Surah Al-Furqan 25:34

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.)

Ayat ini menjelaskan bahwa orang-orang yang digiring ke neraka Jahanam, dengan cara menyeret wajah mereka dengan rantai-rantai dan belenggu, adalah orang-orang yang paling buruk tempatnya dan paling sesat jalannya. Nabi Muhammad diperintahkan oleh Allah untuk mengucapkan kata-kata ini kepada orang-orang kafir yang mengemukakan beberapa sifat yang ganjil untuk menodai kerasulannya, dengan maksud seolah-olah beliau ini menyuruh mereka untuk mengadakan perbandingan siapakah di antara mereka yang mendapat petunjuk dan siapa yang berada dalam kesesatan. Sesuai dengan firman Allah:

Dan sesungguhnya kami atau kamu (orang-orang musyrik), pasti berada dalam kebenaran atau dalam kesesatan yang nyata. (Saba'/34: 24)

Juga tersebut dalam hadis Rasulullah saw:

Akan dikumpulkan manusia pada hari Kiamat dalam tiga golongan, segolongan berjalan kaki, segolongan lagi berkendaraan, dan segolongan lagi berjalan dengan wajahnya. Rasulullah ditanya, "Bagaimana mereka berjalan dengan wajahnya?" Beliau menjawab, "Sesungguhnya Tuhan yang dapat memperjalankan mereka dengan kedua kakinya mampu pula memperjalankan mereka dengan wajahnya. Ingatlah, mereka menjaga wajah mereka dari benda-benda yang tajam dan berduri." (Riwayat at-Tirmidzi dari Abu Hurairah).

Yang dimaksud di sini bahwa malaikat menyeret wajah orang-orang kafir ke dalam neraka.