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

Chapter 9: Surah al-Anfal
that it was specifically revealed about the people of the Book. Al-Suddi thought it was revealed about the
people of the Qiblah while al-Dahhak was of the opinion that it was about both the people of the Book
and the Muslims. 7 ‘Ata’ also reported that Ibn ‘Abbas said regarding the words of Allah (They who hoard
up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah…): “He means of the believers”.
Abu’l-Hasan Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Najjar informed us> Sulayman ibn Ayyub al-Tabarani> Muhammad
ibn Dawud ibn Sadaqah> ‘Abd Allah ibn Mu‘afa> Sharik> Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Muradi>
‘Amr ibn Murrah> Salim ibn Abi al-Ja‘d> Thawban who said: “When the verse (They who hoard up gold
and silver…) was revealed, the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: ‘May gold
and silver perish!’ He was asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, which of the riches should we hoard’ He said:
‘A heart which is grateful, a tongue which remembers Allah and a righteous wife’ ”. 8
(O ye who believe! What aileth you that when it is said unto you: Go forth in the way of
Allah…) [9:38].
This verse was revealed to prompt the believers to take part in the Battle of Tabuk. 9 When the Messenger
of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, returned from al-Ta’if and the Battle of Hunayn, 10
he gave orders to attack the Byzantines. This happened at a time when people were living in straitened
circumstances, the land was suffering from drought; it was very hot and it was time to reap the dates
which were by then ripe. People found it very hard to conquer the Byzantines; they preferred to stay at
home and enjoy the shade. The idea of going out to fight was very hard to accept. When Allah knew
people’s slackness, He revealed this verse.
(Go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed…) [9:41].
This was revealed about those who excused themselves from taking part in fighting because of their
farms, work and preoccupations. But Allah, exalted is He, refused to excuse them unless they went forth
to fight, despite of what had ensued from them before.
Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya informed us> Abu ‘Amr ibn Matar> Ibrahim ibn
‘Ali> Yahya ibn Yahya> Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah> Ibn Jad‘an [‘Ali ibn Zayd]> Anas who said: “Abu Talhah
recited (Go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed) and then said: ‘I see that Allah has not excused anyone’,
and he went to Syria to take part in Jihad and remained there until he died”. 11 Said al-Sudd: “One day, al-
Miqdad ibn al-Aswad, who was a huge, fat man, went to see the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and
give him peace, to complain to him [about his size] and to dispense him from taking part in fighting. (Go
forth, light-armed and heavy-armed) was revealed about him. But when this verse was revealed, people
found it very hard on them, and so Allah, exalted is He, abrogated it and revealed instead (Not unto the
weak nor unto the sick…) [9:91]”. 12
(Had it been a near adventure and an easy journey they had followed thee…) [9:42-47].
Allah then revealed about those hypocrites who stayed behind and did not take part in the Battle of
Tabuk (Had it been a near adventure and an easy journey they had followed thee…). He also revealed (Had
they gone forth among you they had added to you naught save trouble…). This is because when the Messenger
of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, set forth, he camped his troops at al-Wada‘ ’s moun-
7
Durr, :178-179.
8
Tabari, :119.
9
Durr, :190; Tabari, :133; on the Battle of Tabuk, see: Ibn Hisham, Sirah, :118-128.
10
On the Battle of Hunayn, see: Ibn Hisham, Sirah, :60-90.
11
Durr, :209; Tabari, :138.
12
Durr, :208.
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