There are 283 instances of nazala and its related forms in the Quran in different grammatical forms as shown in the table below are discussed to better understand their meaning in different contexts:
Note: The above table is populated with data obtained from www.corpus.quran.com
Details of instances of anzala
There are 183 instances of anzala in the verb form IV meaning “to send down”, which may also be translated “to reveal”, but we should reflect to that which is more appropriate to understand the clear message in different contexts. However, 43 instances of anzala in 35 verses across 3 surahs in the Quran are detailed out here:
[2:4] And those who believe in what has been sent down to you (Muhammad) (wa-alladheena yu’minuuna bimaa unzila ilayka), and in what has been sent down before yourself (wa-maa unzila min qablika), and in the Hereafter they ascertain.
[2:22] The One who has made the earth a resting place for you, and the sky a canopy, and He has sent down water from the sky (wa-anzala mina al-samaai maa-an), then He has brought forth of the fruits as provision for you. So, you do not make rivals to God, while you know.
[2:41] And you shall believe in what I have sent down confirming that which is with you (wa-aaminuu bimaa anzaltu musaddiqan limaa ma`akum); and you do not be a first disbeliever in it, nor do you exchange of My revelations for a small price, and Me alone you shall fear Me.
[2:57] And we had shaded over you the clouds, and we had sent down the mana and the quail to you (wa-anzalnaa `alaykumu al-mana wal-salwaa): “You shall eat from good things what we have provided you.” They had not wronged us, but they had done to wrong to themselves.
[2:59] Then those who had wronged had changed a word other than that which has been said to them. So, we had sent down a punishment from the sky upon those who had wronged (fa-anzalnaa `alaa alladheena zalamuu rij’zan mina al-samaai) because of that they had done to disobey.
[2:90] It has been evil what they have sold their souls with it that they disbelieve in what God has sent down in hesitance (yakfuruu bimaa anzala allahu baghyan) that God sends down of His grace upon whomever He wills from His servants. So they have drawn of wrath upon wrath. And for the disbelievers there is a humiliating punishment.
[2:91] And when it has been said to them, “You shall believe in what God has sent down (aaminuu bimaa anzala allahu),” they said, “We believe in what has been sent down to us (nu’minu bimaa unzila `alaynaa).” And they disbelieve in what is behind of it, even it is the truth confirming that which is with them. Say, “Then why did you kill God’s prophets before, if you had been believers?”
[2:99] And certainly, we have sent down to you (Muhammad) clear verses (wa-laqad anzalnaa ilayka aayaatin bayyinaatin), and none disbelieves in them except the disobedient.
[2:102] And they had followed what the devils recited over Solomon’s kingdom, while Solomon had not disbelieved, but the devils had disbelieved. They taught the people the magic, and what had been sent down in Babylon through the two angels, Harut and Marut (wa-maa unzila `alaa al-malakayni bibaabila haaruuta wa-maaruuta). They did not teach anyone except they say, “we are only a test, so do not disbelieve.” While they learned from these two that they cause separation between the man and his spouse with it. But they could not be of harmful ones to anyone with it except by God’s permission. And they learned what harms them and does not profit them. And certainly, they had known that whoever has bought it, there is no share for him in the Hereafter. And that it has been evil for themselves what they had sold with it, if they had done to know.
[2:136] Say, “We have believed in God, and what has been sent down to us (aamannaa bil-lahi wa-maa unzila ilaynaa) and what has been sent down to Abraham, and Ismail, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Patriarchs (wa-maa unzila ilaa ib’raaheema wa-is’maa`eela wa-is’haaqa wa-ya’quuba wal-asbaati); and what has been given to Moses, and Jesus, and the prophets from their Lord. We do not make distinction between anyone of them. And we are Submitters to Him.”
[2:159] Indeed, those who conceal what we have sent down of the clear proofs and the guidance after what we have made clear it for the people in the scripture (maa anzalnaa mina al-bayyinaati wal-hudaa min ba`di maa bayyannaahu lilnnasi fee al-kitaabi), those God curses them and curse them the cursers.
[2:164] Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the ship which sails in the ocean of what benefits the people, and what God has sent down from the sky of water (wa-maa anzala allahu mina al-samaai min maain), then He has given life to the earth with it after its death and has spread all kinds of creatures in it, and directing of the winds and the clouds to be the controlled between the sky and the earth, surely (all these) are signs for a people to use intellect.
[2:170] When it has been said to them, “You shall follow what God has sent down (ittabi`uu maa anzala allahu,” they said, “Nay, we follow what we have found our forefathers on it.” What if their forefathers had not been to understand anything and they were not guided?
[2:174] Indeed, those who conceal from the scripture what God has sent down (inna alladheena yaktumuuna maa anzala allahu mina al-kitaabi), and they purchase a little gain with it, those – they do not eat in their bellies except the fire, and God will not speak to them on a day of the Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and for them there is a painful punishment.
[2:185] Ramadan which is a month, has been sent down in it the Quran (shahru ramadaana alladhee unzila feehi al-qur’aanu) as a guidance for mankind and clear proofs of the guidance and the statute book. So, whoever has witnessed the month from you, then he should fast in it, and whoever has been sick or on a journey, then a specified number from other days. God intends the ease for you, He does not intend the hardship for you, and that you may complete the specified number, and that you may glorify God through which He has guided you, and that you may appreciate.
[2:213] Mankind had been a single community while God has raised up the prophets as bearers of good news and warners and has sent down with them the scripture with the truth (wa-anzala ma`ahumu al-kitaaba bil-haqqi) to judge between the people in what they had differed in it. And none had differed in it except those who had been given it after what had come to them the clear proofs out of jealousy between themselves. Then God has guided those who have believed that which they had differed in it of the truth with His permission. And God guides whoever He wills to a straight path.
[2:231] And when you have divorced the women while they have reached their interim, then you shall retain them in a fair manner, or you shall release them in a fair manner. And you do not retain them to hurt that you may transgress. And whoever does that, then he has wronged for himself. And you do not take God’s revelations in mockery and shall remember God’s favors upon you and what He has sent down to you of the scripture and the wisdom to instruct you with it (wa-maa anzala `alaykum mina al-kitaabi wal-hik’mati ya`izukum bihi). And you shall fear God and shall know that God is Knower of everything.
[2:285] The messenger has believed in what has been sent down to him from his Lord (aamana al-rasuulu bimaa unzila ilayhi min rabbihi) and (so have done) the believers. Everyone has believed in God, and His angels, and His scriptures, and His messengers: “We do not make distinction between anyone of His messengers.” And they said, “We have heard and we have obeyed. (We ask) Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the return.”
[3:3] He sent down to you (Muhammad) the scripture (Quran) with the truth confirming that which was before of it (Gospel), and He has sent down the Torah and the Gospel (wa-anzala al-tawraata wal-in’jeela).
[3:4] Before there was guidance (Torah and Gospel) for mankind, and He had sent down the statute book (wa-anzala al-fur’qaana). Indeed, those who have disbelieved in God’s revelations, for them there is a severe punishment. And God is Almighty, Possessor of retribution.
[3:7] He is the One who has sent down to you (Muhammad) the scripture (huwa alladhee anzala `alayka al-kitaaba); of it there are clarified verses – they are foundation of the scripture and others are analogies. So, as for those in their hearts there is perversity, then they follow what has made analogy of it seeking the discord and seeking its interpretation. None knows its interpretation except God, and those who are well founded in the knowledge – they say, “We have believed in it. All is from our Lord.” And none can take heed except possessors of the understanding.
[3:53] “Our Lord, we have believed in what You have sent down (rabbanaa aamannaa bimaa anzalta), and we have followed the messenger; so record us with the witnesses.”
[3:65] O people of the scripture, why do you argue about Abraham, while there has not been sent down the Torah and the Gospel except after him (wa-maa unzilati al-tawraatu wal-injeelu illaa min ba`dihi)? Do you not then use your intellect?
[3:72] And has been said a group of people of the scripture, “You shall believe in which has been sent down (aaminuu bi-alladhee unzila) to those who have believed at beginning of the day and shall disbelieve at its end so that they return.
[3:84] Say, “We have believed in God, and what has been sent down to us (wa-maa unzila `alaynaa), and what has been sent down to (wa-maa unzila `alaa) Abraham, and Ismail, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Patriarchs, and what has been given to Moses, and Jesus, and the prophets from their Lord. We do not make distinction between anyone of them, and we are Submitters to Him.”
[3:154] Then He has sent down upon you a security of slumber after the distress (thumma anzala `alaykum min ba`di al-ghami amanatan nu`aasan) overcoming a group of you, while a group certainly has been worried of them about themselves thinking of God other than the truth – a thought of the ignorance. They say, “Is there anything for us of the matter?” Say, “Indeed, the matter is all of it belongs to God.” They hide in themselves what they do not reveal to you. They say, “If it had been anything for us of the matter, we would not have been killed here.” Say, “If you had been in your houses, surely, it would have come out those who have been decreed the death upon them towards their places of death.” And that God may test what is in your breasts and that He may purge what is in your hearts. And God is Knower of what is in the breasts.
[3:199] And indeed, of the people of the scripture whoever believes in God, and what has been sent down to you (wa-maa unzila ilaykum) and what has been sent down to them (wa-maa unzila ilayhim) are humbles to God. They do not exchange of God’s revelations with a little price. Those – for them there is their reward with their Lord. Indeed, God is swift in the reckoning.
[4:60] Do you not see to those who claim that they have believed in what has sent down to you (Muhammad) (bi-maa unzila ilayka) and what has been sent down before yourself (wa-maa unzila min qablika), they wish to judge towards the false deities? And certainly, they have been commanded to reject of it. And the Satan wishes to mislead them far away astray.
[4:61] And when it has been said to them, “You shall come to what God has sent down and to the messenger (ta`aalaw ilaa maa anzala allahu wa-ilaa al-rasuuli),” you (Muhammad) have seen the hypocrites to turn away from you in aversion.
[4:105] Indeed, we have sent down to you (Muhammad) the scripture with the truth (innaa anzalnaa ilayka al-kitaaba bil-haqqi) that you judge between the people with what God shows you, and it would not be an advocacy for the betrayers.
[4:113] If it had not been God’s grace upon you (Muhammad) and His mercy, surely a group of them would have resolved to mislead you, while they do not mislead except themselves and they cannot harm you in anything. And God has sent down to you the scripture (wa-anzala allahu `alayka al-kitaaba) and the wisdom and has taught you what you do not know. And God’s grace upon you have been great.
[4:136] O you who have believed, you shall believe in God and His messenger, and the scripture which He has sent down to His messenger and the scripture which He has sent down before (wal-kitaabi alladhee anzala min qablu). And whoever disbelieves in God, and His angels, and His scriptures, and His messengers, and the Last Day, then certainly, he has strayed far away straying.
[4:162] But those who are well founded in the knowledge from them and the believers believe in what has been down to you (Muhammad) (bimaa unzila ilayka), and what has been sent down before yourself (wa-maa unzila min qablika), and the observers of the salat prayer, and the givers of the zakat, and the believers in God and the Last Day – those, we will give them a great reward.
[4:166] But God bears witness of what He has sent down to you (Muhammad) (laakini allahu yash’hadu bimaa anzala ilayka). He has sent down it with His knowledge and the angels bear witness (anzalahu bi-`ilmihi wal-malaaikatu yash’haduuna). And it has sufficed a Witness of God.
[4:174] O mankind, certainly there has come to you a proof from your Lord, and we have sent down to you a clear light (wa-anzalnaa ilaykum nuuran mubeenan).
42 instances of anzala in 35 verses in the Quran are reviewed, which confirm that God is a Witness of what He has sent down to Muhammad, while the angels are witnesses of what He has sent down with His knowledge. There comes a clear light for mankind with a proof from their Lord. He has sent down the scripture with the truth to judge disputes between the people. Those who conceal from the scripture purchase a little gain but eat fire in their bellies will have a painful punishment on a day of the Resurrection. When there had been to come to what God has sent down the hypocrites turned away in aversion. The scripture God has sent down to Muhammad is a confirmation of what He has sent down before it and a guidance and a statue book for mankind through which He has guided them so that they may appreciate Him.
The messengers to whom God has sent down the scripture with the truth to judge between the people are prophets raised up as bearers of good news and warners, while He has confirmed that there is no distinction between anyone of His messengers and the scripture being guidance, statute book and light is a means for mankind to appreciate Him and to resolve any disputes between them to be guided to a straight path, but the hypocrites turn away from it in aversion like that when the Quran was being recited to the people at the time of ignorance.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (06/30/2023).