Chronology of the Text of the Holy Qur'ān

British Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences 13 February 2012, Vol. 4 (1)

Chronology of the Text of the Holy Qur’ān

Dr. Farhat Aziz Assistant Professor Forman Christian College (A Chartered University) Lahore Pakistan

Abstract This article is about the importance of stories of the Prophets (A.S.) in historical incidents of Holy Qur„ān. For instance Defeat of Byzantines, Battle of Badar, Battle of Hunayn, Change of Qibla, Battle of Tabuk, Battle of Uhud, Muhammad‟s adopted Son Zayed bin Hāritha etc. are mentioned by name. With reference to the Holy Qur„ān and difference is shown between historical and traditional incidents. The order of Maccan and Madni sūrahs and difference between Islamic and other tradition is described. Objections of the orientalists about reasons of revelation and western saraeser have been highlighted with historical and traditional incidents. A critical examination is given about order of revelation stated in orientalists‟ books. In this regard, the opinions of William Muir Noledeke, Schwally, Jeffery, Gustav Weil, Hirschfeld, Robert Blachere, H. Grimma, Richard Bell and Rodewell about chronological order of revelation of Qur„ān are stated. Then it has been proved that the order was form Allah according to the Islamic traditions present in Islamic heritage.

1-0 Historical references in the Qur’ān

Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) explained the Qur‟ān according to historical situation/conditions during the advent of the Qur‟ān. He (PBUH) was encouraged and the Qur‟ān had been revealed according the questions and problems of his (PBUH) followers and the opponents were answered. The events and problems of present day had been explained comprehensively. In this way, basic discipline and rules were provided for the Muslim which was revealed gradually one by one. Sometimes, the orders were revealed according to changing conditions in the paradoxical situation. It must be necessary to know the arrangement of real historical material and other conditions. The earlier Muslim researchers introduced the same matter and they turned their attention towards this matter especially during the earlier centuries. In this way, a historical system was developed and it was allowed to publish the Qur‟ānīc version. The Qur‟ān is consisted of historical and non-historical conditions and events and it has been accepted due to real traditions.

To study the real original of the Qur‟ān version is the knowledge of dominating and authoritative views according to the Western scholars. The western scholars could not still comprehend the harmonic and coordinative material. They regard it to necessary to introduce it.(1) Qur‟ān has specially explained many historical events and their symbols but no fix date/year had been described about Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) and his witnesses. There have been given various signals towards the occurrence of these events. The assurance of these events has not been expressed in the historical paragraph i.e., they are accurately correct. There are some events before Hījrā in 622AD and there is a little help for the recognition of these events. The paragraphs which reveal date/year among them, the first and second verse of sūr‟āh Al-Rome in which the defeat of Istanbul (Turkey) has been explained, the assurance of Armed help in sūrah Al-Fīl and in the 6th Hījrā and during years, the signals of revolt against Meccan and the condition of the Meccan have been given to Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). The historical references about the orphan age and the attitude of the Meccan are not correctly arranged in historical heritage e.g., the battle of Badar in 624 A.D., and the battle of Hunaīn in 630 A.D have been emphasized with their

British Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences 14 February 2012, Vol. 4 (1) names. The change of Qibla has been described in the 123rd verse of sūr‟āh Ae-Imrān and the 25th verse of sūr‟āh Al-Tuaba. In the ayat No. 158, 198 of sura Alo-Baqra and the 95th verse of sūr‟āh Al-Maīdā, the sacred places of Mecca e.g., Safā, Marwā, Maīdān-e-Arrafāt, Mashar ul-Muharam, and Mazdalfa have been called with their names. In the 37th verse of sūr‟āh Al-Ahzāb, Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) and Zaid bin Hārrīs have been mentioned. The battle of Uhad in 625 A.D has been in the 74th 0 155th verse of sūr‟āh Ae-Imrān. The execution of the Jews and the tribe of Banū Nūzaīr have been described in the verse 2 – 5 of sūr‟āh Al-Hashar in 625 A.D. In 9 – 27th verse of sūr‟āh Al-Ahzāb, the battle of Khandaq in 627 A.D. The adventure of Tabūk in 630 A.D. has been described in 29 – 35th verse of sūr‟āh Al- Tū‟bā Both Muslims and non-Muslims have described these events in the Qūr‟ānīc history and it is the starting point in the Medinan script.(2)

It is very necessary to know the reasons and wisdom of their revelation of the events of the Qur‟ān, otherwise many doubts are born in the minds whether a story has been revised again and again e.g., the event of Hazrat Musaf has been described for 72 times. The reason is that if an allegory should be described and on other places, only its sub-points should be discussed, it would be the cause of becoming more easy to comprehend for the Ummāh and in this way, many disputes are settled.(3) The orientalists describe the reasons of this technique and its answer is that there are infact my rational reasons of frequently describing these stories.

1.1 The Qur‟ān has not been revealed once abruptly rather it has been revealed gradually and for this specific Ummāh which have faced many new hardships and various troubles during its initial period rather it is not false to say that the whole life of this Ummāh, has spent in battle and massacre, weapons and encounter, selfless efforts, bravery and hard working. In this situation, if they were not frequently encouraged, they would lose their hearts. Therefore, the Qur‟ān described the allegories of last or previous prophets, where the Muslims faced difficulties, they were again and again told that they were not the alone Ummāh which faced that kind of worst situation rather every carvan of the believers had made its journey through these hard and unpassable vallies and as the consequences, they had gotten victory. That‟s why, sometimes the fable of even a single Prophet does not occur at a one specific place in the Qur‟ān rather the different parts of his fable are scattered among different places. The fable of specific prophet was revealed at the point where it was needed.

1.2 The other rational reason is that this thing is exposed through the frequently revising fables that the Qur‟ān was not revealed for explaining every part of the Ihkāms or orders rather it only explains the rules of orders and its basic aim is to stimulate to reform the belief, self and morality and as far as the legal explanation is concerned, it has left to Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) to teach and explain them, and it wants to convey them through non-recited or cancelled revelation to the world. This attitude of the Qur‟ān is a great logic for the Hadīth and its arguments because, if the Qur‟ān is the only logic and Hadith is not the logic, the orders of Ahkams would not be described instead of allegories or fables. The fables or allegories are described through non-recited revelation. It is evident that the aim of describing fables is completed accurately in this way but Allah the Almighty warned about this point that the Qur‟ān has come to reform and arrange the beliefs and morality and just to describe rules of orders: ﺎﻣﻴﻠﺴﺘ ﺍﻮﻤﻠﺴﻴﻭ ﺖﻴﻀﻗ ﺎﻣﻣ ﺎﺠﺮﺤ ﻢﻫﺴﻓﻧﺍﻰﻔ ﺍﻭ ﺪﺠﻴﻻﻢﺜ ﻢﻫﻧﻴﺒﺮﺠﺸﺎ ﻤ ﻰﻓ ﻚﻮﻣﻜﺤﻴ ﻰﺘﺤ ﻥﻮﻧﻣﻮﻴﻻﻚﺒﺭﻭ ﻼﻔ(4)

1.3 The third rational reason is that it is the exposure of the miracle of the Qur‟ān. It is the demand of human psychology that he becomes bored after listening one point again and again and he does not feel any pleasure in listening one fable after some times but the fables and allegories of the Qur‟ān compel

British Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences 15 February 2012, Vol. 4 (1) him to conclude a logic after reciting a specific fable again and again that this is not the creation of human mind.

The Qur‟ān have described some events of future for prophecy. These events are the symbols of last judgment day, its details, its screenplay the deadly miseries of hell and the pleasant atmosphere of the Eden 9heaven). So, the appearance of a speaking animal before the judgment day, the execution of the army of Yājūj and Mājūj, the deadly and unbearable voice of Hazrat Israfeel, answers and questions and the mutual dialogues or conversation of the hell people are scattered in various places of the Qur‟ān. Instead of this, the Qur‟ān describes Ahkams or orders, battles, performance of Hajj, the tenants of Islam, basic belief and function of Allah. Other prophecies have been described according to the article of A.T. Welch.

As far as, the life of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), his orphanage, the beginning of preaching and the behaviour of the pagans are concerned, the life history of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) has been compiled because the Qur‟ān describes just ahkams or orders, advices and prophecies but how he (PBUH) faced the rude and cruel behaviour of the Arabs, we will have to consult the basic book of life history of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) and we will have to consult the sayings of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) in the books of Hadīth or Sahīh for the Tafsīr of the Qur‟ān so that it should be possible to differentiate Qur‟ānīc Ahkam or orders, Hadīth of arguments and the sayings of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). It is necessary for Orientalists to know the related subjects of the Qur‟ān e.g., Tafsīr, Hadīth, life history, fiqah or law, Arabic language and knowledge of name of rījāl in order to understand the Qur‟ān because it would be useless or false to know the authenticity and compability of the Qur‟ān and to object this divine and to get their own favourite result with having knowledge of these related studies.

2.1.0 MODERN WESTERN DATING 2.1.1 William Muir The most famous researcher among orientalists, who have diverted the attention towards the Tartīb-e- Nazūlī, is William Muir, and his famous book in this regard is “The Quran its Composition and Teaching”(5) in which he has tried to present the tarteeb of the sūr‟ahs. Muir has dependent mostly upon idealism and sometimes, he presents weak and false hadith and his claim is without any base that “earlier suras and sayings had not been preserved, though they had been secured through revelation. He thinks that the first Kātbīn-e-Wahī was Warqā, Hazrat Ali (RA) and Hazrat Khudījā (RA) (wife of the Prophet (PBUH). He is oblivious of the fact that Warqā was blind and Hazrat Ali (RA) was only seven years old and Hazrat Khudijā (RA) did not do written correspondence. So it is unacceptable to derive argument through probabilities and supposition. Anyhow, Muir has divided sūr‟ah among 6 periods, which as follow: 2.1.1 The first period consists of 18 sūr‟ahs, in which small poetic parts which would have been written before the Prophethood of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), and he denied accepting the fact that these parts could not be associated with Allah. 2.1.2 There are 4 sūr‟ahs in the second part, His (PBUH) Prophethood starts from sura Al-Alaq in which recitation has been asked to perform and it has been declared the first Wahi (revelation) through different Hadīth. 2.1.3 The third period consists of 19 sūr‟ahs and there is description of the last judgment day, Heaven and Hell, which belong to the stern opposition of the Qūraīsh. This period consists of the period of Prophethood till the migration towards Absiniya. 2.1.4 There are 23 sūr‟ahs in the fourth period. It consists of the sixth year of Prophethood (PBUH) till the 10th year of Prophethood (PBUH). The description of “Taūrāt” starts in this period, and

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also the description of ancient nations and Arabic Legends. There is a temporary adjustment with idol worship in 54th sūr‟ah Al-Qamar. 2.1.5 The fifth period consists of 31 sūr‟ahs. This period starts from 10th year of prophethood till the migration to Mecca. There is some description from “Bible”. The orders or Ihkamat have been revealed. The objections of the Qūr‟aīsh have been answered and some real pictures of last judgment day, Heaven and Hell, evidence, Taūhīd and power of Allah Almighty. Such sūr‟ahs are longer till various or many pages. Medinan verses comes in the last sūr‟ahs of this period. Which have been included about some specific topic, e.g., in 42nd verse of sūr‟ah Shūrā, the permission has been given to fight against the Meccan. 2.1.6 The sixth and last period consists of 20 sūr‟ahs, which were revealed, in Madina, i.e., the sūr‟ah which were revealed during the first year of Hījrā till the death of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH).

It is evidently referred that Muir has divided the life of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) in 6 parts after deriving or studying the statements of the Muslim historians. Besides this, he has no base not to declare the Wahi the sūr‟ahs of earlier period; he has skipped 18 sūr‟ahs from Qur‟ān as if they are not the part of Qur‟ān because he regards them before the Prophethood (PBUH). Moreover, he accepts that there are 21 sūr‟ah which cannot be associated with any period. That‟s why; he does not believe in their revelation period.(6)

2.2.0 Gustav Weil Dr. Gustav Weil is the second orientalist that tried to discover the tartīb of revelation of the sūr‟ahs of the Qur‟ān. Noldeke got a lot of help from Weil‟s book. Which has been published between 1844-70, Noldeke adopted Weil‟s views.(7)

Weil‟s first attempt was to study the character of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) and the language of Qur‟ān. He says that we can confirm the historical dates of the suras of the Qur‟ān in this way “with the help of Arabic biography, we can confirm the date of the parts of the Qur‟ān which are consisted of historical events. In other parts, the thing which helps us is revelation or Wahi and its meaningfulness”. That‟s why he has divided the life of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) in three parts.

2.2.1 In the beginning, Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) appears as a reformer. He (PBUH) is dominated by enthusiasm and his (PBUH) tone is melodious and it has the real colors of poetry. These sūr‟ahs have the aim of the Prophet (PBUH)‟s preaching and there is such spiritual conflict in these sūr‟ahs, which results in the firm belief that Allah has really appointed him (PBUH) to make alive the worship of one Allah in the place of idol worship and to vanish the false worship, and to revive the true concept of Allah who punishes loose character and dishonest persons in this very world but will surely punish in the up coming life after death. There are such attacks, which he (PBUH) has made upon his (PBUH) opponents who regarded him (PBUH) disgusting and liar. There are the verse, which Allah has revealed for his will power and determination. At that time, there is major personification of the pleasures of Heaven and tragic scenes of Hell, and the Hollowness of the day of last judgment and the rest sūr‟ahs have dūā, hyms and curses.

Now, we should try to understand that what Weil means by the “Situation of revelation”. He means the length of the sūr‟ahs by the situation of revelation because he thinks that the Qur‟ān has been complied in such a way that longer sūr‟ahs have been placed in the early position and small sūr‟ahs have been placed according to length and shortness, that‟s why, the earlier sūr‟ahs are short. „Meaning‟ means the education or teaching of the Prophet (PBUH) which has been presented in these sūr‟ahs and the teacher

British Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences 17 February 2012, Vol. 4 (1) himself (PBUH) was full of excitement and wisdom but He (PBUH) was not sure that He (PBUH) would be the prophet rather He (PBUH) regarded himself a reformer.

Weil, whether has committed mistake in declaring Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) a reformer or not but he has made blunder in declaring the excitement as the basis of the specific thing (Prophethood) so that he can point out the specific periods of the sūr‟ahs has commented this view very accurately and truly which would be discussed further.

Moreover, the traditions about the sūr‟ahs of the earlier period are so contradictory that we have to find out in the sūr‟ahs themselves their connection with their specific periods. We cannot include or deduce any sūr‟ah from the earlier period without any serious or authentic reason or just for the reason that it is vacant from poetic verse or excitement.

2.2.2 According to Weil, in the second period, Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) appeared as the founder of a new religion seriousness and meditation dominate the power of imagination. The power of speech takes place the poetry. His (PBUH) language becomes serious and logical and there is not left any excitement and enthusiasm like earlier period.

Sūr‟ahs becomes longer to some extent and they explain the parts of belief (Imam) or they describe the fable of other previous people and previous Prophets in such a addressing way that the belief of the believers becomes more strong and the opponent become afraid. In fact, Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) considers himself like other previous Prophets. He (PBUH) utters such things on their behalf addressing the Maccan, He (PBUH) tells that these prophets were taken or considered wrongly by their people until the Prophets appeared as victorious and the non-believers had been destroyed.

2.2.3 According to Weil, the language or tone of the third period is very cheap. It is not only tasteless when He (PBUH) describes laws and ahkam and Ghazwāt (Fights) rather it becomes more tasteless when He (PBUH) describes characteristics of Allah, the captivate beauty of the universe, absurdities of the last day of judgment and the grandeur of paradise. The expectations of Weil is childish because the change in tone was not a co-incident rather the poetry of the ignorance period had become static or unreal and the evolution of poetry became to an end, therefore the Qur‟ān declared this poetry misguiding and adopted a new way of speech. Moreover, how a jurist can create poetry instead of describing laws and legislature. Every orientalist has made the same mistake about the Mednian sūr‟ah as regarding them the longest sūr‟ahs but vacant from poetic taste. The Madnian sūr‟ahs have been collected and arranged according to topics and we have to divide them into different parts so that their historical places can be confirmed.(8)

2.3.0 Noldeke The Noldeke published his famous book “Gesch des Qor‟ān” in 1860 and got official tributes in 1859 from Paris Academy. (9) He is of the point of view that it is impossible to create even a common view about the historical compilation of the Qur‟ān Neither Maccan sūr‟ahs nor Medinan sūr‟ahs do not expose any symbols but, after his article in „Britannīcā‟, he changed his views as he advised not to go to deep down. Suras expose different topics according to subjects.(10) As far as, the Tartīb-e-Nazūl of the sūr‟ahs in concerned, Noldeke is totally right when he says that there is a lot of doubtful and false traditions about the sūr‟ahs. The base of Noldeke‟s information is the research of Muir and Weil but he also criticizes Muir about his ignorance of the year of the Prophethood of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). He agrees to the division of the Prophetic life of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) into three periods according to Weil, but he never knows when a period ends and other starts. He has created his own formula i.e. „Doublet‟ in which he depends upon the psychological evaluation of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) and

British Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences 18 February 2012, Vol. 4 (1) agrees to the point that instead of dividing Maccan sūr‟ahs into three groups, should gather them into one major group.

The Medinan part of revelation is a little bit clear as the Medinan sūr‟ahs describes ahkam of Shrīya and legislature laws, the stern criticism upon the behavior of hypocrites and the Jews and their describing tone is simple and like prose. He divides the period of the Maccan sūr‟ahs of the Qur‟ān: 2.3.1 The first period starts from first to fifth year, which is emotional period. The sūr‟ahs are short and carry the topics of last judgment day, heaven and hell. 2.3.2 The second period starts from 5th to 6th years, the power of imagination, tone is simple but excitement is there, sūr‟ahs are longer. 2.3.3 The third period starts from seventh year till the migration of Madina, some sūr‟ahs and verse are longer, the tone is very common and preaching color is prominent.(11)

2.4 Robert Blachere Robert Blachere has published his book “Introduction to the Quran” in 1947 and introduced the arrangement of the sūr‟ahs in the Qur‟ānīc translation of Le Coran .(12)

2.5 H. Grimma In the 20th century, H. Grimma described the historical series of the sūr‟ahs in his own book „Mohammad. Hirschfeld has written the arrangement of Grimma in his article named “Mohammadan Religion” published in “Encyclopaedia Britannica”. It is known that he has arranged suras according to their text as he placed the 11th sūr‟ah as the first sūr‟ah. Grimma has gathered his sūr‟ahs according to his own groups. (13) 2.5.1 He declared the first group of Mecca as “ancient Sajʿa,” but the meaning of ancient Sajʿa‟ prose is not clear. Many people divided Sajʿa‟ into five types. 2.5.2 According to Grimma, the second group of sūr‟ahs is loose Saja‟ what is this loose Sajʿa‟, God knows. 2.5.3 The third group is of Medinan sūr‟ahs and Grimma has divided them logically. He has given four groups of the Medinan sūr‟ahs:

a. From migration till Ghazwa Badar, b. From Ghazwa Badar till Ghazwa Uhad, c. From Ghazwa Ūhad till conquest of Mecca, d. After conquest of Mecca.(14)

3.6 Hirschfeld It can be said without any doubt that Hirschfeld is the last European Orientalists who has tried to divide the Qur‟ān according to different times or span of times, which is in his book “New Researches”,(15) which is the collection of different essays published in Indian Antiquary during 1900 to 1901. He has tried to give Tafsīr of the Qur‟ān and for this, he has created some false views and ideas, as he has tried to arrange the ayat also along with suras and for this reason he has given false and false references, which have been derived from European translation.

Anyhow, he declares five groups of Qur‟ānīc revelation in the light of saying of Hazrat Ayesha (RA) as she said, “Many descriptive sūr‟ahs were revealed before legislative Ihkam”. He is of the point that we can drive meaning from the Quran if we should arrange it according to subject and topic. The Medinan sūr‟ahs are doubtful but he has divided the Meccan sūr‟ahs into six sūr‟ahs: a. The first speech including five verse of sūr‟ah „Iqrā‟,

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b. The sūr‟ahs which confirmed the Prophethood of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), c. The sūr‟ahs which were full of authentic language and stern weaning for the non-believers, d. The descriptive sūr‟ahs which were full ancient fables and allegories and the tone is preaching, e. The sūr‟ahs were full of explanatory speeches, f. The sūr‟ahs, which were full legislature speeches. Hirschfeld has used, the terminology of „Legislature‟ very commonly. Hirschfeld himself concedes that he has not arranged the Quran historically.(16)

2.7 Richard Bell Richard Bell has made the translation of the Qūr‟ān with the name of “The Qor‟an translated with a Critical re-arrangement of sūr‟ahs.(17) There is abundance of points in the translation of Bell, which exposes his misunderstanding and ignorance, this translation also exposes Bell‟s study and criticism. Bell has expressed the view that the Quran is illogically connected as some paragraphs were frequently repeated, R. Bell, The Quran Translated with a Critical rearrangement of the Sūr‟ah, (1937) Edinburgh. that‟s why, Muhammad (PBUH) advised to combine new topics with the old ones and substitute āyā were not wasted as useless.(18) All Bell‟s efforts expose the tricks of complication and his suggestions were accepted and some suggestions were unacceptable and tested.(19)

2.8 Rodwell Rodwell published the translation of the Qūr‟ān in 1876. He has arranged the Meccan sūr‟ahs according to Weil and has arranged Medinan sūr‟ahs according to Noldeke.(20)

2.9.0 Mirza Abu Al-Fazal Mirza Abu Al-Fazal the literary English translation of the Qūr‟ān in 1911 from Allahabad. He claimed that he had arranged the sūr‟ahs historically in such a way that Ullama has accepted it but this arrangement was like Noldeke and it was evident the Ullma had not arranged the Qūr‟ān in this way. It is said that Mr. Allama re-arranged the Qur‟ān according to thematic arrangement.(21)

3.0 Traditional Muslim Dating In the beginning of Islamic history, many paragraphs appeared as a perfectly complied story which exposed the efforts of possible construction of the Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). The verse 1-18 of sūr‟āh Al-Najam and sūr‟āh Abbās had been revealed after combining the ideas of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), and sūr‟āh Alm-Nashrā is a fable. Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) had been addressed as a prophet in sūr‟āh Al-Mudasīr and v Al-Alaq. There is description of the journey of Mīraj of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) in sur‟āh Banī Isrāīl. The Muslim made base sūr‟āh Marrīyam in the court of Najashī during the voyage of Abyssīnīa. According to the Western researchers, the different events of the reasons of the advent of the Qur‟ān. No effort had been made to compile the history of the Qur‟ān according the revelation arrangement, whereas sūr‟āh Al-Allaq and sūr‟āh Al-Mudasīr are included among first revelation. The events described by the scholars were mixed with the paragraph of the Qur‟ānīc material. The most event of the Qur‟ān because limited due to cancellation. There is difference of Meccan and Madinan sūr‟āh among the Muslims. The historical traditional and their views are consisted of three perceptions. The present sūr‟āh are the real part of the revelation. It is possible to confine the type of its order or commandments. The reasons of revelation, canceller and cancelled, and the traditions of Tafsīr to the literature of bīmasur‟ā provided legal foundations about the material of the sūr‟āh. 3.1.1 As far as the knowledge of the reasons of advent, the whole commandments or orders were revealed in the Quran through two methods.

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There was a wrong custom among both the Muslims and pagans, Allah himself felt to change it and bestowed an aya for it. In this only one single verse wiped out many wrong customs e.g., Hazrat Ayesha (RA) says that it was the usual those orphan women under their guardianship due to women‟s wealth and beauty but they did not give them the lodging and pocket money and “mehar” as they gave to their other wives on their weddings. (22) Hazrat Ibn e Abbās (RA) says that the Arabs got married ten women at a time whereas they could not pay their expenditure; they misused the wealth of the orphans under their guardianship (23). Hazrat Akrama (RA) says that the Arab kept more than ten wives but did not establish just and fair dealings with them (24). All these kinds of behavior of the Arab were totally wrong and there was utmost need to change it in the Islamic society so Allah revealed a complete and compound verse, which vanished all these evils.                                          

(25) o                   And if you fear that you will not deal fairly with the orphans (under your ward ship), then marry such other women as seem good to you, two three or four and if you fear hat you will not act justly (toward them) than (mercy) only one. Those people who never gave the full rights to their wives who were orphans and under their guardianship, those people were given order through this aya that it must not necessary for them to marry the orphan women under their custody rather Allah had declared lawful for them to marry maximum 4 women except those orphan women and those people who married ten women, they made corruption in the wealth of the orphans, they were told a reasonable limit i.e., so not exceed from this limit so that the increasing expenditure of so many wives compelled them to make corruption and those people who did unjust treatment with their ten wives, were asked not to marry so many women so that they could establish fair and just and if they were afraid of injustice, they must be contented with one life. 3.1.2 Another reason of revelation of Ihkām or orders was that some Sahabī (RA) asked about the specific problem, verse was revealed about it. Allama Zarkashī says that the first benefit of discovering the reasons of revelation that many wise and rational facts are exposed of Ihkam and it is also known that Allah had revealed this order for what reasons, (26) e.g. in Sūr‟ah An-Nisā:

Draw not near to Salah while you are intoxicated. (27) If there are no traditions of revelation, a question can be arouse that when the is totally banned, why there is any need of saying that do not go near Namaz in the condition of addiction. The reason of revelation is the only answer of this question, Hazrat Ali (RA) says that: Before banning the “Sharāb” once Hazrat Abdul Rehman (RA) bin Auff invited some Sahaba (RA) for dinner the guest drank sharab, the time of namaz came during this situation, one Sahabī (RA) presided the Namaz and they made mistakes in the recitation of the Qur‟ān due to addiction, this verse was revealed for this reason (28). In this way, another verse is that: (29)                                            

There shall be no sin for those who believed and do good works for what they may have eaten (in the past) so be mindful of your duty (to Allah), and believe…

  British Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences 21 February 2012, Vol. 4 (1)

If these verses see literally, it can be said that there is no ban on eating things for the Muslim, if man has faith of Allah and does pious deeds, he can eat whatever he wants. This verse comes just after the verse of sharab, one can say that (Arabic) there is open offer for everybody for drinking sharab, even some Shaba (RA) were confused and had doubts about it, and they discussed with Hazrat Umer (RA) that the related person had been pious in the past, he would be free from the punishment due to his pious deeds. Later, Hazrat Ibn e Abbās (RA) reformed their misunderstanding with he reference of the revelation (30).

In fact the background of this verse is that when the orders about sharab and gambling, some Sahābā (RA) asked about those Sahābā (RA) who died before the revelation of this verse and they were involved in drinking and gambling, what would be their end?

An verse was revealed as the answer that the Muslim who drank sharab or were involved in gambling before this, order would not be punished, the only conditioned was that they would have been pious and faithful and would have been following the orders of Allah (31). In this way, Allah says in sur‟ah Baqara: (32)                            

And when you have completed your devotions, then remember Allah as you remember your fathers.

”ﻢﻜ ﺀﺂﺒﺍ ﻢﻜﺮﻜ ﺬﻜ“ If we do not know about the reason of revelation of the verse the second part of the verse seems odd as one can wonder what does it mean to recall ancestors but the reason of revelation exposes the fact that the “wuquf” in Mazdalfā being described and it was custom of the Arab together in Mazdalfā and to recall the pride and deeds of their ancestors after performing Hajj, Allah ordered to pray him instead o describing boastful experiences (33).

There are many stages in the Qur‟ān where some brief sign about a specific event was described and that specific verse cannot be comprehend until the whole event is not known. As Allah says: (34)                   And thought (Muhammad) throws not when thought did not throw, but Allah threw. In fact, there is evidence of the event of battle Badar when Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) threw a handful dust towards the pagans of Mecca and the boundary had been broken after it. It is thought provoking that if the event is totally unknown, how the aya can be comprehended. These examples are not for describing the advantages of the Asbāb-e-Nazul rather they full exposes the fact that Asbāb-e-Nazul is much more important in the Tafsīr of the Qur‟ān. That‟s why, says: It is impossible to comprehend the verse until we know about the verse and the specific event (35).

3.1.3.0 The Characteristics of Maccan and Madnian Sūr‟ahs and Orientlists In order to explain the views of views of Bell and orient lists about Maccan and Madinan sur‟ahs, it is necessary to consult available traditions, research and correct history comparatively than other subjects of the Qur‟ān rather the knowledge of history is utmost need in understanding Meccan and Medinan sūr‟ah because the knowledge of Asbāb-e-Nazūl deals with these aspects which are attached with individual and collective events and it does not explain the Qur‟ānīc verse which were revealed without Asbab-e-Nazūl in the earlier stage.

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3.1.3.1 There are some Characteristics of Meccan Sūr’ahs The sūr‟ahs which have sajjdā, is a Meccan sūr‟ah. never) is Meccan and this word has been in the second last part of the)ﻼﻜ The sūr‟ah with the word Qur‟ān. is not Meccan but sūr‟ah Al-Hajj is”ﻴﺂﻴﻫﺎ ﺍﻠﺬﻳﻦ ﺍﻤﻧﻮﺍ“ is Meccan and sūr‟ah with ”ﻴﺂﻴﻫﺎﺍﻠﻧﺎﺱ“ Sūr‟ah with free from this condition because the word .occurred in the last of it, according to Scholars it is a Meccan sūr‟ah ”ﻴﺂﻴﻫﺎ ﺍﻠﺬﻳﻦ ﺍﻤﻧﻮﺍ“ Except sūr‟ah AL-aqra, all the sūr‟ah with the story of Adam and Devil are Meccan. Every sura which consists of words e.g., etc, is Meccan except sura Baqara and sūr‟ah Aale-Imrān. There are some disputes about sūr‟ah Al-Raaʾd, some Scholars think that it is a Medinan sura rather than Meccan. There are events of other Prophets and other Ummah, in the sūr‟ah are Meccan but sūr‟ah Baqara is free from (36).

If the free verse from every condition should be kept in view along with all these six characteristics of Meccan sūr‟ahs, these verse are the symbol of Meccan sūr‟ahs which are in every Maccan sūr‟ah. Instead of it some symbols are there which occult in most Meccan sūr‟ahs. These characteristics are: 1. The Maccan sura have the quality of brief and explanatory. Their descriptive style is aggressive and they have sounds, poetic and allegorical elements. was given and the scenery of Hellﺮﺨﻵﺍ ﻡﻮﻴﻟﺍ ﷲﺎﺒ ﻦﺎﻤﻴﺍ In the Maccan sūr‟ahs, the invitation of .2 and Heaven have been presented. 3. The high moral rituals and piety have been preached in them. 4. The distinguished quality of the Maccan sūr‟ahs is fight and argumentation with the pagan and the evidence of non-sense. 5. According to tradition of the Arab, the oaths have been taken in the Meccan sūr‟ahs. (37). 6. 3.1.3.2 (B) The Characteristics of the Madnian Sūr’ahs 1. The sūr‟ah in which the Jihad has been allowed and its orders have been explained is a Medinan sūr‟ah. 2. In Madinan sūr‟ah s, the orders of limitations and duties, and collective Medinan and rights and laws have been described (38). 3. The sūr‟ah, in which the hypocrites have been, exposed except sūr‟ah Al-Ankabūt which 11th aya is Madnian in which the conditions of hypocrites, is the Medinan sūr‟ah (39). 4. It is the characteristic of the Madnian sūr‟ah is negotiation and fight with Ihl-e-Kitāb and invitation of attentive attitude towards Islam. The symbols of the Medinan sūr‟ahs as follow (the orientlists have expressed the views in this concern, are very modern but against the soul of Islam) (40). 1. The Madnian sūr‟ahs and āyā are long and their way of description express comfort and satisfaction. 2. In Madnian sūr‟ahs, the arguments and paragraphs about the religious realities have been expressed. These descriptive and linguistic qualities whether they are minor or major, express the thing that Islam had very wisely and intelligently spread it‟s preaching, so it was to possible to address the Madnian like the Meccan. That‟s why it was the requirement of new environment to explain the order (Ahkam) in detail for the establishment of new modern society, and the needs and conditions of the addressee should not be ignored in the suras and ayat. The Maccan was furious and rebellious people who were bent upon teasing and torturing the Prophet (PBUH) and the Muslim. The following verse were bestowed.

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(41)                 

We know well how their talk grief them. In another place, Allah says: (42)            

Indeed messengers have been denied before them. Allah further says: In this way, those verses were revealed which were consisted of cruelty, torture and non-sense of the pagans of Maccan and teaching of forgiveness and satisfaction of the hearts of the Muslim and Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH).

The situation in Madina was totally different from Mecca and there were three types of people in Madin: The Muslim (Muhajīrīen and Ansār) The hypocrites Jews and christian As far as the Jews are concerned, the Qur‟ān invited them towards Islam; it exposed the hypocrites and revealed their hypocrisy and bluff. It advised the Muslims to follow the right path and it also introduced to them to laws of peace and war, individual, collective, political and economic problems and orders (Ihkam). If the Zakat was levied in the Maccan period, it would be useless because in Macca, the Muslims were poor and penniless. In this way, the Salat-ul-Khuff is directly connected with war and massacre, it could not be started in Macca because the Muslim had been allowed to massacre and fight in Madina. The Meccan suras are completely silent in the matter of Jihad and its connected problems. If we should ignore the timely arrangement of sūr‟ahs and their quality of cancelled and canceller about which there aroused difference between the researchers, we can bring such common qualities to light with which we can with complete authority that the specific sūr‟ah was revealed in the initial stage of Islam o middle stage or in the last stage rather in Mecca or Madina (43).

3.4.0 The concept of cancellation (Naskh) and the orient is needed to understand for the exact wording of Last Divine Message lists: As far as Naskh is concerned, a verse is about it: (44)                                              

The Qur‟ān is the origin of Hadīth for the entire human race till the last judgment day. The creator of the book who has revealed this book is himself wise and learned and his book is also full wisdom and knowledge. These wiles reasons can be easily comprehend by the creator only. The reason of „Nasks‟ by Allah is unanimously agreed upon. This Naskh is not due to any fault or forgetfulness rather it is due to a specific strategy. :is used for two types of meaningsﺥ ﺱ ﻥ ”According to linguists, the origin of “Naskh

3.4.1 To copy every word from some book and this copied material is called script. Allah says: ﻥﻮﻤﻠﻌﺘ ﻢﺘﻧﻜ ﺎﻤ ﺦﺴﻧﺘﺴﻨ ﺎﻧﻜ ﺎﻧﺍ (45) 3.4.2 „Abtāl‟ „Azālā‟ is usually of two types: i. It means change or substitute (46) this situation is called Tahwīl and change. ii. Without any change or substitute, Allah says: ﻪﺘﻴﺍ ﷲﺍ ﻢﻜﺤﻴ ﻢﺜ ﻦﺎﻄﻴﺸﻠﺍﻰﻘﻠﻴ ﺎﻤ ﷲﺍ ﺦﺴﻧﻴ(47) But Allah abolished that which devil proposed. In short, the literal meaning of „Naskh‟ is to rub, change and waste and in religious terminology Naskh means to ban or cancel any ex-order through any Latest order (48).

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According to Shah Walī Ullah, the Naskh was applied mostly in literal meaning i.e., some characteristics of any verse would be used as substitute in the period of Sahābā (RA) and Tabeīn (RA). Due to this, the Naskh was applied in the following conditions during that period: The intensity of period of practice or act; It means the beyond meaning instead of abrupt meaning; To capture any authentic order; To specify some common one;

Apparently, the Ibtal of some order with some la sūr‟ahs of old or primitive Sharīyā (49).

The Sharīyī Ihkām were not revealed at once rather as new conditions and event occurred Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) was told about them through revelation. Islam has preferred delay and time concession in these materials and it introduced the fact to the people that there would be discipline in delay, which is better than abrupt action, which is full of disturbance and anarchy (50). Naskh also means to provide comfort to people in difficult situation so that they should express the blessing and Fazal of Allah (51). According to Amin Islāhī, Naskh means the progress towards better to best and advancement (52). The belief of Ihl e Sunnah is that there are such ayat in the Qur‟ān which hukam has been cancelled, but Abu Muslim Asfahānī says in Mutazala that no āyā of the Qur‟ān has been cancelled rather all these verses are still practicable and payable. In the following of Abu Muslim Asfahānī some other persons have also expressed the same view that do not agree to the presence of Naskh in the Qur‟ān. They have been strictly convinced that Naskh is a type of default or shortcoming; the Qur‟ān must be vacant from it. In fact, Abu Muslim Asfahani does not reject the fact like the Jews and the Christian that many Ahkam or orders of Allah have been cancelled rather he claims that there is no Naskh in the Qur‟ān. If Naskh is a fault, how non- Qur‟ānīc Ahkam are defaulters and if this is a fault in the non-Quranic Ahkam, how it had been the reason of fault in the Qur‟ānīc Ahkam (53). The as a fault, their basic thinking is wrong. If they become to know thatﻥﺁﺮﻘﻠﺍ ﻰﻔ ﺦﺴﻧ people who declare Naskh is not a fault, they will do the same Tafsīr of the Quran which other people do because it is the substitute Tafsīr.As far as the ex-Sharīya are concerned, there are arguments of the presence of Naskh e.g., in the Sharīya of Hazrat Jaccob (AS) to keep two sisters in one matrimonial bond was lawful whereas it was declared unlawful in the Sharīya of Hazrat Moses (AS) (54). In this way, divorce was allowed in the Sharīya of Hazrat Moses (AS) whereas it was banned in the Sharīya of Hazrat Jesus (55). Shah Walī Ullah has described two reasons for Naskh. (a) Change of time and condition (b) The prophetic Ijtahad (56)

According to Earlier Muslim Scholars and latest the Qur‟ānīc verse due to Naskh. There are more than 500 cancelled ayat according to the Earlier Muslim Scholars whereas Imām Suytti accept that 120 verses have been cancelled (57). Shah walī Ullah has accepted that only 5 verses are cancelled (58). After this, Mufti Muhammad Abdhu and his followers said that Naskh has been proved practically and religiously but only in those places where old orders explaining explicitly and there are only three such places in the Quran (59).

In the modern period, this topic has become prominent when the orien list who has objected the authentic base. The book of John Burtonﻔ ﺦﺴﻧ ﻥﺁﺮﻘﻠﺍ ﻰ of the Quran, have raised a series of objections after making “collection of the Quran is prominent in this regard (60). In this matter, the Jurist say that whenever some person should not completely gain excellence in the Naskh and Mansukh of the Qur‟ān, till he cannot do the Tafsī of the Quran (61).

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In the modern age, the orientalish have showered the objections on the Qur‟ān and they have made mysterious verse, study of Hadith, Asbāb-e-Nazūl, Naskh and Mansukh and compilation of the Qur‟ān, base for their objections (62). The present article of Kur‟ān written by A.T. Welch in “Encyclopedia of Islam” is very important in this regard. Earlier, the Scholars of Islam have given the positive and authentic answer in this regard and have thoroughly discussed all the aspects connected with it. Anyhow, the saying of Scholars is very important that it s necessary to gain the knowledge of the Qur‟ān, Hadith of the Prophet (PBUH), sayings of Sahābā (RA), sayings of Tabīn, Arabic language and grammar and wisdom in order to comprehend the Qur‟ān. In the same way, the orient lists must gain all these knowledge‟s before objecting the Qur‟ān.

3.5.0 Tartīb-e-Tauqīfī of the Qur’ān is From Allah: The Qur‟ān is the book revealed by Allah and in this way its arrangement is also from Allah. It is not compiled by any human being and the arrangement by Allah is called Tartīb-e-Taufīqī because as the Qur‟ān had been revealing, Jibraīl told Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) about the specific place of every verse or sūr‟ah. The Ihkām of the Qur‟ān had been revealed according to the problems of the Muslim. As there was no specific settled compilation of the problems that‟s why, Ahkāmāt were not arranged but at the time of revelation of every verse, Jibraīl told Hazrat Muhammad (Pbuh) the specific place of that verse, i.e., it would be kept in that sūr‟ah or recited after this verse.

As the Orientalists have been creating doubts about the version or script of the Qur‟ān, they have bring forth doubts about the Tartīb-e-Tauqīfī of the Qur‟ān due just due to their intuition and calculation. The summary of their views is that they say that there is not any kind of law and rule in the compilation of the ayat and suras of the Qur‟ān, it is disordered and has been dragged illogically, different people made experiments in the compilation of the Qur‟ān several times, that‟s why the Qur‟ān could not be in its real compilation or arrangement, if someone wants to get the Qur‟ān in its real form, he has to compile it on its real arrangement because the real compilation of revelation has wiped out and it is impossible to arrange it on its Tartīb-e-Nazūlī because it was not aim of Allah to keep the Qur‟ān on its real compilation, if it was necessary to keep the Tartīb-e-Nazūlī alive like the script of the Qur‟ān, Allah had taken the responsibility of preserving the Tartīb-e-Nazūlī which was not difficult for Him. To save or preserve Tartīb-e- Qur‟ān is like the safety of the script of the Qur‟ān actually. So it was not essential to preserve the Tartīb-e-Nazūlī, that‟s why it was not kept safe and the thing which was necessary and tried to save the Tartīb-e-Nazūlī. It is said only about Hazrat ﻀﺭno Sahabī ,ﻀﺭneeded to preserve Sahābā had tried to do that, it would ﻀﺭhad tried to save the Tartīb-e-Nazūlī of the Qur‟ān. If he ﻀﺭthat he ﻀﺭAli be his deep personal devotion for the Qur‟ān. If this work was so much important, after the death of anxiously collected the Qur‟ān according to seven letters, they ﻀﺭHazrat Muhammad (Pbuh) Sahābā would also become anxious to compile the Qur‟ān according to Tartīb-e-Nazūlī. How it can be possible would try to prepare a unanimous ﻀﺭand Hazrat Umer ﻀﺭincluding Hazrat Abu Bakar ﻀﺭthat all the Sahābā Mushaf through Ijmā but would not pay attention to the Tartīb-e-Nazūlī.

had tried to compile a Mushaf of the Qur‟ān according ﻀﺭA tradition is described about Hazrat Ali that he ﻀﺭWhen Hazrat Ali .ﻀﺭto Tartīb-e-Nazūlī, there is not any evidence of that type of version of Hazrat Ali compiled Mushaf. Ibn e Nadeem has described this Mūshaf but there is ﻀﺭhad tried that act, where is his not that type of Tartīb in „Al-Fahrist‟. It is evident that it was not the aim of Allah to save Tartīb-e- Nazūlī neither people tried to do that. The Tartīb which was aimed at saving, it is present in the Qur‟ān itself.

It is very surprising that the tartīb which was nor preserved by Alllah neither the Muslim tried it to save rather they say that it is impossible to compile the Qur‟ān according to that Tartīb, the orientalists have

British Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences 26 February 2012, Vol. 4 (1) made this impossible thing the mission of their lives. The effort of compiling the Qur‟ān according to this tartīb is like a man‟s desire to count the leaves of a thick tree, though it is a painful but useless task.

It is a useless effort to compile the Qur‟ān according to Tartīb-e- Nazūlī and in fact it is an effort of creating doubts about the authenticity of the Qur‟ān.

about the Tartīb-e- Nazūlī of the ﻀﺭThere are various traditions associated with Hazrat Ibn e Abbās Qur‟ān in the Islamic heritage which as follow: 3.5.1 Wāqādī listened from Qūdāmā, Qūdāmā listened from Ubbīy Salam Al-Huza, Huzama listened bin Ka‟ʿab, how much the Qur‟ān was revealed ﻀﺭthat I asked Ubbaī ﻀﺭfrom Hazrat Ibne Abbās said that 27 sūr‟ahs were revealed in Madina and the left was revealed in ﻀﺭin Madina, he Mecca.(63) 3.5.2 It is referred from Yamot bin Al;-Mazra‟ that I listened from Abu Hatim Suhal bin Muhammad al- Sajīstānī, he listened from Abu Ubaīda Muaʿmer bin Al-Mūsnā, he listened from Yusuf bin Habīb that he said to Mujāhid to separate Maccan and Madinan Qur‟ān he said that I asked Ibn e Abbas about it, he said: a. sūr‟ah Al-Inām-6, the whole sūr‟ah was revealed in Mecca except three last verses and these last verses were revealed in Madina. b. 7th Sūr‟ah Al-Irāf, 10th Sūr‟ah Yunus 11th Sūr‟ah Hud, 12th Sūr‟ah Yusuf, 13th Sūr‟ah Ra‟ad, 14 Sūr‟ah Ibrāhīm and 16th Sūr‟ah Al-Nahal are Meccan. c. 16th sūr‟ah Al-Nahal was revealed in Mecca, except the last three ayat which were revealed in the place of Uhad between Madina and Mecca. d. 17th sūr‟ah Bānī Israīl, 18th sūr‟ah Al-Kahaf, 19th sūr‟ah Marīyam, 20th sūr‟ah Tāhā and 21st sūr‟ah Al-Anbia are Maccan sūr‟ahs. .are Madinanﻥﺎﻣﺼﺨﻥﺍﺬﻫ e. 22nd sūr‟ah Al-Hajj is Maccan except three verse which start from f. Sūr‟ah Al-Hajj and sūr‟ah Al-Furqān are Maccan. ﻥﻭﺎﻐﻠﺍ ﻢﻫﻌﺒﺘﻴ g. Sūr‟ah Al-Shūrā‟ is Maccan except last five verses are Madinan which start from ﺀﺍﺮﻌﺸﻠ ﺍﻭ h. Sūr‟ah Al-Namal 27, 28th sūr‟ah Al-Qasas and 29th sūr‟ah Al-Ankabut are Maccan. ﺓﺮﺠﺸ ﻦﻤ ﺽﺭﻻﺍ ﻰﻔﺎ ﻤﻧﺍﻮﻠﻮ i. The 31st sūr‟ah Luqmān is Maccan except the three verse which start from are Madinan. j. 33rd sūr‟ah Al-Sajjda is Maccan except three verse which start from ﺎﻘﺴﺎﻓ ﻥﺎﻜ ﻥﻤﻜ ﺎﻧﻤﻮﻤ ﻥﺎﻜ ﻦﻤﻔﺍ k. 34th sūr‟ah Al-Sabā, 35th sūr‟ah Fātīr, 36th sūr‟ah Yasīn, 37th sūr‟ah As-Sīffāt and 38th sūr‟ah Sūad are Maccan. l. 29th sūr‟ah Al-Ankabut is Meccan except three verses in which the savage murderer of Hazrat Hamza has been discussed i.e., ﺎﻫﺮﺨﺃﻰﻠ ﺇ……ﺍﻮﻓﺮﺴﺍ ﻦﻴ ﺫﻠﺍ ﻯﺪﺎﺒﻋ ﺎﻴ ﻞﻘ m. 40th sūr‟ah Al-Momanoon, 41st sūr‟ah Hamiem Sajjda, 42nd sūr‟ah Shūrā, 43rd sūr‟ah Zukharaf, 44th sūr‟ah Ad-Dūkhān, 45th sūr‟ah Al-Jāsīya, 46th sūr‟ah Al-Ihqāf, 50th sūr‟ah Qā‟f, 51st sūr‟ah Al-Zārīyāt, 52nd sūr‟ah Toor, 53th sūr‟ah Al-Najam, 54th sūr‟ah Al-Qamar, 55th sūr‟ah Rehmān, 56th sūr‟ah Al-Waqʿa‟ are Maccan sūr‟ahs. n. Sūr‟ah At-Taghaban is Maccan except last two ayat which are Madīnan. o. Sūr‟ah al-Mūlk 67, 68th sūr‟ah Al-Qalam, 69th sūr‟ah Al-Hāqā, 70th sūr‟ah Al-Mī‟raj, 71st sūr‟ah Nūh and 72nd sūr‟ah Al-Jīn are Maccan.

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p. From 74th sūr‟ah Al-Mudassīr till the end of the Qur‟ān are Maccan sūr‟ahs except 99th sūr‟ah Al- Zilzāl, 110th sūr‟ah Al-Naser, 113th sūr‟ah al-Falaq and 114th sūr‟ah An-Nāss are Madīnan.(64) After this, there is list of Madinan sūr‟ahs. The sūr‟ahs which are not included in above discussed list, are Madinan sūr‟ah. Syūttī further says that all the people who have referred this tradition, are true and justice and among the reknowned Scholars of Arabia.(65)

3.5.3 Bahīqī says in “Dalāīl Ul-Nabūwā” that Ali bin Ahmed bin Abdān told us, he listened from Ubaīd-ul-Afar, he listened Muhammad bin Al-Fazal, he listened from Ismail bin Zahra Al-Raeī, he listened from Abdul Rehman Al-Qarshī, he listened from Khasīf, he listened from Mujāhīd, he listened from Ibn e Abbās that he told the list of Madinan sūr‟ahs,(66) i.e., the sūr‟ah which are not mentioned in (tradition-2) have not mentioned in this tradition also but we come to know that 13th sūr‟ah Al-Rʿa‟d, 55th sūr‟ah Al-Rehmān, 76th sūr‟ah Al-Dehar and 78th Al-Zīlzal had not been included in the tradition-2. There is a difference between tradition 2 and tradition 4 which Bahīqi did not discuss. In tradition-2, Ibn declares 30th Al-Rōm, 113th Al-Falaq and 114th sūr‟ah An-Nass Medinan sūr‟ahs but these ﻀﺭe Abbās sūr‟ahs have been declared Maccan sūr‟ahs in tradition-4. It is apparent that one tradition is bogus or false between these two traditions but we can reach to the truth only through the home (exterior) witness of the Qur‟ān which is the main target of this research.

3.5.4 In „Fazāīl-e-Qur‟ān‟ Ibn e Al-Fārīs refer through the series of Ravīyān from Ibn e Abbās that when sūr‟ah Fātīhā was revealed, it was one sūr‟ah in Macca and after this God increased the number as He wanted.(67) After this, there is list of sūr‟ahs which has been compiled by Hazrat Ibn e Abbās which starts .till the last 9th sūr‟ah Al-Tūbā. This list is according to Tartīb-e-Nazūlī (ﺍﻘﺮﺃ) from 96th sūr‟ah Al-Alāq One thing is prominent in this regard that just a small part of sūr‟ah Fātīhā which constituted it a sūr‟ah, was revealed in Macca, the rest sūr‟ah is Madinan. Syuttī raises some objection about the view that sūr‟ah Fateha is partly Maccan and partly Madinan.(68) Though Syuttī himself favoured this matter before Abu Al-Laīs Al-Samahndī.(69)

3.6.0 The Musahaf of Hussain bin Ali and Akrama Hussain bin Ali was born in 3rd or 4th Hijra and Friday 061 Hijra he was martyred i.e., he was ten years old at the death of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). So the tradition which Bahīqī i has referred from him(70) he himself listened from the Prophet (PBUH) or he listened from other Sahābā, that‟s why the origin of this tradition is not known and in this way, this tradition cannot be authentic. was the followers of Hazrat Ibn e Abbās and it can be said that the origin of his traditions ﻀﺭAkramā would be the traditions of Hazrat Ibn e Abbās.

Anyhow, in “Dalaīl-ul-Al-Nabūwa” Bahīqī has referred a tradition from both gentlemen(71) through which the Tartīb-e-Nazūl of the Qur‟ān is exposed which both of them knew. This list is exact match of the list described by Hazrat Ibn e Abbās. The differences as follow: 3.6.1 There are no 1st sūr‟ah, 17th sūr‟ah and 19th sūr‟ah but Hazrat Ibne Abbas has declared 17th sūr‟ah Banī Isrāīl and 19th sūr‟ah Marīyam Meccan sūr‟ahs and he has also declared the first three verses of sūr‟ah Fātīhā Maccan. That‟s why it is surprising that 1st sūr‟ah Fātīhā has not been included in this list which isconsidered the most essential sūr‟ah of the Qur‟ān. Perhaps Hussain and Akrama followed Hazrat Ibn e Masūd who had not included sūr‟ah Fātīhā in his Mūshaf.(72) 3.6.2 In this tradition, sūr‟ahs have been given the names which are vacant in the tradition of Ibn e Abbās. It is because in the Musahif of first Hijra century only Bismillah was written for new chapter and the name of sūr‟ahs were written later.

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3.6.3 Ibn e Abbās has declared sūr‟ah Al-Maida the second last Medinan sūr‟ah whereas Hussain and Akrama have declared it sixth Medinan sūr‟ah. 3.6.4 Ibn e Abbās  has placed sūr‟ah Al-Tatfīf in the last of Maccan sūr‟ah, but Hussain and Akrama have started the list of Madinan sūr‟ahs with this sūr‟ah. It is a common difference but it is also known that one narrator among rāvīn has made mistake. Note: A strange difference of publishing has come to light after comparison of two published version of “Itqān” of Syūttī that one version has been published from „Matba‟ Azhar Misar” in 1927 and second version had been published in 1885 from “Shaper Nager Calcutta after the editing of Scholars Madrassā Aliya Calcutta. The differences are: No. Published Calcutta Publish Miser 1. Pg 20, line 30, Al-Hassan Pg. 10, Line 8, Al-Hussain 2. Pg. 20, Line 22, As-Saba‟ā Pg.10, Line 14, Al-Qas‟ā 3. Pg.21, Line 10, As-Saba‟ā.(73) Pg. 10, Line 21, Al-Qas‟ā.(74)

3.7.0 The Mushaf of Muhammad bin Noman bin Bashier: In „Al-Fahrīst‟ the sūr‟ahs which are associated with Muhammad bin Numān bin Bashīr, Ibn e Nadeem has described it through the series of traditionalists that “the first sūr‟ah of the Qur‟ān was Iqrā (96) till ,after this sūr‟ah „Noon‟, the last part of sūr‟ah Al-Muzamīl during the voyage towards Madīna ﻢﻠﻌﻴ ﻢﻠﺎﻤ, Al-Mudasīr was revealed but Mujāhīd says that it is not Al-Mudasīr rather it as sūr‟ah Tabat Yadā‟. After this, there is a complete list in which sūr‟ah An-Nāss is a Madinan sura. Sūr‟ah Luqmān, sūr‟ah Al-Kehaf and last part of sūr‟ah Nehal are also Madinan and sūr‟ah Al-Tatfīf (83) is also Madinan and it is also told that „Maʿuwzatīn” were revealed in madina and the rest Qur‟ān was revealed after this.

It seems that in this list Muhammad bin Nomān has just told the list of Maccan sūr‟ahs though An- Nadeem has also give another list which is the list of Madinan sūr‟ah s referred by Ibn e Jarīeh.

It is told that 85 sūr‟ahs have been revealed in Macca and 68 sūr‟ah have been revealed in Madina. In this, the list of Madinan sūr‟ahs are referred from Ibn e Abbās. The difference is that Ibn e Abbās has declared sūr‟ah Ahzāb Madinan ā and sūr‟ah al-I‟rāf Maccan sūr‟ah but in „Al-Fehrist‟, the list is opposite i.e., sūr‟ah Ahzāb Maccan and sūr‟ah I‟rāf Madinan.

Ibn e Abbās has declared sūr‟ah Al-Rehmān Madinan, which is totally opposite but Al-Fehrist and Bahīqī have told it Maccan.

Anyhow, both lists show that the Tartīb of Maccan sūr‟ah is the same except some partly difference e.g., Ibn e Abbas has kept 85th and 86th sūr‟ah among the Maccan sūr‟ahs but Muhammad bin Noman has kept 54th sūr‟ah and 86th sūr‟ah in the last of Maccan sūr‟ah.

There is no sūr‟ah Fātīhā in both, lists but Ibn e Abbās has described v in the last of the list because he thinks that half sūr‟ah Fātīhā was revealed in Mecca and half was revealed in Madina.

The ancient books of the Muslims can reveal this specific material about the Tartīb-e-Nazūlī and after this no more work was done on it.

Conclusion We should not pay much attention towards the European orientalists as Hirschfeld himself says that some points have been adopted by Weil and Muir and the most burden took by Noldeke so that complications could be solved. As we know there is serious element in the speeches of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH).(18)

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The people who claimed that the initial speeches of the Prophet (PBUH) were full of excitement and undaunted will power but later speeches were van cant from it, these people are much impressed by the European Orientalists who are Staunch opponent of Islam and drive wrong ideas and calculation about Islam and Prophet (PBUH) but there are some people among them who have tried to wipe out these prejudices.

The efforts, which the European Orientalists as well as the native readers have done in order to arrange the Qur‟ān according to date-wise-history, are failure to great extent. Rodwell is the best example of this failed attempt.

It is naturally a wrong studying strategy to comprehend the history of any sūr‟ah on the basis of psychological evaluation of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). Nor it is possible to gain some benefit after declaring the development in His (PBUH) knowledge the basis of this Tartīb-Nazūl.

After all it is necessary to study the „Tartīb-Nazūl -e- Qur‟ān Karīm‟, p.55-67 of Muhammad Ajmal Khan according to Muslim Scholars‟s opinion.

References 1. A.T.Welch, Encyclopedia of Islam, (1986), Lieden Vol. 5, p. 414 W. Montgomery, Muhammad at Macca (1953), Oxford University Press. H.R. Gibb, Mohammadanism, (N.D) p. 37 Jeffery, A Render on Islam, (1962) C. Multon co. S, Gravanhage, p. 8 2. A.T.Welch, Encyclopedia of Islam, vol. V, p. 414 H.R. Gibb, Islam (A Historical Survey), (1949) Oxford University, Press. p. 25 3. R. Bell, Introduction to the Qur‟ān, (1953) University Press Edinbrugh, 1st Edition. p. 167 4. Sūr‟āh Al-Nīsā, 4: 65 5. A.T.Welch. Encyclopaedia of Islam, “Kuran”, Vol. 5, p. 417 6. Muhammad Ajmal, Tartīb-e-Nazūl-e-Qur‟ān, (1995) Monthly Sputank, Lahore p. 43 Muir, William, The Qur‟ā n its Composition and Teaching. N.D http://answering-Islam.org/Books/Muir/Coran. http://froogle.com/froogle?q=William+Muir++%26%the+quran+its+composition+%26+ teaching&hl=ehelz=T4ADB Muir, William, The Life of Mohammet. (19780, The Quran its Composition and Teaching London 7. A.T.Welch, Encyclopaedia of Islam, „Kur‟ān‟, Vol. 5, p. 416 8. Muhammad, Tartīb-e-Nazūl-e-Qur‟ān Karīm, p. 44-47 Gustav Weil, Historisch Kritische Einleitung in der Koran. N.D http://everything2.com/index.pl?node-id=169318 9. A.T.Welch. Encyclopaedia of Islam, “Kur‟ān”, Vol. 5, p. 416 10. http://answeringislam.org/books/Noldeke/quran.htm Noldeke, Theodor, Geschichte des Qor‟āns, (1978) The Qur‟ān its Composition and Teaching, London, Vol. 1, p. 61-62 Encyclopaedia of Birtannica, (1926), Chicago, 10 Edition “Kor‟ān”, Vol. 9, p. 807 Muhammad Ajmal, Tartīb-e-Nazūl-e-Qur‟ān Karīm, p. 47-49 Ibid, 9/867, 72/6 Noldeke, Theodor, Gesehichte des Qorans, p. 73 11. A.T.Welch. Encyclopaedia of Islam, “Kur‟ā n”, Vol. 5, p. 416

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Blachere, Robert, Introduction Coran, (1937) Translated with critical re-arrangement of the surah Edinburgh. p. 248 Blachere, Robert, Le Coren, Tradition Selon un essi de reclassement des satates 12. Josef, Horovilz, (N.D) Koranische untersuchungen water de GRrayter Co. Berlin Leipzig. 13. Ibid, Vol. 5, p. 416 14. Muhammad Ajmal, Tartīb-e-Nazūl-e-Qur‟ān Karīm, p. 49-50 H. Grimma, Mohammed, (N.D) 15. A.T.Welch. Encyclopaedia of Islam, “Kur‟ān”, Vol. 5, p. 417 http://speakingofffaith.publicradio.org/programmes/abraham/particulars.shtml. P. 1-3 Hirschfeld, New Researches in to Composition and exegesis of the Qur‟ān Royal Astatio Society, London 16. Muhammad Ajmal, Tartīb-e-Nazūl-e-Qur‟ān Karīm, p. 50-51 17. A.T.Welch. Encyclopaedia of Islam, “Kur‟ā n”, Vol. 5, p. 417 18. R. Bell, The Quran Translated with a Critical rearrangement of the Sūr‟ah, (1937) Edinburgh. 19. Ibid, Vol. 5, p. 417-418 20. K. Wagton, Donk, Fasting in the Kor‟ān, Leiden, (1968), p. 47-81 Welch, Allah and Other Supernaturalbeing Stutgart, (1980), p. 300-303, 2641-71 21. Muhammad Ajmal, Tartīb-e-Nazūl-e-Qur‟ān Karīm, p. 51 Rodwell, The Koran Translation with the Sūr‟ahs arranged in Chronological Order (N.D) http://www.truthnet.org/islamQuran/Rodwell Muhammad Ajmal, Tarteeb-e-Nazool-e-Quran Kareem, p. 51 Mirza Abu Al-Fazal, Translation of Holy Quran. (N.D) http://www.thepersecution.org/hrcp/hrcpoo.html. Hastings, Encyclopaedia, Vol. 5, p. 545 43. A.T. Welch, Encyclopedia of Islam, Vol. 5, p. 414 44. Ibn e Kathir, Tafsīr Al-Qur‟ān Al-Azīm, Vol. 1, p. 450 Al-Razi, Ibne Abī Hātīm, Tafsīr Al-Qur‟ān Al Azeem, (N.D) Mīr Muhammad Kutub Khana Aram Bagh, Karachi, Vol. 3, p. 858 Al-Tabrī, Jamʿe‟, Dar ul Fikar Beruit,Vol. 2, p. 231 45. Al-Qartabī, Al-Jamʿe‟, (1408 A.H) Vol. 5, p. 12 46. Sūr‟ah An-Nisā, 4: 3 Al- Tabrī, Jamʿe‟, Vol. 2, p. 231 47. Al-Zarkashī, Al-Burhān, (1408 A.H, 1988) Dar ul Fikar Beruit, 1st Edition Vol. 1, p. 23-25. 48. Sūr‟ah An-Nisā, 4: 43 49. Ibn e Kathīr, Tafsīr Ibne Kasīr, Vol. 1, p. 500 Al-Qurtabī, Al-Abi Abdullah Muhammad bin Ahmed Al-Ansarī, Al-Jamʿe‟ Al-Ahkam Al- Qur‟ān, (1356 A.H, 1937 A.D) Dar ul Kutab, Al MisriaVol. 5, p. 200

29. Sur‟ah Al-Maīdā, 5: 93. 30. Al-Qurtabī, Al-Jamʿe‟, Vol. 6, p. 263 Al-Tabrī, Jamʿe‟, Vol. 5, p. 36 31. Al-Qurtabī, Al-Jamʿe‟, Vol. 3, p. 192-193 32. Sūrah Al-Baqara, 2: 200 33. Al-Wahīdī, Asbab-ul-Nazūl, (1968 A.D) Mustafa al Babi al Halbi wa Uleduho, Cario. p.34 34. Sūrah Al-Anfāl, 8: 17 35. Al-Wahīdī, Asbab-e-Nazūl, p. 4-5 36. Al-Sayūttī, Al-Itqān, (1416 A.H, 1996 A.D) Maktaba Dār ul Bāz Macca, Al Mukarmā, Al Riaz, 1st Edition, Vol. 1, p. 8-11

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37. Al-Zarkashī, Al-Burhān, Vol. 1, p. 189 Subhī Salah, Mubahīs Fi Uloom ul Qur‟ān, (1968) Dar ul Ilam Li Muadieem Beruit, 5th Edition p. 182 Mana‟ ul-Qatān, Mubāhīs, (1488 A.H, 1978 A.D) Masisa al Risalāh, 2nd Edition, p. 21 Al-Zrqānī, Manahīl ul Irfan , (N.D) Irā Babi Al HalbīUla Uladuho, Cario, p. 190 38. Al-Zarkashī, Al-Burhān, Vol. 1, p. 189 39. As- Sayūttī, Al-Itqān, Vol. 1, p. 8-11 40. Al- Zarkashī, Al-Burhān, Vol. 1, p. 188 41. A.T.Welch, Encyclopaedia of Islam, „Kur‟ān‟, Vol. 5, p. Bell, Introduction of the Holy Qur‟ ān, p. 42. Sūr‟ah Al-Inaām, 6: 33 43. Sūr‟ah Al-Inaām, 6: 34 44. Subhī Saleh, Mubāhīs, p. 167 45. Sūr‟ah Al-Baqara, 2: 106 46. Sūr‟ah Al-Jāsīya, 45: 89 47. Ibn e Manzūr, Lissān-ul-Arab, (1414 A.D) (1986) Vol. 14, p. 121 Lūwīs Ma‟lūf, Al-Muanjad Fi Al-Lugha wa Al-Ā‟lām, Dār ul Mashriq, Beruit p. 805 Ibrahim Anīs Wazumalu‟hʿ o, Al-Muʿ a‟jam Al-Wasīt, N.D 2nd Edition Vol. 1, p. 917 48. Sura Al-Hajj, 22: 52 Subhī Saleh, Mubāhīs, p. 261 Al-Shūkānī, Muhammad bin Ali, Irshād ul-Fahūl, (1956) Mustafa al Babi al Halbī, Wa Ūladuhū, Cario, p. 184 Al-Rāzī, Mafatīh Ul-Ghaīb, (1414 A.H0, Al Maktaba al Tijarīa, Vol. 3, p. 245 Al-Zeuhaīlī Wahba, Al-Tafsīr Al-Wasīt, Vol. 1, p. 49 Ibn e Taīmayā, Al-Tafsīr al-Kabīr, N.D, Dār ul Kutab al Ilmīa, Beruit, Vol. 7, p. 285 Mustafa Zaid, Al-Naskh Fi Qur‟ān Al-Karīm, (1971) Darāsa Al Naqdīa, Dār ul Fikar Beruit. 100 Al-Nuhas, Abī Jaffer Muhammad bin Ahmed bin Ismaīl al-Sāghīr Al-Maradī, D338 A.H., Kitāb Al-Naskh wa Al-Mansukh Fi Al-Qur‟ān Al-Karīm, (1323 A.H), Cario, 1st Edition, Vol. 3, p. 3 Al-Zarkānī, Manahīl, Vol. 2, p. 72

49. Shah Walī Ullah, Al-Fūz Al-Kabīr Fi Usul-e-Al-Tafsīr, N.D Muhammad Bashir and Sons, Lahore, p. 74-75 50. Subhī Saleh, Mubahīs, p. 366 51. Al-Zarqanī, Manāhīl ul-Irfān, Vol. 2, p. 72 Al-Tabrī, Jamʿe‟, Vol. 1, p. 480 52. Islāhī, Amin Ahmed, Tadabuar-ul-Qur‟ān,Faran Foundation, Lahore, Vol. 1, p. 297 53. Abdu Samad Rehmānī, Qur‟ān-e-Muhkam, (13860 Majlīs e Muʿarif ul Quran, p. 20 54. Kitab-e-Muqadas (Old and New Testamon) Kitab Padaish, (N.D) Pakistan Bible Society, Lahore, 29: 23-30 Kitab Ul-Ahbar, 18: 112 55. Kitab Istasna, 24: p. 1-2, Injeel Mati, 9: 1-5 56. Ald-Dehlvī, Shah Walī Ullah, Huja tu Allah e Baligah, (N.D) Maktaba e Karachi, p. 224 57. Shah Walī Ullah, Al-Fūz-ul-Kabīr,(N.D) Muhammad Bashir and Sons, Lahore, p. 76 58. Ibid, p. 76 59. Syed Rashīd Razā, Tafsīr Ul-Mīnār, (1346 A.H), Cario, Vol. 2, p. 150-157

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60. Burton, Collection, p. 46-104 Bell, Introduction, p. 86-9 61. Al-Syutti, Al-Itqān, Vol. 2, p. 58 62. The Discussion on Tartīb-e-Qur‟ān has been consulted in Ch. 4 63. Al-Syuttī, Al-Itqān, Vol. 1, p. 9 Wa Ibn e Saʿad, Al-Tabqāt, N.D Vol. 2, p. 437 Wāqadī, Al-Maghāzī Matba Jamie, Oxford, 1966 64. Al-Syuttī, Al-Itqān, Vol. 1, p. 14-15 Al-Nūhās, Al-Nāsīkh wa Al-Mansūkh Fil Qur‟ān (1323 A.H) 1st Edition Muhammad Ajmal Khan, Tartīb Nazūl Qur‟ān Karīm, p. 38-39 For More detail, Al-Wāhīdī, Asbāb-e-Al-Nazūl, p. 3-269 65. Al-Sayutī, Al-Itqān,(1968) Mustafa al Bābī Al Halbī wa Ūladuhū, Cario, Vol. 1, p. 9-10 66. Al-Bahīqī, Dalāīl Ul-Nabūwā, Vol. 7, p. 143-144 67. Ibne Al-Farees, Fazail Ul-Qur‟ān Dār ul Kutab al Ilmia Beruit 1st Edition 68. Al-Syuttī, Al-Itqān, Vol. 1, p. 14 69. Al-Syuttī, Al-Itqān, Vol. 1, p. 12 70. Al-Syuttī, Al-Itqān, Vol. 1, p. 10 71. Al-Bahīqī, Dalāīl-ul-Nabūwā, Vol. 7, p. 42 72. Ibn e Nadeem, Al-Fehrist, (N.D) Maktaba Al Khyat, Beruit p. 40 73. Al-Syuttī, Al-Itqān, Published From Calcutta 74. Al- Syuttī, Al-Itqān. (Egyptian Edition has been published from Suhail Academy Lahore in 1394, A.H., 1974 A.D., First Edition)