2.5. OCCASIONS OF REVELATION (ASBAB AL-NUZUL)
Asbab al-nuzul deals with the phenomenology of the Qur’an, and explains the events which are related to the revelation of its particular passages. The well-known asbab al-nuzul have been related to us by reliable Companions. It is a condition for the reliability of such reports that the person relating it should have been present at the time or the occasion which is relevant to a particular passage. The authenticity of such reports is subject to the same rules as are applied to Hadith in general. In this way, reports from the Successors (tabi’un) only which do not go back to the Prophet and his Companions are considered to be weak (da’if).
The knowledge of asbab al-nuzul is necessary for anyone who wishes to acquire more than a superficial knowledge of the Qur’an, and there are at least two main reasons to explain this. One of these is that knowledge of words and concepts is incomplete without the knowledge of the context and the nature of the audience. For a form of speech – a question for example – may also convey other meanings such as elucidation, surprise, or reprimand, etc. Similarly, a command may mean a mere permissibility, a recommendation, or a threat, etc., depending on the circumstances in which it is issued and the nature of the audience. An incidental meaning or a shade of expression may at times reflect the main purpose of a particular text and this cannot be known without the knowledge of the asbab al-nuzul. Ignorance of the asbab al-nuzul may thus lead to the omission or misunderstanding of a part or even the whole of an injunction. Secondly, ignorance of asbab al-nuzal may lead to unwarranted disagreement and even conflict. For the Qur’an comprises passages which are in the nature of probability (zahir) and ambiguity (mujmal). Such instances in the text can be clarified by reference to the circumstances in which they were received. It is reported that in a conversation with ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab asked him: ‘Why should there be disagreement among this ummah, all of whom follow the same Prophet and pray in the direction of the same qiblah?’ To this Ibn ‘Abbas replied, ‘O Commander of the Faithful, the Qur’an was sent down to us, we read it and we know the circumstances in which it was revealed. But there may be people after us who will read the Qur’an without knowing the occasions of its revelation. Thus they will form their own opinion, which might lead to conflict and even bloodshed among them.’
‘Umar disagreed with Ibn ‘Abbas for saying so at first but, when the latter departed, ‘Umar pondered over what he had said. He then sent for Ibn ‘Abbas only to tell him that he agreed with his view. It has been observed that by making this remark, Ibn ‘Abbas was referring to certain misinterpretations of the Qur’an which had occurred owing to ignorance of the asbab al-nuzul. In particular, some of the Qur’anic passages had been revealed concerning the unbelievers, but were taken by some commentators to be of general application to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. There were also passages in the Qur’an which were revealed in reference to the conduct of people who had died before the revelation of certain rulings, and yet these were taken by some commentators to be of general application.
Furthermore, the knowledge of asbab al-nuzul is informative of the conditions of the Arab society at the time. Their customary and linguistic usages and their nuances of expression were naturally reflected in the Qur’an. The peculiarities of Arab social customs often gave exegesis of the Qur’anic text a perspective and offered solutions to some of the doubts/ambiguities which would otherwise be difficult to understand. The asbab al-nuzul take full cognizance of the customary practices of Arabian society and the relationship, if any, of such practices to Qur’anic legislation. To give an example, the Qur’anic ayah ‘Our Lord punish us not, if we forget or make a mistake’ (al-Baqarah, 2:286), is held to be referring to unbelief, that is, when words which partake in unbelief are uttered inadvertently. This is forgiven just as are words of unbelief that are expressed under duress. However, the exemption here is not extended to similar pronouncements, such as statements of divorce, freeing of a slave, or sale and purchase, for freeing a slave was not known in the custom of the Arabs nor were the inhibitions over oath-taking (ayman). The general support of this ayah is thus given a concrete application in the light of the prevailing custom.
by M. H. Kamali
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