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

Chapter 53: Surah al-Najm
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
(… He is Best Aware of you (from the time) when He created you from the earth…) [53:32].
Abu Bakr ibn al-Harith informed us> Abu’l-Shaykh al-Hafiz> Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hasan>
Ahmad ibn Sa‘d> Ibn Wahb> Abu Lahi‘ah> al-Harith ibn Zayd> Thabit ibn al-Harith al-Ansari who said:
“The Jews used to say when they lost a young boy: ‘He is a Tsadoq (Siddiq)’. The Prophet, Allah bless him
and give him peace, heard of this and commented: ‘The Jews have lied. No living person that Allah creates
in the womb of his mother except that it is either felicitous or damned’. Upon which Allah, exalted
is He, revealed this verse (… He is Best Aware of you (from the time) when He created you from the earth,
and when ye were hidden in the bellies of your mothers…)”. 1
(Didst thou (O Muhammad) observe him who turned away, And gave a little, then was
grudging) [53:33-34].
Ibn ‘Abbas, al-Suddi and al-Musayyib ibn Sharik said: “This was revealed about ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan who
used to spend his wealth on alms and good causes. His milk brother, ‘Abd Allah ibn Abi Sarh, said to him:
‘What is this that you are doing You have almost nothing left’. ‘Uthman said: ‘I have committed sins and
mistakes and I seek the pleasure of Allah, glorious and majestic is He, in that which I do; I hope He will
pardon me’. ‘Abd Allah said to him: ‘Give me your camel with its load and I will bear for you all your sins’.
He gave him what he asked for and got people to witness it. He also stopped giving some of the alms he
used to give. Allah, glorious and majestic is He, therefore, revealed (Didst thou (O Muhammad) observe
him who turned away, And gave a little, then was grudging) upon which ‘Uthman returned to what he
used to do; he did even better”. 2
Mujahid and Ibn Zayd said: “This was revealed about al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah. The latter had followed
the religion of the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace. But one of the idolaters reviled
him for it, saying: ‘Why did you leave the religion of the elders whom you claimed were in error
and are abiding in hellfire’ He said: ‘I feared Allah’s chastisement’. The man gave him assurances that he
will bear in his stead the chastisement of Allah, glorious and majestic is He, in exchange for some of his
wealth and on condition that he reverts to his idolatry. Al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah gave the man some
of what they had agreed but then felt miserly and refused to give him the rest. Allah, exalted is He, then
revealed this verse”. 3
(And that He it is who maketh laugh, and maketh weep) [53:43].
Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Wa‘iz informed us> Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Husayn ibn Muhammad
al-Thaqafi> ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Fadl> Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr al-Maqdimi> Dalal bint Abi al-Mudil> al-
Sahba’> ‘A’ishah who said: “One day, the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, passed
by a group of people who were laughing, so he said: ‘If you knew what I know, you would cry a lot and
laugh very little’. Gabriel, peace be upon him, then came down to him and said: ‘Allah, exalted is He, says
(And that He it is who maketh laugh, and maketh weep)’. So he went back to the group of people and said:
‘I did not walk even forty steps when Gabriel, peace be upon him, met me and said: Go to those people
1
Qurtubi, :110; Durr, :657-658.
2
Qurtubi, :111.
3
Tabari, :70; Qurtubi, :111.