Terdapat beberapa sebab mengapa perbezaan perlu dibuat antara surah dan ayat Makkiyyah dengan Madaniyyah. Berikut ialah tiga daripada sebab yang paling penting:

There are a number of reasons why a distinction needs to be made between Makkan and Madeenan soorahs and verses. The following are three of the most important reasons:

Pelbagai hukum Islam diturunkan sepanjang tempoh dua puluh tiga tahun. Sesetengah hukum membatalkan hukum yang lebih awal, dan sesetengah hukum lain diturunkan secara beransur-ansur. Oleh itu, perlu diketahui pada masa mana setiap hukum diturunkan supaya ia dapat dilaksanakan dengan betul. Hukum-hukum pada zaman Madinah yang kemudian kadangkala menggantikan hukum-hukum yang terdahulu. Sebagai contoh, arak diharamkan secara berperingkat. Hukum pertama mengenai arak hanyalah peringatan tentang bahaya-bahayanya. Allah berfirman,

The various laws of Islaam were revealed over a period of twenty-three years. Some laws canceled earlier laws and other laws were revealed bit by bit. Thus, it is necessary to know at which point in time the various laws were revealed in order to apply them properly. The laws of the later Madeenan period sometimes took the place of earlier laws. For example, alcohol was made forbidden in gradual stages. The first law concerning alcohol was simply a warning of its dangers. Allaah said,

Hukum kedua yang diturunkan melarang kaum Muslimin mendirikan solat ketika mereka dalam keadaan mabuk. Allah berfirman,

The second law that was revealed warned Muslims away from salaah when they were intoxicated (drunk). Allaah said,

Namun, hukum ketiga adalah larangan mutlak untuk mendekati sebarang bentuk arak. Allah berfirman,

The third law, however, was a complete prohibition of even coming near any form of alcohol. Allaah said,

Jika seseorang tidak mengetahui susunan turunnya ayat-ayat ini, dia mungkin tersalah faham dan menyangka bahawa dibenarkan minum arak selagi dia tidak mabuk dan tidak datang untuk solat. Atau, dia mungkin menyangka bahawa dibenarkan baginya mengambil manfaat daripada jualan arak.

If one was unaware of the order in which these verses were revealed, he may mistakenly think that he is allowed to drink alcohol as long as he doesn’t get drunk and come to salaah. Or, he may think that it is allowed for him to benefit from the sale of alcohol.

Dengan memahami urutan turunnya ayat-ayat Al-Qur'an, seseorang dapat mempelajari cara terbaik untuk mengajarkan Islam. Sebagai contoh, Al-Qur'an mengajarkan orang-orang beriman agar tidak mencaci atau mengejek berhala-berhala orang-orang kafir, supaya mereka tidak menjauh, dan agar mereka tidak mencela Allah karena kejahilan. Sebaliknya, mereka diperintahkan untuk berdialog dengan orang-orang kafir dan menunjukkan kepada mereka secara logis mengapa penyembahan berhala itu keliru. Allah menyebutkan bahwa Nabi Ibrahim berkata kepada kaumnya,

By understanding the order in which the verses of the Qur’aan were revealed, one can learn the best method of teaching Islaam. For example, the Qur’aan taught the believers not to curse or make fun of the idols of the disbelievers in order not to drive them away and in order that they not curse Allaah out of ignorance. Instead they were told to reason with the disbelievers and show them logically why the worship of idols was incorrect. Allaah quoted Prophet Ibraaheem as saying to his people,

Ayat yang memetik pernyataan permusuhan Ibrahim terhadap kaumnya dan terhadap apa yang mereka sembah selain Allah:

The verse quoting Ibraaheem’s declaration of enmity to his people and what they worshipped instead of Allaah:

…diwahyukan di Madinah, setelah kaum Muslimin bertahun-tahun dengan sabar berdakwah dan berdebat secara baik dengan kerabat mereka di Makkah. Orang-orang kafir Makkah membalas hujah yang beralasan dengan penganiayaan dan kekerasan. Mereka telah mengusir kaum Muslimin dari rumah mereka, dan keadaan konflik bersenjata wujud antara kedua pihak. Oleh itu, bukanlah sunnah bagi seseorang yang telah memeluk Islam untuk membaca ayat ini lalu cuba menerapkannya terhadap keluarga dan kenalannya.

was revealed in Madeenah, after the Muslims had practiced years of patient argument with their relatives in Makkah. The disbelievers of Makkah had met reasoned argument with persecution and violence. They had driven the Muslims from their homes, and a state of armed conflict existed between the two sides. It is not, therefore, Sunnah for a person to accept Islaam, read this verse and try to apply it on his family and acquaintances.

Kebanyakan peristiwa paling penting dalam kehidupan Nabi telah dirakamkan dalam pelbagai ayat al-Qur'an. Oleh itu, dengan mengetahui susunan turunnya ayat-ayat tersebut, adalah mungkin untuk menyusun sebahagian besar daripada biografi Nabi ﷺ.

Most of the most important events in the Prophet’s life have been recorded in various verses of the Qur’aan. Thus, by knowing the order in which the verses were revealed, it is possible to piece together a large portion of the biography of the Prophet (ﷺ).