Sūrah Al-Furqān The Criterion
سورة الفرقان
A Makkan sūrah of 77 verses. Al-Ṭabarī examines the Quraysh objections to the Quran (Why not revealed all at once? Why to a man who eats and walks?), the divine responses through multiple Companion chains, and the closing description of the servants of the Most Merciful (ʿibād al-Raḥmān).
Surah Overview
Key Themes from Al-Ṭabarī
The objection "Why was it not revealed all at once?" (25:32) receives careful treatment. Al-Ṭabarī presents the Quranic answer: "That We may strengthen your heart thereby; and We have arranged it in proper order." He collects Companion narrations expanding on this: gradual revelation allowed new rulings to respond to emerging situations; it allowed the heart to absorb and practice each revelation before the next; it linked the revelation to lived experience rather than presenting an overwhelming code at once. Al-Ṭabarī uses these narrations to establish that gradual revelation was a divine mercy, not a limitation.
The ʿibād al-Raḥmān section (25:63–74) is traced quality by quality: they walk humbly, respond to ignorance with "salām," spend the night in prayer, fear Hellfire, neither squander nor are miserly, do not commit shirk/murder/adultery, do not give false testimony, do not engage vainly when encountering falsehood. Al-Ṭabarī presents chains from multiple Companions showing these qualities were considered a comprehensive description of the ideal Muslim some narrations specifically identify each quality with a specific Companion who embodied it.
- Gradual revelation wisdom: Al-Ṭabarī establishes through Companion narrations that gradual revelation was mercy heart-strengthening, event-responsive, practice-enabling.
- ʿIbād al-Raḥmān profile: Twelve qualities traced individually through chains together forming the most comprehensive Quranic description of the ideal believer.
- Human messenger objection: The Quraysh objection that a messenger should not eat or walk in markets is answered through narrations on why human prophethood is the appropriate model.
- Duplicate reward: 25:70 evil deeds replaced with good for those who repent is traced through Companion narrations on whether this is metaphorical or a literal doubling.
- Shadow submission: 25:45–46 on the shadow's submission to Allah is traced through narrations on whether all of creation submits, including the sāmit (inanimate).