Al-W¥^idÏ's Asb¥b al-Nuz‰l - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies ...
Al-W¥^idÏ's Asb¥b al-Nuz‰l - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies ...
Al-W¥^idÏ's Asb¥b al-Nuz‰l - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies ...
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Chapter 4: Surah <strong>al</strong>-Nisa’<br />
so he wrote the verse, (Lo! As for those whom the angels take (in death) while they wrong themselves…)<br />
[4:97]. When the Muslims read it, Habib ibn Damrah <strong>al</strong>-Laythi, who was an old man, said to his sons:<br />
‘I am not one of the oppressed so take me, for I would not be able to find the way on my own’. His sons<br />
transported him on an elevated seat and headed toward Medina. When he got to <strong>al</strong>-Tan‘im, death descended<br />
on him. He clapped his right hand on his left and said: ‘O <strong>Al</strong>lah, this is for you and this is for<br />
your Messenger. I pledge <strong>al</strong>legiance to you regarding that which I pledge <strong>al</strong>legiance to your Messenger,<br />
<strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give him peace’, and he died an easy death. When his news reached the Companions<br />
of the Messenger, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give him peace, they said: ‘His reward would have been more<br />
complete had he reached Medina’, and so <strong>Al</strong>lah, ex<strong>al</strong>ted is He, reve<strong>al</strong>ed this verse”. 55<br />
Abu Hassan <strong>al</strong>-Muzani informed us> Harun ibn Muhammad ibn Harun> Ishaq ibn Muhammad <strong>al</strong>-<br />
Khuza‘i> Abu’l-W<strong>al</strong>id <strong>al</strong>-Azraqi> his grandfather> Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah> ‘Amr ibn Dinar> ‘Ikrimah<br />
who said: “<strong>The</strong>re were some people in Mecca who were convinced in Islam but could not migrate. When<br />
the Battle of Badr happened, they were forced to take part in it and were killed fighting with the idolaters,<br />
and so <strong>Al</strong>lah, ex<strong>al</strong>ted is He, reve<strong>al</strong>ed (Lo! As for those whom the angels take (in death) while they wrong<br />
themselves) up to His words (As for such, it may be that <strong>Al</strong>lah will pardon them…) [4:99]. Those in Medina<br />
wrote to those Muslims in Mecca, informing them of this. A man from Banu Bakr, who was sick,<br />
said: ‘Take me to <strong>al</strong>-Rawha’ ’, and they took him there. He left with the intention of going to Medina. But<br />
when he reached <strong>al</strong>-Hashas he died, and so <strong>Al</strong>lah, ex<strong>al</strong>ted is He, reve<strong>al</strong>ed (… and whoso forsaketh his<br />
home, a fugitive unto <strong>Al</strong>lah and His messenger…)”. 56<br />
(And when thou (O Muhammad) art among them and arrangest (their) worship for them…) [4:102].<br />
<strong>The</strong> teacher Abu ‘Uthman <strong>al</strong>-Za‘farani <strong>al</strong>-Muqri’ informed us in the year [4]25> Abu Muhammad ‘Abd<br />
<strong>Al</strong>lah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘<strong>Al</strong>i ibn Ziyad <strong>al</strong>-Suddi in the year 363> Abu Sa‘id <strong>al</strong>-Fadl ibn Muhammad<br />
<strong>al</strong>-Jazari in the Sacred Mosque, Mecca, in 304> ‘<strong>Al</strong>i ibn Ziyad <strong>al</strong>-Lahji> Abu Qurrah Musa ibn Tariq><br />
Sufyan> Mansur> Mujahid> Abu ‘Ayyash <strong>al</strong>-Zurraqi who said: “We performed the prayer of Zuhr with<br />
the Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give him peace, upon which the idolaters exclaimed: ‘<strong>The</strong>y<br />
were in a vulnerable situation, why did we not attack them by surprise’ <strong>The</strong>n they said: ‘<strong>The</strong>re sh<strong>al</strong>l<br />
come another prayer which is more beloved to them than their own fathers, which is the midafternoon<br />
(‘Asr) prayer’. Gabriel, peace be upon him, then came down with these verses between the Zuhr and the<br />
‘Asr prayers. (And when thou (O Muhammad) art among them and arrangest (their) worship for them)<br />
in ‘Usfan, while the idolaters were led by Kh<strong>al</strong>id ibn <strong>al</strong>-W<strong>al</strong>id; they were between us and the qiblah, and<br />
then He mentioned the prayer of fear”. 57<br />
‘Abd <strong>al</strong>-Rahman ibn ‘Abdan informed us> Muhammad ibn ‘Abd <strong>Al</strong>lah ibn Muhammad <strong>al</strong>-Dabbi> Muhammad<br />
ibn Ya‘qub> Ahmad ibn ‘Abd <strong>al</strong>-Jabbar> Yunus ibn Bukayr> <strong>al</strong>-Nadr Abu ‘Umar> ‘Ikrimah><br />
Ibn ‘Abbas who said: “<strong>The</strong> Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give him peace, went out and met<br />
the idolaters in ‘Usfan. When he performed the Zuhr prayer, and the idolaters saw him bowing and<br />
prostrating, they said to each other: ‘This was a missed opportunity for you. If you had raided them then,<br />
they would not have felt you coming until you had effectively attacked them’. One of them said: ‘<strong>The</strong>y<br />
have another prayer which is more beloved to them than their wives and we<strong>al</strong>th, so get ready to raid<br />
them when they are performing it’. <strong>Al</strong>lah, glorious and majestic is He, then reve<strong>al</strong>ed to His Prophet, (And<br />
when thou (O Muhammad) art among them and arrangest (their) worship for them) up to the end of the<br />
verse, and informed him about the plot of the idolaters and mentioned therein the prayer of fear”. 58<br />
(Lo! We reve<strong>al</strong> unto thee the Scripture with the truth, that thou mayst judge between mankind by<br />
55<br />
Cf. Qurtubi, :348.<br />
56<br />
Durr, :650.<br />
57<br />
Durr, :664-665; Tabari, :257-258. <strong>The</strong> prayer of fear, or peril, is performed when the Muslims are engaged in permissible fighting.<br />
On how this prayer is performed, see: <strong>The</strong> Reliance of the Traveller, op. cit., pp. 197-199.<br />
58<br />
Tabari, :256-257; Durr, :665.<br />
85
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