A discussion on how to reconcile the report of Ibn 'Abbas that the Qur'an was sent down in one lump to the House of Glory in the lowest heaven, with the saying of Allah the Exalted
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. I say that there is a difficulty in the verse, which is whether the Qur'an was sent down in one lump to the lowest heaven and then sent down in parts, or whether for every incident about which Allah (Mighty and Majestic) spoke, He sent down a Qur'anic verse. The verse of al-Mujadilah indicates the second option, in the sense that I understand from the apparent meaning of the verse, that after she complained to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), Allah (Mighty and Majestic) sent down this verse directly. As for the entire Qur'an being general, then what was sent down corresponds to the word "heard" or the attribute of hearing for Allah (Mighty and Majestic): [Ali 'Imran 3:181], then He said: [Al-Mujadila 58:1]. So after she complained, Allah heard their conversation, then He sent down this verse. Because the hearing of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), as is known among the people of the Sunnah and the community, means either knowledge in general, or the perception of what is heard. So when she spoke with her voice, she produced the sound, the speech, and the complaint to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and Allah heard this complaint, so He sent down this verse regarding it.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The student : This does not correspond to the sending down of the Qur'an in one lump...
Another student: First, the Noble Qur'an, as is known, was sent down in one lump, as our Shaykh indicated... to the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas, and then it was sent down in parts. So all the incidents that occurred, and all the causes for which the speech of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) was sent down, mostly preceded the appearance of the verses that were sent down on these occasions. So Allah (Mighty and Majestic) spoke of these matters in eternity, which would occur in the life of the Prophet and in the lives of people, and then He revealed them in the form in which our Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He) spoke, no more and no less. This hadith, or this verse in which Allah (Mighty and Majestic) spoke, He spoke of it as the matter would actually be. This is the case, so there is no difficulty at all, because the speech of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) was spoken according to what would be the reality of the incidents that would occur among people, so He expressed them as they would be. And from here came the expression in the present tense[Al-Mujadila 58:1], what is it? Yes, so this is a revelation, meaning this is the sending down of the Qur'an with these words. And it is known that in the Noble Qur'an, a single verse contains variation in rhetorical or verbal style. Sometimes a single verse contains speech in the past tense, then in the present tense, then in the form of address, then in the form of the speaker. All colors of address are gathered in the single verse. So Allah (Mighty and Majestic) only spoke with this verse as it would be the reality, with the incident or the cause that reveals this verse when Jibreel brings it down to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The questioner : ... .
The student: And that is...
The questioner : And it is that it would be a door for the Ash'ariyyah and others to say that speech is a meaning subsisting in the self.
The Shaykh : Self-existent speech.
The questioner : Yes, speech is a meaning subsisting.
The Shaykh : The speech of the mind.
The student : No, absolutely not, what...
The questioner : No, why not say that He spoke with it twice? What is the prevention? The apparent meaning of the hadiths and the sending down of Jibreel for the speech from our Lord is that He spoke with it at that time. What is the prevention, I mean.
The student : Okay, I concede this to you and say yes, but when Allah (Mighty and Majestic) spoke with these verses and sent them down to the lowest heaven, and sent them down to the lowest heaven, and then spoke with them a second time, how can it be said that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) kept this verse inscribed in the Preserved Tablet in the lowest heaven? How is this possible? It also returns the same difficulty, that it returns the difficulty that this verse remained inscribed in the Preserved Tablet and Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) did not speak with it.
The questioner : ... .
The student : Yes, this is possible. No, I mean, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) spoke with it, so it was sent down to the Preserved Tablet, and it remained inscribed in the Preserved Tablet. So is the question here whether the entire Noble Qur'an, does Allah (Mighty and Majestic) continue to speak with it while it is being sent down, and before it is sent down, and after it is sent down?
Another student: This...
Another student: May Allah bless you, for that reason, the saying, O Shaykh Abdullah, and Allah knows best, is that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) spoke with this verse, so it was sent down and inscribed and recorded in the Preserved Tablet in the lowest heaven in the House of Glory, and then Allah spoke with it as He knew would be the cause of its sending down, which is the argument that was between this woman and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The questioner : ... He spoke with it, so He spoke twice.
The student: Yes.
The questioner : So it would be that He spoke twice.
The student : Yes, no, he did not...
The questioner : Why did He speak twice? This is knowledge of the unseen...
The student : Our Lord spoke with it with a voice and letters.
Another student: Of course.
Another student: And it was inscribed in the Preserved Tablet, and when its time came, it was sent down.
The Shaykh : Yes, it was sent down, this is it.
The student : We, the matter is unseen...
Another student: We need to gain the opportunity and you are present.
The Shaykh : I did not get the answer except in this way.
The student : Listen, our brothers, our brothers, listen.
Another student: In the name of Allah, regarding the sending down of the Qur'an, there is no contradiction between the one who says that it was sent down to the lowest heaven in one lump, and then it was sent down according to the incidents, by a linguistic indication, which is that "anzala" (sent down) implies sending down once, but it was mentioned in the verse:[Yusuf 12:2], meaning We sent it down to the lowest heaven once, and the other verse was mentioned: , and "nazzala" (sent down in parts) is a verb that implies gradual sending down and separation. So here is an indication that it was sent down once to the lowest heaven in one lump, and then it was sent down according to the incidents in parts.
The Shaykh : And it is so.
The student : And it is as you say, yes.
Another student: And Allah knows best.
The Shaykh : Well done, well done, there is no god but Allah.
The student : We need to gain time, brothers, because the brothers want to travel. If you have something, O...
The Shaykh : ... .
has certainly heard
قَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّهُAnd Allah hears your dialogue
وَاللَّهُ يَسْمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَاThe Shaykh: Yes.
The student : This does not correspond to the sending down of the Qur'an in one lump...
Another student: First, the Noble Qur'an, as is known, was sent down in one lump, as our Shaykh indicated... to the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas, and then it was sent down in parts. So all the incidents that occurred, and all the causes for which the speech of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) was sent down, mostly preceded the appearance of the verses that were sent down on these occasions. So Allah (Mighty and Majestic) spoke of these matters in eternity, which would occur in the life of the Prophet and in the lives of people, and then He revealed them in the form in which our Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He) spoke, no more and no less. This hadith, or this verse in which Allah (Mighty and Majestic) spoke, He spoke of it as the matter would actually be. This is the case, so there is no difficulty at all, because the speech of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) was spoken according to what would be the reality of the incidents that would occur among people, so He expressed them as they would be. And from here came the expression in the present tense
And Allah hears your dialogue
وَاللَّهُ يَسْمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَاThe questioner : ... .
The student: And that is...
The questioner : And it is that it would be a door for the Ash'ariyyah and others to say that speech is a meaning subsisting in the self.
The Shaykh : Self-existent speech.
The questioner : Yes, speech is a meaning subsisting.
The Shaykh : The speech of the mind.
The student : No, absolutely not, what...
The questioner : No, why not say that He spoke with it twice? What is the prevention? The apparent meaning of the hadiths and the sending down of Jibreel for the speech from our Lord is that He spoke with it at that time. What is the prevention, I mean.
The student : Okay, I concede this to you and say yes, but when Allah (Mighty and Majestic) spoke with these verses and sent them down to the lowest heaven, and sent them down to the lowest heaven, and then spoke with them a second time, how can it be said that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) kept this verse inscribed in the Preserved Tablet in the lowest heaven? How is this possible? It also returns the same difficulty, that it returns the difficulty that this verse remained inscribed in the Preserved Tablet and Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) did not speak with it.
The questioner : ... .
The student : Yes, this is possible. No, I mean, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) spoke with it, so it was sent down to the Preserved Tablet, and it remained inscribed in the Preserved Tablet. So is the question here whether the entire Noble Qur'an, does Allah (Mighty and Majestic) continue to speak with it while it is being sent down, and before it is sent down, and after it is sent down?
Another student: This...
Another student: May Allah bless you, for that reason, the saying, O Shaykh Abdullah, and Allah knows best, is that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) spoke with this verse, so it was sent down and inscribed and recorded in the Preserved Tablet in the lowest heaven in the House of Glory, and then Allah spoke with it as He knew would be the cause of its sending down, which is the argument that was between this woman and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The questioner : ... He spoke with it, so He spoke twice.
The student: Yes.
The questioner : So it would be that He spoke twice.
The student : Yes, no, he did not...
The questioner : Why did He speak twice? This is knowledge of the unseen...
The student : Our Lord spoke with it with a voice and letters.
Another student: Of course.
Another student: And it was inscribed in the Preserved Tablet, and when its time came, it was sent down.
The Shaykh : Yes, it was sent down, this is it.
The student : We, the matter is unseen...
Another student: We need to gain the opportunity and you are present.
The Shaykh : I did not get the answer except in this way.
The student : Listen, our brothers, our brothers, listen.
Another student: In the name of Allah, regarding the sending down of the Qur'an, there is no contradiction between the one who says that it was sent down to the lowest heaven in one lump, and then it was sent down according to the incidents, by a linguistic indication, which is that "anzala" (sent down) implies sending down once, but it was mentioned in the verse:
Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an
إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّاAnd We revealed it in stages
وَنَزَّلْنَاهُ تَنْزِيلًاThe Shaykh : And it is so.
The student : And it is as you say, yes.
Another student: And Allah knows best.
The Shaykh : Well done, well done, there is no god but Allah.
The student : We need to gain time, brothers, because the brothers want to travel. If you have something, O...
The Shaykh : ... .
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.