The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 5) — Page 512
CHAPTER 96 AL-'ALAQ (Revealed before Hijrah) Date of Revelation and Context The first five verses of the Surah have been universally admitted to be the first revelation which descended upon the Holy Prophet in Cave Hira', on a night in the month of Ramadan, 13th years before Hijrah, corresponding to 610 A. D. On that "Night of Destiny" when the Prophet lay on the floor of the Cave, his mind locked in deep contemplation, these verses were revealed and the words became branded on his soul. "These blessed verses," says Ibn Kathir, "are the first act of mercy with which God blessed His servants. " After the first revelation some verses of Surah Al-Qalam are said to have been revealed, followed by some verses of Surah Al-Muzzammil. Then there occurred a break of a year or so after which revelation started coming in quick succession. The connection of this Surah with the one preceding it consists in the fact that in that Surah it was stated that from time immemorial, in order to meet the need of the age, God had been sending His Messengers and Prophets and had been revealing His will to them. First came Adam who was followed by Prophet Noah, and after a succession of Divine Messengers, appeared Moses, the greatest of the Israelite Prophets, and last of all came the Holy Prophet. In the Surah under comment it is stated that just as the birth of man is the result of a gradual process of development, so is his spiritual evolution. The Prophets whose examples were cited in the preceding Surah attained to different stages of spiritual development, but the Holy Prophet represents in his person the best specimen of man's complete spiritual evolution. Incidentally, one possible objection relating to the revelation of this Surah and its place in the existing order of the Surahs of the Quran, may be removed here. It may well be asked, if this Surah was revealed long before the one preceding it, why it should have been placed after the latter Surah? The answer is that it is an outstanding miracle of the Quran that it was revealed in an order which was best suited for the needs of the period during which it was revealed and was arranged for permanent use in the existing order which was best suited for the needs of coming generations till the end of time. That is why the present Surah, some of whose verses were the first to be revealed, finds a place among the last few chapters of the Quran. 3408