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

Chapter 58: Surah al-Mujadilah
said: ‘Al-Sam be with you!’ The people who were present responded to him with the greetings of peace.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said to them: ‘Do you know what this man said’ They
said: ‘O Prophet of Allah, Allah and His Messenger know best, [but we think he said: al-Salam [peace
be with you]’. He said: ‘No, rather he said such-and-such a thing. So drive it away from me’. They drove
it away from him. He then asked the Jewish man: ‘Did you say: al-Sam be with you’ He said: ‘Yes, I
did’. Upon which the Prophet of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, then said: ‘When one of the
people of the Book greets you, say to him in response: And the same to you’. Then the words of Allah,
Allah exalted is He, revealed (And when they come unto thee they greet thee with a greeting wherewith
Allah greeteth thee not)”. 8
(O ye who believe! when it is said unto you, Make room! in assemblies, then make room; Allah will
make way for you (hereafter)…) [58:11].
Said Muqatil: “The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, was at al-Suffah. The place was not spacious
and it was a Friday. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, had the habit of
honouring those who had taken part in the Battle of Badr from among the Emigrants and the Helpers.
Some of those who had participated in Badr came to the gathering and found that people were already
there before them. They stood, therefore, facing toward the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace,
waiting for people to make room for them. But no one made room for them. The Messenger of Allah,
Allah bless him and give him peace, was pained to see this and so he said to those around him who did
not take part in Badr: ‘So-and-so get up, and you get up’, and he moved as many people as the number of
those who were standing among the Companions who participated in the Battle of Badr. Those who were
asked to vacate their seats were not pleased and the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him
peace, saw their displeasure on their faces. Then, the hypocrites said to the Muslims: ‘Did you not claim
that your man deals fairly with people By Allah, he has not been fair with these people. He removed
people who wanted to be close to their Prophet from places in which they were already sitting and seated
in their stead people who came late!’ Allah, exalted is He, therefore revealed this verse”. 9
(O ye who believe! When ye hold conference with the messenger…) [58:12-13].
Muqatil ibn Hayyan said: “This was revealed about the rich. This is because they used to go to the Prophet,
Allah bless him and give him peace, and converse with him at length. In this fashion, they always beat
the poor to the assemblies to the extent that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace,
disliked their prolonged sitting and conference. Allah, glorified and exalted is He, therefore revealed this
verse and commanded that alms be given upon each conference with the Prophet. As for those who had
straitened means, they did not have anything to give for alms, while those who were well off were niggardly.
The Companions of the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, found this tough and so a
dispensation was revealed”. 10
‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be well pleased with him, said: “There is one verse in the Book of Allah that
no one has applied before me nor is there anyone who has applied it after me. [It is] (O ye who believe!
When ye hold conference with the messenger…). I had a piece of gold which I exchanged for silver pieces
and whenever I conferred with the Messenger I spent one silver piece in charity until I spent them all.
Then the verse was abrogated with another verse (Fear ye to offer alms before your conference ... and they
will fancy that they have some standing. Lo! is it not they who are the liars) [58:13]”. 11
8
Tabari, :14-15; Durr, :80.
9
Qurtubi, :296.
10
Durr, : 84.
11
Tabari, :20; Qurtubi, :302; Durr, :84.
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