Decoding The Quran (In Chronological Order of Revelation) (Book review)

From Wikivahdat

The title is a book by Ahmed Hulusi exploring the chronological order of the Quranic verses.[1]

Overview

The zenith of sainthood, Hadhrat Ali (ra), who claimed, “I am the articulation of the Quran” is narrated to have said:

“By Allah, there is not a single verse in the Quran about which I lack the knowledge regarding why it was revealed, where it was revealed and about whom it was revealed (I know when, where and why every single verse in the Quran was revealed)! Indeed my Rabb has blessed me with an intellect, a (rightly guided) heart and the skill of articulation!”

In another narration, Hadhrat Ali (ra) says, “Ask me from the Book of Allah! There is not a single verse in the Quran about which I don’t know whether it was revealed during the day or the night, on land or in the mountains.” (Hadhrat Ali [ra] was like Rasulllah’s (saw) Book of Revelation. Hence it is only natural that he would be the most qualified at knowing the chronological order of the Quran)!

M. Ibn Shirin, the great saint of Tabi’un, underlined the significance of the importance of this arrangement with his words, “If the BOOK [Quran] arranged by Hadhrat Ali [ra] (i.e. by order of revelation) was found, REAL knowledge would be found!” [2]

Since we do not have Hadhrat Ali’s arrangement of the Quran we prepared this chronological order by taking as reference (with some exceptions) the arrangement by Abdullah Ibn Abbas [ra] who was known amongst the companions as the second expert of the Kitabullah (Book of Allah) after Hadhrat Ali.

Whether by order of revelation or the standard format, the important thing is to read the verses by the transversal method. That is, by taking into consideration all verses that are related or allude to the same concept, as there is no definite order of revelation for all chapters and verses that we know with absolutely certainty.

Surely we seek refuge in Allah from the accursed and rejected (rajim) Satan with the spectacles (insight) of the Basmalah and chapter Al-Ikhlas.

By the one who is denoted by the name Allah (who created my being with His Names in accord with the meaning of the letter ‘B’), the Ahad (One - Allah is the infinite, limitless and indivisible, non-dual ONENESS), the Samad (Absolute Self-Sufficient One beyond any need or defect, free from the concept of multiplicity, and far from conceptualization and limitation) who begets not (no other form of existence has ever originated from Him, thus, there is no other) nor is begotten (there is no other god or form of existence from which He could have originated) the Rahman, the Rahim.

Indeed, the Quran was revealed to man (vicegerent), as a function of dhikr, to remind him of his essential reality!


Contents

Translator’s Note

Introductory Information To Understanding The Quran

An Important Note About Understanding ‘Decoding The Quran’

Decoding The Quran

An Essential Message

The Exalted, Magnificent And Perfect Qualities Of The Names Of Allah (Al-Asma Ul-Husna)

The Importance Of Reading The Quran In Chronological Order Of Revelation

1. Al-Fatiha

96. Al-Alaq

68. Al-Qalam

73. Al-Muzammil

74. Al-Muddathir

111. Al-Masad

81. At-Takwir

87. Al-A’la

92. Al-Lail

89. Al-Fajr

93. Ad-Dhuha

94. Ash-Sharh

103. Al-Asr

100. Al-Adiyat

108. Al-Kawthar

102. Al-Takathur

107. Al-Ma’un

109. Al-Kafirun

105. Al-Fil

113. Al-Falaq

114. An-Nas

112. Al-Ikhlas

53. An-Najm

80. Abasa

97. Al-Qadr

91. As-Shams

85. Al-Buruj

95. At-Tin

106. Quraysh

101. Al-Qaria

75. Al-Qiyama

104. Al-Humaza

77. Al-Mursalat

50. Qaf

90. Al-Balad

86. At-Tariq

54. Al-Qamar

38. Saad

7. Al-A’raf

72. Al-Jinn

36. Ya-Sin

25. Al-Furqan

35. Fatir

19. Maryam

20. Ta-Ha

56. Al-Waqi’a

26. Ash-Shu’ara

27. An-Naml

28. Al-Qasas

17. Al-Isra

10. Yunus

11. Hud

12. Yusuf

15. Al-Hijr

6. Al-An’am

37. As-Saffat

31. Luqman

34. As-Saba

39. Az-Zumar

40. Al-Mu’min

41. Fussilat

42. Ash-Shura

43. Az-Zukhruf

44. Ad-Dukhan

45. Al-Jathiya

46. Al-Ahqaf

51. Adh-Dhariyat

88. Al-Ghashiya

18. Al-Kahf

16. An-Nahl

71. Nuh

14. Ibrahim

21. Al-Anbiya

23. Al-Mu’minun

32. As-Sajda

52. At-Tur

67. Al-Mulk

69. Al-Haqqa

70. Al-Ma’arij

78. An-Naba

79. An-Nazi’at

82. Al-Infitar

84. Al-Inshiqaq

30. Ar-Rum

29. Al-Ankabut

83. Al-Mutaffifin

2. Al-Baqarah

8. Al-Anfal

3. Ali-Imran

33. Al-Ahzab

60. Al-Mumtahina

4. An-Nisa

99. Al-Zalzala

57. Al-Hadid

47. Muhammad

13. Ra’d

55. Ar-Rahman

76. Al-Insan

65. At-Talaq

98. Al-Bayyina

59. Al-Hashr

24. An-Nur

22. Al-Hajj

63. Al-Munafiqun

58. Al-Mujadila

49. Hujurat

66. At-Tahrim

64. At-Taghabun

61. As-Saff

62. Al-Jumu’a

48. Al-Fath

5. Al-Ma’idah

9. At-Tawbah

110. An-Nasr

Glossary

Notes