Al-W¥^idÏ's Asb¥b al-Nuz‰l - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies ...

Series Editor’s Foreword
The Great Tafsirs of the Holy Qur’an project (www.altafsir.com) of the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute
for Islamic Thought, Amman, Jordan (www.aalalbayt.org) is pleased to make available for the first time
ever in English translation one of the most significant works in the branch of the Qur’anic sciences
(‘ulum al-Qur’an) known as “asbab al-nuzul” — the occasions, reasons, and contexts for the Revelation
of the Holy Qur’an. The present work by ‘Ali ibn Ahmad al-Wahidi, (d. 468/1075) Asbab al-Nuzul is the
earliest and best-known representative work of this genre. For most of the Qur’an, the exact occasions
and contexts of Revelation were not preserved in the historical record. However, for those that have
been, the original context of the revelation of a particular verse of the Qur’an will aid the reader in better
understanding the historical context of the revelation and the issues that confronted the Prophet Muhammad
and the nascent Muslim community. Such issues as the relations between Muhammad and the
Jews and Christians are highlighted herein. The reader will also discover details about the relationship
of Muhammad to various individuals such as from among the Companions and Followers, groups and
tribes such as the Aws and Khazraj, and also to the Ummah which give insight into his prophetic mission,
his personal qualities and attributes — such as his exemplary humility and generosity, his relationship to
his enemies, his conduct of war, how he dealt with false allegations of infidelity against his favourite wife
‘A’ishah, to cite but a few examples.
Muslims and non-Muslims are often not aware of the occasions of the revelation of the verses
when they quote verses from the Qur’an. Thus, this leads to a situation whereby verses are quoted out
of context, and misapplied in order to justify violent and inhuman acts in the name of Islam. It is often
suggested by those who have little or no understanding of Qur’anic exegesis that what is required is a
reinterpretation of the Qur’an to meet the demands of the 21 st century. Rather, it is knowledge of the
history of the Qur’an’s interpretation coupled with an understanding of contemporary social and political
issues which contribute to a better-informed understanding. In other words, the most pressing need
as with any religious tradition or scripture, is to understand the fundamental sources particular to that
tradition. Asbab al-Nuzul along with other works that appear in the Great Tafsirs series will elucidate the
meanings of the Qur’anic verses.
Notwithstanding the translator Mokrane Guezzou’s scholarly critical assessment of Asbab al-
Nuzul, he concludes with a positive affirmation of al-Wahidi’s work and its importance to Islamic learning.
Moreover, the single volume length makes this an indispensable reference for students and scholars
of Islamic and religious studies, and for those who have a particular interest in the Qur’anic sciences.
Mokrane Guezzou also undertook the translation of the second volume of the series, Ibn
‘Abbas’s (attrib.) Tanwir al-Miqbas fi Tafsir Ibn ‘Abbas.
Forthcoming titles in this series include Sahl al-Tustari’s Tafsir, Osman Bakar’s Scientific Commentary
on the Qur’an, Kashani’s Ta’wilat, Baydawi’s Tafsir, Qushayri’s Lata’if al-Isharat, Nasafi’s Tafsir,
Tabari’s Tafsir, and Fakhr al-Din al-Razi’s Great Tafsir (Mafatih al-Ghayb).
Yousef Waleed Meri
Series Editor
Amman, Jordan
24 Jumada i 1428/
10 June 2007