1 The Virtues of Surah Al-Ma'idah; When It was Revealed Surah to ...

فَأَثَابَهُمُ‏ الل َّهُ‏ بِمَا قَالُواْ‏ جَن َّتٍ‏ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الا ٌّنْهَ ‏ُر
خَلِدِینَ‏ فِيهَا وَذَلِكَ‏ جَزَآءُ‏ الْمُحْسِنِينَ‏
5:85 So because of what they said, Allah awarded
them with Gardens under which rivers flow, they
will abide therein forever. Such is the reward of
good-doers.
وَال َّذِینَ‏ آَفَرُواْ‏ وَآَذ َّبُواْ‏ بَِایَتِنَآ أُوْلَئِكَ‏ أَصْحَبُ‏ الْجَحِيمِ‏
5:86 But those who disbelieved and belied Our Ayat,
they shall be the dwellers of Hell.
The Reason Behind Revealing these Ayat
Sa`id bin Jubayr, As-Suddi and others said that;
these Ayat were revealed concerning a delegation that
An-Najashi (King of Ethiopia) sent to the Prophet in
order to hear his words and observe his qualities.
When the delegation met with the Prophet and he recited
the Qur'an to them, they embraced Islam, cried and
were humbled. Then they returned to An-Najashi and
told him what happened.
Ata bin Abi Rabah commented,
"They were Ethiopians who embraced Islam when the
Muslims who migrated to Ethiopia resided among them.''
Qatadah said,
"They were some followers of the religion of `Isa, son of
Maryam, who when they saw Muslims and heard the
Qur'an, they became Muslims without hesitation.''
Ibn Jarir said that;
these Ayat were revealed concerning some people who
fit this description, whether they were from Ethiopia or
otherwise.
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