Islamiyat · May / June 2023 · Paper 12 · Question 2

Write about the different ways that revelations were received by the Prophet (pbuh).

Mark according to the marking grid for AO1 – Knowledge on page 4. Answers may include some of the following ideas, but all valid material must be credited.

Candidates should write about the different ways in which the Prophet (pbuh) received revelation and not focus on the first revelation only. The Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet (pbuh) over a period of 23 years. After the first revelation, in Cave Hira, revelation stopped for a period which caused the Prophet (pbuh) to worry. Once they started again, they came strongly and frequently.

There were different ways in which the verses were revealed to the Prophet (pbuh). A few times the Prophet (pbuh) saw the Angel in his original form, for example, at the time of the first revelation when the first five verses of Sura Alaq were revealed and on the night journey (Sura Najm).

Sometimes the Angel Jibril would come in the form of a man, and in this form, he resembled the Companion Dihya al Kalbi.

The revelations also came in the form of dreams, and the Prophet (pbuh) would wake up and remember them.

The most difficult was when they came as the ringing of a bell. The revelations would weigh down on him, so much so that his camel could not withstand the weight, and it also put pressure on Zayd’s thigh when he was sitting next to the Prophet (pbuh) during one of the revelations.

The experience of receiving revelations would cause him to sweat in the winter and shiver in the summer. The candidates could quote the Hadith by ‘Aisha narrating the bodily sensations felt by the Prophet (pbuh) during the revelations. The occurrence of the revelations was not within his control (Sura 75:16–19), he had no idea when they were coming, and they were safeguarded by God. The Prophet (pbuh) also had direct revelation. This happened only once on the night journey when God revealed the last two verses of Sura Baqara to him directly.

Some verses and suras were revealed according to the circumstances. Candidates may narrate stories related to these revelations.

Why do you think it was important for revelations to come over a period of time?

Mark according to the marking grid for AO2 – Understanding on page 5. Answers may include some of the following ideas, but all valid material must be credited.

It was important because the power and words of the Qur’an weighed heavily on the Prophet (pbuh) so it was better for it to be revealed over time. Also, the way the revelation came was physically demanding for the Prophet (pbuh) and so again it was easier for him if the revelations were spaced out. Another reason was that the new Muslims needed change slowly therefore, because the Qur’an was revealed bit by bit, this allowed them to put teachings into practise before new ideas and rules were given.

Being revealed over time and in different situations also meant that questions that arose from the Quraysh or the Muslims were given an answer through new revelation, and it would answer circumstances as they happened. An example of an event could develop this part of the answer.