Surah
Juz
The question of whether Surah Al-Ikhlas is Makkan or Madinan has sparked debate among scholars due to the various traditions regarding its occasion of revelation. Several traditions suggest different contexts in which the surah was revealed, but they all share a common theme: people asking Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about the essence and nature of God. In one tradition, the Quraysh demanded the Prophet ﷺ to tell them about the ancestry of his Lord, prompting the revelation of Surah Al-Ikhlas. Another tradition attributes a similar question to polytheists, while yet another tradition mentions a bedouin or group of people asking about the attributes of the Prophet's ﷺ Lord. These traditions, while presenting different occasions for the revelation of Surah Al-Ikhlas, are not necessarily contradictory. Rather, they indicate that similar questions about the nature of God were posed to the Prophet ﷺ on various occasions, and each time, he recited the same surah in response. This repetition of revelation, where the same verse or surah is revealed multiple times in response to similar questions or matters, was not uncommon in the prophetic tradition. It served to emphasise the central message and provide a consistent response to recurring inquiries. Despite the debate surrounding its occasion of revelation, Surah Al-Ikhlas is generally understood to be a Makkan surah, likely revealed in the early period of Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ mission when detailed verses about the essence and attributes of God had not yet been revealed. Its concise and profound declaration of monotheism would have served as a powerful message to the pagan society of Makkah. Additionally, historical evidence, such as Bilal's use of the word "Ahad" while enduring torture in Makkah, further supports its early revelation in the Makkan period.
The context in which Surah Al-Ikhlas was revealed sheds light on the religious beliefs prevalent at the time of Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ mission. The society was steeped in idolatry, with people worshipping gods made of various materials, each with human-like qualities, needs, and relationships. Even among those claiming to believe in one God, such as Christians and Jews, there were conceptions that attributed human characteristics to the divine. For example, in Christianity, while the belief in one God was professed, the doctrine of the Trinity introduced complexities, including the notion of God having a son and the Holy Ghost as a divine associate. Similarly, Jewish beliefs included anthropomorphic descriptions of God, such as walking, appearing in human form, and fathering a son, Ezra. In addition to these monotheistic religions, other forms of worship, such as fire worship in Zoroastrianism and star worship in Sabeanism, further complicated the religious landscape. Against this backdrop, the revelation of Surah Al-Ikhlas provided a concise and powerful declaration of monotheism, affirming the absolute oneness of God without any partners or associates. The surah addressed the fundamental questions about the nature of God, presenting a clear and uncompromising concept of divine unity that dismantled polytheistic beliefs and refuted the attribution of human qualities to God. Surah Al-Ikhlas serves as a miraculous response to the inquiries and doubts raised by the polytheistic society of the time, offering a succinct and profound understanding of the essence of God that transcends human limitations and attributes.
