Aya zinaweza kuwa za jumla au mahususi, na sababu ya kushuka kwake (asbaab al-nuzuul) inaweza kuthibitisha maana zake za jumla au maana zake mahususi, au inaweza kuzipunguzia upeo.

The verses may be general or specific and the reason for revelation may either confirm the general implications of the verses or their specific implication, or it may qualify them.

1. Katika kisa cha kwanza, ambapo sababu ya kuteremshwa kwa aya inathibitisha maana ya jumla ya aya, aya inapaswa kufasiriwa kwa maana yake ya jumla. Kwa mfano, Anas ibn Maalik ameripoti kwamba Mayahudi walikuwa wakiwatoa wanawake wao nyumbani mwao wanapokuwa katika hedhi. Hawakuwa wakila, kunywa, wala kukaa nao ndani ya nyumba zao. Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alipoulizwa kuhusu jambo hilo, Allah aliteremsha aya,

1. In the first case where the reason for revelation confirms the general implication of the verse, the verse should be interpreted according to its general meaning. For example, Anas ibn Maalik reported that the Jews used to remove their women from their houses when they menstruated. They would not eat, drink, or sit with them in their houses. When the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ) was asked about it, Allaah revealed the verse,

Kisha Mtume wa Allah (ﷺ) akasema,

Then the Prophet of Allaah (ﷺ) said,

Maana ya jumla ya aya inayosema kwamba wanawake wenye hedhi hawapaswi kukaribiwa kimapenzi imethibitishwa na matukio yaliyozunguka kuteremshwa kwake.

The general meaning of the verse that menstruating women should not be approached sexually is confirmed by events surrounding its revelation.

2. Katika kisa cha pili, ambapo maana maalum za aya zimethibitishwa na sababu ya kuteremshwa kwake, aya inapaswa kufasiriwa kulingana na maana yake mahsusi. Kwa mfano, ‘Urwah ameeleza kuwa Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq aliwaacha huru watumwa sita au saba, wote hao wakiwa wakiteswa kwa sababu ya imani yao kwa Allah: Bilaal, ‘Aamir ibn Fuhayrah, an-Nahdeeyah na binti yake, Umm ‘Eesaa, na mtumwa mwanamke wa kabila la Naw’il; na aya zifuatazo ziliteremshwa kuhusu yeye:

2. In the second case, where specific implications of the verse are confirmed by the reason for the revelation, the verse should be interpreted according to its specific meaning. For example, ‘Urwah reported that Aboo Bakr as-Siddeeq set free six or seven slaves, all of whom were being tortured because of their belief in Allaah: Bilaal, ‘Aamir ibn Fuhayrah, an-Nahdeeyah and her daughter, Umm ‘Eesaa, and a slave girl of the Naw’il clan; and the following verses were revealed about him:

Neno la aya linasema "mchamungu zaidi," ambalo ni umbo la juu zaidi la sifa. Huu ni usemi unaomtaja mtu maalum, wala si jumla. Kwa hiyo, aya hizi zinapaswa kueleweka kuwa zinamrejelea Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq, ingawa somo la jumla linaweza kujifunza kutokana na mfano wake mkubwa wa kujitolea.

The wording of the verse mentions “the most God-fearing,” which is a superlative. This is a wording that indicates someone specific, rather than a generality. Thus, these verses should be understood to refer to Aboo Bakr asSiddeeq, although a general lesson can be learned from his great example of selflessness.

3. Hata hivyo, katika kisa cha tatu ambapo sababu ya kushuka kwa aya ni mahsusi, lakini aya imeteremshwa kwa maana ya jumla, aya hiyo inapaswa kufasiriwa kwa njia ya jumla ili ijumuishe hali zote zinazofanana na matukio mahsusi yaliyozunguka kushuka kwa aya hiyo. Kwa mfano, al-Musayyib ameeleza kuwa Aboo Taalib alipokuwa kitandani mwa mauti, Mtume wa Allaah ﷺ alikwenda kumtembelea huku Aboo Jahl na ‘Abdullaah ibn Abee Umayyah wakiwa pamoja naye. Mtume ﷺ alisema: "Ee Ami, sema: 'Hakuna mungu isipokuwa Allaah,' nami nitakutetea kwa kauli hiyo mbele ya Allaah." Kisha Aboo Jahl na ‘Abdullaah wakasema: "Ee Aboo Taalib, je, utageuka kutoka katika itikadi ya ‘Abdul-Muttalib?" Wakaendelea kumwambia hivyo hadi akasema kuwa anafuata itikadi ya ‘Abdul-Muttalib. Mtume ﷺ akasema: "Nitakuombea msamaha kwa muda ambao sitakatazwa kufanya hivyo." Kisha ikashushwa aya ifuatayo:

3. However, in the third instance where the reason for revelation is specific and verse is revealed with general implications, the verse should be interpreted in a general way so as to include all circumstances similar to the specific events surrounding the verse’s revelation. For example, al-Musayyib reported that when Aboo Taalib was on his deathbed, the Prophet of Allaah (ﷺ) came to visit him while Aboo Jahl and ‘Abdullaah ibn Abee Umayyah were with him. The Prophet (r) said, “O Uncle, say, ‘There is no god but Allaah,’ and I will defend you with it before Allaah.” Then Aboo Jahl and ‘Abdullaah said, “O Aboo Taalib, will you turn away from the creed of ‘Abdul-Muttalib?” They kept on telling him that until he said that he was following the creed of ‘Abdul-Muttalib. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “I will seek forgiveness for you as long as I am not forbidden to do so.” Then the following verse was revealed:

Kwa hiyo, aya inayokataza kuomba msamaha kwa ajili ya washirikina inawahusu Waislamu wote pale wazazi wao au jamaa zao wanapokuwa wamekufa katika hali ya kufuru, ingawa ilishushwa kwa kumhusu Abu Twalib kabla ya kufa kwake.

Hence, the verse prohibiting prayers seeking forgiveness applies to all Muslims in cases where their parents or relatives have died in a state of disbelief, even though it was revealed in reference to Aboo Taalib before his death.

Kanuni ya msingi inayopaswa kufuatwa wakati wa kufasiri au kutumia aya za Qur'ani ni kwamba funzo lipo katika maana ya jumla ya maneno, na si tu katika hali maalum ambazo aya hizo ziliteremshwa. Hata hivyo, kujua matukio yanayozunguka ufunuo huweka maana ya jumla ya aya katika muktadha sahihi na kuzuia upotoshaji. Kwa mfano, Yoosuf ibn Maahak alisimulia kwamba wakati Marwaan alipokuwa gavana wa al-Hijaaz, Khalifa Mu‘aawiyah alitaka mwanawe Yazeed awe khalifa baada yake, hivyo akamwandikia Marwaan. Marwaan kisha aliwakusanya watu wa Madiina na kuzungumza nao, akiwaalika kula kiapo cha utii kwa Yazeed ibn Mu‘aawiyah kuwa khalifa baada ya baba yake. Alipoongeza kwamba hilo ni sunnah (mwenendo) ya Abu Bakr na ‘Umar, ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Abee Bakr alijibu kwamba ni sunnah ya Heraclius na Kaisari. Marwaan kisha aliamuru akamatwe, lakini ‘Abdur-Rahmaan aliingia nyumbani kwa ‘Aa’ishah, na askari hawakuweza kumkamata.

The guiding principle to be followed when interpreting or applying the verses of the Qur’aan is that the lesson lies in the general meaning of the words and not simply in the special circumstances in which they were revealed. However, knowledge of the events surrounding the revelations puts the general meaning of the verses in proper context and prevents deviation. For example, Yoosuf ibn Maahak reported that when Marwaan was governor of al-Hijaaz, Caliph Mu‘aawiyah desired that his son Yazeed be caliph after him, so he wrote to Marwaan. Marwaan then gathered the people of Madeenah and addressed them, inviting them to take an oath of allegiance to Yazeed ibn Mu‘aawiyah as caliph after his father. When he added that it was the sunnah (way) of Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar, ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Abee Bakr answered that it was the sunnah of Heraclius and Caesar. Marwaan then ordered that he be seized, so ‘AbdurRahmaan entered ‘Aa’ishah’s house and the soldiers were unable to arrest him.

Marwaan kisha akasema, "Hakika, huyu ndiye aliyeteremshiwa aya hii,

Marwaan then said, “Surely, he is the one about whom this verse was revealed,

Habari za aliyoyasema zilipomfikia ‘Aa’ishah, alisema, “Marwaan amesema uongo.

When the news of what he said reached ‘Aa’ishah, she said, “Marwaan has lied.

Kwa Allah, haikuwa kuhusu yeye, na kama ningependa kumtaja yule ambaye aya hiyo iliteremshwa kumhusu, ningeweza kufanya hivyo.59

By Allaah, it was not about him, and if I wished to name the one about whom it was revealed, I could do so.”59