《古兰经》是为一切民族、直至末日的所有时代而降的普遍指引之书，指示人们如何处理与造物主的关系，以及作为个人和群体如何处理自身的关系。与此同时，《古兰经》是降示给一位生活在特定时间、特定地点、特定社群之中的人的。有时会发生一些事件，圣门弟子对其中的情况不甚明了；或者有时他们确实会就某些不清楚的问题向他请教。针对这些情况以及类似的需要，启示降给了先知（ﷺ）。这些事件构成了启示降临的背景，被称为“asbaab an-nuzool”（降示因由）。因此，《古兰经》借助特定的事例，给出具有普遍意义的训导。

The Qur’aan is a book of universal guidance for all peoples in all times until the Day of Judgment, showing them the correct path in their relations with their Creator and in their relations with themselves as individuals and groups. At the same time, the Qur’aan was revealed to one man living in a specific time and place among a specific community. On occasions, certain events would occur about which the Prophet’s followers were unsure, or on other occasions they might actually ask him about some matters which were unclear to them. In response to these and similar needs, verses were revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ). These events represent the context in which revelation came and are referred to as “ asbaab an-nuzool” (reasons for revelation). The Qur’aan, therefore, uses the particular to give instructions of universal significance.

例如，当赫旺拉·本特·萨拉baah的丈夫奥斯·本·萨米特在婚床上因“zihar”（一种休妻誓言）而背弃她时，她前去向先知ﷺ申诉。先知ﷺ的妻子阿伊莎说：“听闻一切的主是至尊的。我确实听到了赫旺拉·本特·萨拉baah在向先知ﷺ申诉其丈夫时所说的一部分话。她说：‘安拉的使者啊，他耗尽了我的青春，我为他敞开了身体。如今我已年老，不再生育，他却背弃了我。主啊，我确实向您申诉！’尚未过一个夜晚，吉卜利勒便降下了这些经文ﷺ。”

For example, when Khawlah bint Tha‘labah’s husband, Aws ibn as-Saamit, turned his back on her in the marriage bed (thihaar),40 she went to complain to the Prophet (ﷺ). ‘Aa’ishah, wife of the Prophet (ﷺ), said, “Blessed is He who hears all things. Verily, I heard some of what Khawlah bint Tha‘labah said while she was complaining about her husband to the Prophet (ﷺ). She said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ), he ate up my youth and I spread my stomach for him. Now that I have grown old and stopped having children, he has turned his back on me. O Allaah, verily I complain to You!’ An evening did not pass before Jibreel came down with these verses:

因此,启示背景(أسباب النزول,asbaab an-nuzool)可以定义为:在穆罕默德(ﷺ)先知时期所发生的事件,其发生时有古兰经的节文或章节随之降示。42

Hence, the reasons for revelation (asbaab an-nuzool) could be defined as incidents recorded during the prophethood of Muhammad (ﷺ) about which Qur’aanic verses or chapters were revealed at the time of their occurrence.42

具体某段启示的背景原因，只有亲历相关事件的见证者，或从见证者处得知的人，才能知晓。

The circumstances for a particular revelation could only be known to the witnesses of the relevant events or someone who was informed by a witness.

因此,获取这类知识的唯一可靠来源是圣门弟子(sahaabah)。正如先知(ﷺ)的圣训一样,此类传述的可靠性取决于传述链中传述者的可靠性。如果一位再传弟子(tabi‘ee)关于某段启示降示原因的说法没有归于某位圣门弟子,那么圣训学者通常认为该说法是弱的。43

Therefore, the only reliable source for this knowledge is the sahaabah. Like the hadeeths of the Prophet (ﷺ), the reliability of such reports depends upon the reliability of the chain of narrators. The statement of a tabi‘ee about the reason for a given revelation is usually considered weak by the scholars of hadeeth if he didn’t attribute his opinion to one of the sahaabah. 43