Surat al-Qasas

The entire surah is Meccan, according to what has been narrated from al-Hasan, ‘Ata’, and Tawus. Muqatil said: There is a part of it that is Medinan, [namely] His saying, the Exalted, “Those to whom We gave the Book before it...” up to His saying, “...we do not seek the ignorant.” Al-Tabarani recorded from Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, that this [part] and the end of [Surat] al-Hadid were revealed concerning the companions of the Negus who arrived and witnessed the battle of Uhud. In another narration from him, may Allah be pleased with him, the aforementioned verse was revealed at al-Juhfah during his departure—prayers and peace be upon him—for the Migration. It is also said that it was revealed between Mecca and al-Juhfah.

Al-Mada’ini said in Kitab al-‘Adad: Muhammad narrated to me, saying: ‘Abd Allah narrated to me, saying: My father narrated to me, saying: ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn narrated to me from Ahmad ibn Musa from Yahya ibn Salam, who said: It reached me that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) migrated, Gabriel (peace and blessings be upon him) descended upon him at al-Juhfah while he was heading from Mecca to Medina and said: "Do you yearn, O Muhammad, for the land in which you were born?" He said: "Yes." He said: "Indeed, He who obligated the Quran upon you will return you to a place of return."

It is eighty-eight verses by consensus.

The aspect of its connection to what precedes it lies in its inclusion of an explanation of some of what was summarized therein regarding the affair of Moses (peace be upon him). Al-Jalal al-Suyuti said: When He, the Exalted, narrated in [Surat] al-Shu’ara’ the statement of Pharaoh to Moses (peace be upon him), "Did we not raise you among us as a child, and you remained among us for years of your life, and you did your deed which you did?" up to the statement of Moses (peace be upon him), "So I fled from you when I feared you, so my Lord granted me judgment and made me one of the messengers," and then He, the Exalted, narrated in [Surat] Ta Sin [al-Naml] the statement of Moses (peace be upon him) to his family, "Indeed, I have perceived a fire..." up to the end—which [events] occurred after his flight—and since the matter was [presented] by way of indication and summarization, He, the Majestic and Exalted, elaborated in this surah what He had abbreviated in the two surahs, and detailed—His status be exalted—what He had summarized in them according to their order.

He (the Almighty and Majestic) began by explaining Pharaoh’s upbringing of him, initiating that with the cause—Pharaoh’s arrogance and the slaughter of the sons of the Children of Israel, which necessitated the casting of Moses (peace be upon him) into the river at his birth out of fear for him from the slaughter. He then elaborated on the story of his upbringing and what occurred therein until his adulthood, up to the reason for which he killed the Copt, the killing of the Copt itself—which is the deed he did—the informing of him about that, which necessitated his flight to Midian, what happened to him with Shu’ayb (peace be upon him), his marriage to his daughter, until he traveled with his family and perceived a fire from the side of the Mount [Sinai], so he said to his family, "Remain here; indeed, I have perceived a fire," up to what occurred to him there regarding the private conversation with his Lord (His Majesty be exalted), His sending him as a messenger, and what followed that, to the end of the story. Thus, this surah serves as an explanation for what was summarized in both surahs together, in order.

Through this, the aspect of wisdom in placing Ta Sin before this one and delaying it after al-Shu’ara’ in mention in the Mushaf is known, as well as in the [order of] revelation. It has been narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas and Jabir ibn Zayd that al-Shu’ara’ was revealed, then Ta Sin, then al-Qasas.

Furthermore, He, the Exalted, mentioned in the previous surah the reprimand of the disbelievers through the questioning on the Day of Resurrection, and He, the Majestic and Exalted, mentioned in this one [matters] concerning that which are more extensive and greater than what preceded. Furthermore, He (the Almighty and Majestic) mentioned the affair of the night and the day here beyond what He mentioned of it there.

It may also be said regarding the aspect of connection: He, the Exalted, detailed in that surah the conditions of some of the destroyed ones from the people of Salih and the people of Lot, and summarized here in His saying, the Exalted: "And how many a city have We destroyed..." [and the following] verses. Furthermore, He elaborated in summary there on the condition of the one who comes with a good deed and the condition of the one who comes with an evil deed, and He, the Exalted, abbreviated here where He said, the Exalted: "Whoever comes with a good deed will have better than it, and whoever comes with an evil deed, then those who did evil deeds will not be recompensed except for what they used to do." Thus, He (the Almighty and Majestic) did not mention of the condition of the former their security from the terror, nor of the condition of the latter the throwing of their faces into the Fire, among other things that become apparent to the one who contemplates.

These are the verses of the clear Book.

What pertains to the discussion of these letters has already passed in similar instances.

We recite to you—that is, We read [them] to you by way of Gabriel, peace be upon him; thus, the attribution is figurative, as in "the prince built the city."

Recitation (tilāwah) in their speech, according to al-Rāghib, specifically pertains to following the revealed Books of God Almighty—sometimes by reading them, and other times by observing them in terms of their commands, prohibitions, incitements, and deterrents, or that which is understood to be such; it is more specific than mere reading (qirā’ah).

It is also possible that "recitation" here is a synecdochical metaphor (majāz mursal) for "revelation" (tanzīl), based on the relationship that revelation is a necessary consequence of it or its cause in general terms. It may also be a metaphor for it due to the resemblance between them, as both are methods of conveying the message; thus, the meaning is: "We reveal to you."