Benefits of knowing the reasons for revelations

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Below are listed some of the benefits of knowing the reasons for revelations -

• It's a clear proof that Qur'ān was truly a revelation from Allaah as whenever he ﷺ would be asked about something he would sometimes not answer immidiately and would wait for an inspiration to descend upon him. Such as when he was asked by a jewish man about rūḥ, he ﷺ remained silent and didn't reply. The narrator, ʽAbdullah ibn Masʽūd knew that he ﷺ was recieving revealation and then he ﷺ stood in the same place as the narrator was standing and recited ʾĀyah 85 of soorah Al-Isrāʾ [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 125 and Muslim 2794]

And sometimes some incidents which occurred would be unknown or hidden and revealation would expose and clarify it. Such as ʾĀyah 8 of Soorah 63. Zayd Ibn Arqam heard 'Abdullāh ibn ‘Ubayy make that comment where he referred himself as more honourable and Allaah's Messenger ﷺ and his companions as the meaner or humiliated. Zayd informed it to his uncle who informed it to the Prophet ﷺ. Then he called Zayd and after confirming he sent a questioner to 'Abdullāh ibn ‘Ubayy, the chief of hypocrites and his companions. But they lied and swore that they didn't say such a thing which the Prophet accepted from them. So Allaah then revealed the ʾĀyah exposing the matter and confirming what Zayd heard.

• Another benefit is to know about the Concern and Care Allaah has for His Messenger ﷺ in that He Defends him. Example is ʾĀyah 32 of Chapter 25 and ʾĀyāt 11-17 of Chapter 24 known as ' the ʾĀyāt of the lie ' where Allāh Defends Prophet's ﷺ wives and Testifies their purity against the liars and slanderers.

• It makes us known to Allaah's Concern and Care for His servants in that He Relieves their hardships and Removes their worry and grief. Such as the ʾĀyāt of permissibility of tayammum when water is unavailable.

• To correctly understand the ʾĀyāt themselves. Such as -

Al-Baqarah 2:158

إِنَّ ٱلصَّفَا وَٱلْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَآئِرِ ٱللَّهِۖ فَمَنْ حَجَّ ٱلْبَيْتَ أَوِ ٱعْتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَن يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَاۚ وَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَاكِرٌ عَلِيمٌ 

Verily! As-Safâ and Al-Marwah (two mountains in Makkah) are of the Symbols of Allâh. So it is not a sin on him who performs Hajj or ‘Umrah (pilgrimage) of the House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah) to perform the going (Tawâf) between them (As-Safâ and Al-Marwah).[1] And whoever does good voluntarily, then verily, Allâh is All-Recogniser, All-Knower.

It may seem that "it is not a sin on him...." Indicates this tawaf between the two mountains simply being permissible not obligatory based upon the wording but in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4496 there's this narration narrated `Asim bin Sulaiman:

I asked Anas bin Malik about Safa and Marwa. Anas replied, "We used to consider (i.e. going around) them a custom of the Pre-islamic period of Ignorance, so when Islam came, we gave up going around them. Then Allah revealed" "Verily, Safa and Marwa (i.e. two mountains at Mecca) are among the Symbols of Allah. So it is not harmful of those who perform the Hajj of the House (of Allah) or perform the Umra to ambulate (Tawaf) between them." (2.158)

By this narration we know that the negation of sin on the one who makes tawaf between them is not the complete meaning rather what's meant is that the companions should not forget about them and continue to see these mountains as a matter of Jaahiliyyah.

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