The Role of the Prophet (PBUH) in Cause of Revelation of the Qur’anic Verses

“The Cause of Revelation” (asbāb al-nuzūl) is an issue of Qur’anic sciences, discussing the events and causes of sending down the Qur’anic verses to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Naturally, the Companions who witnessed the discordance of revelation and narrated it, had the task of narrating asbāb al-nuzūl, as well. “What is the position of the Prophet (PBUH) in expressing asbāb al-nuzūl?” is a question that has not been replied so far. The present article seeks to answer it, using the analytical, descriptive, and historical method. Findings show that the Prophet played an effective role in expressing asbāb al-nuzūl, so that those asbāb al-nuzūl whom the Companions did not observe were retold by the Prophet himself. It is also argued that whenever a verse was repeated by the Prophet, it did not mean that the verse was sending down to him twice, but it was only recited by him again. In addition, when he recited a verse about a person, event or happening, such circumstances may not be accepted as asbāb al-nuzūl and hence they could be applied in interpreting the holy Qur’an.