Al-W¥^idÏ's Asb¥b al-Nuz‰l - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies ...

Chapter 5: Surah al-Ma’idah
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
(O ye who believe! Profane not Allah’s monuments…) [5:2].
Said Ibn ‘Abbas: “This was revealed about al-Hutam whose full name is Sharih ibn Dubay‘ah al-Kindi.
This man went from al-Yamamah to Medina to see the Prophet, Allah bless him and his Household and
give him peace. When he arrived at Medina, he went in alone to speak with the Prophet, Allah bless him
and give him peace. He said: ‘What do you call people for’ he said: ‘To testify that there is no god but
Allah, to establish the prayer and to pay the poor due’. The man said: ‘This is good, except that I have
chiefs without whose consultation I cannot take any decision. It may be that I embrace Islam and bring
them with me’. And then he left. Before this, the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, had said to
his Companions: ‘A man will enter in on you and will speak with the tongue of the devil’. When the man
left, the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: ‘He has come in with a disbeliever’s
countenance and retreated with the steps of a treacherous one. The man is no Muslim’. The man passed
by the camels of Medina which graze freely and led them away with him. People went after him but could
not find him. When the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace went to perform the
pilgrimage in the year of Hudaybiyyah, 1 he heard the chanting “Labbayk” 2 from the pilgrims of al-Yamamah.
He said to his Companions: ‘Here is al-Hutam and his followers!’ This man had put garlands on
the camels he stole from Medina and offered them to the Ka‘bah. When the Muslims wanted to get him,
Allah, exalted is He, revealed (O ye who believe! Profane not Allah’s monuments…), by monuments here is
meant that which is offered for Allah, even if those who offer it profess a religion other than Islam”. 3
Said Zayd ibn Aslam: “The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and his Household and give him peace,
and his Companions were in Hudaybiyyah when the idolaters barred them from entering the Sacred
House. The Muslims were devastated. Then, a group of idolaters passed by them, they were in their way
to perform the lesser pilgrimage. Some of the Companions of the Messenger, Allah bless him and give
him peace, said: ‘Let us bar these people as their friends have barred us. And so Allah, exalted is He,
revealed (O ye who believe! Profane not Allah’s monuments nor the Sacred Month nor the offerings nor the
garlands, nor those repairing to the Sacred House)’, i.e. do not transgress against these pilgrims because
their friends have barred you from entering the Sacred House”. 4
(This day have I perfected your religion for you…) [5:3].
This verse was revealed on Friday, on the Day of ‘Arafah, at the farewell pilgrimage, after ‘Asr prayer in
the tenth year of the Hijrah while the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, was present in ‘Arafat
on the back of his camel al-‘Adba’.
‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Hamdan al-‘Adl informed us> Ahmad ibn Ja‘far al-Qati‘i> ‘Abd Allah ibn Ahmad>
his father> Ja‘far ibn ‘Awn> Abu ‘Umays> Qays ibn Muslim> Tariq ibn Shihab who said: “A Jewish man
went to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be well pleased with him, and said: ‘O leader of the believers,
you recite one verse in your Scripture which, if it had been revealed to us, we would have taken the day
in which it was revealed as a day of celebration’. ‘Which verse is this’ asked ‘Umar. He said: ‘It is (This day
have I perfeced your religion for you and completed My favour unto you…)’. ‘Umar said: ‘By Allah, I know
1
Ibn Hisham, Sirah, :196-202.
2
The wording of the chanting of Talbiyah is as follows: Ever at Your service, O Allah, ever at Your service. Ever at Your service, You
have no partner, ever at Your service. Verily all praise, blessings and dominion are Yours. You have no partner.
3
Durr, :9-10; Tabari, :58-59; Qurtubi, :43.
4
Durr, :9.