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

Chapter 16: Surah al-Nahl
dina, the people of Medina wrote to their companions in Mecca to inform them of this. When they
received the message, they left Mecca but the idolaters caught up with them and took them back. Allah,
exalted is He, then revealed (Alif. Lam. Mim. Do men imagine that they will be left (at ease) because they
say, We believe, and will not be tested with afflicion) [29:1-2], and the Muslims of Medina wrote to them
to inform them about it. The Muslims of Mecca vowed to each other to leave Mecca and fight the idolaters
of Mecca, were they to catch up with them, until they join Allah or escape to Medina. The idolaters
did catch up with them. Some of them died fighting while others were able to flee. Allah, exalted is He,
revealed (Then lo! thy Lord - for those who became fugitives after they had been persecuted, and then fought
and were steadfast…)”. 11
(Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation…) [16:125-127].
Abu Mansur Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Mansuri informed us> ‘Ali ibn ‘Umar al-Hafiz> ‘Abd Allah
ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz> al-Hakam ibn Musa> Isma‘il ibn ‘Ayyash> ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Abi
Ghaniyyah> al-Hakam ibn ‘Utaybah> Mujahid> Ibn ‘Abbas who said: “When the idolaters retreated
from those who were killed at the Battle of Uhud, The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him
peace, went there and saw a scene which he strongly disliked. And he also saw Hamzah with his stomach
ripped open, nose burnt and ears cut off. He said: ‘If it were not for the fear of causing more grief to the
women or that it becomes a followed practice after me, I would leave him until Allah, exalted is He,
resurrect him from the bellies of predatory animals and birds. I shall kill seventy men of them [of the
disbelievers of Quraysh] in revenge’, He then asked for a mantle to cover him with it. When he covered
his face, his feet remained uncovered and so he covered them with some Bulrush. He then placed him
forward and said ‘Allah is the greatest’ ten times. Then, all those Muslim dead were brought, one by one,
while the body of Hamzah was unmoved from its place, and the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him
peace, prayed on them. And so He performed seventy prayers on Hamzah. There were seventy Muslims
who died in this battle. 12 When they were buried and finished with, Allah, exalted is He, revealed (Call
unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation) up to His words (Endure thou patiently (O
Muhammad). Thine endurance is only by (the help of) Allah…) [16:127]. And so, he was patient and did
not mutilate any one”. 13
Isma‘il ibn Ibrahim al-Wa‘iz informed us> Abu’l-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa al-Hafiz> ‘Abd
Allah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz> Bishr ibn al-Walid al-Kindi> Salih al-Murri> Sulayman al-
Taymi> Abu ‘Uthman al-Nahdi> Abu Hurayrah who said: “When the Prophet, Allah bless him and give
him peace, got closer to Hamzah, he saw that he was dead. Nothing that he ever saw was more painful to
his heart than that sight. He said: “By Allah, I will kill seventy of them in return!” This verse was then revealed
(If ye punish, then punish with the like of that wherewith ye were affliced. But if ye endure patiently,
verily it is better for the patient) [16:126]. 14
Abu Hassan al-Muzakki informed us> Abu’l-‘Abbas Muhammad ibn Ishaq> Musa ibn Ishaq> Yahya
ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid al-Humani> Qays ibn Abi Layla> al-Hakam> Muqassim> Ibn ‘Abbas who reported
that, on the day Hamzah was killed and mutilated, the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him
peace, said: “If I get my hand on the Quraysh I will mutilate seventy men of them. Allah, exalted is He,
then revealed (If ye punish, then punish with the like of that wherewith ye were affliced. But if ye endure
patiently, verily it is better for the patient), upon which the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give
him peace, said: ‘I would rather be patient, O Lord!’ ” 15
The commentators of the Qur’an said: “When the Muslims saw what the idolaters did to their dead at
the Battle of Uhud in terms of ripping open their stomachs, cutting off their male organs and mutilating
them in the most ugly way, they said: ‘If Allah gives us a chance to get our hands on them, we will muti-
11
Tabari, :184; Durr, :172.
12
Six Emigrants and sixty four Helpers.
13
Qurtubi, :201.
14
Durr, :179.
15
Durr, :179.
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