Al-Qur’an diturunkan secara berperingkat kepada Nabi Muhammad ﷺ sejak permulaan kenabiannya sehinggalah tidak lama sebelum kewafatannya. Oleh itu, Al-Qur’an diturunkan secara berterusan selama dua puluh tiga tahun.

The Qur’aan was revealed in sections to Prophet Muhammad (r) from the beginning of his prophethood until shortly before his death. Thus, the Qur’aan came down continuously over a period of twenty-three years.

Bahagian-bahagian Al-Qur'an secara umumnya diturunkan untuk menyelesaikan masalah-masalah yang wujud dalam masyarakat Islam, baik di Makkah mahupun di Madinah. Oleh kerana masalah dan keperluan di Makkah berbeza daripada yang di Madinah, wahyu Makkah dan wahyu Madinah mempunyai ciri-ciri khusus tersendiri.

The various sections of the Qur’aan were generally revealed to solve the problems which existed among the Muslim communities in both Makkah and Madeenah. Since the prob-lems and needs of Makkah were different from those of Madeenah, the revelations of Makkah and Madeenah have special characteristics of their own.

Adalah sangat penting untuk memahami dengan jelas perbezaan antara wahyu Makkah dan wahyu Madinah jika al-Qur'an itu sendiri hendak difahami dengan jelas. Oleh kerana al-Qur'an amat penting bagi Islam, para ulama Islam sejak zaman para sahabat telah mencurahkan banyak masa dan usaha dalam bidang kajian ini.

It is very important that the differences between the revelations of Makkah and Madeenah be clearly understood if the Qur’aan itself is to be clearly understood. Because of the great importance of the Qur’aan to Islaam, Islaamic scholars from the time of the sahaabah have devoted much time and effort in this area of study