Allah tells us about the many objections raised by the disbelievers, their stubbornness, and how they spoke of things which were none of their concern. They said:

﴿لَوْلاَ نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْءَانُ جُمْلَةً وَحِدَةً﴾

("Why is not the Qur'an revealed to him all at once'') meaning, why was this Qur'an, which was revealed to him, not sent down all at one time, as the previous Books, the Tawrah, Injil, Zabur and other Divine Books Allah answered them, telling them that it was revealed in stages over twenty-three years, according to events and circumstances, and whatever rulings were needed, in order to strengthen the hearts of the believers, as He says:

﴿وَقُرْءانًا فَرَقْنَاهُ﴾

(And (it is) a Qur'an which We have divided (into parts)...) (17:106). Allah says:

﴿لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ وَرَتَّلْنَاهُ تَرْتِيلاً﴾

(that We may strengthen your heart thereby. And We have revealed it to you gradually, in stages.) Qatadah said it means: "We have explained it.'' `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said it means: "We have given its interpretation.''

﴿وَلاَ يَأْتُونَكَ بِمَثَلٍ﴾

(And no example or similitude do they bring,) This means no arguments or doubts,

﴿إِلاَّ جِئْنَـكَ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَحْسَنَ تَفْسِيراً﴾

(but We reveal to you the truth, and the better explanation thereof.) They do not say anything in an attempt to oppose the truth, but We respond to them with the truth of that same matter, more clearly and more eloquently than anything they say. Abu `Abdur-Rahman An-Nasa'i recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "The Qur'an was sent down all at once to the first heaven on Laylatul-Qadr (the Night of Power), then it was revealed over twenty years.'' Allah says:

﴿وَلاَ يَأْتُونَكَ بِمَثَلٍ إِلاَّ جِئْنَـكَ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَحْسَنَ تَفْسِيراً ﴾

(And no example or similitude do they bring, but We reveal to you the truth, and the better explanation thereof.) and:

﴿وَقُرْءانًا فَرَقْنَاهُ لِتَقْرَأَهُ عَلَى النَّاسِ عَلَى مُكْثٍ وَنَزَّلْنَـهُ تَنْزِيلاً ﴾

(And (it is) a Qur'an which We have divided (into parts), in order that you might recite it to men at intervals. And We have revealed it by stages) (17:106). Then Allah tells us about the terrible state of the disbelievers when they are raised on the Day of Resurrection and gathered into Hell:

﴿الَّذِينَ يُحْشَرُونَ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ أُوْلَـئِكَ شَرٌّ مَّكَاناً وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلاً ﴾

(Those who will be gathered to Hell on their faces, such will be in an evil state, and most astray from the path. ) In the Sahih, it is reported from Anas that a man said, "O Messenger of Allah, how will the disbeliever be gathered on his face on the Day of Resurrection'' The Prophet said:

«إِنَّ الَّذِي أَمْشَاهُ عَلَى رِجْلَيْهِ قَادِرٌ أَنْ يُمْشِيَهُ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة»

(The One Who caused him to walk on his two feet is able to make him walk on his face on the Day of Resurrection.)

﴿وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَـبَ وَجَعَلْنَا مَعَهُ أَخَاهُ هَـرُونَ وَزِيراً - فَقُلْنَا اذْهَبَآ إِلَى الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَا فَدَمَّرْنَـهُمْ تَدْمِيراً - وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ لَّمَّا كَذَّبُواْ الرُّسُلَ أَغْرَقْنَـهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَـهُمْ لِلنَّاسِ ءَايَةً وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلظَّـلِمِينَ عَذَاباً أَلِيماً - وَعَاداً وَثَمُودَاْ وَأَصْحَـبَ الرَّسِّ وَقُرُوناً بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ كَثِيراً - وَكُلاًّ ضَرَبْنَا لَهُ الاٌّمْثَالَ وَكُلاًّ تَبَّرْنَا تَتْبِيراً - وَلَقَدْ أَتَوْا عَلَى الْقَرْيَةِ الَّتِى أُمْطِرَتْ مَطَرَ السَّوْءِ أَفَلَمْ يَكُونُواْ يَرَوْنَهَا بَلْ كَانُواْ لاَ يَرْجُونَ نُشُوراً ﴾

(35. And indeed We gave Musa the Scripture, and placed his brother Harun with him as a helper;) (36. And We said: "Go you both to the people who have denied Our Ayat.'' Then We destroyed them with utter destruction.) (37. And Nuh's people, when they denied the Messengers, We drowned them, and We made them as a sign for mankind. And We have prepared a painful torment for the wrongdoers.) (38. And (also) `Ad and Thamud, and the Dwellers of Ar-Rass, and many generations in between.) (39. And for each We put forward examples, and each We brought to utter ruin.) (40. And indeed they have passed by the town on which was rained the evil rain. Did they not then see it Nay! But they used not to expect any resurrection.)