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

Asbab al-Nuzul
Maghazi. 51 Others have mentioned that whenever the families of the martyrs tasted a blessing or sensed
happiness, they felt some sorrow, saying: ‘We are enjoying blessings and happiness while our fathers,
sons and brothers are in the graves’, and so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse to ease their sorrow
and to inform about the state of their killed ones.
(As for those who heard the call of Allah and His messenger…) [3:172].
Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Muqri’ informed us> Shu‘ayb ibn Muhammad> Makki ibn ‘Abdan> Abu’l-Azhar>
Rawh> Abu Yunus al-Qushayri> ‘Amr ibn Dinar who reported that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless
him and give him peace, made a general call to arms after the Battle of Uhud, when the idolaters had
departed, and seventy men answered his call and he went after the retreating army of the idolaters. On
his way back to Mecca, Abu Sufyan met a caravan from Khuza‘ah and he said to them: “If you see Muhammad
coming after me, tell him that we are in great numbers”. When the Prophet, Allah bless him and
give him peace, met them and asked them about Abu Sufyan, they said to him: “We saw him with a huge
army whereas yours is very small; you will not be safe with him”. But the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless
him and give him peace, refused to listen to them and went after him. But Abu Sufyan went ahead of him
and entered Mecca. Allah, exalted is He, then revealed (As for those who heard the call of Allah and His
messenger) up to His saying (Fear them not; fear Me, if ye are true believers) [3:175].
‘Amr ibn Abi ‘Amr informed us> Muhammad ibn Makki> Muhammad ibn Yusuf> Muhammad ibn
Isma‘il> Muhammad> Abu Mu‘awiyah> Hisham ibn ‘Urwah> his father> ‘A’ishah who said to ‘Urwah
[ibn al-Zubayr] regarding Allah’s saying (As for those who heard the call of Allah and His messenger): “O
my nephew! Your father, al-Zubayr, and grandfather, Abu Bakr, were among them. When the Messenger
of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, suffered that which he suffered at the Battle of Uhud, and
after the idolaters had left, he feared their return, and so he said: ‘Who will go after them’ He selected
seventy men from amongst them, among whom were Abu Bakr and al-Zubayr”. 52
(Those unto whom men said: Lo! the people have gathered against you, therefor fear them…)
[3:173].
Abu Ishaq al-Tha‘alibi informed us> Abu Salih Shu‘ayb ibn Muhammad> Abu Hatim al-Tamimi> Ahmad
ibn al-Azhar> Rawh ibn ‘Ubadah> Sa‘id> Qatadah who said: “This refers to the day of Uhud, following
the deaths and wounds that the Muslims had suffered and after the idolaters, Abu Sufyan and his
company, had left. The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said to his Companions: ‘Would a
group gather for war for Allah’s sake and seek their enemy, for this is more prone to cause damage to the
enemy and more likely to drive them away for a distance’ A group set off, despite of what Allah knew
of their extreme exhaustion. When they reached Dhu’l-Hulayfah, the Bedouins and other people came
to them, saying: ‘Abu Sufyan is going to attack you’, but they only said: ‘Allah is Sufficient for us! Most
Excellent is He in Whom we trust!’ And so Allah, exalted is He revealed about them (Those unto whom
men said: Lo! the people have gathered against you, therefor fear them) [3:173] up to His saying (… and
Allah is of Infinite Bounty) [3:174]”. 53
(It is not (the purpose) of Allah to leave you in your present state…) [3:179].
Al-Suddi reported that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: “The members
of my community were shown to me in their forms, as they were shown to Adam, and I was informed
about who would believe in me and who would disbelieve”. When the hypocrites heard this, they mocked
51
Durr, :272-273.
52
Durr, :385; Tabari, :177-178.
53
Tabari, :180.
62