According to a tradition related by Aisha, and recorded in the writings of Bukhari, when the Quranic revelations began, the first verses to be communicated were those which mentioned hell and heaven. It was not until fifteen years later, when people’s hearts had softened, that specific commands to desist from adultery and drinking were revealed in the Quran. Aisha makes the point that if these commands had been revealed in the beginning, the Arabs would have stoutly refused to give up either adultery or drinking.

This shows that the Islamic Shariah was built up on the principle of gradualism. People’s hearts had first of all to be touched, then their willingness to conform had to become apparent, and only then were the pronouncements of the Shariah to be put into practice.

Implementing the Shariah does not mean using the whip or the gun. No good will ever come of such an imposition particularly on an unprepared society, and will certainly not be in keeping with the methods favoured by the Prophet. No success can ever, in fact, be achieved by flouting his words of wisdom.

Source: The True Face of Islam