Chronology of the Text of the Holy Qur'ān
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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it has been proved that the order was form Allah according to the Islamic traditions present in Islamic heritage. 1-0 Historical references in the Qur’ān Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) explained the Qur‟ān according to historical situation/conditions during the advent of the Qur‟ān.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 © 2011 British Journals ISSN 2048-1268 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 © 2011 British Journals ISSN 2048-1268 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).