The Shariah and Its Application

was revealed in the Quran: Fight for the sake of God those that fight against you. (2:190) On receiving this command, all the believers engaged themselves wholeheartedly in the field of battle. This same pattern continued throughout the prophetic period lasting 23 years. Each time only that part of the Quran was revealed which was required in regard to the circumstances. The believers of this first phase were solely concerned with carrying out the particular commandment relevant to given situation. They were not required to decide as to which of the various and different commandments were applicable. But, in later times, the state of affairs changed. Now, all the parts of the Quran revealed on different occasions were collected and bound in the form of one book. That is to say, the commands and their background had been separated from one another. Afterwards the responsibility devolved upon the Muslims themselves, by means of deep reflection and study, to strive to ascertain which of the injunctions was applicable to them in particular situations. Thus by discovering the relevant verse