[Prealiitellg]

Sahl bin Sa`d As-Sa`di said, "I saw Marwan bin Al-Hakam sitting in the Masjid. I came and sat by his side. He told us that Zayd bin Thabit told him that Allah's Messenger dictated this Ayah to him, Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and those who strive and fight in the Cause of Allah. Ibn Umm Maktum came to the Prophet as he was dictating that very Ayah to me. Ibn Umm Maktum said, `O Allah's Messenger! By Allah, if I had power, I would surely take part in Jihad.' He was a blind man. So Allah sent down revelation to His Messenger while his thigh was on mine and it became so heavy for me that I feared that my thigh would be broken. That ended after Allah revealed, ... except those who are disabled and those who strive and fight in the cause of Allah (Sahih Bukhari Chapter 61 No. 2677)


Can someone please explain this Hadith? If Allah (s.w.t) is All-Knowing, why did He not reveal the verse with "except those who are disabled and those who strive and fight in the cause of Allah" part without Ibn Umm Maktum's intervention? I mean, should not Allah (s.w.t) know this in his vast wisdom without having a man complaining about it?

Explanation will be highly appreciated. Thank you very much.

[gyjsdtuwr]

i know what u mean, and in some cases allah asks questions to the angels even though he already knows the answer. And there are several hadiths and quranic verses related to this topic but please you shouldn't ask questions like this "why does allah do this" we do not question allah. Allah is all-knowing and he knows best whereas we do not know. Our knowledge is too little therefore we question why allah does that. I don't know the answer to this. Maybe it is better when verses are revealed bit by bit for better understanding.

[maonnjtip]

Salam `Aleykum,

An easy question brother, this is because if you review how the Quran was revealed, you realize that Allah (swt) reveals the verses each in a related occasion, meaning he knew that the blind man will come and say what he says and he revealed the verse in that time... All verses were revealed in this way, this is not the only one, for example when his companions came and asked him (SAWS) about how to divide the war booty, then Allah revealed the verses about the war booty, of course he could have done so before but this is how Allah decided to reveal the Quran, and this is why there is something called "Reasons for revelation" and we know the reasons of revelation of many verses.

[www.forumsovetov.ru]

Salam `Aleykum,

An easy question brother, this is because if you review how the Quran was revealed, you realize that Allah (swt) reveals the verses each in a related occasion, meaning he knew that the blind man will come and say what he says and he revealed the verse in that time... All verses were revealed in this way, this is not the only one, for example when his companions came and asked him (SAWS) about how to divide the war booty, then Allah revealed the verses about the war booty, of course he could have done so before but this is how Allah decided to reveal the Quran, and this is why there is something called "Reasons for revelation" and we know the reasons of revelation of many verses.

Another is when the verses about the poets was revealed ("والشعراء يتبعهم الغاوون ألم تر أنهم في كل واد يهيمون وأنهم يقولون ما لا يفعلون") and some sahaba (I think it was Hassan ibn Thabit and Abdullah bin Rawaaha and two others) came to Rasoolullah , crying, since they were poets and wrote poetry, so the verse "إلا الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات وذكروا الله كثيرا وانتصروا من بعد ما ظلموا" was revealed.

[Heacechig]

The examples like this are countless. Like the famous hadith about the man who committed 99 murders and then another one to make it 100. When he was heading to the town of the pious people to repent and died on the way, both the angels of Jannah and Jahannum showed up. The angel(s?) of Jannah said that he was on his way to repent and clean up his act so we're taking him to Jannah, while the angel of Jahannum said no he killed 100 people, we're taking him to Jahannum. Then Allah sent another angel to decide this matter between them and this angel said to measure the distance and if this person is closer to his original town where he had killed all these people, then he goes to hell; but if he is closer to the town of the pious people where he was on his way to repent and start a new life, then he goes to Jannah. He was actually physically closer to his original town (hence would have gone to hell) but Allah stretched the ground on the other side and shrunk the ground on the other side, making the distance shorter between him and the new town of pious people he was headed to, while making the distance between him and his original town longer. So he was taken to Jannah. Allahu'Akbar.

If we're going to use the same logic as the OP, one can say why did Allah have to make all that happen, why couldn't He just send this guy to Jannah, without having all these angels come and do all this measuring of the ground and what not. In fact, if we continue on this 'logic', one might say why did this guy who killed the 100 people even have to be born, why couldn't he just be put straight into Jannah without going through this world, since obviously Allah already knew what would happen. We can stretch this sort of 'logic' to all the way to "well why did this universe have to be created in the first place, why not just cut to the chase and put whoever belongs in hell there and whoever in heaven there?". But, no, this is the kingdom of Allah . All of these events in history have occurred in a certain way by the grace of Allah so that us humans can get the best lessons out of them in a manner which is easy to understand for us. Allah swt is Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem, and we can never comprehend His Mercy and Compassion, nor can we ever thank Him enough for it.

Allah s' Wisdom is infinite and we need not question it.

Allah knows best.

[Prealiitellg]

I was thinking that maybe Allah (swt) had not intended to add 'except those who are disabled ' because it is something that is obvious given that Allah (swt) is Merciful and all.

I read somewhere that the Qur'an was first revealed in the seventh or the first heaven in Ramadhan. And the Qur'an also says that it is in Loh-e-Mahfuz.

So if a whole ready made copy of the Qur'an was already somewhere in the Heavens and in the Knowledge of Allah, then why did it need editings and additions like the ones I mentioned. Like, Umer Ibn Al-Khattab (ra) upon hearing the verses in which Allah (swt) describes how He creates a human being in the womb, he said 'Tabrakullah ahsanul khaliqeen' Blessed be Allah the best to create. And then the verse was revealed again and what Umer (ra) said was added to them.

So is Qur'an as it is said that it is in Loh-e-Mahfuz, like pearls and all, is it the same Qur'an we have or is it different? Like many verses were abrogated as well and all.

I hope you can understand my confusion and I am sorry I am not able to express my self clearly at this time. Please do answer only if you know what you are saying. And please do not doubt my intentions if my questions sound impertinent.

[Heacechig]

I was thinking that maybe Allah (swt) had not intended to add 'except those who are disabled ' because it is something that is obvious given that Allah (swt) is Merciful and all.

You're thinking of Allah in human terms (nauzubillah), which is a grave mistake. "Intentions" and the like do not apply to Allah . Allah does not "intend" to do one thing and then "change" His "intention" based on circumstances. He is above all of that. He does not live in the past, present, or future. He has already seen every single thing which will happen, as you will see many places in the Quran, future events are described in a "present" or even a "past" tense. So we can't say things like "what if" Allah 'intended' to do 'X' but then such and such situation happened so He 'ended up' doing 'Y' instead or 'changed' His decision from 'X' to 'Y' based on circumstances or situations. No, absolutely not. Allah is above all of that.

I think you should spend more time trying to ponder over Allah's greatness and how He is above anything which a human mind can comprehend, rather than trying to make sense of things in a 'human' way. Like I said, if you are going to use the logic that you're trying to use, then one can just say "why was anything ever created and why weren't we all just put into our final destinations in the first place", etc. The logic is faulty.

Also, the question you asked in the OP is actually fairly easy to answer and understand, as was done in some subsequent replies to your OP. So I would recommend you read all the replies a few times each and ponder over them, especially post #3 by brother TripolySunni.

Allah knows best and may He help all of us understand. Ameen.

[Prealiitellg]

"Intentions" and the like do not apply to Allah إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُ إِذَا أَرَادَ شَيْئًا أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ
Verily, when He intends a thing, His Command is, "be", and it is! 36:82

Thank you for your advice and answer. I understand what you are trying to say.

Regards

[Stengapsept]

You could've also asked "Why did Allah not reveal the Qur'an all in one go, instead of spreading it out over a period of 23 years?"

Allah says:
And those who disbelieve say, "Why was the Qur'an not revealed to him all at once?" Thus [it is] that We may strengthen thereby your heart. And We have spaced it distinctly (Quran 25:32)

And [it is] a Qur'an which We have separated [by intervals] that you might recite it to the people over a prolonged period. And We have sent it down progressively (Quran 17:106)


Different verses of the Qur'an were revealed as a response to the different events in the Prophets (pbuh) life.

For example, when the Quraysh asked the Prophet (pbuh) the three questions, Allah revealed Surah al-Kahf answering all three.
And when the Prophet(pbuh) turned away from the blind man (ibn Makhtum), the first few verses of Surah 'Abasa were revealed.
And during the seige of Bani Nadir, when Allah revealed verse 59:5 which gave the Prophet (pbuh) permission to cut down the palm trees.

[Prealiitellg]

I understand that the Qur'an was revealed in stages by Jibreel (a.s.) from the Heavens.

It was revealed in different events. Yes.

But sometimes, it was revealed and then some verses were abrogated.

Some verses were first brought down from above, but then, like in the case of Um Maktum, the verse was revealed again with additions.

Let me make it clear how I conceptualize it.

a. There is a book called 'Qur'an' in the Loh-e-Mahfoodh. It is complete.

b. It was first sent down to the heavens.

c. Then it was revealed in stages.

d. In some stages, the verses were re-revealed with additions (like the case of Ibn Maktum)

e. If the verses were re-revealed, then according to (a), the Qur'an was not complete in the Loh-e-Mahfuz OR the Qu'ran in Loh-e-Mafuz had both versions.

Let us say that the whole alphabets of English from A-Z are there in a box. And you take one letter and give it to me when I need it. But then, a specific letter does not really serve my purpose. So what you do is that you change that letter and give it back to me. In that case, the letter was changed and the changed letter was not there in the original box from which you were providing me other letters before.

I am just trying to make my confusion clear. I hope it helps. Thank you very much for your help.

[Prealiitellg]

I think the Loh-e-Mahfuz had both the versions.

Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and those who strive and fight in the Cause of Allah.

And

Not equal are those believers who sit (at home), except those who are disabled, and those who strive and fight in the Cause of Allah.

But they are not really versions. They are two different parts of the same verse. And so there is really no edition as such but addition.

I think my confusion is solved now. Thank you all very much.

[Heacechig]

e. If the verses were re-revealed, then according to (a), the Qur'an was not complete in the Loh-e-Mahfuz OR the Qu'ran in Loh-e-Mafuz had both versions.

(in regards to bolded part) As we say in America, "you got it dude!".

It's not that it had both "versions", rather the original complete version of the Quran, which contained both the 'version' which would be revealed first of any ayats, and then also the 'abrogated' version of them, if there was any.

To continue on your example of the alphabet from A-Z in a box. Let's say you ask me for one letter, and I give it to you. However, I already know it advance that this letter is not going to serve your purpose, and that I'm going to have to change that letter to something else and give it back to you. So, I already have the new, changed letter prepared in the box to give to you once that happens. Now I give you the first letter, and just as I already knew, it doesn't serve your purpose, so I take out the other letter which I have already prepared in that same box for you, and give that to you instead. I already knew that the first letter would not serve your purpose, however I wanted to give it to you anyway so you could see and realize the same for yourself. I chose to not just give you the 2nd letter the first time, even though I had the choice to do that, because then you wouldn't understand the fact that the first letter really had no purpose for you, or that the second letter was really better for you. You would just be going by what I said and would have no experience in it for yourself. Insha'Allah that makes sense.

Of course no one knows the future but Allah , I just said what I said in the above example for the sake of the example and to help myself and everyone else understand, Insha'Allah.

It's really not that hard to understand. Allah knows everything; past, present, and future. If He revealed one thing in the Quran, but later on revealed something else expanding on this one thing or completely abolishing this one thing and replacing it with something else altogether, then He already knew that that was exactly what was going to happen. It was us, the humans, who it came to as a "new" thing, but Allah already knew, in His infinite knowledge and wisdom.

Lastly, abrogation is present in the Quran and has been acknowledged and explained by many scholars. Here's a short article on the same:

http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/in...twaId&Id=84587

May Allah forgive me if I said anything wrong. Allah knows best.

[Prealiitellg]

Thank you for the link on abrogation.

Wasalam.

[Stengapsept]

The Qur'an often repeats itslef, and many critics of Islam believe that by doing this the Qur'an is being redundant. But in actuality, everytime the Qur'an repeats a verse, it adds something to it that wasn't there before.
For example, how many times is the story of Iblees and Adam (as) mentioned in the Qur'an? A lot, but each time its mentioned, something new is added.
Same goes for the story of Musa (as) who is mentioned 136 times in Qur'an.

I think this may also apply to the verses you were talking about in the original post.