Al-Furqan 25:32
The Criterion · Juz 19 · Page 362
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوۡلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ جُمۡلَةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِۦ فُؤَادَكَۖ وَرَتَّلۡنَٰهُ تَرۡتِيلٗا ٣٢
And those who disbelieve say, "Why was the Qur’ān not revealed to him all at once?" Thus [it is] that We may strengthen thereby your heart. And We have spaced it distinctly.1
1 translator’s note
- Also, "recited it with distinct recitation." ↩
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 25:32
Commentary
The sequence of objections by the infidels and polytheists and their answers, which had started in the beginning of the Surah, is continuing. Here in this verse the objection as to why the Qur'an was revealed gradually bit by bit and not in one go is answered. The wisdom behind gradual revelation of the Qur'an as explained in the verse is that it was to keep the heart of the Holy Prophet ﷺ firm and strong. By gradual revelation the Holy Prophet's ﷺ heart was made strong in the following manner:
1. It was made easy for him to remember the Qur'an by heart. If the whole Book was revealed in one go, its remembrance by heart would not have been that easy. Remembrance of the Qur'an by heart expelled all worries from his heart.
2. Whenever an objection was raised by the infidels or a maltreatment was perpetrated, a verse would reveal to give him fortitude. In case the entire Qur’ an was revealed in one piece and the fortitude for the special occasion had also been mentioned in it, its search in the Book would have been painstaking. Moreover, it would have been uncertain whether or not the attention of the Holy Prophet ﷺ would be drawn to the particular verse.
3. Instant response by way of revelation to answer awkward questions was by itself the confirmation of Allah Ta’ ala's support which is the biggest source of strength for the heart. The wisdom of keeping the heart strong is not dependent on gradual revelations alone. Other factors in this regard are mentioned in the following verse of Surah Bani Isra'il وَقُرْاٰنًا فَرَقْنٰهُ لِتَقْرَاَهٗ عَلَي النَّاسِ عَلٰي مُكْثٍ (And We have divided the Qur'an in portion, so that you may recite it to the people gradually - 17:106). (Bayan ul-Qur’ an)
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25:21
۞ وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَرۡجُونَ لِقَآءَنَا لَوۡلَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيۡنَا ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ أَوۡ نَرَىٰ رَبَّنَاۗ لَقَدِ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ فِيٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ وَعَتَوۡ عُتُوّٗا كَبِيرٗا ٢١
And those who do not expect the meeting with Us say, "Why were not angels sent down to us, or [why] do we [not] see our Lord?" They have certainly become arrogant within themselves1 and [become] insolent with great insolence.
1 translator’s note
- Additional meanings are "among themselves" and "over [the matter of] themselves." ↩
25:22
يَوۡمَ يَرَوۡنَ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةَ لَا بُشۡرَىٰ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لِّلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ وَيَقُولُونَ حِجۡرٗا مَّحۡجُورٗا ٢٢
The day they see the angels1 - no good tidings will there be that day for the criminals, and [the angels] will say, "Prevented and inaccessible."2
25:23
وَقَدِمۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مَا عَمِلُواْ مِنۡ عَمَلٖ فَجَعَلۡنَٰهُ هَبَآءٗ مَّنثُورًا ٢٣
And We will approach [i.e., regard]1 what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed.
1 translator’s note
- On the Day of Judgement. ↩
25:24
أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ يَوۡمَئِذٍ خَيۡرٞ مُّسۡتَقَرّٗا وَأَحۡسَنُ مَقِيلٗا ٢٤
The companions of Paradise, that Day, are [in] a better settlement and better resting place.
25:25
وَيَوۡمَ تَشَقَّقُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ بِٱلۡغَمَٰمِ وَنُزِّلَ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ تَنزِيلًا ٢٥
And [mention] the Day when the heaven will split open with [emerging] clouds,1 and the angels will be sent down in successive descent.
1 translator’s note
- Within which are the angels. ↩
25:26
ٱلۡمُلۡكُ يَوۡمَئِذٍ ٱلۡحَقُّ لِلرَّحۡمَٰنِۚ وَكَانَ يَوۡمًا عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَسِيرٗا ٢٦
True sovereignty, that Day, is for the Most Merciful. And it will be upon the disbelievers a difficult Day.
25:27
وَيَوۡمَ يَعَضُّ ٱلظَّالِمُ عَلَىٰ يَدَيۡهِ يَقُولُ يَٰلَيۡتَنِي ٱتَّخَذۡتُ مَعَ ٱلرَّسُولِ سَبِيلٗا ٢٧
And the Day the wrongdoer will bite on his hands [in regret] he will say, "Oh, I wish I had taken with the Messenger a way.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., followed the Prophet (ﷺ) on a path of guidance. ↩
25:28
يَٰوَيۡلَتَىٰ لَيۡتَنِي لَمۡ أَتَّخِذۡ فُلَانًا خَلِيلٗا ٢٨
Oh, woe to me! I wish I had not taken that one1 as a friend.
1 translator’s note
- The person who misguided him. ↩
25:29
لَّقَدۡ أَضَلَّنِي عَنِ ٱلذِّكۡرِ بَعۡدَ إِذۡ جَآءَنِيۗ وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ لِلۡإِنسَٰنِ خَذُولٗا ٢٩
He led me away from the remembrance1 after it had come to me. And ever is Satan, to man, a deserter."2
25:30
وَقَالَ ٱلرَّسُولُ يَٰرَبِّ إِنَّ قَوۡمِي ٱتَّخَذُواْ هَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ مَهۡجُورٗا ٣٠
And the Messenger has said, "O my Lord, indeed my people have taken this Qur’ān as [a thing] abandoned."1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., avoiding it, not listening to or understanding it, not living by it, or preferring something else to it. ↩
25:31
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلۡنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوّٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِرَبِّكَ هَادِيٗا وَنَصِيرٗا ٣١
And thus have We made for every prophet an enemy from among the criminals. But sufficient is your Lord as a guide and a helper.
25:32
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوۡلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ جُمۡلَةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِۦ فُؤَادَكَۖ وَرَتَّلۡنَٰهُ تَرۡتِيلٗا ٣٢
And those who disbelieve say, "Why was the Qur’ān not revealed to him all at once?" Thus [it is] that We may strengthen thereby your heart. And We have spaced it distinctly.1
1 translator’s note
- Also, "recited it with distinct recitation." ↩