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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Chapter 31: Surah Luqman<br />
In the name of <strong>Al</strong>lah, the Beneficent, the Merciful<br />
(And of mankind is he who payeth for mere pastime of discourse…) [31:6].<br />
<strong>Al</strong>-K<strong>al</strong>bi and Muqatil said: “This verse was reve<strong>al</strong>ed about <strong>al</strong>-Nadr ibn <strong>al</strong>-Harith. He used to travel to<br />
Persia for trade. He bought the events of non-Arabs and related them to the Quraysh, saying: ‘Muhammad<br />
relates to you the events of ‘Ad and Thamud, and I relate to you the events of Rustum and Isfindiyar<br />
and the Chosroes’. <strong>The</strong>y found his t<strong>al</strong>es more entertaining and they shunned listening to the Qur’an, and<br />
so this verse was reve<strong>al</strong>ed”.<br />
Mujahid said: “This verse was reve<strong>al</strong>ed about the buying of slave-girls and songstresses”.<br />
Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim <strong>al</strong>-Muqri’ informed us> Muhammad ibn <strong>al</strong>-Fadl ibn Muhammad<br />
ibn Ishaq ibn Khuzaymah> his grandfather> ‘<strong>Al</strong>i ibn Hujr> Mishma‘ill ibn Milhan <strong>al</strong>-Ta’i> Muttarih ibn<br />
Yazid> ‘Ubayd <strong>Al</strong>lah ibn Zahr> ‘<strong>Al</strong>i ibn Yazid> <strong>al</strong>-Qasim> Abu Umamah who reported that the Messenger<br />
of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give him peace, said: “It is forbidden to teach songstresses [to sing] or<br />
to sell songstresses, and the price gotten from selling them is unlawful. It is about the like of this that this<br />
verse was reve<strong>al</strong>ed (And of mankind is he who payeth for mere pastime of discourse, that he may mislead<br />
from <strong>Al</strong>lah’s way without knowledge…) up to the end of the verse. No man raises his voice to sing except<br />
that <strong>Al</strong>lah, ex<strong>al</strong>ted is He, sends him two devils, one on each side, who will keep banging with their feet<br />
until it is him who keeps quiet”. 1<br />
Thuwayr ibn Abi Fakhitah reported from his father that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “This verse was reve<strong>al</strong>ed about<br />
a man who bought a slave-girl who sang to him day and night”.<br />
(But if they strive with thee to make thee ascribe unto Me as partner…) [31:15].<br />
This was reve<strong>al</strong>ed about Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas as mentioned before in Surah <strong>al</strong>-‘Ankabut [29:8].<br />
(…and follow the path of him who repenteth unto Me…) [31:15].<br />
This verse was reve<strong>al</strong>ed about Abu Bakr, may <strong>Al</strong>lah be well pleased with him. ‘Ata’ reported that Ibn ‘Abbas<br />
said: “This refers to Abu Bakr, may <strong>Al</strong>lah be well pleased with him. When the latter embraced Islam,<br />
‘Abd <strong>al</strong>-Rahman ibn ‘Awf, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas, Sa‘id ibn Zayd, ‘Uthman, T<strong>al</strong>hah and <strong>al</strong>-Zubayr went to<br />
him and said: ‘Did you believe in Muhammad and adopt his message’ And when he said that he did they<br />
<strong>al</strong>l went to the Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give him peace, and declared their faith in him<br />
and believed in his message. And so, <strong>Al</strong>lah, ex<strong>al</strong>ted is He, addressing Sa‘d, said (…and follow the path of<br />
him who repenteth unto Me…), i.e. Abu Bakr, may <strong>Al</strong>lah be well pleased with him”. 2<br />
(And if <strong>al</strong>l the trees in the earth were pens…) [31:27].<br />
<strong>The</strong> commentators of the Qur’an said: “<strong>The</strong> Jews asked the Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give<br />
1<br />
Tabari, :60-61; Durr, :504.<br />
2<br />
Qurtubi, :66.
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