Wahi - Revelation

BOOKS OF ALLAH

Q.   It has been mentioned under discussion about Islamic faith and beliefs that the Qur-an took twenty-three years to be revealed. On the other hand, Al-lah says in Qur-an:

SHAHRU RAMADANAL-LAZI UNZILA FIHIL-QUR-AN

(Ramadhaan is the month in which the Holy Qur-an was revealed.)

This shows that the Qur-an was revealed in the month of Ramadhaan. At another place the Qur-an says:

IN-NA ANZALNAHU FI-LAILATIL-QADR

(We revealed it [the Qur-an]  in the night if ‘”Qadr”)

This shows that the Holy Qur-an was revealed in the night of “Qadr”.

These three statements seem to be mutually contradictory. Which one of these is to be taken as correct?

  All the three statements are correct. The fact is that the revelation of the Holy Qur-an is of two kinds. First, the whole of the Qur-an was at one stroke sent down from the Preserved Tablet to the Sky of the earth (the first sky). Secondly, it was sent down in installments and bit y bit into the world as and when necessity arose. Thus, the meaning of the two verses of the Holy Qur-an is that it was sent down in a certain night (Qadr) of the holy Ramadhaan from the Preserved Tablet to the Sky of the earth. Reference to twenty-three years means that it continued to be revealed on the holy Prophet (peace be on him) for twenty-three years. Thus, the three propositions are not contradictory, but complementary.

Q.   Where did the Qur-an start being revealed or more appropriately, which is the place where Qur-an started being revealed?

  The Holy Qur-an started being revealed in Hira. Hira is the name of a mountain in the holly city of Makka. The mountain had a cave. The Prophet (peace be on him) frequented the cave for the worship of Al-lah. Sometimes, he lived there for days on end. Whenever he ran short of food supply, he went home and brought fresh supplies to last several days and thus, busied himself in the worship of Al-lah in loneliness. It was in this cave (Hira) that the Holy Qur-an started being revealed.