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

Asbab al-Nuzul
(will know that), lo! the party of Allah, they are the vicorious)” [5:56]. 20
(O Ye who believe! Choose not for guardians such of those who received the Scripture before you,
and of the disbelievers, as make a jest and sport of your religion) [5:57].
Said Ibn ‘Abbas: “Rifa‘ah ibn Zayd and Suwayd ibn al-Harith were among those who displayed their faith
in Islam but were hypocrites. Some Muslim men used to show affection to them, and so Allah, exalted
is He, revealed this verse”. 21
(And when ye call to prayer they take it for a jest and sport…) [5:58].
Said al-Kalbi: “When the caller to prayer, appointed by the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give
him peace, called to prayer, the Muslims stood up to perform it. Seeing this, the Jews used to comment:
‘they stood up, may they never stand up! They prayed, may they never pray! They bowed down, may
they never bow down!’ They used to say this to mock the Muslims and make fun of them. And so Allah,
exalted is He, revealed this verse”.
Said al-Sudd: “This was revealed about a man from the helpers of Medina. Whenever he heard the caller
to prayer say, ‘I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah’, he would say: ‘May the liar be
burnt!’ One night, the servant of this man entered his house and brought some fire with him, while this
man and his family were sleeping. A spark from this fire caused the whole house to burn down with the
man and his family in it”. 22
Other commentators said: “When the disbelievers heard the call to prayer, they resentfully envied the
Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, and the Muslims for it. They said: ‘O Muhammad,
you have innovated something that we have never heard of amongst bygone nations. If you claim
prophethood, then you have gone against the prophets who came before you with this matter that you
have innovated. Had there been any good in this matter, the prophets and messengers before you would
have had a better right to it. So from where did you get this cry which resembles the cry of camels What
an ugly sound and what a revolting disbelief!’ And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse (And who
is better in speech than him who prayeth unto his Lord and doeth right, and saith: Lo! I am of those who
surrender (unto Him)) [41:33]”.
(Say: O People of the Scripture! Do ye blame us for aught else than that we believe in Allah and
that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed aforetime, and because most of you
are evil-livers) [5:59].
Said Ibn ‘Abbas: “A group of Jews went to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace,
and asked him about the messengers he believed in. He replied: ‘I believe (… in Allah and that which
is revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and
the tribes, and that which Moses and Jesus received, and that which the Prophets received from their Lord.
We make no distincion between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered) [2:136]’. But when he
mentioned Jesus, they rejected his prophethood and said: ‘By Allah, we know of no adherents of any
religion who are less lucky in this world and the next than you; nor do we know of any other religion
which is more evil than yours. Allah, exalted is He, then revealed (Say: O People of the Scripture! Do ye
blame us for aught else than that we believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto us) up to His words
(and because most of you are evil-livers)’ ”.
20
Durr, :105-106.
21
Tabari, :290; Durr, :107.
22
Durr, :107-108; Tabari, :291.
96