A Critical Reflection on the Article "God Has Revealed the Book": an Emphasis on Allameh Tabataba'i's Views

The article "God has revealed the book" written by Shabestari seeks to prove that Qur'an was revealed to prophet not to the public. To do so, the following three main questions are raised: what are the meanings of the "Book" in Qur'an? What are the meanings of the "revelation of the Book" in Qur'an? And to whom was the "Book" revealed? In the present study, Shabestari’s views are examined and criticized using Qur'an verses, narrations, and intellectual proofs. Some proofs, among others, which reject his views include: the verses on the gradual revelation of the Qur'an, Qur'an as the guidance for the public, Taḥaddī Verses (verses challenging deniers of the Prophet), verses addressing general public or the believers, as well as the narrations encouraging people to memorize and write the Qur'an and implying the revelation of the Qur'an to the public, not only to the Prophet (PBUH). The present descriptive-analytical study aims to respond to the doubts raised in Shabestari's article. Presenting an introduction, the paper includes three main parts, corresponding to three questions posed in Shabestari's study. The researchers show that all the opinions made in Shabestari's paper including the theory of the "Revelation lifeworld" are nothing but claims and that no intellectual or narrative evidence has been mentioned proving their authenticity or truth. One objective of the gradual revelation of the Book was to present the holy Sharia to people over time, while their religion was being completed. The study also seeks to show that Qur'an is the Book creating the Sharia and is the main source of Islam, which was revealed to present Sharia and the duties of the people to reach the eternal happiness.