Revelation - all at once or in stages?

Let's start with what the Qur'an declares

إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنْذِرِينَ

We have revealed it on a Blessed Night. We have always been warning. (44:3)

إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ

Indeed, We have revealed it in the Night of Majesty (97:1)

No other verse modifies this language to say it "began to be revealed" so we must take the Qur'an's word for it. Why do so many people believe it was revealed over a period of time? In fact, the Qur'an identifies these people as disbelievers in 25:32.

Let's examine this verse in detail. 25:32 has three parts

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْآنُ جُمْلَةً

25:32:1 And said those who disbelieve, "Why was the Qur'an not revealed to him all at once?"

1. I have never come across a disbeliever who asks this question, or even considered how the Qur'an was revealed. Why would God tell us this? Think about it.

2. Many people miss the phrase "revealed to him", which is obviously talking about the Qur'an being revealed to the Prophet

كَذَٰلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ

25:32:2 It was thus so that we may strengthen your heart

1. God answers the disbelievers in the first part - that it was actually revealed to him thus (refers to the subject of the question - all at once). Most traditional translations put "in stages" here in parentheses.

2. Only by giving all the information can someone be strengthened

وَرَتَّلْنَاهُ تَرْتِيلًا

25:32:3 And We have caused you to convey it to people in stages, step by step. (73:4)

1. The delivery of the message to people was in stages

It is obvious from these three verses that the delivery of revelation to the Prophet occurred all at once, on a blessed night.

According to history, the conveyance of the Qur'an to the community was in stages. This makes logical sense, as the Prophet should have the whole essence, concept, and picture of what he was reciting to the people.

The Qur'an has this to say

وَقُرْآنًا فَرَقْنَاهُ لِتَقْرَأَهُ عَلَى النَّاسِ عَلَىٰ مُكْثٍ وَنَزَّلْنَاهُ تَنْزِيلًا

And the Quran We have divided, that you might recite it to the people at intervals. And we have sent it down (وَنَزَّلْنَاهُ) as one revelation (تَنْزِيلًا) (17:106)

This phrase تَنْزِيلًا is inconsistently translated throughout the Qur'an - for example

... indicating the influence of historical records on the translation of the Qur'an.

In short, revelation to the prophet happened all at once.