When were the orders in the Quran given? How many years after Muhammad (pbuh) became a prophet were prayer, tasattur (hijab), prohibition of alcohol, fasting, hajj and similar orders given by Allah?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Verses related to belief were sent down before the Migration. Verses related to practices were generally sent down after the Migration. Not all orders and prohibitions were sent down at once. The verses were sent down gradually in the course of time and decrees were determined.  

PRAYER (SALAH):

Prayer is mentioned in more than ninety verses in the Quran. Five daily prayers did not exist in the previous shari’ahs. Prayer existed in the general sense without determined times. Prayer was rendered fard on the night of Miraj (Ascension), about one and a half years before the Migration. Anas b. Malik sates the following regarding the issue in summary: 

"Prayer was rendered fard as fifty times a day on the night of Isra. Then, it was decreased and reduced to five times a day. Then, the Prophet was addressed as follows: "O Muhammad! Our statements do not change. Five daily prayers are equal to fifty daily prayers for you." (Bukhari, Salah, 76, Anbiya, 5; Muslim, Iman, 263; Ahmad b. Hanbal, V,122,143).

FASTING:

The following is stated in the Quran: "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint." (al-Baqara, 2/183) It is unanimously agreed that fasting was rendered fard after the Migration. According to a sound narration, it was rendered fard a short while after the Battle of Badr.

TASATTUR (HIJAB):

Hz. Aisha narrates the first practice of covering the head as follows:  

"May Allah bestow His Mercy on the early Muhajir (emigrant) women. When the verse "they (women) should draw their veils over their bosoms..." (an-Nur, 24/31) was sent down, they tore their skirts and covered their heads and faces with them."

Safiyya bint Shayba narrates: "We were with Aisha. We mentioned the Qurayshi women and their superiorities. She said,

"The Qurayshi women definitely have some superiorities. However, I swear by Allah that I have not seen any women who approved the book of Allah and believed in that book more than Ansar women. When the verse "they (women) should draw their veils over their bosoms..." was sent down, their men went home by reading that verse. They read it to their wives, daughters, sisters and relatives. Each of the women made a headscarf from the fabric of skirts by approving and believing in the book of Allah. The next morning, they performed the morning prayer behind the Prophet (pbuh) with their headscarves. It looked as if there were crows on their heads." (Bukhari, Tafsiru Surah, 29/12; Ibn Kathir, Mukhtasar, M. Ali, as-Sabuni, 7^th impression, Beirut 1402/1981, II / 600).

It is narrated that the verse of hijab was sent down in the month of Dhul-Qada or Dhul-Hijjah in the fifth year of the Migration. (see Ibn Sad at-Tabaqat, 8/174-176, al-Balazuri, Ansab 1/463.)

HAJJ:

Islamic scholars agree unanimously that hajj is fard once in lifetime. Their evidence is the Quran and the Sunnah. The following is stated in the Quran:

"Pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah,- those who can afford the journey." (Aal-i Imran, 3/97)

"And complete the Hajj or ´umra in the service of Allah." (al-Baqara, 2/196)

"And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men: they will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways." (al-Hajj, 22/27)

The following is stated in hadiths:

"Doubtlessly, Allah rendered hajj fard for you; perform hajj." (Muslim, Hajj, 412; Nasai, Manasik, 1; Ahmad b. Hanbal, II, 508).

"Islam is based on five (principles): To testify that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is Allah's Messenger, to offer prayers dutifully and perfectly, to pay zakah, to perform hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), to observe fasting during the month of Ramadan." (Bukhari, Iman, l, 2; Muslim, Iman,19-22; Tirmidhi, Iman, 3; Nasai, Iman, 13)

The following is stated in the following verse: "Then strive together (as in a race) towards all that is good." (al-Baqara, 2/148) A person for whom hajj is fard can delay it to another year due to building a house, marrying his child off or without any reason because the Prophet (pbuh) delayed hajj without any excuse to the tenth year of the Migration though it became fard in the sixth year of the Migration. If it were not permissible to delay hajj, he would not have done so. This view is more appropriate since it will be easy for Muslims. The hadiths on which the majority of the Islamic scholars bases their view is weak and it is definite that hajj became fard in the sixth year of the Migration when the chapter of Aal-i Imran was sent down. (ash-Shirazi, al-Muhadhdhab, I,199; az-Zuhayli, ibid III / 17, 18)

ALCOHOLIC DRINKS:

Alcoholic drinks were rendered haram and forbidden in the fourth year of the Migration after Sons of Nadir Jews were exiled from their land. Click for more information regarding the issue:

How and when alcoholic drinks were proclaimed religiously forbidden?

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