Ufunuo wa Qur'an ulianza katika Laylat al-Qadr ya Ramadhani (usiku wa 27 au mmoja wa usiku zisizo za kawaida baada ya usiku wa 21), baada ya Mtume Muhammad ﷺ kupita umri wa miaka arobaini ya maisha yake (yaani karibu mwaka 610), wakati wa kujitenga kwake katika pango la Hira' kwenye mlima karibu na Makka.

The revelation of the Qur'an began in the laila al-qadr of Ramadan (the 27th night or one of the odd nights after the 21st) after the Prophet Muhammad had passed the fortieth year of his life (that is around the year 610), during his seclusion in the cave of Hira' on a mountain near Makka.

[Tafsiri za hadithi kutoka kwa Khan, Muhammad Muhsin: The Translation of the Meanings of Sahih al-Bukhari, juzuu 9, Istanbul, 1978 (kifupi Bukhari) na Siddiqui, Abdul Hamid: Sahih Muslim, juzuu 4, Lahore, 1978 (kifupi Muslim), isipokuwa pale palipoonyeshwa vinginevyo.] Hii ni simulizi, kama ilivyopokewa katika Sahih ya Bukhari:

[English translations of ahadith are, unless otherwise indicated, from Khan, Muhammad Muhsin: The Translation of the Meanings of Sahih al-Bukhari, 9 vols., Istanbul, 1978 (abbr. as Bukhari) and Siddiqui, Abdul Hamid: Sahih Muslim, 4 vols., Lahore, 1978 (abbr. as Muslim).] This is the account, as reported in the Sahih of Bukhari:

Imepokewa kutoka kwa Aisha, mama wa waumini: Mwanzo wa wahyi wa Mwenyezi Mungu kwa Mtume wa Allah ulikuwa kwa njia ya ndoto njema ambazo zilikuja kama mwanga wa mchana (yaani, za kweli), kisha akajaliwa kupenda upweke.

Narrated Aisha the mother of the faithful believers: The commencement of the divine inspiration to Allah's apostle was in the form of good dreams which came like bright daylight (i.e. true) and then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him.

Alikuwa akijitenga kwenye Pango la Hira', ambako alikuwa akiabudu (Allah peke yake) kwa siku nyingi mfululizo kabla ya kutamani kuwaona familia yake. Alikuwa akichukua pamoja naye chakula cha kukaa huko, kisha anarudi kwa (mkewe) Khadija kuchukua chakula chake tena kwa namna hiyo hiyo, hadi ghafla ukweli ukamshukia alipokuwa kwenye Pango la Hira'.

He used to go in seclusion in the Cave of Hira', where he used to worship (Allah alone) continuously for many days before his desire to see his family. He used to take with him food for the stay and then come back to (his wife) Khadija to take his food likewise again, till suddenly the truth descended upon him while he was in the Cave of Hira'.

Malaika alimjia na kumwambia asome. Nabii ﷺ akajibu, "Sijui kusoma." Nabii ﷺ akaongeza, "Malaika alinikamata (kwa nguvu) na kunibana kwa nguvu sana hata nikashindwa kuvumilia tena. Kisha aliniachia na kunitaka tena nisome, nami nikajibu, 'Sijui kusoma.'"

The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet replied 'I do not know how to read'. The Prophet added, 'The angel caught me (forcibly) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied, "I do not know how to read".

Kisha akanikamata tena na kunibana mara ya pili mpaka nikashindwa kuvumilia tena. Kisha akaniachia na kunitaka tena nisome, lakini nikajibu tena, "Sijui kusoma" (au: nisome nini?). Ndipo akanikamata kwa mara ya tatu na kunibana, kisha akaniachia na kusema:

Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read, but again I replied, "I do not know how to read" (or what shall I read?). Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released me and said:

"Soma, kwa jina la Mola wako Mlezi, aliyeumba, aliyemuumba mwanadamu kwa pande la damu. Soma! Na Mola wako Mlezi ndiye Mkarimu zaidi" ... [Bukhari, I, Na. 3; VI, Na. 478; Muslim I, Na. 301.] Hadithi inaendelea kutueleza kwamba Mtume ﷺ alirudi kwa mkewe Khadija na kumsimulia tukio lake la kutisha. Yeye alimfariji, na wote wawili wakashauriana kuhusu jambo hilo na Waraqa, jamaa wa Khadija na Mkristo mwenye elimu.

"Read, in the name of Your Lord, who created, created man from a clot. Read! And Your Lord is the most bountiful" ... [Bukhari, I, No. 3; VI, No. 478; Muslim I, No. 301.] The narration goes on to tell us that the Prophet went back to his wife Khadija and recounted to her his dreadful experience. She comforted him and both of them consulted Waraqa, Khadlja's relative and a learned Christian, about it.

Waraqa alimwambia Muhammad ﷺ kwamba alikutana na yule ambaye Allah alimtuma kwa Musa, na kwamba watu wake watamfukuza.

Waraqa told Muhammad that he had encountered the one 'whom Allah had sent to Moses' and that he would be driven out by his people.

Imesimuliwa kutoka kwa Aisha, mama wa waumini: Al-Harith bin Hisham alimuuliza Mtume wa Allah ﷺ: "Ee Mtume wa Allah, wahyi unakujia vipi?" Mtume wa Allah ﷺ akajibu: "Wakati mwingine unanijia kama mlio wa kengele; aina hii ya wahyi ndiyo mzito zaidi kuliko zote, na hali hiyo huisha baada ya mimi kuelewa kile kilichofunuliwa. Wakati mwingine Malaika hunijia kwa umbo la mwanamume na kuzungumza nami, nami nakielewa anachosema." [Bukhari, I, No. 2.]

Narrated Aisha, the mother of the faithful believers: Al-Harith bin Hisham asked Allah's apostle: 'O Allah's apostle. How is the divine inspiration revealed to you?' Allah's apostle replied, 'Sometimes it is "revealed" like the ringing of a bell, this form of inspiration is the hardest of all and then this state passes off after I have grasped what is inspired. Sometimes the Angel comes in the form of a man and talks to me and I grasp whatever he says'. [Bukhari, I, No. 2.]

Wahyi wa kwanza ambao Mtume Muhammad ﷺ alipokea ni katika aya za kwanza za Sura al-'Alaq (96:1-3, kwa mujibu wa wengine 1-5):

The first revelation that the Prophet Muhammad received is in the first verses from Sura al-'alaq (96:1-3, according to others 1-5):

"Soma kwa jina la Mola wako Mlezi, aliyeumba, aliyemuumba mwanadamu kwa pande la damu. Soma! Na Mola wako Mlezi ni Mkarimu mno. (Aliyefundisha) kwa kalamu, alimfundisha mwanadamu asiyoyajua." Sehemu iliyobaki ya Sura ya 96, ambayo sasa ina aya 19, iliteremshwa katika tukio lingine baadaye.

'Read in the name of your Lord, who created, created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is most bountiful. (He who taught) the use of the pen taught man which he knew not.' The remainder of Sura 96, which now has 19 ayat, was revealed on some later occasion.

Baada ya ujumbe wa kwanza kupokelewa, wahyi ulisimama kwa kipindi fulani (kinachoitwa fatra), kisha ukaanza tena.

After the first message thus received, revelation ceased for a certain period (called fatra) and then resumed:

Imepokewa kutoka kwa Jabir bin 'Abdullah Al-Ansari, alipokuwa akizungumzia kipindi cha kukatika kwa wahyu, akinukuu maneno ya Mtume ﷺ: "Nilipokuwa natembea, ghafla nilisikia sauti kutoka mbinguni. Niliinua macho nikaona yule malaika yule yule aliyenijia pangoni Hira, akiwa ameketi kwenye kiti kati ya mbingu na ardhi. Nikaogopa, nikarudi nyumbani nikasema: 'Nifunikeni (kwa blanketi)', ndipo Allah akateremsha aya hizi tukufu (za Qur'an): {Ewe uliyejifunika nguo, simama uwaonye (watu juu ya adhabu ya Allah) ... hadi "na uchafu wote uukimbie"}. Baada ya ufunuo huu, wahyu ukaja kwa nguvu na mfululizo." [Bukhari, I, end of No. 3.]

Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah Al-Ansari while talking about the period of pause in revelation reporting the speech of the Prophet, 'While I was walking, all of a sudden I heard a voice from the heaven. I looked up and saw the same angel who had visited me at the Cave of Hira' sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. I got afraid of him and came back home and said "Wrap me (in blankets)" and then Allah revealed the following holy verses (of the Qur'an): O you covered in your cloak, arise and warn (the people against Allah's punishment) ... up to "and all pollution shun".' After this revelation came strongly and regularly. [Bukhari, I, end of No. 3.]

Sehemu ya pili ya Qur'ani iliyoteremshwa kwa Mtume Muhammad ﷺ ilikuwa mwanzo wa Sura al-Muddaththir (74:1-5).

The second portion of the Qur'an revealed to the Prophet Muhammad was the beginning of Sura al-muddaththir (74: 15).

Sasa ina aya 56, na zilizobaki ziliteremshwa baadaye, na inaanza hivi: 'Ewe uliyejifunika kwa vazi lako, simama uonye, na Mola wako mtukuze, na nguo zako zitakase, na uchafu uuepuke ...'

It now consists of 56 verses, the rest revealed later, and begins as follows: 'O you, covered in your cloak, arise and warn, thy Lord magnify, thy raiment purify, pollution shun ...'

Wengi wanaamini kwamba Surat al-Muzzammil (73) ndiyo ufunuo uliofuata.

Many hold that Sura al-muzzammil (73) was the next revelation.

Kwa mujibu wa wengine, Suura al-Fatiha (1) ilikuwa Suura ya tatu kuteremshwa. [Suyuti, Al-Itqan, I, uk. 24.] Miongoni mwa wahyi wa mwanzo mwingine ambao Mtume ﷺ alitangaza huko Makka ni, kwa mujibu wa baadhi ya riwaya, Suura 111, Suura 81, Suura 87, Suura 92, Suura 89, n.k. Kisha wahyi uliendelea, 'ukitaja Peponi na Motoni, mpaka watu walipogeukia Uislamu, kisha ukaja wahyi kuhusu halali na haramu ...' [Suyuti, Al-Itqan, I, uk. 24.] Wahyi ulimjia Mtume ﷺ katika maisha yake yote, huko Makka na Madina, yaani katika kipindi cha takriban miaka 23.

According to others, Sura al-fatiha (1) was the third sura to be revealed. [Suyuti, Itqan, I, p.24.] Among other early revelations, which the Prophet declared in Makka, are, according to some reports, Sura 111, Sura 81, Sura 87, Sura 92, Sura 89, etc. Then revelation continued, 'mentioning Paradise and Hell, and until mankind turned to Islam, then came revelation about halal and haram ... ' [Suyuti, Itqan, I, p.24.] Revelation came to the Prophet throughout his lifetime, both in Makka and Madina, i.e. over a period of approximately 23

miaka mingi, hadi muda mfupi kabla ya kifo chake mwaka wa 10 baada ya Hijra (632).

years, until shortly before his death in the year 10 after Hijra (632).

Wanazuoni wengi wa Kiislamu wanakubaliana kwamba ufunuo wa mwisho ulikuwa Sura 2, aya ya 281:

Many Muslim scholars agree that the last revelation was Sura 2, verse 281:

"Na mcheni siku ambayo mtarejeshwa kwa Mungu. Kisha kila nafsi italipwa kwa kile ilichokitenda, wala hawatadhulumiwa." Baadhi pia husema kuwa ilikuwa 2:282 au 2:278. [Kamal, Ahmad 'Adil: 'ulum al-Qur'an, Cairo, 1974, uk. 18.] Pia imependekezwa kwamba aya zote tatu ziliteremshwa kwa tukio moja. Mtume ﷺ alifariki siku tisa baada ya ufunuo wa mwisho.

'And fear the day when ye shall be brought back to God. Then shall every soul be paid what it earned and none shall be dealt with unjustly.' Some also say that it was 2:282 or 2:278. [Kamal, Ahmad 'Adil: 'ulum al-Qur'an, Cairo, 1974, p.18.] It has also been suggested that all three verses were revealed on one occasion. The Prophet died nine nights after the last revelation.

Wengine wanashikilia kwamba Sura 5:4 ndiyo iliyoteremshwa mwisho kabisa.

Others hold that Sura 5:4 was the last to be revealed:

"Leo nimekukamilishia dini yenu, nimekutimizia neema yangu juu yenu, na nimekuchagulia Uislamu kuwa dini yenu." Maoni kwamba aya hii ndiyo wahyu wa mwisho si sahihi kwa mujibu wa wanazuoni wengi, kwa kuwa iliteremshwa wakati wa Hija ya mwisho ya Mtume ﷺ. Taarifa hii inatokana na hadithi kutoka kwa 'Umar. Suyuti anaeleza kuhusu aya hiyo katika Sura ya 5 kwamba baada yake hakuna kilichoteremshwa kuhusu ahkam, halali na haramu, na kwa maana hii ndiyo 'ukamilifu' wa dini. Hata hivyo, wahyu wa kumkumbusha mwanadamu siku ya hukumu inayokuja uliendelea, na wahyu wa mwisho wa aina hiyo ni aya hiyo iliyotajwa hapo juu. [Sabuni, tibyan pp. 18-9]

'This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.' The opinion that this verse was the last revelation is not sound according to many scholars, since it was revealed during the last pilgrimage of the Prophet. This information is based upon a hadith from 'Umar. Suyuti explains concerning the verse in Sura 5 that after it nothing concerning ahkam and hal'al and haram was revealed, and in this sense it is the 'completion' of religion. However, revelation reminding man of the coming day of judgement continued and the last such revelation is the above verse. [Sabuni, tibyan pp. 18-9]

Qur'ani ilifunuliwa kwa hatua kwa muda wa miaka 23, wala haikushushwa kama kitabu kamili kwa tukio moja la ufunuo.

The Qur'an was revealed in stages over a period of 23 years, and not as a complete book in one single act of revelation.

Kuna sababu kadhaa za hili; muhimu zaidi ni zifuatazo:

There are a number of reasons for this; most important are the following:

Kuimarisha moyo wa Mtume ﷺ kwa kumwelekeza mara kwa mara, na kila alipokuwa na haja ya uongozi.

 To strengthen the heart of the Prophet by addressing him continuously and whenever the need for guidance arose.

Kwa kumheshimu Nabii, kwa kuwa wahyi ulikuwa tukio gumu sana kwake.

 Out of consideration for the Prophet since revelation was a very difficult experience for him.

Kutekeleza sheria za Mungu hatua kwa hatua.

 To gradually implement the laws of God.

Ili kurahisisha kuelewa, kutekeleza na kukariri wahyi kwa waumini.

 To make understanding, application and memorization of the revelation easier for the believers.