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

Chapter 6: Surah al-An‘am
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
(Had we sent down unto thee (Muhammad) (actual) writing upon parchment…) [6:7].
Said al-Kalbi: “The idolaters of Mecca said: ‘O Muhammad, by Allah we will not believe until you bring
us a book from Allah along with four angels with it, bearing witness that it is from Allah and that you are
His messenger’, and so this verse was revealed”. 1
(Unto Him belongeth whatsoever resteth in the night and the day…) [6:13].
Reporting from Ibn ‘Abbas, al-Kalbi said: “The disbelievers of Mecca went to the Messenger of Allah, Allah
bless him and give him peace and said to him: ‘O Muhammad, we know that it is need that drives you
to that which you are inviting us. We will therefore give you part of our wealth so that you become the
richest man amongst us, on condition that you abandon this matter’. And then this verse was revealed”.
((O Muhammad): What thing is of most weight in testimony) [6:19].
Said al-Kalbi: “The chiefs of Mecca said: ‘O Muhammad, we see that no one believes in what you say concerning
the matter of messengership. We have asked the Jews and Christians about you and they claim
that there is no description or mention of you in their Scriptures. So show us someone who will testify
that you are a messenger, as you claim’. As a response, Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse”.
(Of them are some who listen unto thee…) [6:25].
Abu Salih reported that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah, al-Nadr ibn
al-Harith, ‘Utbah and Shaybah the sons of Rabi‘ah and Umayyah and Ubayy the sons of Khalaf listened
to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, [reciting the Qur’an], and so they asked
al-Nadr: ‘O Abu Qutaylah, what does Muhammad say’ He said: ‘By Him who has made it [the Ka‘bah ]
His House, I do not know what he is saying, except that I see his lips moving, muttering something. But
what he says is nothing but the fables of the people of old, like the stories I used to relate to you regarding
bygone nations’. Al-Nadr used to talk abundantly about bygone nations. He used to relate this to the
Quraysh who listened to what he had to say. Then, Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse”.
(And they forbid (men) from it and avoid it…) [6:26].
‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Abdan informed us> Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Nu‘aym> ‘Ali ibn Hamshadh>
Muhammad ibn Mandah al-Asfahani> Bakr ibn Bakkar> Hamzah ibn Habib> Habib ibn Thabit> Sa‘id
ibn Jubayr> Ibn ‘Abbas who said, regarding Allah’s word (And they forbid (men) from it and avoid it…):
“It was revealed about Abu Talib who used to warn the idolaters against harming the Messenger of Allah,
Allah bless him and give him peace, but, at the same time, kept away from that which was revealed to
him”. 2 This was also the opinion of ‘Ata’ ibn Dinar and al-Qasim ibn Mukhaymarah.
1
Cf. Qurtubi, :393.
2
Durr, :260; Tabari, :173; Qurtubi, :405.