JOURNAL OF ARABIC AND ISLAMIC STUDIES

210
Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies 11 (2011)
indefinite idhā nuzzila/nazala ʿalay-hi, found in a considerable number
of the revelation traditions. Such a clarification indicates a development
from a vaguer to a clearer formulation, which suggests that Yazīd’s
tradition is an improvement over an earlier narrative. The structure of
clause 1a betrays a further redactional intervention. The authorial voice
controlling the narrative informs us that when the Prophet received a
revelation, the Companions would recognize this (clause 1a 1 ). The
following symptoms (closed eyes and pallid face [clause 1a 2 ]), which
specify the preceding clause (viz., 1a 1 ), are introduced by the additive
connective “wa-,” which separates the clauses instead of underlining the
causal relationship between 1a 1 and 1a 2 . Phrasal coherence may be
restored in two ways. If we remove ʿarafnā dhālika fī-hi as an intrusive
clause, the resulting original clause 1a would read, kāna rasūl u l-lāh i ,
ṣalʿam, idhā nazala ʿalay-hi l-waḥy u ghammaḍa ʿaynay-hi watarabbada
wajh u -hu. Alternatively, we may remove clause 1a 2 . In this
case we will be left with the following wording: kāna rasūl u l-lāh i ,
ṣalʿam, idhā nazala ʿalay-hi l-waḥy u ʿarafnā dhālika fī-hi. This clause
(without clause 1a 2 ) comfortably links with clause 1b, which opens with
the words, fa-nazala/nuzzila ʿalay-hi.
Clause 1a 2 may help us choose one of the above possibilities. In that
clause we observe a change that sets Yazīd b. Hārūn’s variant aloof from
the other traditions in the revelation cluster. It should be recalled that the
traditions that pass through Saʿīd b. Abī ʿArūba contain a highly
fictionalized description of the symptoms of revelation: the Prophet’s
face grows pallid and the Prophet is overwhelmed by grief (karb).
Contrary to this, the revelation preamble in the traditions that pass
through Qatāda b. Diʿāma are less fictionalized and more inconsistent in
their description of the symptoms of revelation. The variants of ʿAbd al-
Razzāq and Muʿādh b. Hishām are almost entirely void of fictional
elements, the variant of al-Ṭabarānī does not mention the Prophet’s grief
(karb), and only the tradition via Ḥammād b. Salama contains a fuller set
of revelation symptoms (grief and pallid face). Notably, in clause 1a 2 ,
Yazīd b. Hārūn has preferred to avoid the notion of karb and replaced it
with the Prophet’s closed eyes.
Two scenarios may explain the narrative peculiarities of Yazīd b.
Hārūn’s clause 1a 2 . Yazīd may have felt uncomfortable about the image
of inner disturbance and sorrow conveyed by the root k-r-b and its
derivatives. On this account he would have chosen to suppress kuriba lidhālika
by the statement that the Prophet would merely close his eyes
and his face would grow pallid. Note, however, that the mention of grief
is occasional already at the tier of Qatāda b. Diʿāma, which makes it hard