The definitive historical evidence concerning the revelation of the Qur’an, as well as the contents of its verses and chapters, confirms that the verses and chapters of the Holy Qur’an were revealed gradually.

By carefully examining the circumstances of Mecca and Medina, it is possible to distinguish the Meccan verses from the Medinan ones.

The verses that discuss combating polytheism and idolatry, calling people to believe in the One God, and believing in the Hereafter are Meccan. In contrast, the verses dealing with religious laws and encouraging jihad and fighting are Medinan. This is because the message in the Meccan environment was directed toward the polytheists and idol worshippers, who denied the oneness of God and the Hereafter. Therefore, the verses dealing with these subjects were revealed in that environment.

In Medina, however, the message was directed toward believers in God as well as toward groups of Jews and Christians. Jihad and fighting in order to uphold the word of God were among the important activities initiated by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and continued in that environment. Therefore, the verses that discuss religious rulings, practical laws, regulations, and legislation, as well as the beliefs and positions of the Jews and Christians, and which also encourage jihad, fighting, and sacrifice for the sake of upholding the word of God and strengthening His religion, are Medinan verses.

Many verses are closely connected to events that occurred during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). These events constitute what is known as the circumstances or causes of revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl). Knowing these circumstances helps in understanding and clarifying the meaning of a verse, since the occurrence of such events was the reason for the revelation of particular verses in connection with them.

Some other verses were revealed in response to people's questions and to address their needs in various areas.

Others were revealed to explain divine knowledge, teachings, and religious laws.

For these reasons, it can be said that the Holy Qur’an was revealed to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) gradually, because the circumstances and reasons requiring revelation arose gradually.

The Holy Qur’an itself explicitly states this in certain passages, saying:

“And [it is] a Qur’an which We have divided into portions so that you may recite it to the people over a period of time.”

Here, a question arises: Why were all the verses of the Qur’an not revealed to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) all at once, in a single revelation, as had happened with the Torah and the Gospel previously?

This question was not a new one. Rather, the enemies and opponents of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) raised it during the period of his mission as an objection. They used to say:

“Why was the Qur’an not revealed to him all at once?”

This objection can be explained and formulated in two ways:

1.

If Islam is a divine religion and the Qur’an is a heavenly book revealed by God to His Messenger, then it should be a complete religion. Such a complete religion should have been conveyed by the angels of revelation to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) all at once, without gradual progression or interruption in the revelation of its verses. There would be no justification or reason for a religion that is complete in every respect—complete in its principles, practical teachings, laws, obligations, and traditions—to be revealed gradually over 23 years and in response to different circumstances.

Since the Qur’an was revealed in portions, separately and at different times, following various questions, events, and emerging needs, one might conclude that this religion was not complete in its principles and practical teachings, but rather developed gradually toward completion. Such an incomplete religion, which moves toward perfection step by step and gradually, could not properly be described as a divine religion.

2.

The verses of the Qur’an, as well as the established and undisputed historical accounts concerning the Torah, the Gospel, and the Psalms, all indicate that these heavenly books were given to their respective messengers in written tablets or documented form. Why, then, was the Holy Qur’an not revealed in the same manner? Why was the Qur’an not sent down to Muhammad in a written tablet, as the Torah had been revealed on written tablets?

Since the polytheists did not actually believe in these heavenly books and had no prior knowledge of how they had been revealed, it can be said that their intended objection was the first of these two explanations. In other words, they were asking:

Why did the angels of revelation not reveal the verses of the Qur’an to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) all at once? Why were these verses instead revealed to him at different intervals of time, on different occasions, and in response to various events and circumstances as they gradually arose?