Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Bruhan,

Thank you for the response. I am now totally clear on the 2nd part of

my question - I have no doubt that the format of the Quran is exactly the way Allah intended it to be.

I am still not clear between

- Quran was started in the night of power.

- The Quran came down during the night of power.

These are two very different statements.

-The Quran was sent down during the month of Ramadhan

-The Quran came down over many years - does this mean that it came down every year during the month of Ramadhan only ?

It would be great if I could get a better understanding of this. 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

How was the Quran revealed

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: I am still not clear between

-         Quran was started in the night of power.

-         - The Quran came down during the night of power.

-         These are two very different statements.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 185:

185 Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong).

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 97 Surah Al-Qadr verse 1:

1                    We (Allah) have indeed revealed this (Quran) in the Night of Power.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah Furqaan verse 32:

32 Those who reject Faith say: "Why is not the Qur'an revealed to him (the Prophet (saws)) all at once?" Thus (is it revealed) that We may strengthen thy heart thereby and We have rehearsed it to thee (O Prophet (saws)) in slow well-arranged stages gradually.

In light of the above absolutely clear Verses of the Quran and various authentic traditions of the Messenger of Allah (saws), it is evident that the Lord Most High started the Revelation of the Glorious Quran in the Night of Qadr in the month of Ramadan and its revelation was completed in gradual stages over a period of 23 years.

Your Question: - The Quran was sent down during the month of Ramadhan

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 185:

185 Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong).

Indeed, the first verses of the Glorious Quran were revealed on the Prophet Mohamed (saws) on the Night of Power during the month of Ramadan.

Your Question: - The Quran came down over many years - does this mean that it came down every year during the month of Ramadhan only ?

The Revelations were first revealed in the Night of Qadr, and then gradually completed over a period of 23 years as and when the Lord Most High Willed. It would not be accurate to assume that the Quran was only revealed during the months of Ramadan, for there is enough evidence in the authentic and established traditions that the Glorious Quran was revealed during other times of the year over a period span of 23 years.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan