Surah Al-Furqan, Ayah 32

Those who disbelieved in Allah said, ‘Why was the Qur’ān not sent down to him all at once instead of in bits and pieces?’ I sent the Qur’ān bit by bit to strengthen your heart - O Messenger - by its revelation time after time. I revealed it bit by bit to you to make it easy for you to understand and memorise it.

And those who disbelieve say: "Why is not the Qur'an revealed to him all at once" Thus, that We may strengthen your heart thereby. And We have revealed it to you gradually, in stages (32)And no example or parable do they bring, but We reveal to you the truth, and the better explanation thereof (33)Those who will be gathered to Hell on their faces, such will be in an evil state, and most astray from the path (34)

The Reason Why the Qur'an Was Revealed in Stages, the Refutation of the Disbelievers, and Their Evil End

Allah tells us about the many objections raised by the disbelievers, their stubbornness, and how they spoke of things which were none of their concern. They said:

لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْآنُ جُمْلَةً وَاحِدَةً

("Why is not the Qur'an revealed to him all at once") meaning, why was this Qur'an, which was revealed to him, not sent down all at one time, as the previous Books, the Tawrah, Injil, Zabur and other Divine Books Allah answered them, telling them that it was revealed in stages over twenty-three years, according to events and circumstances, and whatever rulings were needed, in order to strengthen the hearts of the believers, as He says:

وَقُرْآنًا فَرَقْنَاهُ

(And (it is) a Qur'an which We have divided (into parts)...)(17:106). Allah says:

لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ ۖ وَرَتَّلْنَاهُ تَرْتِيلًا

(that We may strengthen your heart thereby. And We have revealed it to you gradually, in stages.) Qatadah said it means: "We have explained it." 'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said it means: "We have given its interpretation."

وَلَا يَأْتُونَكَ بِمَثَلٍ

(And no example or similitude do they bring,) This means no arguments or doubts,

إِلَّا جِئْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَحْسَنَ تَفْسِيرًا

(but We reveal to you the truth, and the better explanation thereof.) They do not say anything in an attempt to oppose the truth, but We respond to them with the truth of that same matter, more clearly and more eloquently than anything they say. Abu 'Abdur-Rahman An-Nasa'i recorded that Ibn 'Abbas said, "The Qur'an was sent down all at once to the first heaven on Laylatul-Qadr (the Night of Power), then it was revealed over twenty years." Allah says:

وَلَا يَأْتُونَكَ بِمَثَلٍ إِلَّا جِئْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَحْسَنَ تَفْسِيرًا

(And no example or similitude do they bring, but We reveal to you the truth, and the better explanation thereof.) and:

وَقُرْآنًا فَرَقْنَاهُ لِتَقْرَأَهُ عَلَى النَّاسِ عَلَىٰ مُكْثٍ وَنَزَّلْنَاهُ تَنزِيلًا

(And (it is) a Qur'an which We have divided (into parts), in order that you might recite it to men at intervals. And We have revealed it by stages)(17:106). Then Allah tells us about the terrible state of the disbelievers when they are raised on the Day of Resurrection and gathered into Hell:

الَّذِينَ يُحْشَرُونَ عَلَىٰ وُجُوهِهِمْ إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ أُولَٰئِكَ شَرٌّ مَّكَانًا وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا

(Those who will be gathered to Hell on their faces, such will be in an evil state, and most astray from the path.) In the Sahih, it is reported from Anas that a man said, "O Messenger of Allah, how will the disbeliever be gathered on his face on the Day of Resurrection" The Prophet said:

إِنَّ الَّذِي أَمْشَاهُ عَلَى رِجْلَيْهِ قَادِرٌ أَنْ يُمْشِيَهُ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

(The One Who caused him to walk on his two feet is able to make him walk on his face on the Day of Resurrection.)