Disregarding the chronological order of events in the beginnings of some Surahs from a Maqāṣid (purposes) perspective, “Al-Anfal, Al-Hashr, and Al-Mumtahanah” as a model

Abstract

Traditionally, scholars of Qur'anic Interpretation (Tafsir) have approached the demonstration of the purposes of the Surahs of the Qur'an and its objects in general. This study aims to explain only the Quranic purpose behind disregarding the chronological order of events in the beginnings of some Surahs. To this end, the study attempted to address the problem, what is the purpose behind disregarding the order of events at the beginning of the surahs of Al-Anfal, Al-Hashr, and Al-Mumtahanah in the Quran? In this study, the researcher followed the "inductive analytical approach," and arrived at several conclusions, the most important of which are: the early scholars of the Islamic Ummah were more concerned with approaches to explain maqāṣid al-sharīʿa (objectives of sharia) than modern scholars; and the Quranic purpose of not ordering the events at the beginnings of Surah Al-Hashr aims at the confirmation of the seriousness of breach and manipulation of covenants, and a reminder to keep it. The researcher recommended the Centers for Quranic Studies to work on issuing a Quranic encyclopedia to elaborate the Quranic purposes of not following the chronological order of events in the Surahs of the Qur'an in general.