On the Revelation Circumstances and General Emphases of Sūrat al-Aḥzāb: An Analysis within the Scope of Textual and Non-textual Context

Abstract

Sūrat al-Aḥzāb is generally considered to be of Medinah origin. No information is available regarding the date that the origin was revealed during the Prophet’s ten years in Medinah. Based on previous biographical references and narrative-based classic exegeses, this study conducts a general assessment of the time of revelation of Sūrat al-Aḥzāb and attempts to date the verses and verse groups by establishing a connection between the verses in the sūrahs and the riwāyahs in these verses and a method of inference (discourse analysis). Given the historical data, it is presumably said that the chapter al-Aḥzāb was revealed, not at once but in different groups, in AH 5 within a few months, and all verses of the surah pertain to the incidents of this period. The occasions of revelation of al-Aḥzāb involved plans by external polytheist groups and inside collaborators. This study concludes that, especially the ḥijāb verse and verses that are aimed at his wives, which tell them not to go out and make an appearance as in the Days of Ignorance and to wear garments that will make them recognizable when going out, seek to prevent and obviate the smear campaign against the Prophet Muḥammad, particularly with regard to his marriage with Zaynab and generally about his family and wives.

Keywords

• Sūrat al-Aḥzāb
• dating the Qurʾānic revelation
• Makkī and Madanī
• Zaynab bint Jaḥsh
• Zayd ibn Thābit
• Battle of the Trench

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