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This Surah has two parts: the first part consists of vv. 1-5, and the second of vv. 6-19. About the first part a great majority of the Islamic scholars are agreed that it forms the very first Revelation to be sent down to the Holy Prophet. In this regard, the Hadith from Hadrat Aishah, which Imam Ahmad, Bukhari, Muslim, and other traditionists have related with several chains of authorities, is one of the most authentic Ahadith on the subject. Besides, Ibn Abbas, Abu Musa al-Ashari and a group of the Companions also are reported to have stated that these were the very first verses of the Quran to be revealed to the Holy Prophet. The second part was sent down afterwards when the Holy Prophet began to perform the prescribed Prayer in the precincts of the Kabah and Abu Jahl tried to prevent him from this with threats. [Maududi/Tafheem-ul-Quran] THERE IS no doubt that the first five verses of this surah represent the very beginning of the revelation of the Qur'an. Although the exact date cannot be established with certainty, all authorities agree in that these five verses were revealed in the last third of the month of Ramadan, thirteen years before the hijrah (corresponding to July or August, 610, of the Christian era). Muhammad was then forty years old. Verses 6-19 of this surah are of somewhat later date.[M.Asad/The Message of the Quran]

This too is one of the earliest surahs to be revealed at Makkah, but its subject matter shows that it was sent down at the time when opposition to the Holy Prophet had grown very harsh and tyrannical. [Maududi/Tafhim-ul-Quran] IN THE chronological order of revelation, this surah most probably occupies the third place. Some authorities - among them Suyuti - incline to the view that it was revealed immediately after the first five verses of surah 96 ("The Germ-Cell"); this, however, is contradicted by some of the best-authenticated Traditions, according to which most of surah 74 came second in the order of revelation. In any case,"The Pen" is ndoubtedly one of the oldest parts of the Qur'an.[M.Asad/ The Message Of The Quran]

The two sections of this Surah were revealed in two separate periods. The first section (vv. 1-19) is unanimously a Makki (Meccan) Revelation, and this is supported both by its subject matter and by the traditions of the Hadith. About the second section (v. 20) although many of the commentators have expressed the opinion that this too was sent down at Makkah, yet some other commentators regard it as a Madani (Medinan) Revelation, and this same opinion is confirmed by the subject matter of this section.[Maududi/Tafheem-ul-Quran] THIS SURAH is almost certainly the fourth in the order of revelation. Although some of its verses may have come at a slightly later date, the whole of it belongs to the earliest Mecca period. The contention of some authorities that verse 20 was revealed at Medina lacks all substance. [M. Asad/The Message of the Quran]

The first seven verses of this Surah belong to the earliest period at Makkah. Even according to some traditions which have been related in Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Musnad Ahmad, etc., on the authority of Hadrat Jabir bin Abdullah, these are the very earliest verses of the Qur'an to be revealed to the Holy Prophet (upon whoa be peace). But the Muslim Ummah almost unanimously agreed that the earliest Revelation to the Holy Prophet consisted of the first five verses of Surah Al-Alaq(XCVI) However, what is established by authentic traditions is that after this first Revelation, no Revelation came down to the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) for quite some time. Then, when it was resumed, it started with theme verses of Surah Al- Muddaththir. [Maududi/Tafheem-ul-Quran] ALTHOUGH some verses of this surah may have been revealed at a slightly later time, there is no doubt that all of it belongs to the earliest part of the Mecca period, that is, to the very beginning of Muhammad's mission.[M.Asad/The Message of the Quran]

It is one of the very earliest Revelations to the Holy Prophet. As a matter of fact, we learn from authentic Traditions that it was the first complete Surah which was revealed to Muhammad.[Maududi/Tafheem-ul-Quran]

"THE OPENING" was one of the earliest revelations bestowed upon the Prophet. Some authorities (for instance, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib) were even of the opinion that it was the very first revelation; but this view is contradicted by authentic Traditions

quoted by both Bukhari and Muslim, which unmistakably show that the first five verses of surah 96 ("The Germ-Cell") constituted the beginning of revelation. It is probable, however, that whereas the earlier revelations consisted of only a few verses each, "The Opening" was the first surah revealed to the Prophet in its entirety at one time: and this would explain the view held by 'Ali.[M.Asad/The Message of the Quran]

Although the commentators have not disputed its being a Makki Surah, yet it is difficult to determine in which phase of the life at Makkah precisely it was revealed. However, in view of Abu Lahab's role and conduct against the Holy Prophet's message of Truth, it can be assumed that it must have been revealed in the period when he had transgressed all limits in his mad hostility to him, and his attitude was becoming a serious obstruction in the progress of Islam. It may well have been revealed in the period when the Quraish had boycotted the Holy Prophet together with the people of his clan and besieged them in Shi'b Abi Talib, and Abu Lahab was the only person to join with the enemies against his own relatives. If the Surah had been revealed before this, in the very beginning, the people would have regarded it as morally discourteous that the nephew should so condemn the uncle. [Maududi/Tafheem-ul-Quran] THIS very early surah - the sixth in the order of revelation - derives its name from its last word. [M.Asad/The Message of the Quran]

The subject matter and the style clearly show that it is one of the earliest Surahs to be revealed at Makkah. [Maududi/Tafheem-ul-Quran] THE conventional designation of this very early surah (most probably the seventh in the order of revelation) is derived from the verb kuwwirat, which occurs in the first verse and introduces the symbolic image of the Last Hour and, hence, of man's resurrection. [M.Asad/The Message of the Quran]

The subject matter shows that this too is one of the earliest Surahs to be revealed, and the words: "We shall enable you to recite, then you shall never forget" of verse 6 also indicate that it was sent down in the period when the Holy essenger was not yet fully accustomed to receive Revelation and at the time Revelation came down he feared lest he should forget its words. [Maududi/Tafheem-ul-Quran] THIS IS most probably the eighth Surah in the chronology of revelation.[M.Asad/The Message of the Quran]

Its subject matter so closely resembles that of Surah Ash-Shams that each Surah seems to be an explanation of the other. It is one and the same thing which has been explained in Surah Ash-Shams in one way and in this Surah in another. This indicates that both these Surahs were sent down in about the same period. [Maududi/Tafheem-ul-Quran] UNANIMOUSLY regarded as one of the very early revelations - most probably the ninth in the chronological order. [M. Asad/The Message of the Quran]

Its contents show that it was revealed at the stage when persecution of the new converts to Islam had begun in Makkah. On that very basis the people of Makkah have been warned of the evil end of the tribes of Ad and Thamud and of Pharaoh.[Maududi/Tafheem-ul-Quran] THE DESIGNATION of this Surah-the tenth in the order of revelation-is based on the mention of "the daybreak" in the first verse.[M. Asad/The Message of the Quran]

Its subject matter clearly indicates that it belongs to the earliest period at Makkah. Traditions also show that the revelations were suspended for a time, which caused the Holy Prophet to be deeply distressed and grieved. On this account he felt very anxious that perhaps he had committed some error because of which his Lord had become angry with him and had forsaken him. Thereupon he was given the consolation that revelation had not been stopped because of some displeasure but this was necessitated by the same expediency as underlies the peace and stillness of the night after the bright day, as if to say: "If you had continuously been exposed to the intensely bright light of Revelation (Wahi) your nerves could not have endured it. Therefore, an interval was given in order to afford you peace and tranquility." This state was experienced by the Holy Prophet in the initial stage of the Prophethood when he was not yet accustomed to hear the intensity of Revelation. [Maududi/Tafheem-ul-Quran] IT IS SAID that after surah 89 (Al-Fajr) was revealed, some time elapsed during which the Prophet did not receive any revelation, and that his opponents in Mecca taunted him on this score, saying, "Thy God has forsaken and scorned thee!" - Whereupon the present Surah was revealed. [M. Asad/The Message of the Quran]

Its subject matter so closely resembles that of Surah Ad-Duha that both these Surah seem to have been revealed in about the same period under similar conditions. According to Hadrat Abdullah bin Abbas, it was sent down in Makkah just after wad-Duha.[Maududi/Tafheem-ul-Quran] THIS SURAH, revealed almost immediately after the preceding one, appears to be a direct continuation of the latter.[M. Asad/The Message of the Quran]

Although Mujahid, Qatadah and Muqatil regard it as a Madani (Medinan) Surah, yet a great majority of the commentators opine that it is Makki (Meccan); its subject matter also testifies that it must have been sent down in the earliest stage at Makkah, when the message of Islam was being presented in brief but highly impressive sentences so that the listeners who heard them once could not forget them even if they wanted to, for they were automatically committed to memory. [Maududi/Tafheem-ul-Quran] REVEALED shortly after Surah 94(Surah Sharh) [M. Asad/The Message of the Quran]

Whether it is a Makki (Meccan) or a Madani (Medinan) Surah is disputed. Hadrat Abdullah bin Masud, Jabir, Hasan Basri, Ikrimah, and Ata say that it is Makki. Hadrat Anas bin Malik, and Qatadah say that it is Madani; and from Hadrat Ibn Abbas two views have been reported, first that it is a Makki Surah, and second that it is Madani. But the subject matter of the Surah and its style clearly indicate that it is no only Makki but was revealed in the earliest stage of Makkah. [Maududi/ Tafheem-ul-Quran] REVEALED after Surah 103(Surah Al-Asr-Meccan)[M. Asad/ The Message of The Quran]

Ibn Marduyah has cited Hadrat Abdullah bin Abbas, Hadrat Abdullah bin az-Zubair and Hadrat Aishah as saying that this Surah is Makki (Meccan). Kalbi and Muqatil also regard it as Makki, and the same is the view held by the majority of commentators. The whole content of the Surah Al- Kauthar by itself bears evidence that it was revealed at Makkah, and in the period when the Holy Prophet was passing through extremely discouraging conditions. [Maududi/ Tafheem-ul-Quran]

WHEREAS most of the authorities assign this Surah to the early part of the Mecca period, Ibn Kathir considers it most probable that it was revealed at Medina. The reason for this assumption (shared by many other scholars) is to be found in an authentic hadith on the authority of Anas ibn Malik, who narrates - with a good deal of circumstantial detail - how the surah was revealed "while the Apostle of God was among us in the mosque" (Muslim, Ibn Hanbal, Abu Da'ud,

Nasa'i). The "mosque" referred to by Anas can only have been the mosque of Medina: for, on the one hand, Anas - a native of that town - had never met the Prophet before the latter's exodus to Medina (at which time Anas was barely ten years old); and, on the other hand, there had been no mosque - i.e., a public place of congregational worship - available to the Muslims at Mecca before their conquest of that city in 8 H.[M. Asad/ The Message of the Quran]

Abu Hayyan and Shaukani say that this Surah, according to all commentators, is Makki (Meccan), and this same is the well known view according to Iman Suyuti. A great majority of the commentators are agreed that this Surah is Makki. In our opinion this is not only a Makki Surah but in view of its contents and style it is one of the earliest Surahs to be revealed at Makkah. [Maududi/ Tafheem-ul-Quran] THIS EARLY Meccan Surah is one of the most powerful, prophetic passages of the Qur'an, illuminating man's unbounded greed in general and, more particularly, the tendencies which have come to dominate all human societies in our technological age.[M. Asad/ The Message of the Quran]