The Significance of Content and Style and in Determining Meccan-Medinan Sūrahs: The Case of Sūrah al-Insān

The Quran is a Bayānī intervention of the divine which will be revealed to the Prophet Mohammad (Pbuh) within a certain time range. This intervention, completed in 23 years, was formed by using text-phenomena dialectics. Without a doubt, the Hegira from Mecca to Medina is one of the key factors that has affected the formation of the Quran, for a significant shift emerged from this, which, in turn, altered the overall style and content of the Quran. Several criterion, like tradition, analogy, or Ijtihad, have been used in the classification of Sūrahs in the Quran as coming from Mecca and Medina. Tradition relies solely on transmission whereas analogy and Ijtihad refer to a judgement that is based on content and style. In this sense, Al-Insan has been considered as coming from Medina in some traditions and from Mecca in others. This study aims to examine this era through paying attention to the Quran’s style and content by analyzing contradictory traditions.