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

Chapter 9: Surah al-Tawbah
(And if they break their pledges after their treaty (hath been made with you) and assail your religion,
then fight the heads of disbelief…) [9:12].
Said Ibn ‘Abbas: “This verse was revealed about Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, al-Harith ibn Hisham, Suhayl ibn
‘Amr, ‘Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl and all the chiefs of Quraysh who broke their pledges, and these are the ones
who planned to expel the Messenger of Allah”. 1
(It is not for the idolaters to tend Allah’s sanctuaries…) [9:17].
The commentators of the Qur’an said: “When al-‘Abbas [ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib] was taken prisoner on the
Day of Badr, the Muslims went over to him and insulted him for his unbelief as well as for severing his
ties of kinship, and ‘Ali [ibn Abi Talib] addressed him in a harsh way. Al-‘Abbas answered them: ‘How is it
that you mention our evil deeds but you do not mention our good deeds’ ‘Ali retorted: ‘Do you have any
good deeds’ He replied: ‘Yes, we tend to the Sacred Mosque, serve as gatekeepers of the Ka‘bah, provide
water for the pilgrims, and relieve the afflicted’. Allah, glorious and majestic is He, revealed as an answer
to al-‘Abbas (It is not for the idolaters to tend Allah’s sancuaries)”. 2
(Count ye the slaking of a pilgrim’s thirst and tendance of the Inviolable Place of Worship as (equal
to the worth of) him who believeth in Allah) [9:19].
Abu Ishaq al-Tha‘alibi, may Allah have mercy on him, informed us> ‘Abd Allah ibn Hamid al-Wazzan>
Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ja‘far> ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Munadi> Abu Dawud Sulayman ibn al-Ash‘ath>
Abu Tubah al-Rabi‘ ibn Nafi‘ al-Halabi> Mu‘awiyah ibn Salam> Zayd ibn Salam> Abu Salam> al-Nu‘man
ibn Bashir who said: “I was sitting close to the pulpit of the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give
him peace, when a man said: ‘I do not care if I ever do any other good works after I quench the thirst
of the pilgrims’, another man said: ‘I do not care if I ever do any other work after tending to the Sacred
Mosque’, and a third man said: ‘Jihad in the way of Allah is much better than what you have mentioned’.
‘Umar ibn al-Khattab rebuked them, saying: ‘Do not raise your voices so close to the pulpit of the Messenger
of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, (this happened to be a Friday). But what I will do
is that, after performing my prayer, I will go in and ask the verdict of the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless
him and give him peace, concerning that about which you have differed’. He did, and then Allah, exalted
is He, revealed (Count ye the slaking of a pilgrim’s thirst and tendance of the Inviolable Place of Worship)
up to His words (Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk…)”. 3 This was narrated by Muslim from al-Hasan ibn
‘Ali al-Halwani from Abu Tubah.
Said Ibn ‘Abbas, according to the report of al-Walib: “When he was taken prisoner on the Day of Badr,
al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib said: ‘If you have precedence over us through Islam, migration and Jihad,
we also used to tend to the Sacred Mosque, quench the thirst of the pilgrims and relieve the afflicted’.
Allah, exalted is He, revealed therefore (Count ye the slaking of a pilgrim’s thirst and tendance of the Inviolable
Place of Worship…)”. 4
Al-Hasan, al-Sha‘bi and al-Qurazi said: “This verse was revealed about ‘Ali, al-‘Abbas and Talhah ibn
Shaybah who boasted to each other. Talhah said: ‘I am the master of the House, its key is in my hand.
I could sleep inside it if I wanted to and the apparel of its house belongs to me’. Al-‘Abbas said: ‘I am in
1
Tabari, :88; Durr, :136.
2
Durr, :145.
3
Durr, :144-145; Tabari, :95.
4
Tabari, :95; Durr, :145.