Those who said this did not mean that the verse’s ruling applied exclusively to those particular individuals and no one else, for no Muslim or rational person would say such a thing. Although scholars have disputed whether general wording revealed on a particular occasion is restricted to that occasion, no Muslim scholar has held that the general statements of the Quran and Sunnah apply exclusively to the particular individual concerned. The most that is argued is that they are restricted to the category to which that individual belongs, thus encompassing others like him, rather than having the full general scope of their wording.

If a verse revealed on a particular occasion contains a command or prohibition, it applies both to that individual and to others in the same position. Likewise, if it contains a statement of praise or blame, it encompasses both that individual and others in the same position.

Knowing the “occasion of revelation” helps one understand the verse, for knowledge of the cause leads to knowledge of its effect. Hence, the sounder of the two juristic opinions is that, when an oath-taker’s intention is unknown, one refers to the reason for his oath and what prompted and provoked it. Their statement, “This verse was revealed concerning such-and-such,” sometimes means that this was the occasion of its revelation, and sometimes means that it falls within the verse’s scope, even if it was not the occasion of revelation—just as one might say, “This verse refers to such-and-such.”