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
Out of 183, 43 instances of anzala in 35 verses across 3 surahs are already reviewed, and 46 instances of anzala in 36 verses across 5 surahs in the Quran are detailed out here:
[5:44] Indeed, we have sent down the Torah (innaa anzalnaa al-tawraata); there was guidance and light in it. The prophets those who had submitted (to God) judged with it those who had been Jews, and the rabbis and the scholars with what they had been entrusted of God’s scripture, and they had been witnesses on it. So, you do not fear the people and shall fear Me and do not sell My revelations for a little price. And whoever does not judge with what God has sent down, then those – they are the disbelievers (wa-man lam yahkum bimaa anzala allahu fa-ulaaika humu al-kaafireena).
[5:45] And we have decreed upon them in it that the life for the life, and the eye for the eye, and the nose for the nose, and the ear for the ear, and the tooth for the tooth, and the injuries in retaliation. But whoever has given as charity with it, then it is an expiation for him. And whoever does not judge with what God has sent down, then those – they are the wrongdoers (wa-man lam yahkum bimaa anzala allahu fa-ulaaika humu al-zaalimeena).
[5:47] And let judge a people of the Gospel with what God has sent down in it (wal-yahkum ahlu al-injeeli bimaa anzala allahu feehi). And whoever does not judge with what God has sent down, then those – they are the disobedient (wa-man lam yahkum bimaa anzala allahu fa-ulaaika humu al-faasiquuna).
[5:48] And we have sent down to you (Muhammad) the scripture with the truth (wa-anzalnaa ilayka al-kitaaba bil-haqqi) confirming that which was before of it of the scripture and consolidating of it. So, you shall judge between themselves with what God has sent down (fa-uh’kum baynahum bimaa anzala allaha), and do not follow their desires other than what has come to you of the truth. For each of you, we have made for you law and way. And if God had willed, He would have made you one community, but to test you in what He has given you. So, you shall race to the good. To God is all your return, then He will inform you of what you have done to differ in it.
[5:49] And that you (Muhammad) shall judge between themselves with what God has sent down (wa-an uh’kum baynahum bimaa anzala allahu) and do not follow their desires, and shall beware that they can divert you from after what God has sent down to you. So if they have turned away, then you shall know that God only intends to afflict them with their sins. And indeed, many of the people are disobedient.
[5:59] Say, “O people of the scripture, do you grudge from us except that we have believed in God, and what has been sent down to us (wa-maa unzila ilaynaa) and what has been sent down before (wa-maa unzila min qablu), and that most of you are disobedient?”
[5:64] The Jews said, “God’s hand is a tied up.” It has been tied up their hands, and they have been cursed for what they have said. His hands are stretched out to spend how He wills. And surely, it increases to many of them what has been sent down to you (Muhammad) from your Lord (wal-yazeedanna katheeran min’hum maa unzila ilayka min rabbika) rebellion and disbelief, while we have cast the enmity and the hatred between themselves until a Day of the Resurrection. Every time they had kindled a fire of the war, God has extinguished, and they strive in spreading corruption in the earth, and God does not love the corrupters.
[5:66] And if that they (Jews and Christians) had upheld the Torah and the Gospel, and what has been sent down to them from their Lord (wa-maa unzila ilayhim min rabbihim), surely, they would have eaten from their above and from beneath their feet. Of them there is a community of moderate ones, while many of them have been evil what they do.
[5:67] O you messenger, you shall convey what has been sent down to you from your Lord (yaa-ay’yuhaa al-rasuulu balligh maa unzila ilayka min rabbika), and if you do not do, then you have not conveyed His message. And God will protect you from the people. Indeed, God does not guide the people who are the disbelievers.
[5:68] Say, “O people of the scripture, you have not on anything until you uphold the Torah and the Gospel, and what has been sent down to you from your Lord (wa-maa unzila ilaykum min rabbikum).” And surely, it increases many of them what has been sent down to you (Muhammad) from your Lord (wal-yazeedanna katheeran min’hum maa unzila ilayka min rabbika) rebellion and disbelief. So, do not grieve upon the people who are disbelievers.
[5:81] If they had done to believe in God, and the prophet and what has been sent down to him (prophet) (wal-nabiyi wa-maa unzila ilayhi), they would not have taken them as allies, but many of them are disobedient.
[5:83] And when they listened to what has been sent down to the messenger (wa-idhaa sami`uu maa unzila ilaa al-rasuuli), you see overflowing of their eyes with tears of what they had recognized of the truth. They say, “Our Lord, we have believed, so record us with the witnesses.
[5:104] And when it has been said to them, “Come to what God has sent down (ta`aalaw ilaa maa anzala allahu) and to the messenger,” they said, “It is sufficient for us what we have found our forefathers upon it.” What about if their forefathers had been not to know anything and they were not guided?
[5:114] Jesus, son of Mary said, “O God, our Lord, send down to us a feast from the heaven to be a festival for us (anzil `alaynaa maaidatan mina al-samaai takuunu lanaa `eedan) for first of us and last of us and a sign from You. And provide us and You are the best Provider.”
[6:8] And they said, “Why has not been sent down an angel to him (prophet) (lawlaa unzila `alayka malakun?” And if we had sent down an angel (wa-law anzalnaa malakan), surely, the matter would have been decided, then they would not be granted respite.
[6:91] And they have not appraised God truth of His appraisal when they said, “God has not sent down anything to a human being (maa-anzala allahu `alaa basharin min shayin).” Say, “Who has sent down the scripture (man anzala al-kitaaba), which had brought down light and guidance in it to Moses for the people?” You make it parchments to proclaim it and to conceal much. And you have been taught what you did not know, nor your forefathers. Say, “God.” Then leave them in their thought to play.
[6:92] And this scripture we have sent down it is a blessed one (wa-haadhaa kitaabun anzalnaahu mubaarakun) confirming which was before of it that you (prophet) may warn a mother of the cities and whatever around it. And those who believe in the Hereafter will believe in it and they will guard on their salat prayers.
[6:93] And who is more evil than whoever has invented a lie about God, or said, “It has been inspired to me”, while it was not inspired anything to him, and whoever said, “I will bring down (sa-unzilu) like what God has sent down (mith’la maa-anzala allahu).” And if you could see when the wrongdoers are in agonies of the death, while the angels are stretching out their hands, “Discharge your souls, today, you will be recompensed with the humiliating punishment for what you have done to say about God other than the truth and you have done to be arrogant away from His revelations.
[6:99] And He is the One who has sent down water from the sky (wa-huwa alladhee anzala mina al-samaai maa-an), then we have brought forth plants of every kind with it, then we have brought forth green plant from it, we bring forth from it grain – a thick clustered, and from the date-palm of its spathe clusters of dates being hanging low, and gardens of grapes, and the olives, and the pomegranates being similar and not being similar. Look at its fruits when it has borne and its ripening. Indeed, in that there are signs for a people to believe.
[6:114] Is there then other than God should I seek as judge, while He is the One who has sent down to you the scripture is a detailed one (wa-huwa alladhee anzala ilaykumu al-kitaaba mufassalan)? And those whom we have given them the scripture know that it is a sent down from your Lord with the truth. So, do not be with the doubtful ones.
[6:155] And this scripture we have sent down it is a blessed one (wa-haadhaa kitaabun anzalnaahu mubaarakun). So you shall follow it and shall fear (God) that you may be given mercy.
[6:156] That you say, “The scripture has only been sent down to two groups before ourselves (innamaa unzila al-kitaabu `alaa taaifatayni min qablinaa), and indeed, we have been surely unaware about their study.”
[6:157] Or you say, “If that the scripture has been sent down to us (law annaa unzila `alaynaa al-kitaabu), surely, we would have been better in guidance than them.” So certainly, a clear proof has come to you from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy. So who is more evil than whoever has denied in God’s revelations and has turned away from them? We will recompense those who turns away from our revelations with an evil punishment for what they have done to turn away.
[7:2] A scripture has been sent down to you (prophet) (kitaabun unzila ilayka). So, there would not be any discomfort in your breast from it that you may warn with it, and is a reminder for the believers.
[7:3] You shall follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord (ittabi`uu maa unzila ilaykum min rabbikum); and you do not follow any protectors other than Him. Little is what you take heed.
[7:26] O Children of Adam, certainly, we have sent down garment to you to cover your shames and adornment (qad anzalnaa `alaykum libaasan yuwaaree sawaatikum wa-reeshan). But a garment of righteousness, that is best. That is of God’s signs so that they may take heed.
[7:57] And He is the One who sends the winds as good news before His mercy until when has gathered heavy clouds, we have driven them to a dead land, then we have sent down the water with it (fa-anzalnaa bihi al-maa-a), then we have brought forth all of the fruits. Thus that we will bring forth the dead so that you may take heed.
[7:157] Those who follow the messenger, the gentile prophet, whom they find him (prophet) written in the Torah and the Gospel with themselves. He (prophet) enjoins them with the right and forbids them from the wrong, and makes lawful for them the good things and makes unlawful for them the bad things, and relieves their burdens from them and the shackles which have been upon them. So, those who have believed in him (prophet), and have honored him, and have helped him, and have followed the light which has been sent down with him (wa-ittaba`uu al-nuura alladhee unzila ma`ahu), those – they are the successful ones.”
[7:160] And we had divided them into twelve tribes of communities, and we inspired to Moses when his people had asked him for water that: “Strike the rock with your staff.” Then twelve springs had gushed forth from it. Certainly, all communities had known of their drinking water. And we had shaded upon them the clouds and had sent down upon them the manna and the quail (wa-anzalnaa `alayhimu al-mana wal-salwaa): “Eat from good things which we have provided you.” They had not wronged to us, but they had done to wrong to themselves.
[8:41] And you shall know that what you have obtained war spoils of anything, then that one-fifth of it is for God, and for the messenger, and for the near relatives, and the orphans, and the poor, and the traveling alien, if you have believed in God and what we have sent down to our servant (wa-maa anzalnaa `alaa `abdinaa) a day of the decision on a day the two armies have met. And God has power over everything.
[9:26] Then God has sent down tranquility upon His messenger and upon the believers (thumma anzala allahu sakeenatahu `alaa rasuulihi wa-`alaa al-mu’mineena). And He has sent down soldiers you do not see them (wa-anzala junuudan lam tarawhaa), and has punished those who have disbelieved. And that is a reward of the disbelievers.
[9:40] If you do not help him (prophet), then certainly God has helped him. When those who had disbelieved had driven out him, the second of the two when they both were in the cave, then he said to his companion, “Do not grieve; indeed, God is with us.” Then God had sent down His tranquility upon him (fa-anzala allahu sakeenatahu `alayhi) and had supported him with soldiers you did not see them, and had made a word of those who had disbelieved the lowest and a word of God, which is the highest. And God is Almighty, Wise.
[9:86] And when a surah has been sent down that (wa-idhaa unzilat suuratun an) you shall believe in God and shall strive with His messenger, the rich people from them have asked your permission and said, “Leave us to be with those who stay home.”
[9:97] The Arabs are hardened in disbelief and hypocrisy, and most likely that they do not know limits what God has sent down to His messenger (maa anzala allahu `alaa rasuulihi). And God is Knower, Wise.
[9:124] And when what has been sent down a surah (wa-idhaa maa unzilat suuratun), then from them anyone may say, “Which of you has increased faith of this?” As for those who have believed, then it has increased them in faith and they rejoice.
[9:127] And when what has been sent down a surah (wa-idhaa maa unzilat suuratun), has looked at one of them to other, “Does anyone see you?” Then they have turned away. God has turned away their hearts because of that they are a people not to understand.
Details from 46 instances of anzala in 36 verses across 5 surahs in the Quran confirm that it is a God’s system from the past to send down scripture with guidance and light letting us know that if the messenger has not conveyed what has been sent down to him from his Lord, he has not done anything. God has ordered the believers to follow what has been sent down to them and has sent down the scripture to the prophet to judge between people and those who do not judge with a sent down, they are disbelievers, wrongdoers and disobedient, while those who have followed the light sent down to the prophet confirming and consolidating what has been sent down before it, they are the successful ones. Thus, God has established the truth that we should not seek other than Him as judge, while He has sent down the scripture explained in details with the truth and limits, while He has warned that those who do not uphold the scripture He has sent down, they are not on anything. But it is unfortunate that many people cannot reflect to that turning themselves towards disbelief and hypocrisy due to hardening of their hearts, but still expecting that they will be successful when they meet God.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (07/07/2023).