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

Chapter 3: Surah Al ‘Imran
They struck a deal and resolved to achieve the same goal. They said: ‘Our word shall be one!’ When they
went back to Medina, Allah, exalted is He, revealed the above verse about them”.
Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Yasar, said: “When the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him
peace, defeated the Quraysh at Badr and then went back to Medina, he gathered the Jews and said: ‘O
congregation of Jews! Beware lest Allah inflicts on you the like of that which he has inflicted on Quraysh
on the day of Badr; embrace Islam before that which has befallen them befalls you. You know well that
I was sent as a prophet. This you find it mentioned in your Scripture as well as in Allah’s covenant with
you’. They said: ‘O Muhammad! Be not deluded because you have defeated inexperienced people who
have no knowledge of warfare. By Allah, if we were to fight, you will realize that we are the real thing’. Allah,
exalted is He, then revealed (Say (O Muhammad) unto those who disbelieve) i.e. the Jews (Ye shall be
overcome) you shall be defeated (and gathered unto Hell) in the Afterlife”; this is the narration of ‘Ikrimah
and Sa‘id ibn Jubayr from Ibn ‘Abbas. 2
(Allah (Himself) is Witness that there is no Allah save Him…) [3:18].
Said al-Kalbi: “When the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, appeared in Medina,
two rabbis from Syria, came to see him. When they saw Medina, one of them said to his companion:
‘How similar is this city to the city from which will emerge the Prophet of the end of times’. When they
entered in on the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, they recognized him by his attributes and
description. They asked: ‘Are you Muhammad’ ‘Yes!’ He answered. ‘And you are also Ahmad’ He said:
‘I am!’ They said: ‘We will ask you about witnessing; we shall believe in you if you do inform us about it’.
The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: ‘Do ask me!’ They said: ‘Tell us about
the greatest witness in Allah’s Scripture’. Allah, exalted is He, revealed to His Prophet (Allah (Himself) is
Witness that there is no Allah save Him. And the angels and the men of learning (too are witness)…). The
two men embraced Islam and believed in the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace”.
(Hast thou not seen how those who have received a portion of the Scripture…) [3:23].
There is a difference of opinion about this verse’s occasion of revelation. Al-Suddi said: “When the
Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, called the Jews to embrace Islam, al-Nu‘man ibn Awfa said
to him: ‘Come, O Muhammad, and let the rabbis judge between us’. He said: ‘Let the Scripture of Allah be
judge between us’. They said: ‘No! Let the rabbis judge’. And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse”.
On the other hand, Sa‘id ibn Jubayr and ‘Ikrimah reported that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “The Messenger of Allah,
Allah bless him and give him peace, entered in on a group of Jews in a Jewish place of study and called
them to Allah. Nu‘aym ibn ‘Amr and al-Harith ibn Zayd said to him: ‘O Muhammad, which religion are
you on’ He said: ‘The religion of Abraham’. They said: ‘But Abraham was a Jew’. The Messenger of Allah,
Allah bless him and give him peace, said: ‘In that case, let us go to the Torah and let it judge between us’.
They refused. And Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse”. 3
Said al-Kalbi: “This was revealed about those who committed fornication in Khaybar and the Jews who
asked the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, about the legal punishment of fornication”. The
elaboration on this will come in Surah al-Ma’idah, Allah, exalted is He, willing”.
(Say: O Allah! Owner of Sovereignty!) [3:26].
Ibn ‘Abbas and Anas ibn Malik said: “When the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace,
2
Tabari, :192; Durr, :158.
3
Tabari, :217; Qurtubi, :50; Durr, :170.
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