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

Chapter 3: Surah Al ‘Imran
(A party of the People of the Scripture long to make you go astray…) [3:69].
This was revealed about Mu‘adh ibn Jabal and Hudhayfah [ibn al-Yaman] and ‘Ammar ibn Yasir when the
Jews called them to embrace their religion. This story has already been mentioned in Surah the Cow.
(And a party of the People of the Scripture say: Believe in that which hath been revealed unto those
who believe…) [3:72].
Al-Hasan and al-Suddi said: “Twelve rabbis from the Jews of Khaybar and the town of ‘Uraynah conspired
with each other, saying: ‘Pretend to join the religion of Muhammad at the beginning of the day
and declare your disbelief in it at the end of the day. Say: ‘We have looked in our Scriptures and consulted
our scholars and found that Muhammad is not genuine; it is clear to us now that he is lying and that his
religion is false’. If you do this, his Companions will doubt their religion. They will say: these are people of
the Book and they are more knowledgeable than us. They will then abandon their religion and embrace
yours’. And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse, thus informing His Prophet Muhammad, Allah
bless him and give him peace, and the rest of the believers”. 19
Mujahid, Muqatil and al-Kalbi said: “This was revealed regarding the qiblah when it was changed toward
the Ka‘bah. The Jews found it hard to accept that they were opposed, and so Ka‘b ibn al-Ashraf and his
companions said: ‘Believe in that which was revealed to Muhammad regarding the matter of the Ka‘bah,
pray toward it at the beginning of the day and then disbelieve in the Ka‘bah and return toward your
qiblah at the end of the day. They might then say: these are people of the Book and they know better than
us. They might then return to our qiblah’. Allah, exalted is He, warned His Prophet from the scheming of
these people and informed him about what they were conspiring; He revealed (And a party of the People
of the Scripture say…)”.
(Lo! those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah’s covenant and their oaths…) [3:77].
Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn al-Hasan al-Qadi informed us> Hajib ibn Ahmad> Muhammad ibn Hammad>
Abu Mu‘awiyah> al-A‘mash> Shaqiq> ‘Abd Allah who reported that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless
him and give him peace, said: “Whoever makes an oath knowing well that he is lying in order to usurp
the property of another Muslim, Allah will be angry with him when he meets Him”. 20 Then al-Ash‘ath ibn
Qays said: “By Allah, this was revealed about me. There was a land between me and a Jew, but he denied
that I was its owner. And so I took him to the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, who asked
me: ‘Do you have a proof’ I said: ‘no!’ He then asked the Jew: ‘Will you swear [that the land is yours]’ I
said: O Messenger of Allah! If he swears that the land is his, I will lose my property. Allah, exalted is He,
then revealed (Lo! those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah’s covenant and their oaths…)”. This
was narrated by Bukhari from ‘Abdan from Abu Hamzah from al-A‘mash.
Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Mihrajani informed us> ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad
al-Zahid> Abu’l-Qasim al-Baghawi> Muhammad ibn Sulayman> Salih ibn ‘Umar> al-A‘mash>
Shaqiq> ‘Abd Allah who reported that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said:
“Whoever lies in his oath in order to usurp a property, Allah will be angry with him when he will meet
Him”. “Then Allah, exalted is He, revealed: (Lo! those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah’s
covenant and their oaths…) up to the end of the verse. Al-Ash‘ath ibn Qays came and asked: ‘What is it
that Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman is relating to you’ We said: ‘Such-and-such’. He said: ‘This verse was revealed
about me. I reported to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, a dispute that I had
with another man and so he asked me: ‘do you have a proof ’. I said: ‘No!’ He said: ‘Then the man should
swear’. I said: ‘So let him swear’. The Messenger, peace be upon him, said: ‘Whoever lies in his oath in
order to usurp a property, Allah will be angry with him when he will meet Him’. And so Allah, exalted
19
Durr, :241; Tabari, :311-312.
20
Durr, :144; Tabari, :321.
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