According to Ibn ‘Abbas and Ibn Zubair, the whole of this Surah was revealed at Mecca (Manthur). Almost all the commentators of the Quran appear to be agreed upon this point. ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud’s report shows that it was revealed in the early days of the Meccan period. He says that Bani Isra’il, Kahf and Maryam are among those Surahs which were revealed very early in the Prophet’s ministry (Bukhari). According to some authorities, however, the present is one of those Surahs which were revealed not piecemeal but in one whole. Anas reports that this Surah was revealed in one whole and was guarded by 70,000 angels (Manthur, vol. 4, p. 210). This hadith should not be understood to mean that some chapters of the Quran enjoyed a greater protection than others at the time of their revelation. The traditions which say that so many angels descended for the protection of such and such chapters do not speak of their protection at the time when they were being revealed but after they had been revealed. In fact, every chapter deals with a particular subject. Sometimes a chapter contains prophecies on the fulfilment of which depends the very truth of the Quran. Sometimes these prophecies pertain to physical changes, at others to the actions of men. The prophecies which pertain to the actions of men are of particular importance due to the fact that those whose punishment they predict exert themselves to the utmost of their power to escape it. As such prophecies generally are made in unusually adverse circumstances, their fulfilment appears to be highly improbable and is brought about only by a combination of extraordinary circumstances. So if a Surah contains a certain prophecy which powerful nations have to exert themselves to render nugatory, the angels who control and superintend the direction of the affairs of the world are instructed to create conditions which may lead to its fulfilment. It is evident that the schemes and machinations of the opponents of a Prophet who makes the prophecy are proportionate in scope and intensity to the greatness of the prophecy and proportionately comprehensive are the means employed by God to frustrate those plans and plots. Since the direction of the affairs of the world is entrusted to angels and since they carry it out under divine laws, a correspondingly large number of them are appointed to guard the subject matter of a Surah which contains prophecies of the highest import. The angels are directed to take such steps as are necessary for the fulfilment of those prophecies. In short, the guarding of the Surahs by angels does not mean their protection when they are being revealed to a Prophet of God. The real work of guardianship begins after they have been revealed and continues till the time when the prophecies mentioned therein are fulfilled. As regards immunity of Quranic revelation from satanic or human interference, every chapter, every verse, every word, even every letter and vowel-point of the Quran is equally safe and under Divine protection and no particular part of it enjoys this protection in greater measure than others. As the present Surah contains prophecies about the destruction of such powerful nations as Gog and Magog and about the nullification of Christian false propaganda against Islam, thousands of angels have been on duty to bring about the fulfilment of these mighty prophecies from the very day when the Surah was revealed. Western scholars assign this Surah to the sixth year of the Holy Prophet’s ministry at Mecca, but most probably it was revealed in the 4th or 5th year of the Call.
According to Ibn ‘Abbas and Ibn Zubair, the whole of this Surah was revealed at Mecca (Manthur). Almost all the commentators of the Quran appear to be agreed upon this point. ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud’s report shows that it was revealed in the early days of the Meccan period. He says that Bani Isra’il, Kahf and Maryam are among those Surahs which were revealed very early in the Prophet’s ministry (Bukhari). According to some authorities, however, the present is one of those Surahs which were revealed not piecemeal but in one whole. Anas reports that this Surah was revealed in one whole and was guarded by 70,000 angels (Manthur, vol. 4, p. 210). This hadith should not be understood to mean that some chapters of the Quran enjoyed a greater protection than others at the time of their revelation. The traditions which say that so many angels descended for the protection of such and such chapters do not speak of their protection at the time when they were being revealed but after they had been revealed. In fact, every chapter deals with a particular subject. Sometimes a chapter contains prophecies on the fulfilment of which depends the very truth of the Quran. Sometimes these prophecies pertain to physical changes, at others to the actions of men. The prophecies which pertain to the actions of men are of particular importance due to the fact that those whose punishment they predict exert themselves to the utmost of their power to escape it. As such prophecies generally are made in unusually adverse circumstances, their fulfilment appears to be highly improbable and is brought about only by a combination of extraordinary circumstances. So if a Surah contains a certain prophecy which powerful nations have to exert themselves to render nugatory, the angels who control and superintend the direction of the affairs of the world are instructed to create conditions which may lead to its fulfilment. It is evident that the schemes and machinations of the opponents of a Prophet who makes the prophecy are proportionate in scope and intensity to the greatness of the prophecy and proportionately comprehensive are the means employed by God to frustrate those plans and plots. Since the direction of the affairs of the world is entrusted to angels and since they carry it out under divine laws, a correspondingly large number of them are appointed to guard the subject matter of a Surah which contains prophecies of the highest import. The angels are directed to take such steps as are necessary for the fulfilment of those prophecies. In short, the guarding of the Surahs by angels does not mean their protection when they are being revealed to a Prophet of God. The real work of guardianship begins after they have been revealed and continues till the time when the prophecies mentioned therein are fulfilled. As regards immunity of Quranic revelation from satanic or human interference, every chapter, every verse, every word, even every letter and vowel-point of the Quran is equally safe and under Divine protection and no particular part of it enjoys this protection in greater measure than others. As the present Surah contains prophecies about the destruction of such powerful nations as Gog and Magog and about the nullification of Christian false propaganda against Islam, thousands of angels have been on duty to bring about the fulfilment of these mighty prophecies from the very day when the Surah was revealed. Western scholars assign this Surah to the sixth year of the Holy Prophet’s ministry at Mecca, but most probably it was revealed in the 4th or 5th year of the Call.
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