Scholars have worked extensively on dating of the Quranic text in the context of social and political developments of its society. The gradual descent of the Quran and its close connection with the historical experience of the community affirms the historicist approach. In this sense concrete historical evidence bears testimony to the truth. The Quranic exegesis recognized this relationship and developed the science (ilm) of the location of the specific occasion of the revelation (asbaab al-nuzuul), i.e., historical mapping of the text within the career of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). At the same time the Quran is not determined by its historical demand only. The text and the context, both combined, expand scope for contemporary reflection, deliberation, and reasoning.

Different Traditions provide background of revelation of this Surah and throw light on various religious beliefs and concepts of people of that time and those who passed before them, about gods they worshipped.

When the Prophet (Peace be upon him) started preaching Tawhiid (Oneness of Allah), there was variety of strange concepts about God, prevailing in the world. The idolatrous polytheists were worshiping gods made of wood, stone, gold, silver and other substances. They carved out or sculptured their gods in form, figure, image, shape and body. Some of them were supposed to have descended from others. It was part of their belief that they had spouses, consorts, relations, feelings and physical needs like eating and drinking, which were satisfied by their votaries. They also believed that they could take human form and body; therefore they thought that these gods had some real descendants among people. Some of them believed that God took human form occasionally, and there were some human beings who descended from Him. Christians believed that the son and the holy ghost also had the honour of being associated with Godhead. They believed in Trinity, so did Jews, like many other ancient religions, although somewhat different in detail.

At that time, in the world, all forms of polytheism and atheism had completely obliterated the pure concept of Oneness of God, as the only Creator-Lord-Master-Almighty of all worlds-creation. Politically also, besides major divisions and colonization by Cisros and Caesars, the world was fragmented. People were worshiping not only created objects in cosmos and idols of all ideas, but they were also subjugated into submission and obedience to rabbis, priests, pandits, sages, saints, and pharaohs of authority and influence.

Polytheists of different religions believed in many relations, including son, mother and mother-in-law. Jews believed in physical, material and human qualities and characteristics of God; e.g., they believed that He took stroll, appeared in human form, wrestled with His servant, etc. Besides Christians, Jews and polytheists, there were other religions and concepts prevailing in the Arabian Peninsula, at that time, e.g., Zoroastrians worshipped fire, and Sabeans stars.

Ancient History of Trinity

Misconceptions and mis-practices, as cults and cultures, in fact, had origin in ignorance from ancient times:

"The Jews call Uzayr, a son of God, and the Christians call Christ, a son of God. That is a saying from their mouth. They but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the Truth.!" 9-30

It is not only in Christianity and Judaism, but as the Quran tells in above verse, and history shows, other old civilizations also, like Egyptian, assigned a son, each separately and differently, without any logic, proof, or evidence.

In Egyptian mythology, there is an Osirian Triad (Trinity of Osiris, Isis and Horus). Osiris was a mythical Egyptian human king, bringer of civilization, who was murdered by his brother Seth. It was believed that his dismembered body was reassembled by his wife, Isis, who then posthumously conceived their son, Horus. As Osiris' avenger, Horus fought Seth. Divine judges being in his favour, he became king of underworld, and a symbol of immortality. The cult gained popular support from the Middle Kingdom period onwards (1900 BCE). Similarly there are different concepts of trinity in Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, a distinct brand of trinity of three states of existence in Budhism, and so on.

Polytheists of Mecca Quizzed

Questions arise as to how many relations have been ascribed by all of them and why? On what basis? Have they any evidence or authority? The Quran raises fundamental questions from liars and admonishes them:

"Now ask them their opinion. Is it that your Lord has daughters, and they have sons?" (149) "Or that We (Allah) created the angels female, and they are witnesses? (150) "Is it not that they say, from their own invention." (151) "Allah has begotten children? But they are liars!" (152) "Did He choose daughters rather than sons?" (153) "What is the matter with you? How judge you?" (154) "Will you not then receive admonition?" (155) "Or have you an authority manifest?" (156) "Then bring you, your Book, if you be truthful!" (157) "And they have invented a blood relationship between Him and the jinns. But the jinns know that they have indeed to appear (before His Judgement)." (158) "Glory to Allah! from the things they ascribe (unto Him)" (159) 37-149 to 159

Ignorance Evident in Enquiries

People hearing the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) call to Only One Allah, raised questions as to what He was like, to Whose worship and service he was inviting. It was customary among Arabs to enquire about lineage and ancestry of a person. They put such questions to the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) also about lineage and Attributes of his Lord (Allah):

'Insib lanaa Rabbaka': 'Tell us lineage of your Lord.'

It was in response to such multiple queries that this Surah is reported to have been revealed. But, occasion of revelation has been variously described, as various queries were made by different people at different places and times, which have been reported by different Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). Therefore, there are different narrations about occasion and place of revelation of this Surah, i.e., whether it was revealed in Mecca or Madina. Some of such narrations are:

i. Quraysh said to the Prophet (Peace be upon him): 'Tell us ancestry of your Lord.' Thereupon this Surah was revealed. (Tabaraani)
ii. Some Traditions ascribe this question to some polytheists and others to some Bedouin.
iii. Some Jews came to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and said: 'O Muhammad (Peace be upon him) tell us of the Attributes of your Lord, Who has sent you as a Prophet.'
iv. Some Traditions however ascribe such queries, specifically to some Jews of Khaiber: 'O Abul Qasim, Allah created the angels from light, Adam from rotten clay, Ibliis from the flame of fire, the sky from smoke, and the earth from the foam of water. Now tell us about your Lord.' The Prophet (Peace be upon him) did not give any reply. Then this Surah was revealed to him, to reply.
v. Aamir bin At-Tufail said to the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him): "..Then, tell us of what He is made, whether of gold, silver, or iron?" Thereupon this Surah was sent down.
vi. Some Jewish Rabbis came before the Prophet (Peace be upon him), and said: "O Muhammad (Peace be upon him), tell us what is your Lord like, so that we may believe in you. Allah in the Torah has sent down His description. Kindly tell us of what He is made, what is His sex, whether He is made of gold, copper, brass, iron, or silver, and whether He eats and drinks. Also tell us from whom He has inherited the world, and who will inherit it after Him?" Thereupon Allah sent down this Surah.
vii. Similar questions were asked by Christian delegation from Najran.

Divine Description and human limitations

Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said that Allah is so Lofty and Sublime that His Attributes can not be fully defined. Muhammad Asad in "The Message of the Quran", p.985, explains limits of human imagination and explanation about God: "..The Quality of His Being is beyond the range of human comprehension or imagination: which also explains why any attempt at depicting God by means of figurative representations or even abstract symbols must be qualified as a blasphemous denial of the truth."
Therefore it has all along remained the basic theme of all revealed theology to disclose and describe to man, within his limitations of comprehension, the Attributes of God. It is important to note that the Quran uses the term "Asma-ul Husnaa" (Most Beautiful Best Names) for God: 7-180, 17-110, 20-8, 59-24. However, it is with reference to the description that Mushrikiin (polytheists) made while associating different gods, that the Quran uses the phrase "Ammaa-yasifuun": 'what they describe or attribute to God': 21-22, 37-180, 43-82, 6-100.
Wherever human element of editing has entered in Scripture (e.g. in Bible), not only description has been distorted but the very concept of His Oneness, Uniqueness, and Highness above all, has been obscured and corrupted. Sometimes even in explanation and interpretation, due to limitations of understanding and expression, true sense is not appropriately conveyed. It is the distinction of divine description, in its original Word in the Quran only, that it replies all queries with precision to the point, made easy to read and remember. It doesn't leave any room for ascription of physical and human qualities on one hand, and nullification of the very Transcendence, on the other.

Revelation and Response

It is reported that, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) did not reply, i.e., when these queries were raised first time. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) remained silent. However once this Surah was revealed, they were replied accordingly. This Surah rejects any iota of imagination or idea about plurality, multiplicity, mirroring, replication, duality, duplication or description of anything in likeness even as image or reflection of Essence, Attribute, Intention or Action of God. As questions of this nature were asked on different occasions, at Mecca and Madina, this Surah was recited in response, at these places and occasions.
S.A.A.Maududi has commented that: "This has also been described as repetition of revelation, the revelation of a verse or Surah several times."

It is noteworthy that different Traditions on the subject basically confirm same substance and report. S.A.A.Maududi, Abdullah Yusuf Ali and Muhammad Asad, among others, have opined that this Surah seems to have been revealed in the early part of the Meccan period. Anyway it is one of earlier Surahs.

Quoting Allama Jalaluddin Suyuuti, Karar Hussain, [Quran jo mutaa-li-o (Study of Quran), pp.66, 67], explains that Surah Ikhlaas was revealed after Surah Al- Kafiruun, and in between there were three Surah: Al-Fiil, Al-Falaq, and An-Naas. Therefore, it seems that questions must have been raised about the Essence and Nature of God, which have been completely answered in this Surah (Al-Ikhlaas). He has referred to a narration attributed to Imam Jaffar and Imam Musa Kazim (may Allah be pleased with them) that during Mairaj, Allah asked the Prophet (Peace be upon him) to recite 'Iqra' and the 'Qul Huwa Allahu' as an introduction to His Praise and Glory.

Abu Dawuud has reported from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah said: "People shall not cease to enquire till it will be asked: Allah made creation, but who created Allah? So when they will utter that, say: 'Allah is One, Allah is free from want; He neither begets nor was He begotten; and there is none like Him."