Multiple reports of asbab al-nuzul and the problem of repeated revelation

Some verses and chapters of the Qur'an have been reported to have multiple "occasions of revelation," or asbab al-nuzul, instead of one. Scholars of Qur'anic exegesis (tafsir) and methodology (usul) have developed a set of criteria to be able to discern the most accurate occasion from among others. When they were unable to prefer any of the occasions over others, they argued that the verse or chapter in question was revealed more than once. There are yet other scholars who disagree with this repeated revelation (tekrar al-nuzul) argument and claim that one of the occasions should be preferred. This work lays down forms of asbab al-nuzul reports and identifies reports that refer to tafsir and those that refer to occasions. Problems and contradictions that arise while implementing the methods developed to reconcile conflicting reports are visited. This is followed by an analysis of reports and comments on the verses and chapters that are argued to have been revealed more than once. Keywords: asbab al-nuzul, forms of reports, multiple reports, repeated revelation,combination (jam'), preference