NUZUL OF THE QUR?AN AND THE QUESTION OF NUZUL ORDER

Abstract

In the modern Islamic world, there is growing interest in reading and interpretation of the Qur??n according to its nuz?l order; accordingly, many translations and exegeses, based on nuz?l order, are published every day. This fact compels us to consider questions about the descent of revelation, arrangement of the text of the Qur??n, and its arrangement pursuant to the chronology of revelation, as well as relevant general acceptance. Classical references seldom questioned the reliability of revelation order narrated by ?a??ba (Companions), such as ?Al? ibn Ab? ??lib and ?Abd All?h ibn ?Abb?s, and T?bi??n (Followers), such as J?bir ibn Zayd, al-?asan al-Ba?r?, and Ibn Shih?b al-Zuhr?, as well as later personalities, such as Ja?far al-??diq, alW?qid?, and other scholars; moreover, it has never been extensively studied whether all of the s?ras (chapters) of the Qur??n can be chronologically arranged pursuant to the available information. Herein, this study intends to draw attention to the necessity for a serious examination and analysis of such issues regarding the revelation and arrangement of the Qur??n.