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

Chapter 18: Surah al-Kahf
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
(Restrain thyself along with those who cry unto their Lord…) [18:28].
The judge Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn al-Hasan al-Hiri related to us by dictation in Dar al-Sunnah on Friday
after prayer, in the months of the year 410 a.h.> Abu’l-Hasan ibn ‘Isa Ibn ‘Abdawayh al-Hiri> Muhammad
ibn Ibrahim al-Bushanji> al-Walid ibn ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Musarrih al-Harrani> Sulayman ibn ‘Ata’
al-Harrani> Maslamah ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Juhani> his uncle Ibn Mashja‘ah ibn Rub‘i al-Juhani> Salman
al-Farisi who said: “Those whose hearts were to be reconciled (al-mu’allafati qulubuhum) — ‘Uyaynah
ibn Hisn, al-Aqra‘ ibn Habis and their families — came to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and
give him peace, and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, if only you could sit at the front of the assembly and
remove these people — meaning: Salman al-Farisi, Abu Dharr al-Ghifari and other poor Muslims —
and their smelly outer garments — because the only thing they had on them were these woollen outer
garments — from us, then we could sit with you, talk to you and learn from you!’ As a response, Allah,
exalted is He, revealed (And recite that which hath been revealed unto thee of the Scripture of thy Lord.
There is none who can change His words, and thou wilt find no refuge beside Him. Restrain thyself along
with those who cry unto their Lord at morn and evening, seeking His Countenance) [18:27-28] up to His
words (Lo! We have prepared for disbelievers Fire...) [18:29], threatening them with hell. The Prophet,
Allah bless him and give him peace, stood up and went looking for them. He found them at the back of
the mosque making remembrance of Allah, exalted is He. He said: ‘Praise be to Allah Who did not take
away my soul until He commanded me to restrain myself with men of my community. It is with you that
I live and with you that I die’ ”. 1
(…and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance…) [18:28].
Abu Bakr al-Harithi informed us> Abu’l-Shaykh al-Hafiz> Abu Yahya al-Razi> Sahl ibn ‘Uthman> Abu
Malik> Juwaybir> al-Dahhak> Ibn ‘Abbas who said regarding the words of Allah, exalted is He (…
and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance…): “This verse was revealed
about Umayyah ibn Khalaf al-Jumahi. He asked the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, to do
something that he disliked. He asked him to chase away the poor from his assembly and draw to him,
instead, the leaders of Mecca. Allah, exalted is He, revealed (…and obey not him whose heart We have
made heedless of Our remembrance), i.e. sealed his heart such that he will never believe in Allah’s divine
oneness (who followeth his own lust) i.e. idolatry”. 2
(They will ask thee of Dhu’l-Qarnayn…) [18:83].
Said Qatadah: “The Jews asked the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, about Dhu’l-Qarnayn,
and Allah, exalted is He, revealed these verses”. 3
1
Tabari, :236; Qurtubi, :390; Durr, :380.
2
Qurtubi, :392; Durr, :382-383.
3
Durr, :435.