The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 397
IX - Repeated Treachery of the Jews, Compilation and Sequence of the Holy Qur ’ā n, Marriage of Ḥaḍrat Zainab ra , the Great Calumny and Mischief of the Hypocrites 397 future growth and progress of that seed or nucleus, this original sequence of revelation became unfit and inappropriate. As such, this arrangement was altered to a more appropriate one. Hence, the current arrangement of the Holy Qur’ān is completely in accordance with the principle which is best suited for the consolidation, growth, and progress of a fully matured community. The second principle which was taken into account in altering the order of revelation to something else, was that the order of revelation was more in line with the specific circumstances which were confronted by the Holy Prophet sa and his Companions. For example, in the Makkan life of the Holy Prophet sa , since the message of Islām was still being conveyed to the disbelievers and it was intended that the Muslims be moulded and prepared through patience and tribulation, teachings of Jihād have not been given in the Makkan verses; rather, greater emphasis was laid upon teachings of patience and forbearance. However, when the message had been conveyed incontrovertibly, and the Companions had also been moulded by patience and forbearance, and the Muslims were even made to leave their homeland due to the atrocities of the disbelievers, and the time had arrived for the tyrant to be punished, it was then that the verses of Jihād were revealed. Similarly, in Makkah, since the Muslims were unable to congregate themselves as united communities do, and the cruelties of the disbelievers had kept the Muslims completely scattered from one another, i. e. , they did not live a communal life, verses on the Islāmic method of living and civil affairs were not revealed. However, when the Muslims were given the opportunity to live together as a community in Madīnah, relevant verses were revealed. If this revelation had not taken into account the relation and relevance of prevalent circumstances, it would have most definitely become very difficult for the early Muslims to assimilate this new Sharī‘at into themselves and act upon it in true spirit. Therefore, inasmuch as possible the revelation of the Qur’ān walked side by side, along with the relevant circumstances which presented themselves, so that its doctrine could continue to be absorbed by the Companions. However, when everything had been revealed and a community had come into existence on the precepts of the Qur’ānic law, it was no longer necessary to maintain that sequence. As a matter of fact, the requirement was for it to be arranged according to the permanent needs of the future, and this is how it was done. At this instance, if someone raises the objection that by altering the order of revelation, the historical value of the Holy Qur’ān has been lost, this