Al-Furqan: (32-34) And those who disbelieved said...

This is the fifth objection raised by those who deny the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The people of Mecca said: "You claim to be a messenger from God; why do you not bring us the Qur'an all at once, just as the Torah was revealed all at once to Moses, the Gospel to Jesus, and the Psalms to David?" It is narrated from Ibn Jurayj that there were twenty-three years between the beginning and end of its revelation.

God answered them with: {Thus, that We may strengthen your heart with it} (Al-Furqan: 32).

The explanation for this answer involves several points:

1. Illiteracy of the Prophet (PBUH): He was not literate or scholarly. If the entire text had been revealed at once, he might not have retained it perfectly, and errors or forgetfulness could have occurred. The Torah was revealed all at once because Moses had the written text to read from.
2. Reliance on the Text: If someone possesses a written book, they might rely on the text and become lax in memorization. God revealed the text to the Prophet (PBUH) incrementally so that his memorization would be more complete, preventing negligence and insufficient retention.
3. Ease of Burden: If the entire Book, with all its laws, were revealed at once, it would have been too heavy for the people to bear. Since it was revealed piecemeal (munajjaman), the obligations descended gradually, making them easier to carry.
4. Strengthening the Heart: By witnessing Gabriel (peace be upon him) situation after situation, the Prophet's (PBUH) heart was strengthened by the vision, making him more capable of delivering what he carried, enduring the afflictions of prophethood, bearing the harm from his people, and engaging in struggle (Jihad).
5. Proof of Miraculous Nature: Since the condition for the miracle (the Qur'an) was fulfilled even though it was revealed piecemeal, its miraculous nature is established. If it were within human capability, they should have been able to produce something similar, even if revealed piecemeal.
6. Contextual Revelation: The Qur'an was revealed according to their questions and the events that occurred among them. This increased their insight because, in addition to eloquence, it included news of the unseen.
7. Cumulative Challenge: Since the Qur'an was revealed piecemeal while the Prophet (PBUH) challenged them from the beginning, it was as if he challenged them with every segment of the Qur'an. Since they failed to meet the challenge for each part, their inability to challenge the whole was even more certain. Thus, his heart was firmly established that they were inevitably incapable of imitation.
8. Status of Gabriel (PBUH): The role of intermediary between God and His prophets, conveying His word to creation, is a lofty station. It could be argued that if God had revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad (PBUH) all at once, this station would have been nullified for Gabriel (PBUH). By revealing it piecemeal, this high status remained with Gabriel (PBUH).

Regarding the phrase {Thus} (Kadhālik): There are two interpretations:

1. It is a continuation of the polytheists' speech, meaning: "Reveal it to him all at once, just like the Torah and the Gospel." In this case, there is no need to supply an implied phrase like, "We revealed it piecemeal to strengthen your heart."
2. It is God's speech, answering them: "Thus We revealed it piecemeal." If one asks: The word {Thus} must refer to something preceding it, and what preceded it was their demand for revelation all at once. How, then, can it refer to "We revealed it piecemeal"? We reply: Because their statement, {Why was the Qur'an not sent down to him all at once?} implies, "It was not sent down piecemeal." Therefore, {Thus} refers to that implied meaning.

As for the Almighty's saying: {and We recited it with measured recitation} (wa rattalnāhu tartīlā): The meaning of tartīl in speech is to deliver one part after another with deliberation and slowness. The root of tartīl relates to the alignment of teeth; a mouth with well-aligned teeth is described as ratl, which is the opposite of being tightly packed (mutarāṣṣ).

After God clarified the falsehood of their claim with a clear answer, He said: {And they will not come to you with any likeness} of the type of objection mentioned previously, {except that We will bring you the Truth} that refutes their claims, just as God said: {Nay, We cast the truth upon falsehood, and it destroys it, and behold, it vanishes} (Al-Anbiya: 18).

He clarified that what He brings is the best explanation due to its superiority in clarity and manifestation. Since explanation (tafsīr) is the unveiling of what the speech indicates, the word was placed in the position of its meaning. Thus, they say the explanation of this speech is such and such, just as one says its meaning is such and such.

Regarding the phrase: {those who will be gathered on their faces to Hell}: There are several issues concerning this:

Issue 1: It is narrated from Abu Hurayrah, from the Messenger of God (PBUH): "People will be gathered in three ways: some on mounts, some on foot, and some on their faces." And from him (PBUH): "Indeed, the One who made them walk on their feet is capable of making them walk on their faces."

Issue 2: The most probable view is that this is a description of the people who raised these challenging questions, although other inhabitants of Hellfire will join them.

Issue 3: Some interpreted this to mean they will walk in the Hereafter upside down, their faces toward the ground and their feet upward. This is narrated from the Prophet (PBUH). Others said it means they will be gathered and dragged on their faces, which is also narrated from the Prophet (PBUH) and is more appropriate. The Sufis said that those whose hearts were attached to anything other than God, when they die, that attachment remains, and this state is expressed by saying they will be gathered on their faces toward Hell.

Then, God clarified that they are worse in station than the people of Paradise and more astray in path and way. The purpose is to deter people from their path and questioning, as we mentioned concerning the verse: {The inhabitants of Paradise, that Day, are better in station} (Al-Furqan: 24), the answer to which has already preceded.

Know that after discussing Tawhid (Monotheism), the negation of partners, the establishment of prophethood, and answering the objections against it, and discussing the conditions of the Resurrection, God began mentioning stories in the established manner.

The First Story: The Story of Moses (Peace Be Upon Him)

{And We certainly gave Moses the Scripture, and We appointed with him his brother Aaron as a helper. So We said, "Go to the people who denied Our signs." Then We destroyed them with utter destruction.} (Al-Furqan: 35-36)