Alkur'ani littafi ne na shiryarwa ga dukkan mutane a dukkan zamani har zuwa Ranar Alkiyama, yana nuna musu madaidaiciyar hanya a dangantakarsu da Mahaliccinsu da kuma dangantakarsu da kansu a matsayin daidaikun mutane da kuma ƙungiyoyi. A lokaci guda kuma, an saukar da Alkur'ani ga wani mutum guda da ya rayu a wani lokaci da wuri na musamman cikin wata al'umma ta musamman. A wasu lokuta, wasu al'amura kan faru da sahabbai ba su tabbatar da su ba, ko kuma a wasu lokutan kan tambayi Annabi (ﷺ) game da wasu al'amura da ba su fahimta sosai ba. Domin biyan wadannan bukatu da makamantansu, ana saukar da ayoyi ga Annabi (ﷺ). Wadannan al'amura su ne yanayin da wahayi ya sauka, kuma ana kiransu "asbaabun-nuzuul" (dalilan saukar wahayi). Don haka Alkur'ani yana amfani da abin da ya kebanta wajen ba da umarni masu muhimmanci ga kowa.

The Qur’aan is a book of universal guidance for all peoples in all times until the Day of Judgment, showing them the correct path in their relations with their Creator and in their relations with themselves as individuals and groups. At the same time, the Qur’aan was revealed to one man living in a specific time and place among a specific community. On occasions, certain events would occur about which the Prophet’s followers were unsure, or on other occasions they might actually ask him about some matters which were unclear to them. In response to these and similar needs, verses were revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ). These events represent the context in which revelation came and are referred to as “ asbaab an-nuzool” (reasons for revelation). The Qur’aan, therefore, uses the particular to give instructions of universal significance.

Misali, a lokacin da mijin Khawlah bint Tha‘labah, Aws ibn as-Saamit, ya juya mata baya a kan gadon aure (thihaar),40 sai ta je ta yi koke ga Annabi ﷺ. ‘Aa’ishah, matar Annabi ﷺ, ta ce, "Albarka ta tabbata ga Wanda Yake ji komai. Lallai, na ji wani ɓangare na abin da Khawlah bint Tha‘labah ta faɗa yayin da take koke ga Annabi ﷺ game da mijinta. Ta ce, ‘Ya Manzon Allah ﷺ, ya cinye min ƙuruciyata, kuma na miƙa masa cikina. Yanzu da na tsufa kuma na daina haihuwa, ya juya mini baya. Ya Allah, lallai ni ina kai koke gare Ka!’ Maraice bai wuce ba sai Jibrilu ya sauko da waɗannan ayoyi."

For example, when Khawlah bint Tha‘labah’s husband, Aws ibn as-Saamit, turned his back on her in the marriage bed (thihaar),40 she went to complain to the Prophet (ﷺ). ‘Aa’ishah, wife of the Prophet (ﷺ), said, “Blessed is He who hears all things. Verily, I heard some of what Khawlah bint Tha‘labah said while she was complaining about her husband to the Prophet (ﷺ). She said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ), he ate up my youth and I spread my stomach for him. Now that I have grown old and stopped having children, he has turned his back on me. O Allaah, verily I complain to You!’ An evening did not pass before Jibreel came down with these verses:

Saboda haka, ana iya bayyana sababan saukar Alqur'ani (asbaab an-nuzool) da cewa abubuwan da aka rubuta a lokacin annabcin Muhammadu (ﷺ) wadanda aka saukar da ayoyin Alqur'ani ko surori a kansu a lokacin da suka faru.42

Hence, the reasons for revelation (asbaab an-nuzool) could be defined as incidents recorded during the prophethood of Muhammad (ﷺ) about which Qur’aanic verses or chapters were revealed at the time of their occurrence.42

Sababin saukar wani ayah na musamman ba zai iya sanuwa ba sai ga shaidun abubuwan da suka faru ko kuma ga wanda shaida ya sanar da shi.

The circumstances for a particular revelation could only be known to the witnesses of the relevant events or someone who was informed by a witness.

Saboda haka, kawai amintaccen tushe ga wannan ilimi shi ne sahabbai. Kamar hadisan Annabi (ﷺ), amincin irin waɗannan rahotanni ya dogara ne da amincin silsilar masu ruwaito. Maganar tabi'i game da dalilin wata saukar ayar Alkur'ani yawanci malaman hadisi suna ɗaukarta a matsayin rauniya idan bai danganta ra'ayinsa ga ɗaya daga cikin sahabbai ba. 43

Therefore, the only reliable source for this knowledge is the sahaabah. Like the hadeeths of the Prophet (ﷺ), the reliability of such reports depends upon the reliability of the chain of narrators. The statement of a tabi‘ee about the reason for a given revelation is usually considered weak by the scholars of hadeeth if he didn’t attribute his opinion to one of the sahaabah. 43