Day 1 – Bite Size Ramadan Articles – 1437 A.H.
English Audio: Day 1 – Bite Size Ramadan 1437 – Ramadan a Month of Guidance
Urdu Audio: 1. Ramadaan mah e hidayat 1437
English PDF Download: Day 1 – Bite Size Ramadan 1437 – Ramadan a Month of Guidance
Urdu PDF Download: 1. Ramadaan mah e hidayat 1437
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الْهُدَى
Ramadan a Month of Guidance By al-Hafidh al-Imam ‘Emaad ad-Deen Isma’eel Ibn Katheer[1]-Rahimullaah-
Translated By Abbas Abu Yahya
al-Hafidh Emaad ad-Deen Isma’eel Ibn Katheer (d. 774 A.H.) -Rahimullaah- said in his Tafseer regarding the saying of Allaah Ta’ala:
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ
<< The month of Ramadan in which the Qur’aan was revealed, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs of guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). >> [Baqarah: 185]
‘Allaah Ta’ala praises the month of Fasting from amongst the other months because He chose it and specified that month from among all the other months in which to reveal the Glorious Qur’aan.
There is a hadeeth that mentions that Ramadan was the month in which the divine Books were sent down to the Prophets.
Imam Ahmad -Rahimullaah- brings an Isnaad that the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said:
أنزلت صُحُف إبراهيم في أول ليلة من رمضان. وأنزلت التوراة لسِتٍّ مَضَين من رمضان، والإنجيل لثلاث عَشَرَةَ خلت من رمضان وأنزل الله القرآن لأربع وعشرين خلت من رمضان
‘The Suhhuf of Ibraheem were revealed on the first night of Ramadan. The Taurat were revealed after six nights had passed from Ramadan, and the Injeel after thirteen nights had passed of Ramadan and the Qur’aan was revealed after twenty-four nights had passed from Ramadan.’[2]
As for the Suhhuf, Taurat, Zaboor and Injeel then all of them were revealed to their relevant Prophet in one complete part. As for the Qur’aan then it was revealed in one complete part to the Bait-ul-Izza [The House in the Heavens] to the sky of the heavens, and that was in the month of Ramadan, on Layla-tul-Qadr. As Allaah Ta’ala said:
{ إِنَّا أَنزلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ }
<< Verily! We have sent it (this Qur’aan) down in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree) >>[Qadr:1]
And Allaah said:
{ إِنَّا أَنزلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ }
<< We sent it (this Qur’aan) down on a blessed night [i.e. night of Qadr, in the month of Ramadan]. >> [Dukhan:3]
Then it was revealed afterwards to the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- in parts according to the occurrences and events.
Atteeya bin al-Aswaad asked Ibn Abbas and said:
‘A doubt [of when the Qur’aan was revealed] has entered my heart regarding the saying of Allaah Ta’ala:
{ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ }
<< The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’aan >>
and the saying of Allaah:
{ إِنَّا أَنزلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ }
<< We sent it (this Qur’aan) down on a blessed night [i.e. night of Qadr, in the month of Ramadan]. >> [Dukhan:3]
and the saying of Allaah:
{ إِنَّا أَنزلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ }
<< Verily! We have sent it (this Qur’aan) down in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree) >>[Qadr:1]
and that it was also revealed in Shawwal, Dhul Qa’adah, Dhul Hijjaah, and in Muharram, Safar and the month of Rabia’.
So Ibn Abbas explained to him:
‘It was revealed in Ramadan, on the night of Qadr and in a blessed night in one whole part, then this Qur’aan was revealed during the Mawaqi (setting) of the stars in a slow, (pleasant tone and) style over various months and days.’
[Collected by Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Mardawah.]
In the narration of Sa’eed bin Jubayr from Ibn Abbas who said:
‘The Qur’aan was revealed in the middle of the month of Ramadan to the sky of the Duniya and placed in the Bait ul -Izza, then it was revealed to the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- over twenty years in reply to the speech of people.’
In the narration of Ikrima from Ibn Abbas who said:
‘The Qur’aan was revealed in the month of Ramadan on Layla tul Qadr to the sky of the Duniya in one whole part, and Allaah caused to occur for His Prophet what He willed. The Mushrikoon would not bring something to argue with except that Allaah would bring a reply to them, and that is the saying of Allaah:
{ وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْلا نزلَ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْآنُ جُمْلَةً وَاحِدَةً كَذَلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ وَرَتَّلْنَاهُ تَرْتِيلا *
وَلا يَأْتُونَكَ بِمَثَلٍ إِلا جِئْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَحْسَنَ تَفْسِيرًا }
<< And those who disbelieve say: ‘Why is not the Qur’aan revealed to him all at once?’ Thus (it is sent down in parts), that We may strengthen your heart thereby. And We have revealed it to you gradually, in stages. And no example or similitude do they bring (to oppose or to find fault in you or in this Qur’aan), but We reveal to you the truth (against that similitude or example), and the better explanation thereof.>> [Furqaan: 32-33]
Regarding the saying of Allaah Ta’ala:
{ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ }
<< a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). >>
This is a praise for the Qur’aan which Allaah revealed as guidance for the hearts of worshippers from those who believed in the Qur’aan and accepted it and followed it.
As regarding the word { وَبَيِّنَاتٍ } << and clear proofs >> then this means: clear, manifest, evident proofs and evidences for those who understood them and reflected upon them. This indicates to the authenticity of what it came with from guidance which negates misguidance, and correctness which opposes being astray, and distinguishing between truth and false hood, between Halal and Haraam.’
[Summarised From: ‘Tafseer al-Qur’aan al-Atheem’1/282]
[1] al-Hafidh Emaad ad-Deen Isma’eel Ibn Katheer (d. 774 A.H.) -Rahimullaah- was one of the greatest scholars of many sciences of the knowledge of Islaam. His most famous work is his Tafseer book called ‘Tafseer al-Qur’aan al-Atheem’. This Tafseer was based upon narrations of the Salaf, which is why it is regarded very highly as the second most important Tafseer Book after Tafseer at-Tabari called ‘Jamia al-Bayan un Taweel Ayaah al-Qur’aan’. He was a student of Shaykh ul Islaam Ibn Taymeeyah.
[2] Collected by Ahmad, Tabarani, Bayhaqi & Albaani declared it Hasan in Silsilah Saheehah no. 1575
But the hadeeth researched by Albaani has the extra wording: ‘. . . and the Zaboor was revealed eighteen nights had passed from Ramadan. . .’