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

Asbab al-Nuzul
Mujahid said: “This verse was revealed about the sons of Muqarrin: Ma‘qil, Suwayd and al-Nu‘man”. 31
(The wandering Arabs are more hard in disbelief and hypocrisy…) [9:97].
This verse was revealed about some Bedouins from the tribes of Asad and Ghatafan as well as about some
other Bedouins who settled in Medina. 32
(And among those around you of the wandering Arabs there are hypocrites, and among the townspeople
of Medina (there are some who) persist in hypocrisy…) [9:101].
Al-Kalbi said: “This verse was revealed about the tribes of Juhaynah, Muzaynah, Ashja‘, Aslam and Ghifar.
As for the townspeople of al-Medina mentioned in the verse, this refers to ‘Abd Allah ibn Ubayy, Jadd
ibn Qays, Mu‘attib ibn Qushayr, al-Julas ibn Suwayd and Abu ‘Amir al-Rahib”.
(And (there are) others who have acknowledged their faults…) [9:102-103].
Ibn al-Walibi reported that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “This verse was revealed about some people who failed to
join the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, at the Battle of Tabuk and then regretted
it, saying: ‘We are enjoying shelter and shade with the women while the Messenger of Allah, Allah
bless him and give him peace, and his Companions are engaging in Jihad. By Allah, we shall tie ourselves
to the columns [of the mosque] and remain tied until the Messenger himself unties and pardons us’. And
they tied themselves to the columns of the mosque. When the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and
give him peace, returned from the battle, he passed by them and asked about who they were. He was told:
‘These are the people who failed to join you. They vowed to remain in their position until you untie them
yourself ’. The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: ‘And I swear that I will not set them free
until I am commanded to do so nor will I pardon them unless it is Allah Who pardons them first. They
have failed to join me and shunned fighting alongside the Muslims’. And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed
this verse. When it was revealed, the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, sent for
them, freed them and pardoned them. When they were freed, they said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, these are
our riches which caused us to fail to join you, spend them on charity on our behalves to purify us and
ask forgiveness for us’. He said: ‘I was not commanded to take anything from your riches’. Allah, glorious
and majestic is He, then revealed (Take alms of their wealth, wherewith thou mayst purify them and
mayst make them grow…) [9:103]”.
Said Ibn ‘Abbas: “They were ten men”. 33
(And (there are) others who await Allah’s decree…) [9:106].
This verse was revealed about Ka‘b ibn Malik, Murarah ibn al-Rabi‘, from the Banu ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf and
Hilal ibn Umayyah, from the Banu Waqif. The three failed join the Muslim army at the Battle of Tabuk.
They are the ones referred to in Allah’s saying (And to the three (did He turn in mercy) who were left behind…)
[9:118]. 34
31
Muqarrin had seven sons, all of whom Companions of the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace. The other four were:
‘Abd Allah, ‘Abd al-Rahman, ‘Aqil and Sinan.
32
Durr, :266-267.
33
Tabari, :21.
34
Durr, :284; Tabari, :21-22.
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