Page 12 - Ulum Al Quran An Introduction To The Sciences Of The Quran

The remainder of Sura 96, which now has 19 ayat, was revealed on some later occasion.
The Pause (fatra)

After the first message thus received, revelation ceased for a certain period (called fatra) and then resumed:

Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah Al-Ansari while talking about the period of pause in revelation reporting the
speech of the Prophet, 'While I was walking, all of a sudden I heard a voice from the heaven. I looked up
and saw the same angel who had visited me at the Cave of Hira' sitting on a chair between the sky and
the earth. I got afraid of him and came back home and said "Wrap me (in blankets)" and then Allah
revealed the following holy verses (of the Qur'an): O you covered in your cloak, arise and warn (the
people against Allah's punishment) ... up to "and all pollution shun".'

After this revelation came strongly and regularly. [Bukhari, I, end of No. 3.]

The Second Revelation

The second portion of the Qur'an revealed to the Prophet Muhammad was the beginning of Sura al-muddaththir (74: 15).
It now consists of 56 verses, the rest revealed later, and begins as follows: 'O you, covered in your cloak, arise and warn,
thy Lord magnify, thy raiment purify, pollution shun ...'
Other Early Revelations

Many hold that Sura al-muzzammil (73) was the next revelation.

According to others, Sura al-fatiha (1) was the third sura to be revealed. [Suyuti, Itqan, I, p.24.]

Among other early revelations, which the Prophet declared in Makka, are, according to some reports, Sura 111, Sura 81,
Sura 87, Sura 92, Sura 89, etc. Then revelation continued, 'mentioning Paradise and Hell, and until mankind turned to
Islam, then came revelation about halal and haram ... ' [Suyuti, Itqan, I, p.24.]

Revelation came to the Prophet throughout his lifetime, both in Makka and Madina, i.e. over a period of approximately 23
years, until shortly before his death in the year 10 after Hijra (632).

The Last Revelation
Many Muslim scholars agree that the last revelation was Sura 2, verse 281:

'And fear the day when ye shall be brought back to God. Then shall every soul be paid what
it earned and none shall be dealt with unjustly.'

Some also say that it was 2:282 or 2:278. [Kamal, Ahmad 'Adil: 'ulum al-Qur'an, Cairo, 1974, p.18.]
It has also been suggested that all three verses were revealed on one occasion. The Prophet died nine nights after the
last revelation.
Others hold that Sura 5:4 was the last to be revealed:

'This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you and have
chosen for you Islam as your religion.'

The opinion that this verse was the last revelation is not sound according to many scholars, since it was revealed during
the last pilgrimage of the Prophet. This information is based upon a hadith from 'Umar. Suyuti explains concerning the
verse in Sura 5 that after it nothing concerning ahkam and hal'al and haram was revealed, and in this sense it is the
'completion' of religion. However, revelation reminding man of the coming day of judgement continued and the last such
revelation is the above verse. [Sabuni, tibyan pp. 18-9]
Reasons why the Qur'an was sent down in Stages

The Qur'an was revealed in stages over a period of 23 years, and not as a complete book in one single act of revelation.
There are a number of reasons for this; most important are the following:

 To strengthen the heart of the Prophet by addressing him continuously and whenever the need for