Surah Al-Furqan 25:32

The Reason why the Qur'an was revealed in Stages, the Refutation of the Disbelievers, and their Evil

Allah tells us about the many objections raised by the disbelievers, their stubbornness, and how they spoke of things which were none of their concern. They said:

("Why is not the Qur'an revealed to him all at once") meaning, why was this Qur'an, which was revealed to him, not sent down all at one time, as the previous Books, the Tawrah, Injil, Zabur and other Divine Books Allah answered them, telling them that it was revealed in stages over twenty-three years, according to events and circumstances, and whatever rulings were needed, in order to strengthen the hearts of the believers, as He says:

(And (it is) a Qur'an which We have divided (into parts)...) (17:106). Allah says:

(that We may strengthen your heart thereby. And We have revealed it to you gradually, in stages.) Qatadah said it means: "We have explained it." `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said it means: "We have given its interpretation."

(And no example or similitude do they bring,) This means no arguments or doubts,

(but We reveal to you the truth, and the better explanation thereof.) They do not say anything in an attempt to oppose the truth, but We respond to them with the truth of that same matter, more clearly and more eloquently than anything they say. Abu `Abdur-Rahman An-Nasa'i recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "The Qur'an was sent down all at once to the first heaven on Laylatul-Qadr (the Night of Power), then it was revealed over twenty years." Allah says:

(And no example or similitude do they bring, but We reveal to you the truth, and the better explanation thereof.) and:

(And (it is) a Qur'an which We have divided (into parts), in order that you might recite it to men at intervals. And We have revealed it by stages) (17:106). Then Allah tells us about the terrible state of the disbelievers when they are raised on the Day of Resurrection and gathered into Hell:

(Those who will be gathered to Hell on their faces, such will be in an evil state, and most astray from the path. ) In the Sahih, it is reported from Anas that a man said, "O Messenger of Allah, how will the disbeliever be gathered on his face on the Day of Resurrection" The Prophet said:

(The One Who caused him to walk on his two feet is able to make him walk on his face on the Day of Resurrection.)

Orang-orang kafir dan orang-orang Yahudi bertanya mengapa Al-Qur'an tidak diturunkan kepada Muhammad sekali turun, seperti kitab-kitab Allah sebelumnya, yaitu kitab Taurat kepada Musa dan Zabur kepada Daud. Allah menolak pertanyaan mereka itu dan menerangkan mengapa Al-Qur'an diturunkan secara ber-angsur-angsur. Al-Qur'an diturunkan berangsur-angsur agar Allah memudahkan dan menguatkan hati Nabi Muhammad. Allah berfirman:

Dan Al-Qur'an (Kami turunkan) berangsur-angsur agar engkau (Muhammad) membacakannya kepada manusia perlahan-lahan dan Kami menurunkannya secara bertahap. (al-Isra'/17: 106)

Turunnya Al-Qur'an secara berangsur-angsur memang mengandung banyak hikmah, di antaranya:

1. Nabi Muhammad sering berjumpa dengan malaikat Jibril sehingga banyak menerima nasihat guna menambah semangat, kesabaran, dan ketabahan dalam menunaikan risalah-Nya.

2. Karena Nabi Muhammad tidak dapat membaca dan menulis (ummi) maka seandainya Al-Qur'an itu diturunkan sekaligus, tentu ia akan kesulitan untuk menghafalnya.

3. Supaya hafalannya lebih mantap, sempurna, dan terhindar dari segala kealpaan.

4. Seandainya Al-Qur'an itu diturunkan sekaligus, tentu syariat-syariatnya pun diturunkan sekaligus. Hal yang demikian itu pasti mengakibatkan banyak kesulitan. Akan tetapi, karena turunnya berangsur-angsur maka syariat pun diberlakukan secara berangsur-angsur sehingga mudah dilaksanakan, baik oleh Rasul maupun umatnya.

5. Karena turunnya Al-Qur'an banyak berkaitan dengan sebab-sebab turunnya seperti adanya berbagai pertanyaan, peristiwa, atau kejadian, maka turunnya secara bertahap lebih berkesan dalam hati para sahabat karena mereka bisa menghayatinya peristiwa demi peristiwa.

6. Kalau dengan turunnya Al-Qur'an secara berangsur-angsur saja, mereka tidak mampu meniru Al-Qur'an walaupun satu ayat, apalagi jika diturunkan sekaligus.

7. Sebagian hukum syariat Islam turun sesuai dengan perkembangan kaum Muslimin pada waktu itu. Kemudian setelah mereka bertambah cerdas dan mantap keimanannya, barulah diterapkan syariat Islam yang lebih sempurna dengan ayat-ayat Al-Qur'an yang turun kemudian. Seandainya Al-Qur'an diturunkan sekaligus tentu hal demikian itu tidak mungkin terjadi.