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 ...
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Chapter 41: Surah Fussilat<br />
In the name of <strong>Al</strong>lah, the Beneficent, the Merciful<br />
(Ye did not hide yourselves lest your ears and your eyes…) [41:22].<br />
Master Abu Mansur <strong>al</strong>-Baghdadi informed us> Isma‘il ibn Nujayd> Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Sa‘id><br />
Umayyah ibn Bistam> Yazid ibn Zuray‘> Rawh> <strong>al</strong>-Qasim> Mansur> Mujahid> Abu Ma‘mar> Ibn<br />
Mas‘ud who said regarding this verse: “Two men from Thaqif were one day sitting with their sons-inlaw<br />
from Quraysh (or it was two men from the Quraysh who were sitting with their sons-in-law from<br />
Thaqif) in a house, when they said to each other: ‘Do you think that <strong>Al</strong>lah hears our intimate t<strong>al</strong>k and<br />
conversation’ Some of them said: ‘He can hear only part of it’. Some said: ‘If He can hear part of it, He<br />
can hear <strong>al</strong>l of it!’ This verse was reve<strong>al</strong>ed about this (Ye did not hide yourselves lest your ears and your<br />
eyes…)”. 1 This was narrated by Bukhari from <strong>al</strong>-Humaydi and by Muslim from Ibn Abi ‘Amr; and both<br />
related it from Sufyan who related it from Mansur.<br />
Muhammad ibn ‘Abd <strong>al</strong>-Rahman <strong>al</strong>-Faqih informed us> Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn ‘<strong>Al</strong>i <strong>al</strong>-Hiri> Ahmad<br />
ibn ‘<strong>Al</strong>i <strong>al</strong>-Muthanna> Abu Khaythamah> Muhammad ibn Hazim> <strong>al</strong>-A‘mash> ‘Abd <strong>al</strong>-Rahman<br />
ibn Yazid> ‘Abd <strong>Al</strong>lah who said: “I was hiding behind the cloth of the Ka‘bah when three men came<br />
<strong>al</strong>ong; their bellies were fat and their understanding very limited. It was one man from Quraysh and his<br />
two sons-in-law, or it was one man from Thaqif and his two sons-in-law from Quraysh. <strong>The</strong>y said something<br />
I did not understand. One of them said: ‘Do you reckon <strong>Al</strong>lah can hear what we say now’ Another<br />
said: ‘He will hear us if we raise our voices, but if we lower them, He will not hear us’. One of them said:<br />
‘If He can hear part of it, He can hear <strong>al</strong>l of it’. I mentioned this to the Prophet, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give<br />
him peace, and this verse was then reve<strong>al</strong>ed (Ye did not hide yourselves lest your ears and your eyes and<br />
your skins…) up to His words (and ye find yourselves (this day) among the lost) [41:23]”. 2<br />
(Lo! those who say: Our Lord is <strong>Al</strong>lah, and afterward are upright, the angels descend upon<br />
them…) [41:30].<br />
‘Ata’ reported that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “This verse was reve<strong>al</strong>ed about Abu Bakr <strong>al</strong>-Siddiq, may <strong>Al</strong>lah be well<br />
pleased with him. <strong>The</strong> idolaters had said: ‘<strong>Al</strong>lah is our Lord and the angels are His daughters; they will<br />
intercede with Him for us. This is why they were not upright’. <strong>The</strong> Jews said: ‘<strong>Al</strong>lah is our Lord and Ezra<br />
is His son. Muhammad is not a Prophet’. This is why they were not upright. Abu Bakr, may <strong>Al</strong>lah be well<br />
pleased with him said: ‘<strong>Al</strong>lah is our Lord, <strong>al</strong>one without partners and Muhammad, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and<br />
give him peace, is His slave and Messenger’. This is why he was upright”. 3<br />
1<br />
Qurtubi, :351.<br />
2<br />
Qurtubi, :351; Durr, :319.<br />
3<br />
Qurtubi, :357.
Change language