Al-W¥^idÏ's Asb¥b al-Nuz‰l - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies ...
Al-W¥^idÏ's Asb¥b al-Nuz‰l - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies ...
Al-W¥^idÏ's Asb¥b al-Nuz‰l - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies ...
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Asbab <strong>al</strong>-Nuzul<br />
Tha‘labah then began dispersing dust on his head, upon which the Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him<br />
and give him peace, said to him: ‘This is of your own doing! I commanded you and you did not obey me’.<br />
Tha‘labah returned to his house. <strong>The</strong> Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give him peace, died and<br />
still did not accept anything from him. When Abu Bakr was sworn in as the new leader, Tha‘labah went<br />
to see him and said: ‘You know my status with the Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give him<br />
peace, as well as my position amongst the Helpers, so accept my Zakah’. Abu Bakr said: ‘<strong>The</strong> Messenger<br />
of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give him peace, did not accept it and you expect me to accept it’ Abu Bakr<br />
died refusing to accept his Zakah. When ‘Umar was selected as the leader of the Muslims, Tha‘labah went<br />
to him and said: ‘O leader of the believers, accept my Zakah!’ ‘Umar replied: ‘<strong>The</strong> Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah<br />
bless him and give him peace, did not accept it nor did Abu Bakr, so how do you expect me to accept<br />
it’ And he refused to take it from him until he died. When ‘Uthman was chosen as C<strong>al</strong>iph, Tha‘labah<br />
asked him to accept his Zakah, but ‘Uthman said to him: ‘<strong>The</strong> Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and<br />
give him peace, did not accept nor did Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, so how can I accept it from you’. And so<br />
‘Uthman did not accept his Zakah. Tha‘labah died during ‘Uthman’s reign”.<br />
(Those who point at such of the believers as give the <strong>al</strong>ms willingly…) [9:79].<br />
Sa‘id ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Ja‘far informed us> Abu ‘<strong>Al</strong>i <strong>al</strong>-Faqih> Abu ‘<strong>Al</strong>i Muhammad ibn<br />
Sulayman <strong>al</strong>-M<strong>al</strong>iki> Abu Musa Muhammad ibn <strong>al</strong>-Muthanna> Abu’l-Nu‘man <strong>al</strong>-Hakam ibn ‘Abd <strong>Al</strong>lah<br />
<strong>al</strong>-‘Ijli> Shu‘bah> S<strong>al</strong>man> Abu Wa’il> Abu Mas‘ud who said: “When the verses of <strong>al</strong>ms were reve<strong>al</strong>ed,<br />
we used to ask to carry people stuff in exchange for a wage so that we could earn and pay <strong>al</strong>ms from what<br />
we had earned. A man came and gave a lot for <strong>al</strong>ms, some people commented: ‘He is just showing off ’.<br />
Another man came and gave a measure (sa‘) for <strong>al</strong>ms, and they commented: ‘<strong>Al</strong>lah can do without the<br />
measure of this man’, and so <strong>Al</strong>lah reve<strong>al</strong>ed (Those who point at such of the believers as give the <strong>al</strong>ms willingly<br />
and such as can find naught to give but their endeavours…)”. This is narrated by Bukhari from Abu<br />
Qudamah ‘Ubayd <strong>Al</strong>lah ibn Sa‘id>> Abu Nu‘man. 24<br />
Qatadah and others said: “<strong>The</strong> Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give him peace, encouraged<br />
people to give <strong>al</strong>ms. ‘Abd <strong>al</strong>-Rahman ibn ‘Awf took with him four thousand silver coins and said: ‘O<br />
Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>al</strong>l my we<strong>al</strong>th consists of eight thousand silver coins, I have kept h<strong>al</strong>f of it for my<br />
dependents and brought the other h<strong>al</strong>f for you to spend it in the way of <strong>Al</strong>lah’. <strong>The</strong> Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah,<br />
<strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give him peace, said: ‘may <strong>Al</strong>lah bless you for that which you have given and for<br />
that which you have withheld’. <strong>Al</strong>lah did indeed bless the we<strong>al</strong>th of ‘Abd <strong>al</strong>-Rahman to the extent that<br />
when he died he was survived by two wives who inherited one eighth of his fortune. This one eighth was<br />
estimated at 160 thousand silver coins. On the same day, ‘Asim ibn ‘Adiyy ibn <strong>al</strong>-‘Ajlan gave to charity<br />
one hundred wasq of dates while Abu ‘Aqil <strong>al</strong>-Ansari gave one sa‘ of dates. Abu ‘Aqil said: ‘O Messenger<br />
of <strong>Al</strong>lah, I spent the night drawing water with a rope until I earned two measures (sa‘) of dates; I kept one<br />
for my family and brought the other’. <strong>The</strong> Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give him peace, commanded<br />
him to spread it among the received <strong>al</strong>ms. <strong>The</strong> hypocrites defamed ‘Abd <strong>al</strong>-Rahman and ‘Asim,<br />
saying ‘‘Abd <strong>al</strong>-Rahman and ‘Asim gave <strong>al</strong>ms only to show off. <strong>Al</strong>lah and His Messenger can indeed do<br />
without the measure (sa‘) of Abu ‘Aqil; he only wished to appear righteous’. 25 And so <strong>Al</strong>lah, ex<strong>al</strong>ted is He,<br />
reve<strong>al</strong>ed this verse”. 26<br />
(And never (O Muhammad) pray for one of them who dieth, nor stand by his grave...) [9:84].<br />
Isma‘il ibn ‘Abd <strong>al</strong>-Rahman ibn Ahmad <strong>al</strong>-Wa‘iz informed us through dictation> ‘Abd <strong>Al</strong>lah ibn Muhammad<br />
ibn Nasr> Yusuf ibn ‘Asim <strong>al</strong>-Razi> <strong>al</strong>-‘Abbas ibn <strong>al</strong>-W<strong>al</strong>id <strong>al</strong>-Narsi> Yahya ibn Sa‘id <strong>al</strong>-Qattan><br />
24<br />
Cf. Tabari, :194-195.<br />
25<br />
We have opted for the <strong>al</strong>ternative reading (an yuzakki) that the editor of the Arabic text mentioned in the footnote rather than<br />
what he adopted in the main text (an yadhkur), for in the context (an yuzakkiya nafsah) appears more plausible than (an yadhkura<br />
nafsah).<br />
26<br />
Tabari, :194-195; Durr, :249-250.<br />
126
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