The Secret Behind Describing Ramadan as the Month in Which the Qur'an Was Revealed
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The Shaykh:
May Allah greet you and bless you.
The questioner:
Our dear listeners, we had presented a set of questions to the Honorable Shaykh regarding verse 183 and verse 184 of Surat al-Baqarah, which begins with the words of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:183]. He (may Allah preserve him) explained and clarified (may Allah preserve him) a number of matters and points of reflection concerning these two verses. In this episode, we will begin with the words of Allah the Exalted, after the seeking of refuge: [An-Nahl 16:98] [Al-Baqarah 2:185] [Al-Baqarah 2:185] Honorable Shaykh, what is the secret behind describing the month of Ramadan as the one in which the Qur'an was revealed?
The Shaykh:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions. As for the secret, and Allah knows best, in describing Ramadan as the month in which the Qur'an was revealed, it is so that the virtue of this month becomes clear. And that Allah has distinguished it with this great distinction, which is the revelation of the Qur'an in it. The revelation of the Qur'an is mentioned in the month of Ramadan, as in this verse, and it is mentioned in the Night of Decree, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Qadr 97:1] Allah the Exalted said: [Ad-Dukhan 44:3] So the Qur'an is described as having been revealed in the month of Ramadan and revealed in the Night of Decree. There is no contradiction between the two verses because the Night of Decree is in the month of Ramadan. So the Qur'an was revealed in the Night of Decree in the month of Ramadan. How was it revealed in the Night of Decree in the month of Ramadan, when it was revealed piecemeal to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) according to events and occurrences until he passed away (peace and blessings be upon him)? The answer to that is that the meaning of "the Qur'an was revealed in it" [Al-Qadr 97:1] is that the beginning of the revelation of the Qur'an was in this night and in this month. The term "Qur'an" is used for a part of it just as it is used for the whole. So the meaning of the revelation of the Qur'an in the month of Ramadan and the revelation of the Qur'an in the Night of Decree is that Allah began its revelation in this month and in this blessed night. Then its revelation continued to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), because Allah revealed it, because Allah the Exalted revealed it by gradual revelation, meaning He revealed it piecemeal according to events and occasions, and for the sake of making it easy for the community through the gradual implementation of legislation. Yes.
The questioner:
Yes, what is said, Honorable Shaykh, is that it was revealed all at once in the Night of Decree?
The Shaykh:
This is narrated from Ibn Abbas, but it is not authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
The questioner:
Oh, my.
The Shaykh:
As far as I know, they said that its meaning is that it was revealed all at once in the Night of Decree to the House of Glory in the lowest heaven, and then it was revealed piecemeal to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The questioner:
We seek help from Allah.
The Shaykh:
Allah knows best about that, but the correct and established position according to the evidence is that it was revealed gradually, meaning piecemeal, to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and it was not revealed all at once. And for that reason, when the polytheists proposed, they said: "Why was the Qur'an not revealed to him all at once?"
The questioner:
To be written down.
The Shaykh:
[Al-Furqan 25:32] Meaning, We revealed it piecemeal in order to make it easy for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and to make it easy for the community. Yes.
The questioner:
Yes, according to the events.
The Shaykh:
And the occasions. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh,
May Allah greet you and bless you.
The questioner:
Our dear listeners, we had presented a set of questions to the Honorable Shaykh regarding verse 183 and verse 184 of Surat al-Baqarah, which begins with the words of Allah the Exalted:
O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْin Allah from Satan, the expelled [from His mercy].
بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِThe month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُand whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.
وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَThe Shaykh:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions. As for the secret, and Allah knows best, in describing Ramadan as the month in which the Qur'an was revealed, it is so that the virtue of this month becomes clear. And that Allah has distinguished it with this great distinction, which is the revelation of the Qur'an in it. The revelation of the Qur'an is mentioned in the month of Ramadan, as in this verse, and it is mentioned in the Night of Decree, as Allah the Exalted said:
Indeed, We sent the Qur'an down during the Night of Decree.
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِIndeed, We sent it down during a blessed night
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍWe sent the Qur'an down during the Night of Decree.
أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِThe questioner:
Yes, what is said, Honorable Shaykh, is that it was revealed all at once in the Night of Decree?
The Shaykh:
This is narrated from Ibn Abbas, but it is not authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
The questioner:
Oh, my.
The Shaykh:
As far as I know, they said that its meaning is that it was revealed all at once in the Night of Decree to the House of Glory in the lowest heaven, and then it was revealed piecemeal to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The questioner:
We seek help from Allah.
The Shaykh:
Allah knows best about that, but the correct and established position according to the evidence is that it was revealed gradually, meaning piecemeal, to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and it was not revealed all at once. And for that reason, when the polytheists proposed, they said: "Why was the Qur'an not revealed to him all at once?"
The questioner:
To be written down.
The Shaykh:
that We may strengthen thereby your heart. And We have spaced it distinctly.
لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ وَرَتَّلْنَاهُ تَرْتِيلًاThe questioner:
Yes, according to the events.
The Shaykh:
And the occasions. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh,
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 7 من 27|وقفات مع آيات الصيام|شهر رمضان الذي أنزل فيه القرآن |صالح الفوزان|فقه|كبار العلماء — youtube.com (0:43)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.