In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

 Hadith One:

Narrated Aa’isha- the Mother of the believers: The commencement of the (Divine) Revelation to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was in the form of good righteous (true) dreams which came true like bright daylight, and then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him. He used to go into seclusion in the cave of Hira’ where he used to worship (Allah Alone) continuously for many nights before returning to (or his desire to see) his family. He used to take with him- on the journey- food for the stay and then come back to (his wife) Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, to take his food likewise again till suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the cave of Hira’. The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet replied, “I do not know how to read.” The Prophet added, “Then the angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied, ‘I do not know how to read.’ Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read but again I replied, ‘I do not know how to read (or what shall I read?)’. Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released me and said, ‘Read in the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists). Has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood). Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous.'” Then Allah’s Messenger returned with the Revelation and with his heart beating severely.

Then he went to Khadeejah bint Khuwailid and said, “Cover me! Cover me!” They covered him till his fear was over and after that he told Khadeejah everything that had happened (and said), “I fear that something may happen to me.” Khadeejah replied, “Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamity afflicted ones.” Khadeejah then accompanied him to her cousin Waraqah bin Naufal bin Asad bin ‘Abdul ‘Uzza, who, during the Period of Ignorance became a Christian and used to write with Hebrew letters. He would write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as Allah wished him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadeejah said to Waraqah, “Listen to (the story of) your nephew, my cousin!” Waraqah asked, “O my nephew! What have you seen?” Allah’s Messenger described whatever he had seen. Waraqah said, “This is the same one [who keeps the secrets i.e., angel Jibril (Gabriel)] whom Allah had sent to Mus, peace be upon him. I wish I were young and could live up to the time when your people would turn you out.” Allah’s Messenger asked, “Will they drive me out?” Waraqah replied in the affirmative and said, “Anyone (man) who came with something similar to what you have brought was treated with hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day (when you will be turned out) then I would support you strongly.” But after a few days Waraqa died and the Divine Revelation was also paused for a while. [Al-Bukhari. Number 3]

Fawa’id: 

The subject matter in this hadeeth is about the beginning of the revelation that was revealed to the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in Ramadan.

Surah Iqrah was the first part of the Qur’an revealed to him.

Jibreel, peace be upon him, used to bring the revelation to him.

Truthfulness of the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, prior to being sent as a Messenger. Khadeejah said to him, “Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones”.

The revelation sent down to the Prophets was well known to the scholars of the people of the scripture.

 How do we understand this hadith together with the hadith reported by Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, in which it is mentioned that Surah Al-Mud-dath-thir was the first revealed surah? What is intended in the hadith reported by Jabir is that Al-Mud-dath-thir was the first Surah sent down as a command to the Messenger to warn (against Shirk, disbelief, disobedience) and call (to Tawheed, Iman, Islam), and Surah Iqrah (was the first Surah revealed to inform him that) he has been given the station of a Prophet.

One should give concern to the subject matter regarding knowledge of the revelation, and this is proven by Aa’isha’s dedication to the subject matter regarding how the revelation began.

Hadith Two:

 Aa’isha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: Al-Harith Bin Hisham, may Allah be pleased with him, asked Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: “O Allah’s Messenger! How is the Divine Revelation revealed to you?” Allah’s Messenger replied, “Sometimes it is (revealed) like the ringing of a bell, this form of Revelation is the hardest of all and then this state passes off after I have grasped what is revealed. Sometimes the angel comes in the form of a man and talks to me and I grasp whatever he says.” Aishah added: Verily I saw the Prophet being inspired [divinely] and [noticed] the sweat dropping from his forehead on a very cold day as the Revelation was over. [Al-Bukhari. Number 2]

Fawa’id:  

The heaviness of the revelation on the Messenger, and this is affirmed by one of the explanations of the [i.e. by the scholars of Tafseer]: “Verily, We shall send down to you a weighty Word.” [Surah Al-Muzzammil. 5]

The Sahabah witnessed the state of the Messenger whilst the revelation was sent down to him.

Aa’isha’s statement “Verily I saw the Prophet being inspired (divinely) and (noticed) the sweat dropping from his forehead on a very cold day” shows that some of the Qur’an was revealed in winter and summer, as stated in a hadith reported by Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, who said that the Messenger said to him, “O Umar! Does this verse that is at the end of Surah An-Nisaa’, which was revealed in summer not suffice you? [i.e. regarding Al kalaalah – those who leave neither descendants nor ascendants as heirs] [Sahih Muslim. Number 567]

This hadeeth contains a refutation against the one [i.e. some of the orientalists, enemies of Islam] who say that the revelation received by the Prophet was as a result of epileptic fits, because the Sahaabah witnessed the (physical state of the Prophet) and did not see any of this [i.e. this false claim of these enemies of Islam].

Hadith Three:

Narrated Sa’eed bin Jubair, may Allah be pleased with him: Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, in the explanation of the Statement of Allah: “Move not your tongue concerning (the Qur’an, O Muhammad;) to make haste therewith.’ [Surah Al-Qiyamah. 16] said, “Allah’s Messenger used to bear the revelation with great hardship, and used to move his lips (quickly with the Revelation) .” Ibn ‘Abbas moved his lips saying, “I am moving my lips (in front of you) as Allah’s Messenger used to move his.” Sa’eed moved his lips saying: “I am moving my lips, as I have seen Ibn ‘Abbas moving his.” [Ibn ‘Abbas added], “So Allah revealed, ‘Move not your tongue concerning (the Qur’an, O Muhammad;) to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and give you (O Muhammad the ability to recite it (the Qur’an), [which means that Allah will make him (the Prophet): remember the portion of the Qur’an which was revealed at that time by heart and recite it]. The Statement of Allah: ‘And when We have recited it to you [O Muhammad ; through JibrIl (Gabriel)] then follow you its (the Qur’an’s) recital’ (V.75:18) (means ‘listen to it and be silent’). ‘Then it is for Us (Allah) to make it clear to you’ – meaning then it is (for Allah) to make you recite it (and its meaning will be clear by itself through your tongue). Afterwards, Allah’s Messenger used to listen to Jibril whenever he came and after his departure he used to recite it as Jibril had recited it. [al-Bukhari’ Hadeeth Number 5]

Fawa’id:

The revelation of the great Qur’an.

The Messenger clarified (all matters regarding) the great Qur’an through recitation- clarified it by explaining its meanings, its application and how to act upon it. “And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad) the reminder and the advice (the Qur’an), that you may explain clearly to the people what is sent down to them, and that they may give thought. [An-Nahl. 44]

Jibreel was the one [whom Allah] entrusted with the responsibility to convey the revelation to the Messenger. “He [the Messenger – Muhammad] has been taught [this Qur’an] by one mighty in power [Jibrael (Gabriel)]. Dhu Mirrah [free from any defect in body and mind], Fastawa [then he (Jibrael – Gabriel) rose and became stable]. [An-Najm’ 5-6]

 One has to move his tongue when reciting the Qur’an.

 One of the etiquettes to be observed is that one should not be busy with anything else when listening to the recitation of the Qur’an.

 Allah, The Most High, guaranteed that the noble Qur’an will be protected and all of it was preserved in the Messenger’s heart.

Hadith Four:

Narrated Jundub bin Sufyan, may Allah be pleased with him: Once Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, became sick and could not offer his night prayer (i.e. Tahajjud prayers) for two or three nights. Then a lady [the wife of Abu Lahab] came and said, “O Muhammad! I think that your satan has forsaken you, for I have not seen him with you for two or three nights!” On that Allah revealed: “By the forenoon [after sunrise]; and by the night when it darkens [and stands still]; your Lord [O Muhammad] has neither forsaken you nor hates you.” [Ad-Duhaa. 1-3]

Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Chapter: The Statement of Allah: “Your Lord [O Muhammad] has neither forsaken you nor hates you.” [The Arabic word that is translated as ‘has forsaken you’ can be read in two ways: with emphasis [i.e. Wadda’aka] or without emphasis [i.e. Wada ‘aka]. The meaning of both is the same, [(your Lord) has (not) forsaken you]. Ibn ‘Abbas said: The Verse means: ‘He has not forsaken you, nor does He hate you.” [Al-Bukhari. Number 4950]

Fawa’id: 

 The revelation of the Qur’an.

 The revelation used to stop for some time.

 The subject matter regarding the revelation of the Qur’an was well known to the people.

Asbaab An-Nuzool – revelation of (parts) of the Qur’an to give a clarification (or explanation) due to a question that was asked or an event that took place.

In the Qur’an, there is that which was revealed due to (specific reasons or circumstances) and that which was revealed from the beginning without a specific reason.

The application of a verse [or verses] is not limited to the specific [reason or circumstances] for which it was revealed, rather it is applicable to other similar reasons and circumstances [i.e. its relevance and application to those other similar reasons and circumstances are  identified, clarified and explained by the upright and qualified scholars of Tafseer].

Surah Ad-Duhaa is a Makkan Surah [i.e. revealed in Makkah] and was revealed before the Hijrah [i.e. before the Messenger migrated to Madinah].

Hadith Five:

Abdullah bin Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated: The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to me, “Recite [the Qur’an] to me.” I said, “O Allah’s Messenger! Shall I recite [the Qur’an] to you while it has been revealed to you?” He said, “Yes.” So I recited Surah An-Nisaa’, till I reached the verse: “How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these people?” [verse 41] He said, “Enough for now.” I looked at him and behold! His eyes were overflowing with tears. [Al-Bukhari. Hadeeth 5050]

Fawa’id:

To listen to the recitation of the Great Qur’an.

Permissible for the one listening to the Qur’an to say to the reciter, “Enough for now”.

 The virtue of Abdullah Bin Mas’ud.

 To know a specific verse of the Qur’an.

 The name given to the Surah – Surah An-Nisaa.

 To know the names of the Suras.

Hadith Six:

Ubaydullah bin Abdullih bin Utbah said: “Ibn Abbas said to me: ‘Do you know the last Surah of the Qur’an that was revealed in full?’ I said: ‘Yes’; “When there comes the Help of Allah and the Conquest.”[Surah An-Nasr]. He said: ‘You are right.'” And in another narration, [Ibn Abbas said]: “Do you know which Surah,” but did not say “the last Surah.” [Sahih Muslim 3034]

Fawa’id: 

Knowledge about revelation of the last sections [or parts] of the Qur’an.

 Knowledge about that which was revealed completely as one Soorah.

 Knowledge about a particular Surah.

 Ibn Abbas’s knowledge regarding the noble Qur’an.

 With regards to revelation of the Qur’an, some was revealed between three and seven verses, some in a number of verses, and some revealed completely such as Surah An-Nasr.

Hadith Seven:

Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, did not even leave a bird flapping its wings in the sky except that he mentioned to us knowledge regarding it. [Al-Musnad Imam Ahmad 21439] 

Fawa’id: 

Indeed, the Messenger clarified everything that the Sahaabah needed in relation to knowledge of that which is going to take place in future. Al-Mugheerah Ibn Shu’bah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,  stood amongst us for a long time and then informed us about what will take place in his Ummah until the Day of Judgement. Some of us remembered it, and some of us forgot it. [Al-Musnad Imam Ahmad 18224]

 The Messenger clarified everything that was unknown to the Sahaabah regarding the meanings of the [verses of the] Qur’an.

 The different levels of the Sahaabah in relation to their knowledge of the Messenger’s Ahadith.

 Knowledge regarding the different levels of the Mufassirun.

Hadith Eight:

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, narrated: Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,  placed his hand on my shoulder and said, “O Allah! Grant him understanding in religion and teach him the interpretation of the Qur’an.” [Al-Musnad Ahmad 2397]

Fawa’id: 

Ibn Abbas’s knowledge in the subject matter of Tafseer of the Qur’aan.

The different levels of the Mufassirun.

 Explanation of the Great Qur’an by the Sahaabah. 

Source: An Excerpt from ‘Al-Arba’una Hadithan Fee Ulum Al-Qur’an. pages 5 – 121