The early Quran revelations

Torch light

House Member
Dec 4, 2017
3,504
151
63
The Quran was revealed over a period of 23 years: 13 years in Mecca and 10 years in Medina.
The Meccan revelations are earlier than the Medinite.
The Quran was written in the lifetime of Prophet Mohammed according to his instructions, but was in sporadic way,
Then following the death of the Prophet - salam to him - the Quran was collected in one book in the time of the Caliphate Othman, by the Prophet companion Zaid son of Thabit by the instruction of Othman.
The Quran was collected in one book in 113 sooras or chapters: in sequence according to the length of the soora, so that the long sooras came before the short, and was not arranged according to the chronological sequence.

Here, I will try to mention some of the early revelations: the Meccan sooras:

The first soora revealed to Prophet Mohammed was the soora 96

(In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful)
1. Recite [O Mohammed] in the name of your Lord Who created [the universe from non-existence.]
2. [Who] created man from the 'larva-like structure'.
3. Recite [O Mohammed], and your Lord is the Most Generous [more than all the generous.]

4. Who taught [the writing] with the pen [so that heavenly revelations, the religious knowledge and others might be written.]
6. [Moreover, man longs to know the forefuture and the metaphysics.]
No, [We shall not teach him that; for then] man will surely rebel.

7. If he knew [the metaphysics or the forefuture], he would forgo [the religion and the heavenly scriptures and would deny the existence of the Creator.]

[Then God – be glorified – started to threaten this associater who denied the ‘sending to the Next Life’ and the ‘Judgment’, so He said:]
8. Finally, the return [of the unbeliever] will be to your Lord.

[Abu-Jahl used to prevent the praying men from the prayers, and prevent people from believing in the Prophet; therefore, these ayat were revealed concerning him:]
9. Have you considered [what a punishment will be for 'Abu-Jahl'] who forbids
10. The servant [of God] when he prays?
11. Have you considered [what reward will be for him] if he follows the guidance [of God]?
12. Or [what reward will be for him] if he bids piety [rather than forbidding the prayers]?
13. Have you considered, if he disbelieves [in the Quran] and turns away [from the truth, what punishment he will have in the Fire]?
14. Does he not know that God does see [his deeds, for which He will accordingly admit him into Hell]?
15. No, indeed, [he will not be delivered from the Fire]; surely if he refrains not, We shall [let the Fire] strike him on the forelock.
16. The forelock of a liar [and] sinful [man.]

[When Abu Jahl came and spoke to God’s messenger, the Prophet – salam to him – scolded him; so Abu Jahl said: “Do you scold me, Mohammed, while you know how many men are with me!?”
Therefore, His saying – be glorified – was revealed:]

17. So let him call [then] on his counsel [henchmen.]
18. We will call out the stout [angels of punishment to take him.]
19. Nay! Do not obey his [words], but yield [to the command of your Lord], and draw nigh [to God by obeying Him.])

More explanation is here:

Therefore, this soora was the first soora revealed to Prophet Mohammed - salam to him.

 

Torch light

House Member
Dec 4, 2017
3,504
151
63
So the first 8 ayat were almost revealed were the first revealed ones.
While the ayat 9-16 indicate another following event of one of the adversaries of Mohammed in Mecca: whose title was Abu Jahl.
While the ayat 17-19 are related to another early event in Mecca of this enemy of the Prophet.
 

Torch light

House Member
Dec 4, 2017
3,504
151
63
Another early soora of the Quran:


Soora 74

(In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful)
[The Prophet was sleeping in his bed covered with his blankets, when Gabriel came down to him by night, and started to recite to him and say:]
1. O you [: Mohammed] covering yourself [with your blankets!]
2. Arise, and warn [your people against worshipping the idols.]
3. And magnify [and glorify] your Lord.
4. And purify your clothes [from the dirt and filth.]
5. And [after having warned them] forsake those saying 'derisive poetry' [against God’s messenger.]
6. And bestow not charity and boast with it.
7. But forbear [the hurt of your people, and let that be] for [the sake of] your Lord.
8. And when the ‘percussion [surface: the Horn’] is percussed.
9. That [percussion] shall be then [a proclamation of] a distressful day.
10. [Which] will not be easy for disbelievers [but will be severe.]


[The Prophet sat in the [Inviolable] Mosque [at Mecca], and started to recite the Quran, soora (or chapter) 40, which means:
(Ha, Miem:
[These abbreviated Arabic letters mean:]
[Wisdom, O Mohammed!] [: W. M.]
(Revealing of the Book [: the Quran, including wisdom and admonition] from God, the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing.)
(The Forgiver of sins [for the obedient], the Accepter of repentance [of those who repent], the Severe at punishing [the associaters]; and the Generous… etc.)

At that time, Walid son of Mughira was near to him hearing his recital; then when the Prophet noticed him listening, he repeated the reciting of the soora.
So Walid went to the meeting-place of his people, and said: “By God, I have just heard from Mohammed some words which are neither the word of humans, nor the words of jinns (or genies); it is sweet, and eloquent; its high part is fruitful, and its lower part is productive; it is high and nothing can be higher than it.”
Then he said: “You claim that Mohammed is mad or possessed, but have you ever seen him strangle anyone?” They said: “No.”
Then he said: “And you say: he is a soothsayer, but have you ever heard him saying any soothsaying?” They said: “No.”
He said then: “And you say: he is a poet, so did you ever find him deal with poetry?” They said: “No. So what do you say about him?”
Therefore, he thought for a little while, then frowned and said: “He is only a magician! Don’t you see him separate between man and his wife and son?”
So they were glad with his words, and they dispersed admiring him; therefore, these ayat were revealed concerning him:]


11. [O Mohammed] let me [deal] with him whom I created lone.
12. To whom I granted abundant wealth [with many advantages.]
13. And sons standing before him.
14. And made [his livelihood affairs] easy for him.

15. Yet, he is greedy for more.
16. Certainly not! for he was stubbornly opposed to Our revelations.
17. But from now on I shall inflict him with difficulties, [and following his death, I shall constrain him] to a hard ascent.
18. Indeed he reflected [on the Quran] and [with falsehood] did he consider [it.]

19. May he be killed! how he considered!
20. Then may he be killed! how he considered! [He will be chastised after being killed.]
21. Then he contemplated [to find some way, so as to refute and disprove the Quran.]
22. Then he frowned and was gloomy - [faced.]
23. Then turned away [from believing] and was arrogant [to Our messenger, and did not yield to the Islam.]
24. And he said: "This [Quran] is only an influential sorcery."
25. "This is nothing else than speech of mortal man."
 

Torch light

House Member
Dec 4, 2017
3,504
151
63
The other part of this soora 74:

[So God – be glorified – said threatening him:]
26. I shall surely roast him in Saqar.
27. But do you know what Saqar is!?

[Afterwards, God – be glorified – explained some of its features, and said:]
28. It does not leave [anyone in the space without drawing him towards it]; it does not spare [anything around it without burning it with its heat.]
29. It is [nowadays] looming to mankind.
30. Imposed upon it [the attraction of] nineteen [planets.]

31. We have appointed only [stout] angels to be the wardens of the Fire, and We have appointed their ‘[iron] punishment-equipment’ only for chastisement of those who disbelieve ---
So that those [Jews and Christians] who were given the [Heavenly] Book may have certainty [about mentioning the angels, because they know they are strong, and know their might and control on people, as this is written in the Psalms],
and so that those who believe may increase in belief [when this information, about the power and authority of angels, is confirmed by the people of the Bible],
and that those who were given the [Heavenly] Book and have [now] believed may not be in doubt [about the prophet-hood of Mohammed, when the Pagan mock at the little number of the angels],
and that those [hypocrites] in whose hearts there is a disease [of doubt], may say: "What has God meant by this [little number] as a parable [when He said: nineteen?]"

[As has God misguided these disbelievers by this ambiguous aya and by this little number], so does God misguide [away from the way of the truth] whomever He will [by the ambiguous ayat of the Quran], and He guides aright whomever d He will [by the plain ayat of the Quran.]
But none knows [the large number and the different kinds of] the hosts of your Lord but He [alone.]
And this [soora] is only an admonition to all mankind.

[Then God – be glorified – said:]
32. No, [they cannot get rid of the chastisement; I swear] by the moon [when it will divide into two halves!]
33. And [by] the night when it will retire [from you, and will never return to you!]
34. And [by] the morning when it will shine forth!

35. [That] surely [Saqar] is one of the greatest [suns.]

[While His saying – be glorified - in the following aya means:]
36. [We have sent Mohammed as] a warner to the human race.
37. To anyone of you desires to precede [his people to Paradise], or to lag behind [those who will ascend to the Paradises.]

38. Every soul shall [in the Next Life] be [held imprisoned] in pledge for what [sins] it earned.
39. Except those pertaining to the right [: they shall be free and prosperous.]
40. [They will be] in Gardens, inquiring [each other],
41. concerning the guilty [among their people];
42. [They will say to them:] "What led you into Saqar?"
43. They [will] say, "[In the life of the World], We did not observe the prayers.”
44. "Nor did we feed the needy."
45. “And we indulged [in disbelief and corruption] with those who indulge [therein.]”
46. "And we disbelieved in the Day of Judgment",
47. "Until ‘certainty’ came to us [following our death.]"
48. So the intercession of intercessors will never help them [at that time.]
49. So what ails them [now] that they turn away from the admonition [of the Quran]?
50. As if they were the startled [wild] asses,
51. Fleeing from a lion.
52. But every man of them desires to be given, [in order to believe], open pages [from God, on which is written: 'Believe in Mohammed; for he is the messenger of God.']
53. No, [he will not believe even though We bring down to him pages from heaven], but [actually] they fear not the Next Life [because they believe not in it.]
54. No, [but] the [Quran] is an admonition.
55. So whoever wills, shall receive its admonition.

56. But they cannot receive admonition, unless God wills [to guide them]; God’s [punishment] is Worthy to be warded off, and He is Worthy to grant forgiveness.)

The detailed explanation of this soora by Mohammed-Ali Hassan Al-Hilly:
 

Torch light

House Member
Dec 4, 2017
3,504
151
63
Therefore, the first 10 ayat of this great soora 74 are some of the early revelations, when God's messenger was in his bed and Gabriel came to order him to arise and warn his people in order to carry out his mission and convey his message to them.
While it is obvious that the ayat 11-26 were revealed afterwards in relation to another event about Walid son of Mughira was listened to the Quran then after thinking and contemplating, he was not guided, but was deluded and he denied the marvelous Quran that he listened to and said the Quran was only a magic and enchanting.
Moreover, the terminal part of the soora includes the warning of the idolaters of the punishment in Hell which is called Saqar.
 

Torch light

House Member
Dec 4, 2017
3,504
151
63
This also is one of the early revealed sooras:

When the Prophet started to warn his people of the idolatry and of associating with God their idols and the angels, he started to remind them of God's bounties and blessings to them, so one of the early revelations was this soora 106.

Soora 106

(In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful)
1. For the composing of the Quraish [tribe, there are reasons];

[Then God – be glorified – described the reasons for such unity and friendship, and He said:]
2. [The reason for] their composing is the [two trading] caravan-journeys in winter and in summer.
3. So they should worship the Lord of this House [: the Ka'aba at Mecca.]
4. Who has fed them against hunger,

5. And has secured them, relieving them from all fear [from the enemy.]

The detailed explanation of this soora, by Mohammed-Ali Hassan Al-Hilly, is here:

And here is the recitation of this blessed soora 106:

 

Torch light

House Member
Dec 4, 2017
3,504
151
63
Another early soora revealed in Mecca:
God reminded the people of Mecca of one of his miracles for them, that is when He destroyed the host who came to destroy His house: the Kaaba in Mecca, and that He would destroy them in the same way, if they do not believe.

Soora 105
(In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful)
1. Have you [Mohammed] not known how your Lord dealt with the 'host of the elephant'?
2. Did He not frustrate their wicked planning?
3. And send against them the [black] birds in swarms,
4. Shooting them with sedimentary stones [: pebbles],

5. So He made them like husk: eaten [and dropped by the cattle]?

Here is the detailed explanation of this blessed soora 105, by Mohammed-Ali Hassan Al-HIlly:

 

Torch light

House Member
Dec 4, 2017
3,504
151
63
In the early years of Prophet Mohammed's mission in Mecca, he recited to people the Quran revealed to him, including the invitation to believe in God alone Who has no son, wife, daughters or parents, and he called people to abandon the idols which they worshiped apart from God the Creator and the Almighty.
In addition, the Quran revelations told them about the past prophets and how they invited people to abandon the idolatry which they found their fathers worshiping.
The Quran told people also that there is the Next Life in which man will be rewarded for his good deeds and punished for his bad deeds.
God - be glorified - told people many parables in the Quran, and He turned about the examples for them in many ways to let them understand the matter of 'the exclusive devotion to God alone' with no patron other than God alone.
 

Torch light

House Member
Dec 4, 2017
3,504
151
63
Therefore this soora 101 was one of the early revealed sooras to the Prophet:

Soora 101

(In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful)​

(1. The Blast [of Doomsday]!
2. What a Blast [it will be]!

3. And have you any idea what will such Blast [of Doomsday] be?

[Then God – be glorified – described some of the terrible events which will occur on that day, and He said:]
4. The day when people will be like scattered moths.
5. And mountains will be like fluffy wool.
6. Then, as for him whose judgment will be elaborated,
7. He will have a life pleasant [to him.]
8. But as for him whose inquiry will be in summary,
9. His abode will be the Pit [of Hell, into which he will fall.]
10. And have you any idea what it is?

11. [It is] the hot fire [of volcanoes.] )

See the detailed explanation by Mohammed-Ali Hassan Al-Hilly

 

Torch light

House Member
Dec 4, 2017
3,504
151
63
This soora 99 is also one of the early revealed sooras of the Quran:

Soora 99

(In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful)​

[Some of the associaters and idolaters asked about Doomsday: when it will take place; so God answered their question and said:]
(1. When the earth shall be violently quaked!
2. And earth shall expel its burdensome [insufferable, wicked souls]!
3. And man shall say [on that day]: "What is the matter with it!?"
4. On that day will [people] tell [each other] the news:
5. That your Lord has inspired it [to quake.]
6. On that day, will people come up, scattered abroad [in the space] to be shown [the reward of] their works.
7. And he who does the weight of an atom of good shall see it [written in the book of his deeds.]

8. And he who does the weight of an atom of evil shall see it [written in the book of his deeds.])

The explanation by Mohammed-Ali Hassan Al-Hilly

 

Torch light

House Member
Dec 4, 2017
3,504
151
63
When Prophet Mohammed - salam to him - carried out his mission against the idolatry and inviting people to worship God Most Gracious alone without associate or patron, the idolaters started to hurt and mock him:

Soora 104

(In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful)​
1. Woe to everyone mocking [at people:] by making signs [with his hands or eyebrows], or saying words [with his tongue.]
2. Who collects money and starts to count it [but he does not pay alms out of it in the way of God.]
3. Deeming his money would keep him [alive in this World] forever.

4. By no means; surely he will be thrust into [Hell] 'that will break into several pieces'.

5. And can you imagine 'that which will break into pieces'?
[Then He – be glorified – explained it by His saying:]
6. [It is] the Fire of God, kindled [to a blaze.]
7. Which goes [inside their souls] reaching [their spiritual] hearts.
8. It will be [an enclosure] closed over them.

9. [They will be hanged in that fire] on adjoined pillars [like the posts of the electricity and the wire telephone.])

More explanation:

 
Last edited:

Torch light

House Member
Dec 4, 2017
3,504
151
63
The idolaters increased their hurt to God's messenger:

Soora 108

(In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful)​
(1. We have given you [Mohammed] abundance [of good.]
2. So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [for Him.]

3. Surely he that hates you, [Mohammed], he will be the one cut off [from every good.])

The interpretation by Mohammed-Ali Hassan Al-Hilly

 
  • Haha
Reactions: taxslave

Dexter Sinister

Unspecified Specialist
Oct 1, 2004
10,168
536
113
Regina, SK
Yes, and it all worked pretty well for about 500 years, until Hamid al-Ghazali came along. 11th/12th century Baghdad was the centre of the intellectual world in its day, a cosmopolitan place of learning and scholarship that welcomed and supported philosophers and scientists from all faiths and cultures, and the result is what's usually referred to as Islam's Golden Age. There were major advances in science, mathematics, medicine, agriculture, and philosophy, results that are still reflected in the modern world. Algebra and algorithm are Arabic words, for instance, two thirds of the named stars in the night sky have Arabic names, and we still use what we call Arabic numerals every day, most of us without ever thinking about what that actually means. Then al-Ghazali took it upon himself to codify Islam, to unify and rationalize its writings and provide instruction on the correct behaviour for good Muslims, much as St. Augustine did for Christianity. Among the things al-Ghazali wrote are the claims that all things in nature are the work of Allah, no further explanation is necessary or possible, an attitude clearly visible in Torch light's writings, and the manipulation of numbers is the work of the devil. He cut Islam's Golden Age off at the knees, and it has never recovered. Consider, for instance, that there are about 15 million Jews and 1.3 billion Muslims in the world, Jews have won about 25% of the Nobel Prizes in science, while Muslims have been awarded a mere two. Think of that, almost 20% of the world's population excluded for almost a thousand years from participating in the advance of science, the only reliable method we've ever found for testing the truth content of ideas, by a religious ideology. Imagine what might have been possible had Islam continued to value learning and scholarship the way Judaism does.

I can feel nothing but contempt for such folly. Islam should hang its collective head in shame over the things of which it's deprived the world.
 

Tecumsehsbones

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 18, 2013
55,430
6,996
113
Washington DC
The only two things worth anything are science and law.

The former is a quest to understand, indifferently discarding erroneous notions as they are disproven or refined.

The latter is the alternative to Hobbes's state of nature, an attempt to rule that most unruly of things, humans, without violence. Our particular shared version, descending from the English common law, goes back to 1250. Through a thousand false starts, errors, and foolish assumptions, it refines itself through the efforts of practitioners.

These are the only hopes we have to "tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world." --Aeschylus
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dexter Sinister

taxslave

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 25, 2008
36,362
4,336
113
Vancouver Island
Science I get.Law is very subjective. Many times bad laws are enacted simply to increase the wealth of the group in charge. Or to enforce others to accept their warped ideology.
 

Tecumsehsbones

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 18, 2013
55,430
6,996
113
Washington DC
Science I get.Law is very subjective. Many times bad laws are enacted simply to increase the wealth of the group in charge. Or to enforce others to accept their warped ideology.
Many times science is just wrong. The record of neither is flawless, but the trend is upward for centuries.
 

Dexter Sinister

Unspecified Specialist
Oct 1, 2004
10,168
536
113
Regina, SK
Yes, both science and law have got a lot of things wrong over the years, because whatever else they are they're also human enterprises and subject to all the same weaknesses any human enterprise is, like ego, vested interests, jealousy, habit, and so on. But unlike religion, they're ultimately self-correcting. Nobody talks seriously about phlogiston or the luminiferous aether anymore, for instance, only fools take divine design in biology seriously, and nobody's looking for the philosopher's stone that'll turn base metals into gold. Similarly, the law has outlawed slavery in all civilized places, prohibition has fallen by the wayside, and no civilized place executes non-heterosexuals anymore. Many things are improving, though the lessons are unevenly applied around the world so there is still much avoidable suffering, but we've been at the task of civilization for a relatively short time and it's a very hard project. But as Tecumsehsbones said, the trend is upward.