Critical Review of the Theory of the “Need for Understanding the Qur’ān by Revelation Occasions”

There are traditions and aḥādīth narrated concerning the background and causes for the revelation of the āyas Qur’ān that are called Revelation Occasions. Some of the interpreters and writers of the Qur’ānic sciences have talked about the “effective role of Revelation Occasions in interpretation of the Qur’ān; however, some others have regarded the Book of Allah free from needing the Revelation Occasions in making its intentions understood. The proponents of the effective role admit that most of the traditions concerning the Revelation Occasions are weak in sanad and are also entangled in variation, contradiction, and incompatibility, but they have tried to compensate the weakness of sanads and resolve the contradictions; nevertheless, the opponents have not considered the solutions to be helpful. Since it seemed that the collected evidences indicate the strong view of the opponents of the effective role of the Revelation Occasions in interpretation and understanding of the Qur’ān, while it was also noticed that the theory of effectiveness is included in the textbooks of the Islamic Seminary’s religious students and are promoted, we decided to critique the above theory so that it may not be taken as granted by the religious students. This research is analytical-critical.