealed, the Prophet (r) would tell his companions to place them before or after certain Makkan Soorahs and verses. Thus, when the revelation of the Qur aan was complete, Makkan verses could be found within Madeenan Soorahs and Madeenan verses within Makkan Soorahs. The Prophet (r) reordered the verses and Soorahs of the Qur aan according to Allaah s command. the reason for that was that the verses were revealed according to the needs of a developing community, whereas the order for reading purposes needed to be varied so as not to make the Qur aan seem one-sided in its presentation. The mixture of verses and chapters from the two stages gives the reader a more balanced picture of the message of Islaam. THE IMPORTANCE There are a number of reasons why a distinction needs to be made between Makkan and Madeenan Soorahs and verses. The following are only the three most important reasons : 1. Fiqh (Islamic Law) The various laws of Islaam were revealed over a period of twenty-three years. Some laws canceled earlier laws and other laws were revealed bit by bit. Thus, it is necessary to know at which point in time the various laws were revealed in order to apply them properly. The laws of the later Madeenan period sometimes took the place of earlier laws. For example, alcohol was made forbidden in gradual stages. The first law concerning alcohol was simply a warning of its dangers. Allaah said, And, when they ask you about Khamr (alcohol) and Maysir (gambling), tell them that they contain benefit for some people, but the sin is greater than the benefit.! Soorah al-Baqarah (2):20
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The second law which was revealed warned Muslims away from Salaah when they were intoxicated (drunk). Allaah said, Do not come to Salaah when you are intoxicated (drunk), until you know what you are saying.! Soorah an-Nisaa (4) : 43 The third law, however, was a complete prohibition of even coming near any form of alcohol. Allaah said, Verily, alcohol, gambling and sacrificial altars are filth, as a result of Shaytaan"s work, so stay away from them.! Soorah alMaa!idah (5) : 93 If one was unaware of the order in which these verses were revealed, he or she may mistakenly think that drinking alcohol is allowed as long as one doesn t get drunk and come to Salaah. Or, it might be thought that benefitting from the sale of alcohol is permitted. 2. Da#wah By understanding the order in which the verses of the Qur aan were revealed, one can learn the best method of teaching Islaam. For example, the Qur aan taught the believers not to curse or make fun of the idols of the disbelievers in order not to drive them away and in order that they do not curse Allaah out of ignorance. Instead they were told to reason with the disbelievers and show them logically why the worship of idols was incorrect. Allaah said, Are you worshipping besides Allaah other gods which cannot benefit you at all nor harm you?! Soorah al-Anbiyaa! (21) : 66 3. Seerah
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Many of the important events in the Prophet s life have been recorded in various of the Qur aan. Thus, by knowing the order in which the verses were revealed, it is possible to piece together a large portion of the biography of the Prophet (r).
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The Foundations of Islamic Studies 101