Pengetahuan tentang sebab-sebab turunnya wahyu adalah sangat penting untuk memahami al-Qur'an, serta banyak hukum Islam yang terkandung di dalamnya.

Knowledge of the reasons for revelation is of great importance to understanding the Qur’aan, as well as many of the Islaamic laws contained in it.

Berikut adalah sebahagian daripada faedah yang diperoleh daripada mengetahui sebab-sebab turunnya wahyu:

The following are some of the benefits provided by knowledge of the reasons for revelation:

1. Asbaab an-nuzool sering menjelaskan hikmah di sebalik penetapan sebahagian hukum Islam. Pengetahuan tentang hikmah di sebalik hukum-hukum Allah memberikan para ulama prinsip-prinsip umum yang membolehkan mereka menentukan hukum bagi masalah-masalah baharu yang mempunyai sebab atau kesan yang serupa. Asbaab an-nuzool juga menunjukkan keprihatinan hukum-hukum tersebut terhadap kebajikan umum manusia dalam cara ia menangani masalah-masalah.

1. Asbaab an-nuzool often explain the wisdom underlying the legislation of some of the Islaamic laws. Knowledge of the wisdom behind divine laws provides scholars with general principles which enable them to work out laws for new problems which have similar causes or effects. Asbaab an-nuzool also show the concern of the laws for the general welfare of man in their treatment of problems.

Ini, seterusnya, menjadikan kita sedar akan rahmat Allah, yang merupakan bahagian asas dalam semua hukum ilahi. Sebagai contoh, Ibn ‘Abbas meriwayatkan bahawa Hilal bin Umayyah pergi menemui Nabi ﷺ dan menuduh isterinya (isteri Hilal) berzina dengan Syarik bin Sahma’. Nabi ﷺ bersabda kepadanya, “(Bawalah) bukti (empat orang saksi) atau jika tidak, engkau akan menerima hukuman (lapan puluh sebatan) di belakangmu.” Hilal menjawab, “Wahai Rasulullah ﷺ, jika salah seorang daripada kami melihat seorang lelaki bersama isterinya, adakah dia harus pergi dan mencari saksi?” Rasulullah ﷺ bersabda lagi, “(Bawalah)

This, in turn, makes us aware of Allaah’s mercy, which is a fundamental part of all divine laws. For example, Ibn ‘Abbaas reported that Hilaal ibn Umayyah went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and accused his wife (Hilaal’s wife) of adultery with Shurayk ibn Sahmaa’. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, “ (Produce) the proof (four witnesses) or else you will receive the punishment (of eighty lashes) on your back.” Hilaal replied, “O Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ), if one of us sees a man on his woman, should he leave and seek witnesses?” Allaah’s Messenger again said, “ (Produce)

"bukti, atau engkau akan menerima hukuman." Hilaal kemudian berkata, "(Aku bersumpah) demi Tuhan yang mengutusmu dengan kebenaran, bahawa aku sedang berkata benar. Dan Allah pasti akan menurunkan sesuatu untuk membebaskan punggungku daripada hukuman." Lalu Jibril turun dengan wahyu,

the proof or else you will receive the punishment.” Hilaal then said, “ (I swear) By the One who sent you with the Truth that I am telling the truth. And Allaah will surely reveal something to free my back from the punishment.” And Jibreel descended with the revelation,

2. Kadang-kadang sebab turunnya wahyu menjelaskan aspek tertentu yang dimaksudkan dari makna umum ayat-ayat tersebut. Iaitu, makna zahir ayat itu mungkin cukup umum untuk merangkumi keadaan-keadaan yang tidak dimaksudkan oleh Allah.

2. Sometimes the reasons for revelation specify the particular aspect which was intended from the general meaning of the verses. That is, the obvious meaning of the verse may be general enough to include circumstances not intended by Allaah.

Contoh ini ialah ayat berikut,

An example of this is the verse,

Marwaan46 berkata kepada penjaga pintunya, "Wahai Raafi', pergilah kepada Ibn 'Abbaas dan katakan kepadanya, 'Jika setiap orang di antara kita yang bergembira dengan apa yang telah dilakukannya dan suka dipuji atas apa yang tidak dilakukannya akan diseksa, maka kita semua akan diseksa.'" (Apabila dia berbuat demikian) Ibn 'Abbaas menjawab, "Apakah yang berlaku kepada kamu semua mengenai ayat itu? Sesungguhnya ayat itu diturunkan berkenaan Ahli Kitab."47 Kemudian beliau membacakan (ayat sebelumnya)

Marwaan46 told his gateman, “O Raafi‘, go to Ibn ‘Abbaas and say to him, ‘If every man among us who is happy about what he has brought about and likes to be praised for what he has not done will be punished, then we will all be punished.’ ” (When he did so) Ibn ‘Abbaas replied, “What has happened to you all concerning that verse? Verily it was revealed concerning the People of the Book.” 47 He then recited (the verse previous to it)

Ibnu ‘Abbaas kemudian berkata, “Apabila Rasulullah ﷺ bertanya kepada mereka tentang sesuatu, mereka menyembunyikannya daripada baginda dan memberikan sesuatu yang lain sebagai gantinya. Mereka kemudian keluar, dengan membuatkan baginda menyangka bahawa mereka telah memberitahu baginda tentang apa yang baginda tanyakan, dan mereka mencari pujian serta ucapan terima kasih baginda. Mereka juga sangat gembira kerana dapat menyembunyikan daripada baginda apa yang baginda tanyakan.” 49 Oleh itu, ayat tersebut tidak merujuk kepada setiap orang yang gembira dengan apa yang mereka lakukan, tetapi khususnya kepada mereka yang gembira kerana diberi kitab wahyu, namun mereka menyembunyikan maknanya daripada mereka yang ingin mengetahui kebenaran.

Ibn ‘Abbaas then said, “When Allaah’s Messenger (r) asked them about something, they concealed it from him and gave something else in its place. They then went out, making him think that they had informed him about what he had asked and they sought his praise and thanks. They were also very happy about having been able to hide from him what he asked about.” 49 Hence, the verse does not refer to everyone who is happy about what they have done, but specifically those who are happy about being given books of revelation, yet they hide its meanings from those who wish to know the truth.

3. Sebab turunnya sesuatu ayat kadang-kadang menjelaskan hukum-hukum yang boleh didapati daripada ayat-ayat tersebut. Makna zahir sesuatu ayat mungkin membayangkan hukum tertentu, sedangkan keadaan ketika ayat itu diturunkan menunjukkan hukum yang lain. Sebagai contoh, ‘Urwah pernah berkata kepada ibu saudaranya ‘Aa’ishah, isteri Nabi ﷺ, "Adakah engkau tahu firman Allah,

3. The reason for revelation sometimes clarifies the laws which may be deduced from the verses. The obvious meaning of the verse may imply a particular law, whereas the circumstances under which the verse was revealed indicate another law. For example, ‘Urwah once said to his aunt ‘Aa’ishah, wife of the Prophet (r), “Do you know the verse,

“Saya tidak merasakan bahawa ada dosa bagi orang yang tidak berjalan antara keduanya.” ‘Aa’ishah menjawab, “Alangkah buruknya apa yang kamu katakan, wahai anak saudaraku! Sesungguhnya, jika (ayat itu) bermaksud sebagaimana yang kamu tafsirkan, ia sepatutnya berbunyi, ‘Maka tidak ada dosa bagi sesiapa yang tidak berjalan antara keduanya.’ Tetapi sebenarnya, ia diturunkan kerana kaum Ansaar, sebelum Islam, biasa mempersembahkan (haji atau ‘umrah) mereka kepada dua berhala, Isaaf dan Naa’ilah, di tepi pantai. Orang ramai pergi ke sana, kemudian berjalan antara as-Safaa dan al-Marwah, kemudian mencukur kepala mereka. Selepas Islam, mereka tidak suka berjalan antara keduanya, kerana apa yang mereka lakukan pada Zaman Jahiliyah. Maka, Allaah menurunkan ayat, ‘Sesungguhnya as-Safaa dan al-Marwah adalah antara syiar-syiar Allaah...’” Dalam riwayat lain, beliau menambah, “Kemudian Rasulullah ﷺ menunjukkan cara berjalan antara keduanya hendaklah dilakukan. Maka, tiada sesiapa dibenarkan meninggalkan berjalan antara keduanya.” Walaupun makna zahir ayat menunjukkan bahawa berjalan antara Bukit as-Safaa dan Bukit al-Marwah hanyalah mubaah (harus), sebab penurunan ayat menunjukkan bahawa ia adalah waajib (wajib).

I do not feel that there is any sin on one who does not walk between them.” ‘Aa’ishah replied, “What a terrible thing you have said, O my nephew! Verily, if the (verse) meant as you interpreted it, it would have been, ‘So there is so sin on anyone who does not walk between them.’ But verily, it was revealed because the Ansaar,50 before Islaam, used to dedicate their (hajj or ‘umrah) to two idols, Isaaf and Naa’ilah, on the seashore. The people went there, then walked between asSafaa and al-Marwah, then got their heads shaved. After Islaam they didn’t like to walk between them, because of what they used to do during the Days of Ignorance. Hence, Allaah revealed the verse, ‘Verily as-Safaa and al-Marwah are among the shrines of Allaah...’ ” 51 In another version she added, “Then Allaah’s Messenger (ﷺ) showed how the walk between them should be done. Thus, no one is allowed to drop the walking between them.” 52 Although the obvious meaning of the verse indicated that the walking between Mount as-Safaa and Mount al-Marwah was merely mubaah (allowable), the reason for revelation indicates that it is waajib (compulsory).