25:32
Those who reject Faith say: “Why is not the Qur’an revealed to him all at once? Thus (is it revealed), that We may strengthen thy heart thereby, and We have rehearsed it to thee in slow, well-arranged stages, gradually.
The Qur’an was revealed gradually throughout the Prophet Muhammad’s mission, which lasted approximately twenty-two or twenty-three years. This gradual revelation is connected to Qur’an 11:120, which states that the stories of earlier messengers were related to strengthen the Prophet’s heart. Some commentators interpret the phrase “We have recited it unto thee in a measured pace” as meaning that its interpretation was also explained progressively (Ibn Kathir). Many classical exegetes emphasize the relationship between Qur’anic revelation and the historical circumstances of the Prophet’s life, noting that the gradual legislation of commands and prohibitions corresponded to the developing needs of the emerging Muslim community. These successive revelations also provided spiritual support to the Prophet during periods of difficulty and opposition (Al-Qurtubi,; Al-Razi,).
Al-Razi further explains that the gradual revelation allowed believers to memorize and understand the Qur’an step by step, while also enabling revelation to respond to the questions and conditions of the believers. This perspective aligns with Qur’an 17:106, which states that the Qur’an was divided into parts so that it could be recited to people at intervals. At the same time, several commentators maintain that the Qur’an first descended in its entirety from the Preserved Tablet to the lowest heaven and was then revealed gradually to the Prophet over time (Ibn Kathir).
Nasr, Seyyed Hossein; Dagli, Caner K.; Dakake, Maria Massi; Lumbard, Joseph E.B.; Rustom, Mohammed. The Study Quran (pp. 895-896). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.