The Evolution of Fiqh (1.2 General Content of the Qur’aan)

In Makkah, Muslims were an oppressed minority, whereas 
after their migration to Madeenah they became the ruling majority.

 Thus, the revelations of the Qur’aan during the two phases 
had unique characteristics which distinguished them from each other.

 

This period starts with the beginning of the prophet hood in Makkah 
and ends with the Prophets Hijrah (migration) to the city of Madeenah. 
The revelations of this period were mainly concerned with building
 the ideological foundation of Islaam, Eemaan (faith), in order to prepare 
the early band of converts for the difficult task of practically establishing 
thesocial order of Islaam. Consequently the following basic topics of 
the Makkan revelations all reflect one aspect. Or another of principles designed to build faith in God.

(i) Tawheed (Allaah’s Unity) Most of the people of Makkan believed
 in a Supreme Being known by the name “Allaah” from the most
 ancient of times. However, they had added a host of gods who shared 
some of Allaah’s powers or acted as intermediaries. Accordingly,
 Makkan revelations declared Allaah’s unique unity and pointed 
out that gods besides Allaah are no benefit.

(ii) Allaah’s Existence Some of the early verses presented logical 
 arguments proving the existence of God for the few Makkans
 who actually denied it.

(iii) The Next Life Since there was no way for human beings to
 know about the next life, the Makkan revelations vividly described
 its wonders, its mysteries and its horrors.

(iv) The people of God The Makkan verses often mentioned
 historical examples of earlier civilizations which were destroyed 
when theydenied their obligation to God, like the ‘Aad and the Thamood,
 in order to warn those who rejected the message of Islaam and to 
teach the believers about the greatness of Allaah.

(v) Salaah (Formal Prayer) Because of the critical relationship
 between Salaah and Tawheed, Salaah was the only other pillar of Islaam
 to be legislated in Makkah, besides the declaration of faith (Tawheed).

(vi)Challenges In order to prove to the pagan Makkans that the 
Qur’aan was from God, some of the Makkan verses challenged the 
 Arabs to imitate the style of the Qur’aan.al-Madkhal, 51-5.

 

The Hijrah marks the beginning of this period and the death 
of the  Prophet (s.w.) in 632 CE marks the end. After the Prophet’s 
migration to Madeenah and the spread of Islaam there, he was 
appointed as the rular, and the Muslim community became a 
fledgling state. Thus, revelation was concerned primarily with
 the organization of the Muslim State. And it was during this period 
that the majority of the social and economic laws of the
 Sharee’ah were revealed.

Revelations during this period also strengthened the foundations 
of Eemaan and Tawheed, which were established during the
  Makkan period. However, most of the following basic topics of
 the Madeenan revelations concentrate on the laws necessary for 
the development of an Islamic nation.

(i) Laws

It was during the Madeenan period that the last three pillars of Islaam
 were revealed, as well as the prohibition of intoxicants, pork, gambling, 
and the punishments for adultery; murder and theft were fixed. 

(ii) Jihaad

During the Makkan period, Muslim were forbidden to take up arms 
 against the Makkans who were oppressing them, in order to avoid their decimation and to develop their patience. The right to fight against
 the enemy as well asthe rules of war was revealed in Madeenah after 
the numbers of Muslims had dramatically increased. 

(iii) People of the Book

In Madeenah, Muslims came in contact with Jews for the first time
 and with Christians on a large scale. Thus, a number of Madeenan 
verses tackled questions, which were raised by the Jews in order to 
befuddle the Prophet (s.w.)and discredit Islaam. The verses also 
outlined laws concerning political alliances with Christians and Jews,
 as well as laws permitting marriage with them. 

(iv) The Munaafiqs (Hypocrites)

For the first time since the beginning of the final message, people
 began to enter the fold of Islaam without really believing in it.
 Some entered Islaam to try to destroy it from within because 
Muslims were strong and they couldnot openly oppose them, 
while others entered and exited shortly thereafter in order to shake
 the faith of the believers. Consequently, some Madeenan verses 
exposed their plots and warned against them, while others laid the

foundations for the laws concerning apostates.Mannaa’ al Qattaan, Mabaahith fee ‘Uloom al-Qur’aan.      
   

Qur’anic Fields of Study

The body of information contained in the Qur’aan, as a whole,
 may be grouped under three headings with regards to the fields of
 study to which they are related:

First: Information related to Belief in God, His angels, His scriptures
 His prophets, and the affairs of the next life. These topics are covered 
within the field of study known as theology

(‘Ilm al-Kalaam of al-‘Aqeedah) 

Second: Information related to deeds of the heart and soul, and moral principles and rules of conduct aimed at the development of nobility of character. These areas represent the

field of moral science known as ethics (‘Ilm al-Akhlaq).

Third: Information related to deeds of the limbs and contained within a body of commandments, prohibitions and choices. This group represents the field of law. Muhammad al-Khidaree Bek, Taareekh at-Tashree’ al-Islaamee, (Cairo:al-Maktabah at-Tajaareeyah al-Kubraa, 1960)