Sehemu za Qur'aan zilishushwa mfululizo kwa Mtume Muhammad ﷺ tangu mwanzo wa utume wake mwaka wa 609 BK hadi muda mfupi kabla ya kufa kwake (623 BK), kipindi cha takriban miaka ishirini na mitatu. Sehemu mbalimbali za Qur'aan kwa ujumla zilishushwa kutatua matatizo yaliyomkabili Mtume ﷺ na wafuasi wake huko Makka na Madina. Aya kadhaa za Qur'aan ni majibu ya moja kwa moja ya maswali yaliyoulizwa na Waislamu pamoja na wasiokuwa Waislamu wakati wa kipindi cha utume. Aya nyingi kati ya hizi zinaanza kwa maneno "Wanakuuliza kuhusu." Kwa mfano,

Sections of the Qur’aan were continuously revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (s.w.) from the beginning of his prohethood in the year 609 CE until shortly before his death (623 CE), a period of approximately twenty-three years. The various sections of the Qur’aan were generally revealed to solve the problems which confronted the Prophet (SW.) and his followers in both Makkah and Madeenah. A number of Qur’anic verses are direct answers to questions raised by Muslims as well as non-Muslims during the era of prophet hood. Many of these verses actually begin with the phrase “They ask you about.” For example,

Aya nyingine nyingi pia ziliteremshwa kutokana na matukio mahususi yaliyotokea wakati wa zama za Mtume ﷺ.

A number of other verses were revealed due to particular incidents, which took place during the era of the Prophet (s.w.).

Mfano mmoja ni kisa cha Hilaal ibn Umayyah, aliyemwendea Mtume ﷺ na kumshtaki mke wake kwamba alizini na mmoja wa Maswahaba wa Mtume ﷺ. Mtume ﷺ alisema, "Ama utaleta mashahidi, au adhabu iliyowekwa (ya mijeledi themanini) itakuwa mgongoni mwako." Hilaal akasema, "Ee Mjumbe wa Allah! Ikiwa mmoja wetu atamwona mwanamume juu ya mkewe, je, atakwenda kutafuta mashahidi?" Hata hivyo, Mtume ﷺ alirudia kudai ushahidi. Kisha Malaika Gabriel akaja na kumteremshia Mtume ﷺ aya hii:16

An example can be found in the case of Hilaal ibn Umayyah who came before the Prophet (s.w.) and accused his wife of adultery with another of the Prophet’s companions. The Prophet (s.w.) said, “Either you will receive the fixed punishment (of eighty lashes) on your back.” Hilaal said, “Oh Messenger of Allaah! If any of us saw a man on top of his wife, would he go looking for witnesses?” However, the Prophet (s.w.) repeated his demand for proof. Then angel Gabriel came and revealed to the Prophet (s.w.) the verse:16

Hali hiyo hiyo ndiyo ilikuwa kwa sheria za Kiislamu zilizomo katika Sunnah, nyingi zake zilitokana ama na majibu ya maswali au na kauli zilizotolewa wakati matukio yalipotokea. Kwa mfano, siku moja mmoja wa Maswahaba wa Nabii ﷺ alimwuliza: "Ee Mjumbe wa Allah! Sisi tunasafiri baharini, na tukitawadha kwa maji yetu safi tutabaki na kiu. Je, tunaweza kutawadha kwa maji ya bahari?" Akajibu: "Maji yake ni safi, na viumbe vyake vilivyokufa ni halali kuliwa."18 Sababu ya njia hii ya kutunga sheria ilikuwa kufikia upole wa taratibu katika kutekeleza sheria, kwa kuwa njia hii ilikubalika kwa urahisi zaidi na Waarabu waliozoea uhuru kamili. Pia iliwarahisishia kujifunza na kuelewa sheria, kwa sababu sababu na muktadha wa sheria hizo vingejulikana kwao. Mbinu hii ya kutunga sheria kwa hatua hatua haikuhusu sheria kwa ujumla tu, bali ilifanyika pia wakati wa kutekeleza sheria kadhaa mahususi. Kutungwa kwa Swalah (sala za faradhi) ni mfano mzuri wa upole wa taratibu katika kutekeleza sheria mahususi. Katika kipindi cha mwanzo cha Makka, Swalah mwanzoni zilikuwa mara mbili kwa siku, mara moja asubuhi na mara moja usiku.19 Muda mfupi kabla ya Hijra kwenda Madina, Swalah tano kwa siku ziliwekwa za lazima kwa waumini. Hata hivyo, Swalah wakati huo zilikuwa rakaa mbili kwa kila sala, isipokuwa sala ya Maghrib (machweo), ambayo ilikuwa rakaa tatu. Baada ya Waislamu wa mwanzo kuzoea kusali mara kwa mara, idadi ya rakaa iliongezwa hadi nne kwa wakazi, isipokuwa sala ya Alfajiri na ya Maghrib.20

The same was the case of Islamic legislation found in the Sunnah, much of which was either the result of answers to questions, or were pronouncements made at the time that incidents took place. For example, on one occasion, one of the Prophet’s companions asked him, “Oh Messenger of Allaah! We sail the seas and if we make Wudoo (ablutions) with our fresh water we will go thirsty. Can we make Wudoo with sea water?” He replied, “Its water is pure and its dead (sea creatures) are Halaal (permissible to eat).”18 The reason for this method of legislation was to achieve gradation in the enactment of laws, as this approach was more easily acceptable by Arabs who were used to complete freedom. It also made it easier for them to learn and understand the laws since the reasons and context of the legislation would b e known to them. This method of gradual legislation was not limited to the laws as a whole, but it also took place during the enactment of a number of individual laws. The legislation of Salaah (formal prayers) is a good example of gradation in the enactment of individual laws. In the early Makkah period, Salaah was initially twice per day, once in the morning and once at night.19 Shortly before the migration to Madeenah, five times daily Salaah was enjoined on the believers. However, Salaah at that time consisted of only two units per prayers, with the exception of Maghrib (sunset) prayers, which were three units. After the early Muslims had become accustomed to regular prayer, the number of units were increased to four for residents, except for Fajr (early morning) prayer and that of Maghrib.20