Decoding The Quran (In Chronological Order of Revelation) (Book review)
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
- ↑ https://www.ahmedhulusi.org/en/book/decoding-the-quran-in-chronological-order-of-revelation
- ↑ Sa’d Tabeqat’ul Kabir, Vol:2 – P:291-292