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 111: Surah Tabbat<br />
In the name of <strong>Al</strong>lah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.<br />
(<strong>The</strong> power of Abu Lahab will perish, and he will perish…) [111:1-5].<br />
Ahmad ibn <strong>al</strong>-Hasan <strong>al</strong>-Hiri informed us> the chamberlain of Ibn Ahmad> Muhammad ibn Hammad><br />
Abu Mu‘awiyah> <strong>al</strong>-A‘mash> ‘Amr ibn Murrah> Sa‘id ibn Jubayr> Ibn ‘Abbas who said: “One day, the<br />
Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give him peace, climbed <strong>al</strong>-Safa [hill] and shouted: ‘Come to<br />
me!’ 1 And so <strong>al</strong>l the Quraysh gathered around him. <strong>The</strong>y said: ‘What ails you’ He said: ‘If I were to tell<br />
you that the enemy is going to attack you in the morning or in the evening, would you not have believed<br />
me’ <strong>The</strong>y said: ‘Indeed, we would believe you’. He said: ‘In that case, I am a warner sent to you against a<br />
tremendous chastisement’. Abu Lahab said in response: ‘May you perish, is this why you have summoned<br />
<strong>al</strong>l of us here’ And so <strong>Al</strong>lah, glorified and majestic is He, reve<strong>al</strong>ed (<strong>The</strong> power of Abu Lahab will perish,<br />
and he will perish…) up to the end of the Surah”. 2 This was narrated by Bukhari from Muhammad ibn<br />
S<strong>al</strong>am from Abu Mu‘awiyah.<br />
Sa‘id ibn Muhammad <strong>al</strong>-‘Adl informed us> Abu ‘<strong>Al</strong>i ibn Abu Bakr <strong>al</strong>-Faqih> ‘<strong>Al</strong>i ibn ‘Abd <strong>Al</strong>lah ibn<br />
Mubashshir <strong>al</strong>-Wasiti> Abu’l-Ash‘ath Ahmad ibn <strong>al</strong>-Miqdam> Yazid ibn Zuray‘> <strong>al</strong>-K<strong>al</strong>bi> Abu S<strong>al</strong>ih><br />
Ibn ‘Abbas who said: “<strong>The</strong> Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give him peace, stood up once and<br />
c<strong>al</strong>led: ‘O household of Gh<strong>al</strong>ib! O household of Lu’ayy! O household of Murrah! O household of Kilab!<br />
O household of Qusayy! O household of ‘Abd Manaf! I have nothing in my possession which will spare<br />
you from <strong>Al</strong>lah’s chastisement nor can I promise you any share from this world unless you say: there is<br />
no deity except <strong>Al</strong>lah’. Abu Lahab said to him: ‘May you perish, is this why you have summoned us’ And<br />
so <strong>Al</strong>lah, ex<strong>al</strong>ted is He, reve<strong>al</strong>ed (<strong>The</strong> power of Abu Lahab will perish, and he will perish)”.<br />
Abu Ishaq <strong>al</strong>-Muqri’ informed us> ‘Abd <strong>Al</strong>lah ibn Hamid> Makki ibn ‘Abdan> ‘Abd <strong>Al</strong>lah ibn Hashim><br />
‘Abd <strong>Al</strong>lah ibn Numayr> <strong>al</strong>-A‘mash> ‘Abd <strong>Al</strong>lah ibn Murrah> Sa‘id ibn Jubayr> Ibn ‘Abbas who said:<br />
“When the verse (And warn thy tribe of near kindred) [26:214], the Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him<br />
and give him peace, went toward <strong>al</strong>-Safa, climbed it and then c<strong>al</strong>led: ‘It’s morning time, get ready!’ people<br />
gathered around him (some came in person and some sent their own emissary). He said: ‘O Banu ‘Abd<br />
<strong>al</strong>-Mutt<strong>al</strong>ib! O Banu Fihr! O Banu Lu’ayy! If I were to inform you that horsemen at the foot of this mountain<br />
intend to raid you, would you believe me’ <strong>The</strong>y said: ‘Yes!’ He said: ‘<strong>The</strong>n, I am a warner sent to<br />
you against an imminent, tremendous chastisement’. Abu Lahab said: ‘May you perish! You summoned<br />
us just for this!’ And so <strong>Al</strong>lah, ex<strong>al</strong>ted is He, reve<strong>al</strong>ed (<strong>The</strong> power of Abu Lahab will perish, and he will<br />
perish)”. 3<br />
1<br />
Wa-sabahah! [lit. It’s morning time, get ready] was an expression used among the Arabs to warn of an imminent threat, or simply<br />
to get people ready to start a new round of fighting in the morning, since fighting <strong>al</strong>ways took place during the day and stopped<br />
at night.<br />
2<br />
Tabari, :336-337.<br />
3<br />
Tabari, :337; Qurtubi, :234; Durr, :666-667.
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