66/6. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4993 — Gradual Revelation of the Qur’an
The compilation of the Qur'an
Hadith About Gradual Revelation and Qur’an Order
Sahih Bukhari : 4993
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4993
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَنَّ ابْنَ جُرَيْجٍ، أَخْبَرَهُمْ قَالَ وَأَخْبَرَنِي يُوسُفُ بْنُ مَاهَكَ، قَالَ إِنِّي عِنْدَ عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ إِذْ جَاءَهَا عِرَاقِيٌّ فَقَالَ أَىُّ الْكَفَنِ خَيْرٌ قَالَتْ وَيْحَكَ وَمَا يَضُرُّكَ قَالَ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَرِينِي مُصْحَفَكِ. قَالَتْ لِمَ قَالَ لَعَلِّي أُوَلِّفُ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّهُ يُقْرَأُ غَيْرَ مُؤَلَّفٍ. قَالَتْ وَمَا يَضُرُّكَ أَيَّهُ قَرَأْتَ قَبْلُ، إِنَّمَا نَزَلَ أَوَّلَ مَا نَزَلَ مِنْهُ سُورَةٌ مِنَ الْمُفَصَّلِ فِيهَا ذِكْرُ الْجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ حَتَّى إِذَا ثَابَ النَّاسُ إِلَى الإِسْلاَمِ نَزَلَ الْحَلاَلُ وَالْحَرَامُ، وَلَوْ نَزَلَ أَوَّلَ شَىْءٍ لاَ تَشْرَبُوا الْخَمْرَ. لَقَالُوا لاَ نَدَعُ الْخَمْرَ أَبَدًا. وَلَوْ نَزَلَ. لاَ تَزْنُوا. لَقَالُوا لاَ نَدَعُ الزِّنَا أَبَدًا. لَقَدْ نَزَلَ بِمَكَّةَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَإِنِّي لَجَارِيَةٌ أَلْعَبُ {بَلِ السَّاعَةُ مَوْعِدُهُمْ وَالسَّاعَةُ أَدْهَى وَأَمَرُّ} وَمَا نَزَلَتْ سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ وَالنِّسَاءِ إِلاَّ وَأَنَا عِنْدَهُ. قَالَ فَأَخْرَجَتْ لَهُ الْمُصْحَفَ فَأَمْلَتْ عَلَيْهِ آىَ السُّوَرِ.
Yusuf bin Mahk Narrated from:
While I was with Aisha, the mother of the Believers, a person from Iraq came and asked, "What type of shroud is the best?" `Aisha said, "May Allah be merciful to you! What does it matter?" He said, "O mother of the Believers! Show me (the copy of) your Qur'an," She said, "Why?" He said, "In order to compile and arrange the Qur'an according to it, for people recite it with its Suras not in proper order."`Aisha said, "What does it matter which part of it you read first? (Be informed) that the first thing that was revealed thereof was a Sura from Al-Mufassal, and in it was mentioned Paradise and the Fire. When the people embraced Islam, the Verses regarding legal and illegal things were revealed.If the first thing to be revealed was: 'Do not drink alcoholic drinks.' people would have said, 'We will never leave alcoholic drinks,' and if there had been revealed, 'Do not commit illegal sexual intercourse, 'they would have said, 'We will never give up illegal sexual intercourse.' While I was a young girl of playing age, the following Verse was revealed in Mecca to Muhammad:'Nay! But the Hour is their appointed time (for their full recompense), and the Hour will be more grievous and more bitter.' (54.46)Sura Al-Baqara (The Cow) and Surat An-Nisa (The Women) were revealed while I was with him." Then `Aisha took out the copy of the Qur'an for the man and dictated to him the Verses of the Suras (in their proper order).
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4993In-book reference : Book 66, Hadith 15USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 515
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4993
This Hadith is about gradual revelation and the order of Qur’anic Surahs. A man from Iraq asked Aisha to show him her copy of the Qur’an so he could arrange it, saying people recited the Surahs not in proper order. Aisha said it did not harm which part was read first. She then explained that the first revealed parts included a Surah from Al-Mufassal that mentioned Paradise and the Fire. When people had entered Islam, verses about lawful and unlawful matters came down. She gave examples that if the first command had been to leave alcohol or illegal sexual intercourse, people would have resisted. She also mentioned a verse revealed in Makkah while she was young and said Al-Baqara and An-Nisa came later while she was with the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. This Hadith about gradual revelation shows a step-by-step pattern in the Qur’an.
What we learn from this hadith
- Aisha said it did not harm which part of the Qur’an was read first.
- Early revelation mentioned Paradise and the Fire.
- Legal rulings came after people had embraced Islam.
- Aisha showed her Mushaf and dictated the verses of the Surahs.
