Page 45 - Ulum Al Quran An Introduction To The Sciences Of The Quran

The verse in question is concerned with inheritance and explains the rules of inheritance for children as follows:
God (thus) directs you as regards your children's (inheritance): 'To the male a portion equal
to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the
inheritance. If only one, her share is half ...' (4:11).

Question by the Prophet

On other occasions, the Prophet himself asked questions. Sura 19: 64 was revealed in response to such a question by the
Prophet Muhammad:

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: The Prophet said to the Angel Gabriel, What prevents you from visiting us more
often than you visit us now? So there was revealed: 'And we (angels) descend not but by the
command of your Lord. To Him belongs what is before us and what is behind us ...' (19: 64).'
[Bukhari, VI, No. 255.]
Response to a General Question

There are numerous occasions when revelation was sent down providing guidance concerning general questions that had
arisen in the Muslim community.

Thabit narrated from Anas: Among the Jews, when a woman menstruated, they did not dine with her,
nor did they live with them in their houses; so the Companions of the apostle (may peace be upon him)
asked the apostle (may peace be upon him) and Allah the Exalted revealed: 'And they ask you about
menstruation: say it is a pollution, so keep away from women during menstruation' to the
end (Qur'an 2: 222). The messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Do everything except
intercourse ... [Muslim, I. No. 592.]

This report is also a good example of how the Prophet himself explained the meanings of the revelation when such
questions arose.

Particular Persons

Often a general rule which became part of the Qur'anic revelation, was first revealed in response to the circumstances or
needs of a particular person, e.g. Sura 2:196:

'... And if any of you is ill, or has an ailment in his scalp (necessitating shaving) he should in
compensation either fast or feed the poor or offer sacrifice ...' Ka'b bin 'Ujra said this verse - and
if one of you is ill or has an ailment in his scalp, - was revealed concerning me. I had lice on my head and
I mentioned this to the Prophet and he said: Shave (your head) and compensate by fasting three days or
a sacrifice or feed six poor, for each poor one Sa'. [Muslim, II, Nos. 2735, 2738, 2739; Wahidi, op.cit.,
p.31. One sa' is a cubic measure of approx. 2.6 kg.]

This is again an example of the Prophet himself explaining the revelation in detail. At other times such revelation could
not be applied but to the respective person. The best example of such a revelation is Sura Lahab (111) already referred
to above. Other examples are references to the Prophet Muhammad in the Qur’an, such as e.g. Sura 75: 16:

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas (as regards Allah's statement) 'Move not your tongue concerning (the Qur'an)
to make haste therewith' (75:16). When the Angel Gabriel revealed the divine inspiration to Allah's
Apostle he moved his tongue and lips, and that stage used to be very hard for him, and that movement
indicated that revelation was taking place. So Allah revealed in Sura al-qiyama which begins: 'I do
swear by the Day of Resurrection ...' The Verses: 'Move not your tongue concerning (the
Qur'an) to make haste therewith. It is for us to collect it (Qur'an) in your mind and give you
the ability to recite it by heart' (75:16-17). [Bukhari. VI. No. 451.]

Several Asbab and One Revelation

From the reports of the sahaba it appears that particular passages of the Qur'an were revealed in response to more than
one event, situation or question, or that the application of a particular passage of the Qur'an was for more than one
particular occasion, as pointed out above.

Examples: