Quran Garden

You often hear that such and such Surah is Meccan or Madani, but do you know what that means? Did you know that there are disagreements among scholars regarding the Macci or Madani designation for a few verses? We are delighted that you joined us today, as we will explain and clarify this topic for you. 

Session 22

Chapter Two

Surah Al-Baqarah

An Introduction - Part 2

In addition to having a specific name, each chapter of the Quran is also designated as either Meccan (in relation to the holy city of Mecca) or Madani (in relation to the holy city of Medina). Let's look into the meaning of these designations.

Mecca and Medina are two of the most sacred places. The former witnessed the beginning of the Quran's revelation, and the latter was the destination of Prophet Muhammad's migration. Before we classify a chapter or verse as Meccan or Madani, we must consider three key issues: the purpose, place, and time of revelation. Let's take them one by one.

The purpose of revelation is universal for all parts of the Quran. It is God's means to guide humanity onto His path. It encompasses His messages to humankind since the time of Prophet Adam. In the Quran, all previous messages are perfected, culminating in Islam, the divine guidance that will endure until the Day of Resurrection. Moreover, the Quran relates the story of the creation of the heavens, earth, and humans, and narrates the stories of the messengers and prophets who preceded Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon them. More importantly, the Quran clarified and corrected any falsifications, alterations, or distortions that crept into previous messages. It addressed the changes and concealments made by people and nullified what was falsely attributed to God and His messengers in the Bible.

Next, we consider the time and place of the revelation of the Quran's verses. Here, we find that scholars differ on whether certain verses are Madani or Meccan. Those who consider the element of time as the criterion say that every chapter that was revealed to the Prophet, peace be upon him, after his migration to Medina is to be considered Madani, even if it was revealed while he was visiting Mecca. Those who consider the place as the criterion say that every chapter revealed in Mecca is Meccan, and every chapter revealed in Medina is Madani, regardless of whether it was revealed before or after the Prophet's migration. Some critics of Islam tried to portray this as a contradiction among Muslim scholars. We answer that there is no contradiction, since each party approached the issue from a distinct angle. Some considered the place of revelation as the standard for classification, while others considered its time. The scholars never differed regarding the chapters or the verses of the Quran itself.

As a general observation, Meccan verses in the Quran focus on the Islamic creed. This is mainly because, when these verses were revealed, Islam was in its beginnings, and the Prophet was facing idol worshippers and a few Christians and Jews whose connection with the heavens had weakened. Due to these circumstances, it became necessary for the Quran to reintroduce the fundamentals of faith and to clarify to the Meccans that they were on the wrong path. It reminded them that there is resurrection after death, and an eternal destination either to Paradise or Hellfire.

Meccans needed to be reminded that there is no god but Allah and that Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is His Messenger. The Quran turned their attention towards the signs in the universe that prove that God is the Creator and Sustainer. The stones they carved with their hands and set as gods did not create anything, and were not capable of protecting even themselves. At the same time, the Meccan verses provided reassurance to the believers that God was with them, offering support and rewards, even when they were few in number, weak, and mistreated. Amidst daily harassment, torture, and even the threat of death, the Quran affirmed that the hardships they faced for God's sake would be richly rewarded in the hereafter.

On the other hand, when we examine the Muslim society in Medina, a different picture emerges. There, Islam grew stronger, and Muslims formed a well-respected civil society. While Islam was still confronted by disbelievers, idol worshippers, and followers of other faiths (namely the Jewish tribes of Medina), we note a new enemy emerging: the hypocrites. In Mecca, the hostility toward Islam primarily stemmed from ignorance about its message. However, in Medina, Islam faced animosity from the hypocrites, driven by malice. They understood Islam's message but chose to fight it from within by pretending to be Muslims. There was no hypocrisy in Mecca because Muslims were weak and oppressed. Who would want to claim to be a believer and subject him or herself to harassment, punishment, and oppression? However, in Medina, as Islam gained strength and prevalence, hypocrisy emerged. God Almighty says:  

Some of the desert Arabs around you are hypocrites, and some of the people of Medina are adamant in their hypocrisy. You do not know them, but We know them. We will punish them twice over, and then they will be returned to a terrible punishment. (9:101)

In addition to addressing the issue of hypocrites, the Madani verses in the Quran established guidelines for running a civil society and conducting business dealings. Listen to the following example teaching Muslims how to formulate foreign policy. God says:

You will find the Jews and idolaters most excessive in hatred of those who believe. And the closest in love to the faithful are the people who say, "We are the followers of Christ," because there are priests and monks among them, and they are not arrogant. (5:82)

Madani verses also introduced many rulings regarding personal conduct, acts of worship, inheritance, finances, loans, and so on. Meanwhile, Madani verses continued to reinforce the Islamic creed. As Islam began to spread widely, it was crucial for new Muslims to understand the foundations of their faith.

Surah Al-Baqarah, "The Cow," which is the chapter of the Quran we are upon, is classified as a Madani chapter. It embodies the strength of Islam, the wisdom of the Quran, and the knowledge God gave His messengers, peace be upon them. It tells the story of the creation of the first human, Adam, peace be upon him, and the story of Prophet Abraham in his quest for faith and the construction of the Ka'bah. This chapter also clarifies some of the obligations of faith, such as fasting, pilgrimage, and rulings regarding marriage, divorce, and nursing. Likewise, it teaches us many details regarding financial dealings, interest, and inheritance.

Join us for the next session as we begin our magnificent journey into Surah Al-Baqarah with the first Aya: Alif, Lam, Meem.