the method used in describing "the reasons for the revelations"
Past scholars of Islam, and in particular the Sunni scholars, attached
great importance to the order of revelation of the chapters. Among the
narration on the subject is that of ibn 'abbas, who has said that "the
beginning of each chapter which was revealed in Mecca was recorded as having
been revealed in that very place, then god added what he wanted to it." 1 The following is the order of revelation of the Qur'an (beginning with
the meccan verses):
(1) read in the name of your lord. (xcvi:i)
(2) nun. (lxviii:i)
(3) o, you wrapped up in your raiment. (lxxiii:1)
(4) o you wrapped up in your cloak. (lxxiv:i)
(5) the power of abu lahab will perish. (cxi:i)
(6) when the sun is overthrown. (lxxxi:i)
(7) praise the name of your lord, the most high. (lxxxvii:i)
(8) by the night enshrouding. (xcii:i)
(9) by the dawn. (lxxxix:i)
(10) by the morning hours. (xciii:i)
(11) have we not caused your breast to expand. (xciv:i)
(12) by the declining day. (ciii:i)
(13) the courses. (c:i)
(14) indeed, we have given you abundance. (cviii:i)
(15) rivalry in worldly increase distracts you. (cii:i)
(16) have you observed him who denies the din. (cvii:i)
(17) say: o disbelievers! (cix:i)
(18) Have you not seen your Lord dealt with the owners of the elephant.
(cv:i)
(19) say: i seek refuge in the lord of the daybreak. (cxiii:i)
(20) say: i seek refuge in the lord of mankind. (cxiv:i)
(21) say: he is god, the one (cxii:i)
(22) by the star. (liii:i)
(23) he frowned. (lxxx:i)
(24) indeed we have revealed it on the night of power. (xcvii:i)
(25) by the sun and its brightness. (xci:i)
(26) by the heaven, holding mountains of the stars. (lxxxv:i)
(27) by the fig. (xcv:i)
(28) for the taming of the quraish. (cvi:i)
(29) the calamity. (ci:i)
(30) no, i swear by the day of resurrection. (lxxv:i)
(31) woe to every slandering traducer. (civ:i)
(32) by the emissary winds (lxxvii:i)
(33) qaf (l:i)
(34) no, i swear by this city. (xc:i)
(35) by the heaven and the morning star. (lxxxvi:i)
(36) the hour drew near. (liv:i)
(37) sad. (xxxviii:i)
(38) the heights. (vii:i)
(39) say (o muhammad): it is revealed ... (lxxii:i)
(40) ya sin. (xxxvi:i)
(41) the criterion. (xxv:i)
(42) the angels. (xxxv:i)
(43) kaf ha ya 'ayn sad. (xix:i)
(44) ta'ha'. (xx:i)
(45) the reality. (lvi:i)
(46) ta sin mim (the poets). (xxvi:i)
(47) ta sin. (xxvii:i)
(48) the story. (xxviii:i)
(49) the children of israel. (xvii:i)
(50) jonah. (x:i)
(51) hud. (xi:i)
(52) joseph. (xii:i)
(53) the exile. (xv:i)
(54) the cattle. (vi:i)
(55) those who set the ranks.(xxxvi:i)
(56) luqman. (xxxi:i)
(57) saba. (xxxiv:i)
(58) the troops. (xxxix:i)
(59) ha mim (the believers). (xl:i)
(62) ha mim ornaments of gold. (xliii:ix)
(63) smoke. (xliv:i)
(64) crouching. (xlvi:i)
(65) the wind curved sandhills. (xlvi:i)
(66) the winnowing winds. (li:i)
(67) the overwhelming. (lxxxviii:i)
(68) the cave (xviii:i)
(69) the bee. (xvi:i)
(70) indeed we sent noah. (ixxi:i)
(71) abraham. (xiv:i)
(72) the prophets. (xxi:i)
(73) the believers. (xxiii:i)
(74) the prostration. (xxxii:i)
(75) mount sinai. (lii:i)
(76) the sovereignty. (lxvii:i)
(77) the reality. (ixix:i)
(78) a questioner questioned . (lxx:i)
(79) about what do they question one another. (lxxxiii:i)
(80) those who drag forth. (lxxix:i)
(81) when the heaven is cleft apart. (ixxxii:i)
(82) when the heaven is split asunder. (ixxxiv:i)
(83) the romans. (xxx:i)
(84) the spider. (xxix:i)
(85) woe to the defrauders. (lxxxiii:i)
(86) the cow. (ii:i)
(87) the spoils of war. (viii:i)
(88) the family of 'imran. (iii:i)
(89) the clans. (xxxiii:i)
(90) she that is to be examined. (lx:i)
(91) women. (iv:i)
(92) when the earth is shaken. (xcix:i)
(93) iron (lvii:i)
(94) muhammad (xlvii:i)
(95) the thunder. (xiii:i)
(96) the beneficent. (lv:i)
(97) man. (ixxvi:i)
(98) divorce. (lxv:i)
(99) the clear proof. (xcviii:i)
(100) exile. (lix:i)
(101) when god's help arrives. (cx:i)
(102) light (xxix:i)
(103) the pilgrimage. (xxii:i)
(104) the hypocrites. (lxiii:i)
(105) she that disputes (iviii:i)
(106) the private apartments. (xlix:i)
(107) banning. (lxvi:i)
(108) the congregation . (lxii:i)
(109) mutual disillusion. (lxiv:i)
(110) the ranks. (lxi:i)
(111) victory. (xlviii:i)
(112) the table spread. (v:i)
(113) the immunity (repentance). (ix:i)
1
al-suyuti, al-itqan, vol.1, p.10 (quoting fada'il al-qur'an of ibn daris).