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

Chapter 3: Surah Al ‘Imran
The commentators of the Qur’an said: “The delegation of Najran, which consisted of sixty riders, came
to see the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace. There were among them fourteen
noblemen, three of whom were their leaders. The first one was the deputy chief of Najran (al-‘Aqib) who
was the head of the delegation, their ultimate advisor and the one whose orders they followed. His name
was ‘Abd al-Masih. The second was the master who was in charge of the well-being of the delegation and
who also looked after their belongings. His name was al-Ayham. The third was Abu Harithah ibn ‘Alqamah,
their bishop, doctor and the head of their church. The latter was highly esteemed by his people; he
had learned the Scriptures and became well versed in their religion. The Byzantine kings also held him
in high esteem, financed him and built for him churches because of his knowledge and dedication. They
came to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, and entered his mosque when he
had just finished the midafternoon (‘Asr) prayer. They were wearing square, black attires (hibarat) which
consisted of cloaks and long outer garments with wide sleeves (jibab wa ardiyah). They had come riding
the camels of the men of the Banu’l-Harith ibn ‘Amr. One of the Companions of the Prophet, Allah, bless
him and give him peace, who saw them said: ‘We had never seen a delegation like them before’. When it
was time for their prayer, they stood up and prayed in the mosque of the Prophet, Allah bless him and
give him peace. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, allowed them to pray, and
they prayed toward the East. The deputy chief and the master addressed the Messenger of Allah, Allah
bless him and give him peace, who said to them: ‘Surrender to Allah (aslima)!’ They said: ‘We have surrendered
to Allah before you’. He said: ‘You lie! You were prevented from surrendering by claiming that
Allah has a son, by your worship of the cross and by your consumption of pork’. They said: ‘If Jesus is
not the son of Allah, who is his father’ They argued with him about Jesus, upon which the Messenger of
Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: ‘Do you not agree that a son must resemble his father’
They said: ‘Yes, we do’. He said: ‘Do you not know that our Lord is ever living and never dies while Jesus
is subject to death’ they said: ‘We do know that’. He said: ‘Do you not know that Allah oversees everything,
protects and provides for it’ They said: ‘We do!’ He said: ‘Does Jesus share any of that’ They said:
‘No!’ He said: ‘Allah has shaped Jesus in the womb of his mother as He willed, but our Lord does not eat
or drink nor has He any need to relieve Himself ’. They said: ‘We agree that this is the case’. He said: ‘Do
you not know that Jesus was in his mother’s womb in the way any other woman carries her child in the
womb, and she gave birth to him like any other woman gives birth to a child, and then he was fed like
any other child, and then he ate and drank and relieved himself’ They said: ‘We do!’ He said: ‘Then how
could he be the son of Allah as you claim’ At this point they did not answer. Then, Allah, glorious and
majestic is He, revealed about them the beginning of Surah Al ‘Imran up to the first eighty something
verses of the same Surah”. 1
(Say (O Muhammad) unto those who disbelieve: Ye shall be overcome and gathered unto
Hell…) [3:12].
Al-Kalbi reported from Abu Salih that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “When Allah defeated the idolaters on the day of
Badr, the Jews of Medina said: ‘By Allah, this is the unlettered Prophet who was announced to us by Moses
and whose attribute and description we find in our Scriptures and about whom it is also mentioned
that his banner will not be defeated’. They wanted to believe in and follow him. But then some of them
said: ‘Do not be hasty; let us wait until another of his encounters’. When the Battle of Uhud took place
and the Companions of the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, were defeated, they became
sceptical. They said: ‘No, by Allah, this is not him’. Their wretchedness overwhelmed them and they did
not embrace Islam. Meanwhile, they had a treaty with the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give
him peace, which was supposed to last up to a certain period. They dissolved that treaty and Ka‘b ibn
al-Ashraf set off, along with sixty riders, to meet the people of Mecca, Abu Sufyan and his companions.
1
Sirah, :160-161; Tabari, :162-163.