The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 2 of 4

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMAqL IBN KATH~R 3 9
"He responded, 'Prayer keeps one engrossed."'
Al-Bukhari also related this, as did Muslim, Abii DPiid and al-Nasa1i, by
different chains of authority, from Sulayman b. Mahran, from al-Acmash.
This substantiates the interpretation of those who explain the authentic
account of Zayd b. Arqam that is in both jahih collections: "We used to talk during
the prayer, until God's revealed verse was sent down, 'Stand up before God in
humility' (swat al-Baqara; 11, v.238). And so we were ordered to remain silent
and were forbidden to talk."
However, those referred to here were the "Companions of the Prophet"
generally, for Zayd himself was a "Companion", (but) from Medina, and the
prohibition against speaking during the prayer was established in Mecca. And so
the report is being applied to what had gone before.
Regardimg his reference to this particular verse which is of the Medina period,
it is indeed difficult to explain. Perhaps he believed that it was this verse that
prohibited speaking during the prayers, when in fact there were other prohibitions
of it along with it. But God knows best.
Ibn Ish~q stated, "Among those emigrants who returned under an agreement of
protection, or named to us as such, were Wthmm h. Maz'iin, protected by
al-Walid b. al-Mughira, Abii Salama b. 'Abd al-Asad, protected by his uncle
Abii Tnlib; his mother was Barra, daughter of 'Abd al-Mumlib.
"Regarding Wthma b. Mqciin, S2ih h. Ibrahim b. 'Abd al-RaIpn& h. Awf
related to me from someone who was told the following about Wtbmm, 'When
Wthmm b. Mqciin saw the plight of the followers of the Messenger of God
(SAAS), while he himself was able to come and go freely under the protection of
al-Waid h. al-Mughira, he said, "By God, here I am moving about freely under
the protection of a polytheist while my friends and followers in religion suffer
harm and insult for God that do not afflict me, and this constitutes a great
deficiency in me! "'
"So off he went to al-Walid b. al-Mughira and told him, '0 Aba 'Abd
al-Shams, you have fulfilled your pledge, but now I'm giving back to you your
protection.'
"'Why is that, cousin?' he asked. 'Has any one of my people harmed you?'
"'No,' he replied, 'it's just that what I want is the protection of God, the
Almighty and Glorious. I don't want the protection of anyone else.'
"'Well then,' al-Walid said, 'you should go to the mosque and give me my
protection back in public, just as I declared my protection over you.'
"And so they both did go to the mosque, where al-Walid h. al-Mughira
announced, 'This is Wthmm, and he has come to relieve me of my protection of
him.'
"Wthman said, 'He speaks the truth. I have found him to be trustworthy and
honourable in his protection, but I prefer to he protected only by God. I have
given him back his pledge of protection.'