Quran revelations

[Lulua]

Assalaamu alaikum.

Br. Sadiq...thankyou for taking the time and effort to look into my request. I am acquainted with the brother who forwarded on that hadith quote to me, and can vouch that he is a good and trusting muslim, and he reassured me that the quote has come from S. Bukhari. I myself can recall reading it one time, but did not memorize it. But I still think that it is missing a word for completion. Have not been able to locate the exact quote yet myself for verification. So, if you find anything...will be of much help, inshaAllah.

Now I have another question. This is dealing with the Quran.

I am assuming that we are all familiar with the prophet's(SAAW) speech that he delivered at the congregation for the 'hajjat-ul-wadaa', in which he recited the following verse:

'This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.' s. 5, v. 3.

It had long been my understanding that this verse was indicating that there was no more revelations to occur after this time. The prophet(SAAW) fell ill soon after returning to Madinah after that haj, the illness from which he never recovered, and eventually died. Is it true that this portion of this verse was the last to be revealed to the prophet(SAAW)...or was there some other verses later revealed to him? Even perhaps while on his journey back to Madinah? I have been approached by a claim that there was some revelations even during his journey on the way back to Madinah after the haj...and I have no true knowledge of this myself.

To answer this...I need someone with some knowledge not only of the Quran itself, but someone as well with good knowledge of the seerah of the prophet(SAAW) as well as the history of Islam, and the tafseer of the Quran.

I am truly hoping that someone can help me with this important question. If not...then please do direct me to someone who can attend to it better.

I thankyou in advance.

Lulua.

[Sadiq]

Salam sister!

This should help you, i found this on one site!... I forwarded your question to some brothers, and they gave me this article...hope it helps..!

Salaam, read this article in an old Al Jumu'ah. Was contemplating typing it, but was in a lazy mode. Alhamdulillah I found it on the Net!!!!

"The First And Last Revelations Of The Qur'an"
By Abdisalam Adam

There are branches of uloom al-Qur'an that deal with different aspects of the Qur'an such as the first and last verses revealed to the Prophet sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam. Right from the very first received much deliberate attention from the Muslim Ummah by memorizing it, understanding it and putting it into practice as a way of life. Muslims used to compete vigorously as to who would learn it the most. That resulted in having every related aspect of it meticulously recorded. Knowing these aspects of the Qur'an has several benefits and uses:

1. Knowing the verses that were abrogated and the ones that abrogated them if there is an apparent contradiction in their meanings. This occurs in the case when two or more verses are revealed on the same topic such that the meaning of one verse is in opposition or different from the other.

2. Knowing the progression of the revelation of the Qur'anic verses regarding the rulings of some mattes such as the stages in the prohibition of intoxicants. New verses were revealed in each stage, the order of such rulings is very important not only with regard to the matter of drinking but also in knowing that the Qur'an takes nto account the human behavior as in the rulings associated with enjoining people to do good for example.

3. Allowing us to know the history of Islamic legislation (Shari'ah). For example, we learned when and where the verses about fasting in Ramadhan were revealed. This type of knowledge is an essential part of the Islamic Fiqh. Most of the Qur'anic rulings would not be correctly applied to newer situations facing the Muslims communities had w not known the circumstances and sequences of revelations.

4. They provide us with evidence of the amount of attention the Muslim Ummah paid to the Qur'an. We now know with certainty every detail surrounding the Qur'an's revelation. Knowing and appreciating the work our predecessors have done should lead us to make similar efforts and have similar concerns for those who come after us.

The First Revelation

There is a general consensus among the scholars that the first revelation to the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam was the beginning of surah al'alaq (96 : 1-5). At the onset of revelation, while the prophet sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam was secluded in the Cave of Hiraa, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala ordered angel Jibreel to recite to the prophet: "Read in the name of your Lord, Who created, created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is Most Bountiful Who taught the use of the Pen, taught man which he knew not." This event relating how the prophet first received revelation is reported in Bukhari.

In another narration, Aa'isha said, "At first the surahs of (Moffassal) [or those surahs of the last three Juz'e in the Qur'an], which mentioned Hell and Paradise. And as people accepted Islam [and got to know it better] the Qur'an of halal and haram [that brought in it the do's and do not's] was revealed." (Reported by Bukhari). It is clea that this hadeeth is referring to the general content or topics the Qur'an dealt with first in delivering its Message to people.

The Second Revelation

The second portion of the Qur'an revealed to the prophet sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam was the beginning of Surat al-Muddaththir [74:1-5]. Allah, says: "O you covered in your cloak, arise ad warn; and your Lord magnify; and your garments purify; and pollution shun (i.e., keep away from the idols)." Other early revelations which have been reported include: Surat al-Fatiha, Surat al-Masad, Surat at-Takwir, Surat al-A'la, Surat al-Layl, and Surat al-Fajr.

The Last Revelation

There are different opinions among the scholars regarding the last revealed portion of the Qur'an. Here are the strongest:

First: Ibn Abbass said, "The last verse revealed was "And fea the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah. Then every person shall be paid what he earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly." [2:281] (Reported by Nasaa'ie). Ibn Abi Hatim reported the same on the authority of Saeed Ibn Jubair and said that the prophet sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam died nine nights after the revelation of this verse.

Second: the last revelation was the verse about debt: "O you who believe! When you contract a debt for a fixed period, write it down." [2:282].

Third: al-Baihequee reported on the authority of Omar that the last revelation was the verse on the prohibition of Riba (usury): "O you who believe! Be conscious of Allah and give up what remains (due to you) from Riba (usury) (from now onward), if you (really) are believers." [2:278] Similar reports were also given by Ahmad and Ibn Majah.

Some scholars such As-Suyuti stated that all three verses were revealed on one occasion as they all deal with Islamic rulings about financial transactions. Each of the narrators reported a portion were mentioned by Ibn Hajar in "Fathul Bari."

Other reports on the last revelations include:

1. "This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion" [5:4]. Scholars say that this verse was revealed during the prophet's farewell pilgrimage, and revelation of the Qur'an continued after that. However, they explain that the favors in this verse refer to the victory the Muslims achieved in returning to Makkah and peforming the pilgrimage exclusively for the first time.

2. Al-Baraa Ibn 'Aazib said, "The last verse was 'They ask you (Muhammed) for a legal verdict. Say: 'Allah directs (thus) about Al-Kalalah (those who leave neither descendants nor ascendants as heirs)…" [4:176] (Reported by Bukhari). This was the last verse on matters of inheritance.

3. "Verily, there has come to you a Messenger from amongst yourselves…" [9:128-129] This is interpreted to mean that it is the last portion of this surah.

4. "And their Lord accepted of them (their supplications and answered them), 'Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female. You are (members) one of another." [3:195] This is the last verse pertaining to women.

5. "And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein, and the Wrath and the curse of Allah are upon him, and a great punishment is prepared for him" [4:93]. This is the last verse on the fate of a person who kills a believer intentionally.

6. "When the help of Allah comes and victory (conquest of Makkah); and you see the people entering Allah's religion in crowds; so glorify the praises of your lord, and pray for his forgiveness. Verily, he is the one who accepts the repentance and forgives." [110-:1-3]. According to some of the companions, this is the last complete surah to be revealed. Also, this surah foretold the passing away of the prophet sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam.

Reference:
Al-Jummah Magazine

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Take care, sadiq!