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

Asbab al-Nuzul
Ma‘mar ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Hanzalah> Yusuf ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Salam who said: “Khuwaylah bint
Tha‘labah, the wife of Aws ibn al-Samit, the brother of ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit, related to me, saying: ‘He
[Aws] came in one day and said something to me in an irritated tone. I answered him back and he got
angry. He said: ‘You are to me as my mother’. He then went out to the gathering place of his people. When
he came back he wanted to seduce me but I refused. He wanted to force himself on me but I was able
to push him back as can a woman usually do with a weak man. I said: ‘Nay, by Him in Whose Hand is
Khuwaylah’s soul, you will not touch me until Allah, exalted is He, issues His ruling concerning us’. I then
went to the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, to complain about what I have been through.
But he said: ‘He is your husband and cousin; fear Allah and treat him well’. However, I did not leave
until the Qur’an was revealed (Allah hath heard the saying of her that disputeth with thee (Muhammad)
concerning her husband) up to His words (Lo! Allah is Hearer, Knower). When he got to the expiation,
he said: ‘Tell him to free a slave’. I said: ‘O Prophet of Allah, by Allah he does not have any slave to free’.
He said: ‘Tell him to fast two consecutive months’. I said: ‘O Prophet of Allah, by Allah he is an old man
and unable to fast’. He said: ‘Then let him feed sixty needy people’. I said: ‘O Prophet of Allah, by Allah
he does not have what to feed them with’. He said: ‘In that case, we will help him with a ‘Arq of dates [30
measures (Sa‘) of dates]’. I said: ‘And I will help him with another ‘Arq’. He said: ‘Good of you; let him
spend it in charity’ ”. 4
(Hast thou not observed those who were forbidden conspiracy…) [58:8].
Ibn ‘Abbas and Mujahid said that this verse was revealed about the Jews and the hypocrites. This is because
the latter used to talk secretly amongst themselves to the exclusion of the believers and then look
at the believers and wink at each other. When the believers saw their secret communications, they said:
“We think that they are doing this because they received news about our relatives and brothers who went
out in military expeditions. They have been killed, wounded or defeated”. But when these secret conversations
continued, they complained to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, and
he commanded them not to speak in secret to the exclusion of the believers. They did not heed his command
and went back to secret conversations among themselves. Allah, exalted is He, therefore revealed
this verse. 5
(And when they come unto thee they greet thee with a greeting wherewith Allah greeteth thee
not…) [58:8].
Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn ‘Umar al-Khashshsab informed us> Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn ‘Abd Allah al-
Asfahani> Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Sarraj> Qutaybah ibn Sa‘id> Jarir> al-A‘mash> Abu’l-Duha> Masruq>
‘A’ishah who said: “Some Jews came to the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, and said
‘Al-Sam 6 to you, O Abu’l-Qasim!’ And so I replied: ‘Al-Sam to you too, and may Allah take you away!’
The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: ‘Stop, O ‘A’ishah! For Allah, exalted
is He, does not like indecency nor the uttering of indecent words’. I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, did you
not hear what they said’ He said: ‘Do you not see that I have sent back to them what they said. I said:
the same to you’. This verse was revealed about this (And when they come unto thee they greet thee with a
greeting wherewith Allah greeteth thee not)”. 7
Abu Sa‘id Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Ghazi informed us> Abu ‘Amr Muhammad ibn Ahmad
al-Hiri> Ahmad ibn ‘Ali al-Muthanna> Zuhayr ibn Muhammad> Yunus ibn Muhammad> Shayban>
Qatadah> Anas who said: “A Jewish man came to the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, and
4
Tabari, :4; Durr, :74.
5
Tabari, :14-15; Qurtubi, :291; Durr, :79-80.
6
Al-Sam means death while al-Salam means greetings of peace. The Jews who went to see the Prophet, Allah bless him and give
him peace, wished him death while giving the impression that they greeted him with the greetings of peace because of the (almost)
similar pronunciation of al-Sam and al-Salam.
7
Tabari, :14; Qurtubi, : 292; Durr, :80.
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