18. What took place between the Messenger of God ﷺ and the leaders of Quraysh, and the interpretation of Sūrat al-Kahf
Sirat Ibn Hisham 323No grade recorded
[ حَدِيثُ رُؤَسَاءِ قُرَيْشٍ مَعَ الرَّسُولِ ﷺ ] اجْتَمَعَ عُتْبَةُ بْنُ رَبِيعَةَ، وَشَيْبَةُ بْنُ رَبِيعَةَ، وَأَبُو سُفْيَانَ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَالنَّضْرُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ ( بْنِ كَلَدَةَ )، أَخُو بَنِي عَبْدِ الدَّارِ، وَأَبُو الْبَخْتَرِيِّ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، وَالْأَسْوَدُ بْنُ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنِ أَسَدٍ، وَزَمْعَةُ بْنُ الْأَسْوَدِ، وَالْوَلِيدُ بْنُ الْمُغِيرَةِ، وَأَبُو جَهْلِ بْنُ هِشَامٍ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ، وَالْعَاصِ بْنُ وَائِلٍ، وَنَبِيهٌ وَمُنَبِّهٌ ابْنَا الْحَجَّاجِ السَّهْمِيَّانِ، وَأُمَيَّةُ بْنُ خَلَفٍ، أَوْ مَنْ اجْتَمَعَ مِنْهُمْ. قَالَ: اجْتَمِعُوا بَعْدَ غُرُوبِ الشَّمْسِ عِنْدَ ظَهْرِ الْكَعْبَةِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضِ: ابْعَثُوا إلَى مُحَمَّدٍ فَكَلِّمُوهُ وَخَاصِمُوهُ حَتَّى تُعْذِرُوا فِيهِ، فَبَعَثُوا إلَيْهِ: إنَّ أَشْرَافَ قَوْمِكَ قَدْ اجْتَمَعُوا لَكَ لِيُكَلِّمُوكَ، فَأْتِهِمْ؛ فَجَاءَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ سَرِيعًا، وَهُوَ يَظُنُّ أَنْ قَدْ بَدَا لَهُمْ فِيمَا كَلَّمَهُمْ فِيهِ بَدَاءٌ، وَكَانَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَرِيصًا يُحِبُّ رُشْدَهُمْ، وَيَعِزُّ عَلَيْهِ عَنَتُهُمْ، حَتَّى جَلَسَ إلَيْهِمْ؛ فَقَالُوا لَهُ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، إنَّا قَدْ بَعَثْنَا إلَيْكَ لِنُكَلِّمَكَ، وَإِنَّا وَاَللَّهِ مَا نَعْلَمُ رَجُلًا مِنْ الْعَرَبِ أَدْخَلَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ مِثْلَ مَا أَدْخَلْتَ عَلَى قَوْمِكَ، لَقَدْ شَتَمْتَ الْآبَاءَ، وَعِبْتَ الدِّينَ، وَشَتَمْتَ الْآلِهَةَ، وَسَفَّهْتَ الْأَحْلَامَ، وَفَرَّقْتَ الْجَمَاعَةَ، فَمَا بَقِيَ أَمْرٌ قَبِيحٌ إلَّا قَدْ جِئْتَهُ فِيمَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكَ - أَوْ كَمَا قَالُوا لَهُ - فَإِنْ كُنْتَ إنَّمَا جِئْتَ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ تَطْلُبُ بِهِ مَالًا جَمَعْنَا لَكَ مِنْ أَمْوَالِنَا حَتَّى تَكُونَ أَكْثَرَنَا مَالًا، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ إنَّمَا تَطْلُبُ بِهِ الشَّرَفَ فِينَا، فَنَحْنُ نُسَوِّدُكَ عَلَيْنَا، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تُرِيدُ بِهِ مُلْكًا مَلَّكْنَاكَ عَلَيْنَا، وَإِنْ كَانَ هَذَا الَّذِي يَأْتِيكَ رِئْيًا تَرَاهُ قَدْ غَلَبَ عَلَيْكَ - وَكَانُوا يُسَمُّونَ التَّابِعَ مِنْ الْجِنِّ رِئْيًا - فَرُبَّمَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ، بَذَلْنَا لَكَ أَمْوَالَنَا فِي طَلَبِ الطِّبِّ لَكَ حَتَّى نُبْرِئَكَ مِنْهُ، أَوْ نُعْذِرَ فِيكَ. فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: مَا بِي مَا تَقُولُونَ مَا جِئْتُ بِمَا جِئْتُكُمْ بِهِ أَطْلُبُ أَمْوَالَكُمْ، وَلَا الشَّرَفَ فِيكُمْ، وَلَا الْمُلْكَ عَلَيْكُمْ، وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ بَعَثَنِي إلَيْكُمْ رَسُولًا، وَأَنْزَلَ عَلَيَّ كِتَابًا، وَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَكُونَ لَكُمْ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا، فَبَلَّغْتُكُمْ رِسَالَاتِ رَبِّي، وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ، فَإِنْ تَقْبَلُوا مِنِّي مَا جِئْتُكُمْ بِهِ، فَهُوَ حَظُّكُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، وَإِنَّ تَرُدُّوهُ عَلَيَّ أَصْبِرْ لِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللَّهُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ - ﷺ
✧ [Report of the leaders of Quraysh with the Messenger ﷺ] ʿUtbah b. Rabīʿah, Shaybah b. Rabīʿah, Abū Sufyān b. Ḥarb, al-Naḍr b. al-Ḥārith (b. Kaladah), the brother of the Banū ʿAbd al-Dār, Abū al-Bakhtarī b. Hishām, al-Aswad b. al-Muṭṭalib b. Asad, Zamʿah b. al-Aswad, al-Walīd b. al-Mughīrah, Abū Jahl b. Hishām, ʿAbd Allāh b. Abī Umayyah, al-ʿĀṣ b. Wāʾil, Nubayh and Munabbih the two sons of al-Ḥajjāj al-Sahmī, and Umayyah b. Khalaf, or those of them who gathered, assembled. He said: They gathered after sunset at the back of the Kaʿbah. Then some of them said to others: Send for Muḥammad, speak with him and dispute with him until you have excuse concerning him. So they sent to him: The nobles of your people have gathered for you to speak with you, so come to them. The Messenger of God ﷺ came to them quickly, thinking that a change had occurred in them concerning what he had spoken to them about, for he was eager for them, loving their right guidance, and it was hard for him when they suffered hardship, until he sat down with them. They said to him: O Muḥammad, we have sent for you to speak with you. By God, we do not know any man among the Arabs who has brought upon his people the like of what you have brought upon your people. You have reviled the fathers, criticized the religion, reviled the gods, called the forbearing foolish, and split the community. There remains no ugly matter but that you have come with it between us and you—or as they said to him. If you have come with this talk seeking wealth, we will gather for you from our wealth until you become the richest of us. If you are seeking honor among us, we will make you our chief. If you want kingship, we will make you king over us. If this that comes to you is a vision you see that has overcome you—they used to call the companion from the jinn a rīʾ—then perhaps that is so, we will spend our wealth in seeking medicine for you until we cure you of it, or we will have excuse concerning you. The Messenger of God ﷺ said to them: What you say is not in me. I have not come to you with what I have brought seeking your wealth, nor honor among you, nor kingship over you, but God has sent me to you as a messenger, and has sent down to me a book, and has commanded me to be to you a bearer of good tidings and a warner. I have conveyed to you the messages of my Lord, and I have given you sincere counsel. If you accept from me what I have brought to you, it is your portion in this world and the next. If you reject it back to me, I will be patient with the command of God until God judges between me and you—or as he said—ﷺ
Sirat Ibn Hisham 324No grade recorded
قَالُوا: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، فَإِنْ كُنْتَ غَيْرَ قَابِلٍ مِنَّا شَيْئًا مِمَّا عَرَضْنَاهُ عَلَيْكَ فَإِنَّكَ قَدْ عَلِمْتَ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ النَّاسِ أَحَدٌ أَضْيَقَ بَلَدًا، وَلَا أَقَلَّ مَاءً، وَلَا أَشَدَّ عَيْشًا مِنَّا، فَسَلْ لَنَا رَبَّكَ الَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِمَا بَعَثَكَ بِهِ، فَلْيُسَيِّرْ عَنَّا هَذِهِ الْجِبَالَ الَّتِي قَدْ ضَيَّقَتْ عَلَيْنَا، وَلْيَبْسُطْ لَنَا بِلَادَنَا، وَلْيُفَجِّرْ لَنَا فِيهَا أَنَهَارًا كَأَنْهَارِ الشَّامِ وَالْعِرَاقِ، وَلْيَبْعَثْ لَنَا مَنْ مَضَى مِنْ آبَائِنَا، وَلْيَكُنْ فِيمَنْ يُبْعَثُ لَنَا مِنْهُمْ قُصَيُّ بْنُ كِلَابٍ، فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ شَيْخَ صِدْقٍ، فَنَسْأَلَهُمْ عَمَّا تَقُولُ: أَحَقُّ هُوَ أَمْ بَاطِلٌ، فَإِنْ صَدَّقُوكَ وَصَنَعْتَ مَا سَأَلْنَاكَ صَدَّقْنَاكَ، وَعَرَفْنَا بِهِ مَنْزِلَتَكَ مِنْ اللَّهِ، وَأَنَّهُ بَعَثَكَ رَسُولًا كَمَا تَقُولُ. فَقَالَ لَهُمْ - صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ وَسَلَامُهُ عَلَيْهِ -: مَا بِهَذَا بُعِثْتُ إلَيْكُمْ، إنَّمَا جِئْتُكُمْ مِنْ اللَّهِ بِمَا بَعَثَنِي بِهِ، وَقَدْ بَلَّغْتُكُمْ مَا أُرْسِلْتَ بِهِ إلَيْكُمْ، فَإِنْ تَقْبَلُوهُ فَهُوَ حَظُّكُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، وَإِنْ تَرُدُّوهُ عَلَيَّ أَصْبِرُ لِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللَّهُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ قَالُوا: فَإِذَا لَمْ تَفْعَلْ هَذَا لَنَا، فَخُذْ لِنَفْسِكَ، سَلْ رَبَّكَ أَنْ يَبْعَثَ مَعَكَ مَلَكًا يُصَدِّقُكَ بِمَا تَقُولُ، وَيُرَاجِعُنَا عَنْكَ وَسَلْهُ فَلْيَجْعَلْ لَكَ جَنَانًا وَقُصُورًا وَكُنُوزًا مِنْ ذَهَبٍ وَفِضَّةٍ يُغْنِيكَ بِهَا عَمَّا نَرَاكَ تَبْتَغِي، فَإِنَّكَ تَقُومُ بِالْأَسْوَاقِ كَمَا نَقُومُ، وَتَلْتَمِسُ الْمَعَاشَ كَمَا نَلْتَمِسُهُ، حَتَّى نَعْرِفَ فَضْلَكَ وَمَنْزِلَتَكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إنْ كُنْتَ رَسُولًا كَمَا تَزْعُمُ. فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: مَا أَنَا بِفَاعِلِ، وَمَا أَنَا بِاَلَّذِي يَسْأَلُ رَبَّهُ هَذَا، وَمَا بُعِثْتُ إلَيْكُمْ بِهَذَا، وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ بَعَثَنِي بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا - أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ - فَإِنْ تَقْبَلُوا مَا جِئْتُكُمْ بِهِ فَهُوَ حَظُّكُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، وَإِنْ تَرُدُّوهُ عَلَيَّ أَصْبِرْ لِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللَّهُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ قَالُوا: فَأَسْقِطْ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفًا كَمَا زَعَمْتَ أَنَّ رَبَّكَ إنْ شَاءَ فَعَلَ، فَإِنَّا لَا نُؤْمِنُ لَكَ إلَّا أَنْ تَفْعَلَ، قَالَ: فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: ذَلِكَ إلَى اللَّهِ، إنْ شَاءَ أَنْ يَفْعَلَهُ بِكُمْ فَعَلَ قَالُوا: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، أَفَمَا عَلِمَ رَبُّكَ أَنَّا سَنَجْلِسُ مَعَكَ وَنَسْأَلُكَ عَمَّا سَأَلْنَاكَ عَنْهُ، وَنَطْلُبُ مِنْكَ مَا نَطْلُبُ، فَيَتَقَدَّمَ إلَيْكَ فَيُعَلِّمَكَ مَا تُرَاجِعُنَا بِهِ، وَيُخْبِرُكَ مَا هُوَ صَانِعٌ فِي ذَلِكَ بِنَا، إذْ لَمْ نَقْبَلْ مِنْكَ مَا جِئْتنَا بِهِ إنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغْنَا أَنَّكَ إنَّمَا يُعَلِّمُكَ هَذَا رَجُلٌ بِالْيَمَامَةِ يُقَالُ لَهُ: الرَّحْمَنُ، وَإِنَّا وَاَللَّهِ لَا نُؤْمِنُ بِالرَّحْمَنِ أَبَدًا، فَقَدْ أَعْذَرْنَا إلَيْكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ، وَإِنَّا وَاَللَّهِ لَا نَتْرُكُكَ وَمَا بَلَغْتَ مِنَّا حَتَّى نُهْلِكَكَ، أَوْ تُهْلِكَنَا. وَقَالَ قَائِلُهُمْ: نَحْنُ نَعْبُدُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ، وَهِيَ بَنَاتُ اللَّهِ. وَقَالَ قَائِلُهُمْ: لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَنَا بِاَللَّهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ قَبِيلًا.
✧ They said: O Muhammad, if you will not accept from us anything that we have offered you, then you know that there is no people among mankind with a narrower land, less water, and a harsher livelihood than us. So ask your Lord who sent you with what He sent you to move away from us these mountains that have constricted us, and to spread out our land for us, and to cause rivers to gush forth in it like the rivers of Syria and Iraq, and to raise up for us those of our forefathers who have passed away, and let among those He raises for us be Quṣayy b. Kilāb, for he was a truthful elder, so that we may ask them about what you say: is it true or false? If they confirm you and you do what we ask, we will believe you and know thereby your station with God, and that He sent you as a messenger as you say. The Messenger of God ﷺ said to them: It is not with this that I was sent to you. I have only come to you from God with what He sent me with, and I have conveyed to you what I was sent with to you. If you accept it, it will be your share in this world and the Hereafter; and if you reject it back to me, I will be patient with the command of God Most High until God judges between me and you. They said: If you will not do this for us, then take for yourself: ask your Lord to send with you an angel to confirm what you say and to argue with us on your behalf, and ask Him to make for you gardens and palaces and treasures of gold and silver to enrich you with them from what we see you seeking. For you stand in the markets as we stand, and seek a livelihood as we seek it, so that we may know your excellence and your station with your Lord if you are a messenger as you claim. The Messenger of God ﷺ said to them: I will not do it, and I am not one who would ask his Lord for this, and I was not sent to you with this. But God sent me as a bearer of good tidings and a warner—or as he said—so if you accept what I have brought you, it will be your share in this world and the Hereafter; and if you reject it back to me, I will be patient with the command of God until God judges between me and you. They said: Then cause the sky to fall upon us in pieces as you claimed that your Lord, if He willed, would do; for we will not believe you unless you do it. The Messenger of God ﷺ said: That is up to God; if He wills to do it to you, He will do it. They said: O Muhammad, did your Lord not know that we would sit with you and ask you about what we asked you, and demand from you what we demand, and so send down to you beforehand and teach you what to answer us with, and inform you what He will do with us in that matter since we will not accept what you have brought us? It has reached us that it is only a man in al-Yamāmah called al-Raḥmān who teaches you this, and by God we will never believe in al-Raḥmān. We have given you fair warning, O Muhammad, and by God we will not leave you alone with what you have brought to us until we destroy you or you destroy us. One of them said: We worship the angels, and they are the daughters of God. Another of them said: We will not believe you until you bring us God and the angels face to face.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 325No grade recorded
[ حَدِيثُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - ﷺ ] فَلَمَّا قَالُوا ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَامَ عَنْهُمْ، وَقَامَ مَعَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ بْنِ مَخْزُومٍ - وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَمَّتِهِ، فَهُوَ لِعَاتِكَةَ بِنْتِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ - فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ. عَرَضَ عَلَيْكَ قَوْمُكَ مَا عَرَضُوا فَلَمْ تَقْبَلْهُ مِنْهُمْ، ثُمَّ سَأَلُوكَ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ أُمُورًا لِيَعْرِفُوا بِهَا مَنْزِلَتَكَ مِنْ اللَّهِ كَمَا تَقُولُ، وَيُصَدِّقُوكَ وَيَتَّبِعُوكَ فَلَمْ تَفْعَلْ، ثُمَّ سَأَلُوكَ أَنْ تَأْخُذَ لِنَفْسِكَ مَا يَعْرِفُونَ بِهِ فَضْلَكَ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَمَنْزِلَتَكَ مِنْ اللَّهِ، فَلَمْ تَفْعَلْ، ثُمَّ سَأَلُوكَ أَنْ تُعَجِّلَ لَهُمْ بَعْضَ مَا تُخَوِّفُهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ الْعَذَابِ، فَلَمْ تَفْعَلْ - أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ لَهُ - فَوَاَللَّهِ لَا أُومِنُ بِكَ أَبَدًا حَتَّى تَتَّخِذَ إلَى السَّمَاءِ سُلَّمًا، ثُمَّ تَرْقَى فِيهِ وَأَنَا أَنْظُرُ إلَيْكَ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَهَا، ثُمَّ تَأْتِي مَعَكَ أَرْبَعَةٌ مِنْ الْمَلَائِكَةِ يَشْهَدُونَ لَكَ أَنَّكَ كَمَا تَقُولُ، وَاَيْمُ اللَّهِ، لَوْ فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ مَا ظَنَنْتُ أَنِّي أُصَدِّقُكَ، ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - ﷺ وَانْصَرَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إلَى أَهْلِهِ حَزِينًا آسِفًا لِمَا فَاتَهُ مِمَّا كَانَ يَطْمَعُ بِهِ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ حِينَ دَعَوْهُ، وَلِمَا رَأَى مِنْ مُبَاعَدَتِهِمْ إيَّاهُ
✧ [The report of ʿAbd Allāh b. Abī Umayyah with the Messenger of God ﷺ] When they said that to the Messenger of God ﷺ, he rose from them, and ʿAbd Allāh b. Abī Umayyah b. al-Mughīrah b. ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿUmar b. Makhzūm rose with him — and he was the son of his paternal aunt, for he was the son of ʿĀtikah bt. ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib — and he said to him: O Muḥammad, your people offered you what they offered and you did not accept it from them. Then they asked you for their own sake for things by which they might know your station with God, as you claim, so that they might believe you and follow you, and you did not do it. Then they asked you to take for yourself that by which they might know your superiority over them and your station with God, and you did not do it. Then they asked you to hasten for them some of the punishment with which you threaten them, and you did not do it — or as he said to him. For by God, I will never believe in you until you take a ladder to heaven and then ascend upon it while I look at you until you reach it, and then you bring with you four angels who bear witness for you that you are as you say. And by God, if you did that, I would not think that I would believe you. Then he turned away from the Messenger of God ﷺ, and the Messenger of God ﷺ went to his family sad and grieved over what had escaped him of what he had hoped for from his people when they had called him, and over the estrangement he saw from them.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 326No grade recorded
[ مَا تَوَعَّدَ بِهِ أَبُو جَهْلٍ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ ] فَلَمَّا قَامَ عَنْهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ: يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ، إنَّ مُحَمَّدًا قَدْ أَبَى إلَّا مَا تَرَوْنَ مِنْ عَيْبِ دِينِنَا، وَشَتْمِ آبَائِنَا، وَتَسْفِيهِ أَحْلَامِنَا، وَشَتْمِ آلْهِتَتَا، وَإِنِّي أُعَاهِدُ اللَّهَ لَأَجْلِسَنَّ لَهُ غَدًا بِحَجَرٍ مَا أُطِيقُ حَمْلَهُ - أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ - فَإِذَا سَجَدَ فِي صَلَاتِهِ فَضَخْتُ بِهِ رَأْسَهُ، فَأَسْلِمُونِي عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ أَوْ امْنَعُونِي، فَلْيَصْنَعْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ بَنُو عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ مَا بَدَا لَهُمْ؛ قَالُوا: وَاَللَّهِ لَا نُسْلِمُكَ لِشَيْءِ أَبَدًا، فَامْضِ لِمَا تُرِيدُ
✧ When the Messenger of God ﷺ rose from them, Abū Jahl said: “O assembly of Quraysh, Muḥammad has refused anything but what you see of disparaging our religion, reviling our forefathers, calling our dreams foolish, and reviling our gods. I vow to God that I will sit for him tomorrow with a stone that I can hardly carry—or as he said—and when he prostrates in his prayer, I will smash his head with it. Then hand me over at that moment, or protect me; and after that let the Banū ʿAbd Manāf do whatever they see fit.” They said: “By God, we will never hand you over for anything. Proceed with what you intend.”
Sirat Ibn Hisham 327No grade recorded
[ مَا حَدَثَ لِأَبِي جَهْلٍ حِينَ هَمَّ بِإِلْقَاءِ الْحَجَرِ عَلَى الرَّسُولِ ﷺ ] فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ أَخَذَ حَجَرًا كَمَا وَصَفَ، ثُمَّ جَلَسَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَنْتَظِرُهُ، وَغَدَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَمَا كَانَ يَغْدُو. وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِمَكَّةَ وَقِبْلَتُهُ إلَى الشَّامِ، فَكَانَ إذَا صَلَّى صَلَّى بَيْنَ الرُّكْنِ الْيَمَانِيِّ وَالْحَجَرِ الْأَسْوَدِ، وَجَعَلَ الْكَعْبَةَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الشَّامِ، فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُصَلِّي وَقَدْ غَدَتْ قُرَيْشٌ فَجَلَسُوا فِي أَنْدِيَتِهِمْ يَنْتَظِرُونَ مَا أَبُو جَهْلٍ فَاعِلٌ، فَلَمَّا سَجَدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ احْتَمَلَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ الْحَجَرَ، ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ نَحْوَهُ، حَتَّى إذَا دَنَا مِنْهُ رَجَعَ مُنْهَزِمًا مُنْتَقِعًا لَوْنُهُ مَرْعُوبًا قَدْ يَبِسَتْ يَدَاهُ عَلَى حَجَرِهِ، حَتَّى قَذَفَ الْحَجَرَ مِنْ يَدِهِ. وَقَامَتْ إلَيْهِ رِجَالُ قُرَيْشٍ، فَقَالُوا لَهُ: مَا لَكَ يَا أَبَا الْحَكَمِ ؟ قَالَ: قُمْتُ إلَيْهِ لِأَفْعَلَ بِهِ مَا قُلْتُ لَكُمْ الْبَارِحَةَ، فَلَمَّا دَنَوْتُ مِنْهُ عَرَضَ لِي دُونَهُ فَحْلٌ مِنْ الْإِبِلِ، لَا وَاَللَّهِ مَا رَأَيْتُ مِثْلَ هَامَتهِ، وَلَا مِثْلَ قَصَرَتِهِ وَلَا أَنْيَابِهِ لِفَحْلٍ قَطُّ، فَهَمَّ بِي أَنْ يَأْكُلَنِي. قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: فَذُكِرَ لِي أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ: ذَلِكَ جِبْرِيلُ - عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ - لَوْ دَنَا لَأَخَذَهُ
✧ [What happened to Abū Jahl when he intended to throw the stone at the Messenger ﷺ] When morning came, Abū Jahl took a stone as he had described, then sat waiting for the Messenger of God ﷺ. The Messenger of God ﷺ went out as he used to go out. At that time the Messenger of God ﷺ was in Makkah and his qiblah was toward Syria. When he prayed, he prayed between the Yamānī corner and the Black Stone, placing the Kaʿbah between himself and Syria. The Messenger of God ﷺ stood to pray. Quraysh had gone out and sat in their assemblies, waiting to see what Abū Jahl would do. When the Messenger of God ﷺ prostrated, Abū Jahl carried the stone and advanced toward him until, when he drew near, he retreated in defeat, his color changed, terrified, his hands withered upon his stone, until he threw the stone from his hand. Men of Quraysh went up to him and said, 'What is the matter with you, O Abū al-Ḥakam?' He said, 'I went toward him to do to him what I told you last night. But when I drew near to him, a stallion-camel appeared before me, blocking him. By God, I have never seen the like of its head, nor the like of its neck, nor the like of its fangs for any stallion-camel ever. It was about to devour me.' Ibn Isḥāq said: It was mentioned to me that the Messenger of God ﷺ said: 'That was Jibrīl ﷺ ; had he drawn nearer, he would have seized him.'
Sirat Ibn Hisham 328No grade recorded
[ نَصِيحَةُ النَّضْرِ لِقُرَيْشِ بِالتَّدَبُّرِ فِيمَا جَاءَ بِهِ الرَّسُولُ ﷺ ] فَلَمَّا قَالَ لَهُمْ ذَلِكَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ، قَامَ النَّضْرُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ كَلَدَةَ بْنِ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الدَّارِ بْنِ قُصَيٍّ. قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: وَيُقَالُ النَّضْرُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ كَلَدَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: فَقَالَ: يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ، إنَّهُ وَاَللَّهِ قَدْ نَزَلَ بِكُمْ أَمْرٌ مَا أَتَيْتُمْ لَهُ بِحِيلَةِ بَعْدُ، قَدْ كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ فِيكُمْ غُلَامًا حَدَثًا أَرْضَاكُمْ فِيكُمْ، وَأَصْدَقَكُمْ حَدِيثًا، وَأَعْظَمَكُمْ أَمَانَةً، حَتَّى إذَا رَأَيْتُمْ فِي صُدْغَيْهِ الشَّيْبَ، وَجَاءَكُمْ بِمَا جَاءَكُمْ بِهِ، قُلْتُمْ سَاحِرٌ، لَا وَاَللَّهِ مَا هُوَ بِسَاحِرٍ، لَقَدْ رَأَيْنَا السَّحَرَةَ وَنَفْثَهُمْ وَعَقْدَهُمْ؛ وَقُلْتُمْ كَاهِنٌ، لَا وَاَللَّهِ مَا هُوَ بِكَاهِنٍ، قَدْ رَأَيْنَا الْكَهَنَةَ وَتَخَالُجَهُمْ وَسَمِعْنَا سَجْعَهُمْ؛ وَقُلْتُمْ شَاعِرٌ، لَا وَاَللَّهِ مَا هُوَ بِشَاعِرٍ، قَدْ رَأَيْنَا الشِّعْرَ، وَسَمِعْنَا أَصْنَافَهُ كُلَّهَا: هَزَجَهُ وَرَجَزَهُ، وَقُلْتُمْ مَجْنُونٌ، لَا وَاَللَّهِ مَا هُوَ بِمَجْنُونٍ، لَقَدْ رَأَيْنَا الْجُنُونَ فَمَا هُوَ بِخَنْقِهِ، وَلَا وَسْوَسَتِهِ، وَلَا تَخْلِيطِهِ، يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ، فَانْظُرُوا فِي شَأْنِكُمْ، فَإِنَّهُ وَاَللَّهِ لَقَدْ نَزَلَ بِكُمْ أَمْرٌ عَظِيمٌ
✧ [Al-Naḍr's advice to Quraysh to reflect on what the Messenger ﷺ brought] When Abū Jahl said that to them, al-Naḍr b. al-Ḥārith b. Kaladah b. ʿAlqamah b. ʿAbd Manāf b. ʿAbd al-Dār b. Quṣayy rose. Ibn Hishām said: It is also said al-Naḍr b. al-Ḥārith b. ʿAlqamah b. Kaladah b. ʿAbd Manāf. Ibn Isḥāq said: He said: O assembly of Quraysh, by God, a matter has befallen you for which you have not yet contrived a device. Muḥammad was among you a young lad, the most pleasing of you among you, the most truthful of you in speech, and the greatest of you in trustworthiness, until when you saw grey hair at his temples and he brought you what he brought you, you said, "A sorcerer." No, by God, he is not a sorcerer. We have seen sorcerers and their blowing and their tying of knots. And you said, "A soothsayer." No, by God, he is not a soothsayer. We have seen soothsayers and their quivering, and we have heard their rhyming prose. And you said, "A poet." No, by God, he is not a poet. We have seen poetry and heard all its varieties: its hazaj and its rajz. And you said, "Possessed." No, by God, he is not possessed. We have seen possession, and it is not his choking, nor his whispering, nor his confusion. O assembly of Quraysh, consider your affair, for by God, a great matter has befallen you.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 329No grade recorded
[ مَا كَانَ يُؤْذِي بِهِ النَّضْرُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ ] وَكَانَ النَّضْرُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ مِنْ شَيَاطِينِ قُرَيْشٍ، وَمِمَّنْ كَانَ يُؤْذِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ - ﷺ وَيَنْصِبُ لَهُ الْعَدَاوَةَ، وَكَانَ قَدْ قَدِمَ الْحِيرَةَ، وَتَعَلَّمَ بِهَا أَحَادِيثَ مُلُوكِ الْفُرْسِ، وَأَحَادِيثَ رُسْتُمَ وَاسْبِنْدِيَارَ. فَكَانَ إذَا جَلَسَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَجْلِسًا فَذَكَّرَ فِيهِ بِاَللَّهِ، وَحَذَّرَ قَوْمَهُ مَا أَصَابَ مَنْ قَبْلَهُمْ مِنْ الْأُمَمِ مِنْ نِقْمَةِ اللَّهِ، خَلَفَهُ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ إذَا قَامَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَنَا وَاَللَّهِ يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ، أَحْسَنُ حَدِيثًا مِنْهُ، فَهَلُمَّ إلَيَّ، فَأَنَا أُحَدِّثُكُمْ أَحْسَنَ مِنْ حَدِيثِهِ، ثُمَّ يُحَدِّثُهُمْ عَنْ مُلُوكِ فَارِسَ وَرُسْتُمَ وَاسْبِنْدِيَارَ، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: بِمَاذَا مُحَمَّدٌ أَحْسَنُ حَدِيثًا مِنِّي ؟. قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: وَهُوَ الَّذِي قَالَ فِيمَا بَلَغَنِي: سَأُنْزِلُ مِثْلَ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ. قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَكَانَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ يَقُولُ، فِيمَا بَلَغَنِي: نَزَلَ فِيهِ ثَمَانِ آيَاتٍ مِنْ الْقُرْآنِ: قَوْلُ اللَّهِ - عَزَّ وَجَلَّ -: إِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا قَالَ أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ. وَكُلُّ مَا ذُكِرَ فِيهِ مِنْ الْأَسَاطِيرِ مِنْ الْقُرْآنِ
✧ [What al-Naḍr b. al-Ḥārith used to do to harm the Messenger of God ﷺ] Al-Naḍr b. al-Ḥārith was one of the devils of Quraysh and among those who used to harm the Messenger of God ﷺ and show enmity toward him. He had been to al-Ḥīrah and learned there the stories of the kings of Persia and the stories of Rustum and Isfandiyār. Whenever the Messenger of God ﷺ sat in a gathering and reminded them of God and warned his people of the punishment of God that had befallen the nations before them, al-Naḍr would take his place in the gathering after he left and say: 'By God, O Quraysh, I am a better storyteller than he. Come to me and I will tell you better stories than his.' Then he would tell them about the kings of Persia, Rustum, and Isfandiyār, and then say: 'In what way is Muḥammad a better storyteller than I?' Ibn Hishām said: He is the one who said, as it has reached me: 'I will send down the like of what God has sent down.' Ibn Isḥāq said: Ibn ʿAbbās ؓ used to say, as it has reached me: Eight verses of the Qurʾān were revealed concerning him: the words of God, mighty and glorious: 'When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Tales of the ancients."' And everything mentioned in the Qurʾān about 'tales of the ancients' refers to him.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 330No grade recorded
[ أَرْسَلَتْ قُرَيْشٌ النَّضْرَ وَابْنَ أَبِي مُعَيْطٍ إلَى أَحْبَارِ يَهُودَ يَسْأَلَانِهِمْ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ ] فَلَمَّا قَالَ لَهُمْ ذَلِكَ النَّضْرُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ بَعَثُوهُ، وَبَعَثُوا مَعَهُ عُقْبَةَ بْنَ أَبِي مُعَيْطٍ إلَى أَحْبَارِ يَهُودَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، وَقَالُوا لَهُمَا: سَلَاهُمْ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَصِفَا لَهُمْ صِفَتَهُ، وَأَخْبِرَاهُمْ بِقَوْلِهِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ الْأُوَلِ، وَعِنْدَهُمْ عِلْمٌ لَيْسَ عِنْدَنَا مِنْ عِلْمِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ، فَخَرَجَا حَتَّى قَدِمَا الْمَدِينَةَ، فَسَأَلَا أَحْبَارَ يَهُودَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَوَصَفَا لَهُمْ أَمْرَهُ، وَأَخْبَرَاهُمْ بِبَعْضِ قَوْلِهِ، وَقَالَا لَهُمْ: إنَّكُمْ أَهْلُ التَّوْرَاةِ، وَقَدْ جِئْنَاكُمْ لِتُخْبِرُونَا عَنْ صَاحِبِنَا هَذَا. فَقَالَتْ لَهُمَا أَحْبَارُ يَهُودَ: سَلُوهُ عَنْ ثَلَاثٍ نَأْمُرُكُمْ بِهِنَّ، فَإِنْ أَخْبَرَكُمْ بِهِنَّ فَهُوَ نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ فَالرَّجُلُ مُتَقَوِّلٌ، فَرَوْا فِيهِ رَأْيَكُمْ. سَلُوهُ عَنْ فِتْيَةٍ ذَهَبُوا فِي الدَّهْرِ الْأَوَّلِ مَا كَانَ أَمْرُهُمْ؛ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ كَانَ لَهُمْ حَدِيثٌ عَجَبٌ، وَسَلُوهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ طَوَّافٍ قَدْ بَلَغَ مَشَارِقَ الْأَرْضِ وَمَغَارِبَهَا مَا كَانَ نَبَؤُهُ، وَسَلُوهُ عَنْ الرُّوحِ مَا هِيَ ؟ فَإِذَا أَخْبَرَكُمْ بِذَلِكَ فَاتَّبِعُوهُ، فَإِنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ، فَهُوَ رَجُلٌ مُتَقَوَّلٌ، فَاصْنَعُوا فِي أَمْرِهِ مَا بَدَا لَكُمْ. فَأَقْبَلَ النَّضْرُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، وَعُقْبَةُ بْنُ أَبِي مُعَيْطِ بْنِ أَبِي عَمْرِو بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ شَمْسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافِ بْنِ قُصَيٍّ حَتَّى قَدِمَا مَكَّةَ عَلَى قُرَيْشٍ، فَقَالَا: يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ، قَدْ جِئْنَاكُمْ بِفَصْلِ مَا بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَدْ أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْبَارُ يَهُودَ أَنْ نَسْأَلَهُ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ أَمَرُونَا بِهَا، فَإِنْ أَخْبَرَكُمْ عَنْهَا فَهُوَ نَبِيٌّ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ فَالرَّجُلُ مُتَقَوِّلٌ، فَرَوْا فِيهِ رَأْيَكُمْ
✧ Quraysh sent al-Naḍr and Ibn Abī Muʿayṭ to the learned men of the Jews to ask them about Muḥammad ﷺ. When al-Naḍr b. al-Ḥārith said that to them, they sent him, and they sent with him ʿUqbah b. Abī Muʿayṭ to the learned men of the Jews in Madinah, and they said to the two of them: Ask them about Muḥammad, describe his description to them, and tell them of his speech, for they are the people of the first scripture, and they have knowledge of the prophets that we do not have. So the two went forth until they came to Madinah, and they asked the learned men of the Jews about the Messenger of God ﷺ, described his affair to them, told them some of his speech, and said to them: You are the people of the Torah, and we have come to you so that you may inform us about this companion of ours. The learned men of the Jews said to the two of them: Ask him about three things that we will command you with. If he tells you about them, then he is a prophet sent [by God]; if he does not, then the man is a forger, so form your own opinion about him. Ask him about the young men who went away in the first age—what was their affair? For they had a wondrous tale. And ask him about a man who traveled about and reached the easts of the earth and its wests—what was his news? And ask him about the spirit—what is it? If he tells you about that, then follow him, for he is a prophet; if he does not, then he is a man who forges, so do with his affair what seems good to you. So al-Naḍr b. al-Ḥārith and ʿUqbah b. Abī Muʿayṭ b. Abī ʿAmr b. Umayyah b. ʿAbd Shams b. ʿAbd Manāf b. Quṣayy came back until they arrived in Makkah to Quraysh, and they said: O assembly of Quraysh, we have come to you with the decisive matter between you and Muḥammad. The learned men of the Jews have told us to ask him about things they commanded us with. If he tells you about them, then he is a prophet; if he does not, then the man is a forger, so form your own opinion about him.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 331No grade recorded
[ سُؤَالُ قُرَيْشٍ لَهُ ﷺ عَنْ أَسْئِلَةٍ وَإِجَابَتُهُ لَهُمْ ] فَجَاءُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالُوا: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، أَخْبِرْنَا عَنْ فِتْيَةٍ ذَهَبُوا فِي الدَّهْرِ الْأَوَّلِ قَدْ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ قِصَّةٌ عَجَبٌ؛ وَعَنْ رَجُلٍ كَانَ طَوَّافًا قَدْ بَلَغَ مَشَارِقَ الْأَرْضِ وَمَغَارِبَهَا؛ وَأَخْبِرْنَا عَنْ الرُّوحِ مَا هِيَ ؟ قَالَ: فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِمَا سَأَلْتُمْ عَنْهُ غَدًا وَلَمْ يَسْتَثْنِ، فَانْصَرَفُوا عَنْهُ. فَمَكَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - ﷺ فِيمَا يَذْكُرُونَ - خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ لَيْلَةً لَا يُحْدِثُ اللَّهُ إلَيْهِ فِي ذَلِكَ وَحْيًا، وَلَا يَأْتِيهِ جِبْرِيلُ، حَتَّى أَرْجَفَ أَهْلُ مَكَّةَ، وَقَالُوا: وَعَدَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ غَدًا، وَالْيَوْمَ خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ لَيْلَةً، قَدْ أَصْبَحْنَا مِنْهَا لَا يُخْبِرُنَا بِشَيْءِ مِمَّا سَأَلْنَاهُ عَنْهُ، وَحَتَّى أَحْزَنَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُكْثُ الْوَحْيِ عَنْهُ، وَشَقَّ عَلَيْهِ مَا يَتَكَلَّمُ بِهِ أَهْلُ مَكَّةَ: ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ جِبْرِيلُ مِنْ اللَّهِ - عَزَّ وَجَلَّ - بِسُورَةِ أَصْحَابِ الْكَهْفِ، فِيهَا مُعَاتَبَتُهُ إيَّاهُ عَلَى حُزْنِهِ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَخَبَرُ مَا سَأَلُوهُ عَنْهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ الْفِتْيَةَ، وَالرَّجُلِ الطَّوَّافِ، وَالرُّوحِ
✧ So they came to the Messenger of God ﷺ and said: “O Muḥammad, tell us about the young men who went away in ancient time, who had a wonderous story; and about a man who was a traveller, who reached the East of the earth and its West; and tell us about the Spirit, what is it?” He said: The Messenger of God ﷺ said to them: “I will tell you tomorrow about what you have asked,” and he did not say “if God wills.” So they turned away from him. The Messenger of God ﷺ remained—according to what they relate—fifteen nights, during which God did not send down to him any revelation concerning that, and Gabriel did not come to him, until the people of Makkah became unsettled and said: “Muḥammad promised us tomorrow, and today it has been fifteen nights; we have arisen from it without his telling us anything of what we asked him about.” And this grieved the Messenger of God ﷺ, the withholding of revelation from him, and what the people of Makkah were saying distressed him. Then Gabriel came to him from God—Mighty and Majestic—with the Sūrah of the Companions of the Cave, containing His reproof of him for his sorrow over them, and the account of what they had asked him about: the matter of the young men, the travelling man, and the Spirit.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 332No grade recorded
[ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِي قُرَيْشٍ حِينَ سَأَلُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَغَابَ عَنْهُ الْوَحْيُ مُدَّةً ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: فَذُكِرَ لِي أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لِجِبْرِيلَ حِينَ جَاءَهُ: لَقَدْ احْتَبَسْتَ عَنِّي يَا جِبْرِيلُ حَتَّى سُؤْتُ ظَنًّا فَقَالَ لَهُ جِبْرِيلُ: وَمَا نَتَنَزَّلُ إِلَّا بِأَمْرِ رَبِّكَ لَهُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِينَا وَمَا خَلْفَنَا وَمَا بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ نَسِيًّا فَافْتَتَحَ السُّورَةَ - تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى - بِحَمْدِهِ وَذِكْرِ نُبُوَّةِ رَسُولِهِ، لِمَا أَنْكَرُوهُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، فَقَالَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ الْكِتَابَ يَعْنِي مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ إنَّكَ رَسُولٌ مِنِّي: أَيْ تَحْقِيقٌ لِمَا سَأَلُوهُ عَنْهُ مِنْ نُبُوَّتِكَ. وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ عِوَجَا قَيِّمًا أَيْ مُعْتَدِلًا، لَا اخْتِلَافَ فِيهِ. لِيُنْذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِنْ لَدُنْهُ أَيْ عَاجِلَ عُقُوبَتِهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا. وَعَذَابًا أَلِيمًا فِي الْآخِرَةِ: أَيْ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي بَعَثَ رَسُولًا. وَيُبَشِّرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا مَاكِثِينَ فِيهِ أَبَدًا أَيْ دَارُ الْخُلْدِ. لَا يَمُوتُونَ فِيهَا الَّذِينَ صَدَّقُوكَ بِمَا جِئْتَ بِهِ مِمَّا كَذَّبَكَ بِهِ غَيْرُهُمْ، وَعَمِلُوا بِمَا أَمَرْتهمْ بِهِ مِنْ الْأَعْمَالِ. وَيُنْذِرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ وَلَدًا يَعْنِي قُرَيْشًا فِي قَوْلِهِمْ: إنَّا نَعْبُدُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ، وَهِيَ بَنَاتُ اللَّهِ. مَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ وَلَا لِآبَائِهِمْ الَّذِينَ أَعْظَمُوا فِرَاقَهُمْ وَعَيْبَ دِينِهِمْ. كَبُرَتْ كَلِمَةً تَخْرُجُ مِنْ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ أَيْ لِقَوْلِهِمْ: إنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ بَنَاتُ اللَّهِ. إِنْ يَقُولُونَ إِلَّا كَذِبًا فَلَعَلَّكَ بَاخِعٌ نَفْسَكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ إنْ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَسَفًا: أَيْ لِحُزْنِهِ عَلَيْهِمْ حِينَ فَاتَهُ مَا كَانَ يَرْجُو مِنْهُمْ: أَيْ لَا تَفْعَلْ. قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: بَاخِعٌ نَفْسَكَ، أَيْ مُهْلِكٌ نَفْسَكَ، فِيمَا حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ
✧ [What God revealed concerning Quraysh when they asked the Messenger of God ﷺ and the revelation was withheld from him for a period] Ibn Isḥāq said: It was mentioned to me that the Messenger of God ﷺ said to Gabriel when he came to him: "You have withheld yourself from me, O Gabriel, until I thought evil thoughts." Gabriel said to him: "'And we do not descend except by the command of your Lord. To Him belongs what is before us and what is behind us and what is between that. And your Lord is never forgetful'" (19:64). He then opened the sūrah – Blessed and Exalted be He – with His praise and the mention of the prophethood of His Messenger, because of what they had objected to against him in that matter. He said: "Praise be to God who sent down upon His servant the Book" – meaning Muḥammad ﷺ, "you are a Messenger from Me" – that is, a confirmation of what they had asked him about concerning your prophethood. "And He has not made for it any crookedness. Upright" – that is, straight, with no discrepancy in it. "That he may warn of a severe might from Him" – that is, His swift punishment in this world. "And a painful punishment in the Hereafter" – that is, from your Lord who sent a Messenger. "And that he may give good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a good reward, abiding therein forever" – that is, the abode of eternity. "They will not die therein" – those who believed you in what you brought, which others disbelieved you in, and who acted according to what you commanded them of deeds. "And that he may warn those who say, 'God has taken a son'" – meaning Quraysh in their saying: "We worship the angels, and they are the daughters of God." "They have no knowledge of it, nor had their fathers" – those whose separation they magnified and whose religion they defamed. "Mighty is the word that comes out of their mouths" – that is, for their saying: "The angels are the daughters of God." "They say nothing but a lie. Then perhaps you would kill yourself, O Muḥammad, over their tracks, if they do not believe in this discourse, out of grief" – that is, out of sorrow for them when he missed what he had hoped from them – that is, do not do so. Ibn Hishām said: "bākhiʿ nafsaka" means "destroying yourself," as Abū ʿUbaydah related to me.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 333No grade recorded
قَالَ ذُو الرُّمَّةِ:: أَلَا أَيُّهَذَا الْبَاخِعُ الْوَجْدُ نَفْسَهُ لِشَيْءٍ نَحَتْهُ عَنْ يَدَيْهِ الْمَقَادِرُ وَجَمْعُهُ: بَاخِعُونَ وَبَخَعَةٌ. وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي قَصِيدَةٍ لَهُ. وَتَقُولُ الْعَرَبُ: قَدْ بَخَعْتُ لَهُ نُصْحِي وَنَفْسِي، أَيْ جَهَدْتُ لَهُ. إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى الْأَرْضِ زِينَةً لَهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: أَيْ أَيُّهُمْ أَتْبَعُ لِأَمْرِي، وَأَعْمَلُ بِطَاعَتِي. وَإِنَّا لَجَاعِلُونَ مَا عَلَيْهَا صَعِيدًا جُرُزًا أَيْ الْأَرْضِ، وَإِنَّ مَا عَلَيْهَا لَفَانٍ وَزَائِلٌ، وَإِنَّ الْمَرْجِعَ إلَيَّ، فَأَجْزِي كُلًّا بِعَمَلِهِ، فَلَا تَأْسَ وَلَا يَحْزُنْكَ مَا تَسْمَعُ وَتَرَى فِيهَا. قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: الصَّعِيدُ: الْأَرْضُ، وَجَمْعُهُ: صُعُدٌ. قَالَ ذُو الرُّمَّةِ يَصِفُ ظَبْيًا صَغِيرًا: كَأَنَّهُ بِالضُّحَى تَرْمِي الصَّعِيدَ بِهِ دَبَّابَةٌ فِي عِظَامِ الرَّأْسِ خُرْطُومُ وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي قَصِيدَةٍ لَهُ. وَالصَّعِيدُ ( أَيْضًا ): الطَّرِيقُ. وَقَدْ جَاءَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ: إيَّاكُمْ وَالْقُعُودَ عَلَى الصُّعَدَاتِ يُرِيدُ الطُّرُقَ. وَالْجُرُزُ: الْأَرْضُ الَّتِي لَا تُنْبِتُ شَيْئًا، وَجَمْعُهَا: أَجْرَازٌ. وَيُقَالُ: سَنَةٌ جُرُزٌ، وَسُنُونَ أَجْرَازٌ، وَهِيَ الَّتِي لَا يَكُونُ فِيهَا مَطَرٌ، وَتَكُونُ فِيهَا جُدُوبَةٌ وَيُبْسٌ وَشِدَّةٌ. قَالَ ذُو الرُّمَّةِ يَصِفُ إبِلًا: طَوَى النَّحْرُ وَالْأَجْرَازُ مَا فِي بُطُونِهَا فَمَا بَقِيَتْ إلَّا الضُّلُوعُ الْجَرَاشِعُ وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي قَصِيدَةٍ لَهُ.
✧ Dhū al-Rummah said: “Alas, O you who wears out your soul in grief over something which the fates have carved away from his hands.” Its plural: bākhiʿūn and bakhaʿah. This verse is in an ode of his. The Arabs say: “I have exerted my counsel and my soul for him” (qad bakhaʿtu lahu nuṣḥī wa nafsī), meaning “I strove for him.” “Indeed, We have made that which is on the earth an adornment for it, that We may test them [as to] which of them is best in deed.” Ibn Isḥāq said: That is, which of them is most compliant with My command and most active in obedience to Me. “And indeed, We will make that which is upon it into a barren plain” — that is, the earth; what is upon it is perishing and vanishing, and the return is to Me, so I shall requite each for his deed; do not grieve, and let what you hear and see therein not sadden you. Ibn Hishām said: al-ṣaʿīd means the earth, and its plural is ṣuʿud. Dhū al-Rummah said, describing a young gazelle: “As if at forenoon the ṣaʿīd casts him forth, a creeping thing with a snout in the bones of the head.” This verse is in an ode of his. Al-ṣaʿīd (also) means the road. It has come in the ḥadīth: “Beware of sitting on the ṣuʿudāt,” meaning the roads. Al-juruz is the land that grows nothing, and its plural is ajrāz. It is said: a barren year (sanah juruz), and barren years (sunūn ajrāz), that is, those in which there is no rain, and in which there are drought, dryness, and hardship. Dhū al-Rummah said, describing camels: “The heat of summer and the barren lands folded away what was in their bellies, so nothing remained but the ribs that protrude.” This verse is in an ode of his.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 334No grade recorded
[ مَا أَنْزَلَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي قِصَّةِ أَصْحَابِ الْكَهْفِ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: ثُمَّ اسْتَقْبَلَ قِصَّةَ الْخَبَرِ فِيمَا سَأَلُوهُ عَنْهُ مِنْ شَأْنِ الْفِتْيَةِ، فَقَالَ: أَمْ حَسِبْتَ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْكَهْفِ وَالرَّقِيمِ كَانُوا مِنْ آيَاتِنَا عَجَبًا أَيْ قَدْ. كَانَ مِنْ آيَاتِي فِيمَا وَضَعْتُ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ مِنْ حُجَجِي مَا هُوَ أَعْجَبُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: وَالرَّقِيمُ: الْكِتَابُ الَّذِي رُقِمَ فِيهِ بِخَبَرِهِمْ، وَجَمْعُهُ: رُقُمٌ. قَالَ الْعَجَّاجُ: وَمُسْتَقَرُّ الْمُصْحَفِ الْمُرَقَّمِ وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي أُرْجُوزَةٍ لَهُ. قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: ثُمَّ قَالَ تَعَالَى: إِذْ أَوَى الْفِتْيَةُ إِلَى الْكَهْفِ فَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا فَضَرَبْنَا عَلَى آذَانِهِمْ فِي الْكَهْفِ سِنِينَ عَدَدًا ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَاهُمْ لِنَعْلَمَ أَيُّ الْحِزْبَيْنِ أَحْصَى لِمَا لَبِثُوا أَمَدًا ثُمَّ قَالَ تَعَالَى: نَحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ نَبَأَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ أَيْ بِصِدْقِ الْخَبَرِ عَنْهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ آمَنُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ وَزِدْنَاهُمْ هُدًى وَرَبَطْنَا عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ إِذْ قَامُوا فَقَالُوا رَبُّنَا رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ لَنْ نَدْعُوَ مِنْ دُونِهِ إِلَهًا لَقَدْ قُلْنَا إِذًا شَطَطًا أَيْ لَمْ يُشْرِكُوا بِي كَمَا أَشْرَكْتُمْ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكُمْ بِهِ عِلْمٌ. قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: وَالشَّطَطُ: الْغُلُوُّ وَمُجَاوَزَةُ الْحَقِّ. قَالَ أَعْشَى بَنِي قَيْسِ بْنِ ثَعْلَبَةَ:: لَا يَنْتَهُونَ وَلَا يَنْهَى ذَوِي شَطَطٍ كَالطَّعْنِ يَذْهَبُ فِيهِ الزَّيْتُ وَالْفَتْلُ وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي قَصِيدَةٍ لَهُ
✧ What God Most High revealed concerning the story of the Companions of the Cave Ibn Isḥāq said: Then he took up the story of the report concerning what they asked him about, the affair of the youths, and He said: Or have you reckoned that the Companions of the Cave and al-Raqīm were among Our signs a wonder? That is: there has been among My signs, in what I have laid upon the servants of My proofs, what is more wondrous than that. Ibn Hishām said: al-Raqīm is the writing in which their story was inscribed; its plural is ruqum. Al-ʿAjjāj said: And the resting-place of the inscribed muṣḥaf. This verse is in an urjūzah of his. Ibn Isḥāq said: Then the Most High said: When the youths took refuge in the cave and said: Our Lord, give us mercy from Yourself and make ready for us right guidance in our affair. So We struck upon their ears in the cave for numbered years. Then We raised them up, that We might know which of the two parties was best able to reckon the time they had tarried. Then the Most High said: We relate to you their story in truth, that is, with a true report about them: They were youths who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance. And We strengthened their hearts when they arose and said: Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth; we will not call upon any god besides Him, for then we would have uttered an outrage. That is: they did not associate anything with Me as you have associated with Me that of which you have no knowledge. Ibn Hishām said: al-shaṭaṭ is excess and going beyond the truth. Aʿshā of Banū Qays b. Thaʿlabah said: They do not refrain, nor does one restrain people of excess, like a thrust in which oil and twisted cords go away. This verse is in a qaṣīdah of his.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 335No grade recorded
هَؤُلَاءِ قَوْمُنَا اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ آلِهَةً لَوْلَا يَأْتُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِسُلْطَانٍ بَيِّنٍ قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: أَيْ بِحُجَّةٍ بَالِغَةٍ. فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا وَإِذِ اعْتَزَلْتُمُوهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ فَأْوُوا إِلَى الْكَهْفِ يَنْشُرْ لَكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ مِنْ رَحْمَتِهِ وَيُهَيِّئْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مِرفَقًا وَتَرَى الشَّمْسَ إِذَا طَلَعَتْ تَزَاوَرُ عَنْ كَهْفِهِمْ ذَاتَ الْيَمِينِ وَإِذَا غَرَبَتْ تَقْرِضُهُمْ ذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ وَهُمْ فِي فَجْوَةٍ مِنْهُ قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: تَزَاوَرُ: تَمِيلُ، وَهُوَ مِنْ الزُّورِ. وَقَالَ امْرُؤُ الْقَيْسِ بْنِ حَجَرٍ: وَإِنِّي زَعِيمٌ إنْ رَجَعْتُ مُمَلَّكًا بِسَيْرٍ تَرَى مِنْهُ الْفُرَانِقَ أَزْوَرَا وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي قَصِيدَةٍ لَهُ وَقَالَ أَبُو الزَّحْفِ الْكَلْبِيُّ يَصِفُ بَلَدًا: جَأْبُ الْمُنَدَّى عَنْ هَوَانَا أَزْوَرُ يُنْضِي الْمَطَايَا خِمْسُهُ الْعَشَنْزَرُ وَهَذَانِ الْبَيْتَانِ فِي أُرْجُوزَةٍ لَهُ وتَقْرِضُهُمْ ذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ: تُجَاوِزُهُمْ وَتَتْرُكُهُمْ عَنْ شِمَالِهَا قَالَ ذُو الرُّمَّةِ: إلَى ظُعْنٍ يَقْرِضْنَ أَقْوَازَ مُشْرِفٍ شِمَالًا وَعَنْ أَيْمَانِهِنَّ الْفَوَارِسُ وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي قَصِيدَةٍ لَهُ. وَالْفَجْوَةُ: السَّعَةُ، وَجَمْعُهَا: الْفِجَاءُ. قَالَ الشَّاعِرُ:: أَلْبَسْتَ قَوْمَكَ مَخْزَاةً وَمَنْقَصَةً حَتَّى أُبِيحُوا وَخَلَّوْا فَجْوَةَ الدَّارِ
✧ “These, our people, have taken gods besides Him; why do they not bring concerning them a clear authority?” Ibn Isḥāq said: i.e., a decisive proof. “And who is more unjust than one who fabricates a lie against God? And when you have withdrawn from them and what they worship besides God, take refuge in the Cave; your Lord will spread for you of His mercy, and prepare for you from your affair a comfort. And you see the sun when it rises, turning away from their Cave to the right, and when it sets, passing them by to the left, while they are in an open space within it.” Ibn Hishām said: “turning away” (tazāwaru) means “inclining,” and it is from “al-zawr” (inclination). Imruʾ al-Qays b. Ḥajar said: “And I am a guarantor, if I return with kingship, with a journey from which you see the guide-post inclined.” This verse is in a poem of his. And Abū al-Zaḥf al-Kalbī said, describing a country: “A place of assembly, deviating from our desire, whose grueling five-day journey exhausts the riding camels.” These two verses are in a rajz poem of his. “And it passes them by to the left” (taqriḍuhum dhāt al-shimāl): it passes beyond them and leaves them on its left. Dhū al-Rumma said: “To women in litters who cut across the mountain terraces of Mushrif to the left, while to their right are the horsemen.” This verse is in a poem of his. “The open space” (al-fajwa): the wide expanse, and its plural is “al-fijāʾ.” A poet said: “You clothed your people with disgrace and shame until they were exposed and left the open space of the abode.”
Sirat Ibn Hisham 336No grade recorded
ذَلِكَ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ أَيْ فِي الْحُجَّةِ عَلَى مَنْ عَرَفَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أُمُورِهِمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ، مِمَّنْ أَمَرَ هَؤُلَاءِ بِمَسْأَلَتِكَ عَنْهُمْ فِي صِدْقِ نُبُوَّتِكَ بِتَحْقِيقِ الْخَبَرِ عَنْهُمْ. مَنْ يَهْدِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِي وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُ وَلِيًّا مُرْشِدًا وَتَحْسَبُهُمْ أَيْقَاظًا وَهُمْ رُقُودٌ وَنُقَلِّبُهُمْ ذَاتَ الْيَمِينِ وَذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ وَكَلْبُهُمْ بَاسِطٌ ذِرَاعَيْهِ بِالْوَصِيدِ قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: الْوَصِيدُ: الْبَابُ. قَالَ الْعَبْسِيُّ، وَاسْمُهُ عُبَيْدُ بْنُ وَهْبٍ:: بِأَرْضٍ فَلَاةٍ لَا يُسَدُّ وَصِيدُهَا عَلَيَّ وَمَعْرُوفِي بِهَا غَيْرُ مُنْكَرِ وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي أَبْيَاتٍ لَهُ. وَالْوَصِيدُ ( أَيْضًا ): الْفِنَاءُ، وَجَمْعُهُ: وَصَائِدُ، وَوُصُدٌ، وَوُصْدَانُ، وَأُصُدٌ وَأُصْدَانٌ لَوِ اطَّلَعْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَوَلَّيْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِرَارًا وَلَمُلِئْتَ مِنْهُمْ رُعْبًا إلَى قَوْلِهِ قَالَ الَّذِينَ غَلَبُوا عَلَى أَمْرِهِمْ أَهْلُ السُّلْطَانِ وَالْمُلْكِ مِنْهُمْ: لَنَتَّخِذَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ مَسْجِدًا سَيَقُولُونَ يَعْنِي أَحْبَارَ يَهُودَ الَّذِينَ أَمَرُوهُمْ بِالْمَسْأَلَةِ عَنْهُمْ: ثَلَاثَةٌ رَابِعُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ خَمْسَةٌ سَادِسُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ رَجْمًا بِالْغَيْبِ أَيْ لَا عِلْمَ لَهُمْ. وَيَقُولُونَ سَبْعَةٌ وَثَامِنُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ قُلْ رَبِّي أَعْلَمُ بِعِدَّتِهِمْ مَا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ فَلَا تُمَارِ فِيهِمْ إِلَّا مِرَاءً ظَاهِرًا أَيْ لَا تُكَابِرْهُمْ وَلَا تَسْتَفْتِ فِيهِمْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًا فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا عِلْمَ لَهُمْ بِهِمْ وَلَا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَيْءٍ إِنِّي فَاعِلٌ ذَلِكَ غَدًا إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ إِذَا نَسِيتَ وَقُلْ عَسَى أَنْ يَهْدِيَنِي رَبِّي لِأَقْرَبَ مِنْ هَذَا رَشَدًا أَيْ وَلَا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَيْءِ سَأَلُوكَ عَنْهُ كَمَا قُلْتُ فِي هَذَا: إنِّي مُخْبِرُكُمْ غَدًا. وَاسْتَثْنِ شِيئَةَ اللَّهِ، وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ إذَا نَسِيتَ، وَقُلْ عَسَى أَنْ يَهْدِيَنِ رَبِّي لِخَيْرٍ مِمَّا سَأَلْتُمُونِي عَنْهُ رَشَدًا، فَإِنَّكَ لَا تَدْرِي مَا أَنَا صَانِعٌ فِي ذَلِكَ. وَلَبِثُوا فِي كَهْفِهِمْ ثَلَاثَ مِائَةٍ سِنِينَ وَازْدَادُوا تِسْعًا أَيْ سَيَقُولُونَ ذَلِكَ. قُلِ اللَّهِ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثُوا لَهُ غَيْبُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَبْصِرْ بِهِ وَأَسْمِعْ مَا لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا يُشْرِكُ فِي حُكْمِهِ أَحَدًا أَيْ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ مِمَّا سَأَلُوكَ عَنْهُ.
✧ That is among the signs of God, meaning in the proof against those of the People of the Book who knew that of their affairs, from among those whom these people instructed to ask you about them, regarding the truth of your prophethood, by the verification of the report about them. Whomever God guides, he is the rightly guided; and whomever He leads astray, you will never find for him a guiding protector. And you would think them awake, while they were asleep. And We turned them to the right and to the left, while their dog stretched its forelegs at the entrance. Ibn Hishām said: al-waṣīd means the door. Al-ʿAbsī said—and his name is ʿUbayd b. Wahb—: In a desolate land whose entrance is not closed against me, and my good repute there is not denied. This verse is among some verses of his. Al-waṣīd (also) means the courtyard, and its plurals are waṣāʾid, wuṣud, wuṣdān, uṣud, and uṣdān. Had you looked upon them, you would have turned from them in flight and been filled with terror of them—up to His saying: Those who prevailed over their affair, the people of authority and kingship among them, said: We will surely take a place of worship over them. They will say—meaning the rabbis of the Jews who instructed them to ask about them—: Three, the fourth of them their dog. And they will say: Five, the sixth of them their dog, guessing at the unseen, meaning they have no knowledge. And they will say: Seven, and the eighth of them their dog. Say: My Lord is most knowing of their number; none knows them except a few. So do not argue about them except with a clear argument, meaning do not contend with them, and do not consult about them any one of them, for they have no knowledge of them. And never say of anything, “Indeed, I will do that tomorrow,” except [when adding], “If God wills.” And remember your Lord when you forget and say, “Perhaps my Lord will guide me to what is nearer than this in right conduct,” meaning do not say about anything they ask you, as you said regarding this: “I will inform you tomorrow.” And make an exception for God's will, and remember your Lord when you forget, and say, “Perhaps my Lord will guide me to something better than what you asked me about, in right conduct,” for you do not know what I shall do in that matter. And they remained in their cave three hundred years, and they added nine, meaning they will say that. Say: God is most knowing of how long they remained. To Him belongs the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How seeing is He and how hearing! They have no protector besides Him, and He shares His command with no one, meaning nothing of what they asked you about was hidden from Him.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 337No grade recorded
[ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي خَبَرِ الرَّجُلِ الطَّوَّافِ ] وَقَالَ فِيمَا سَأَلُوهُ عَنْهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ الرَّجُلِ الطَّوَّافِ: وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَبَبًا فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا حَتَّى انْتَهَى إلَى آخِرِ قِصَّةِ خَبَرِهِ. وَكَانَ مِنْ خَبَرِ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ أَنَّهُ أُوتِيَ مَا لَمْ يُؤْتَ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُهُ، فَمُدَّتْ لَهُ الْأَسْبَابُ حَتَّى انْتَهَى مِنْ الْبِلَادِ إلَى مَشَارِقِ الْأَرْضِ وَمَغَارِبِهَا، لَا يَطَأُ أَرْضًا إلَّا سُلِّطَ عَلَى أَهْلِهَا، حَتَّى انْتَهَى مِنْ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ إلَى مَا لَيْسَ وَرَاءَهُ شَيْءٌ مِنْ الْخَلْقِ. قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: فَحَدَّثَنِي مِنْ يَسُوقُ الْأَحَادِيثَ عَنْ الْأَعَاجِمِ فِيمَا تَوَارَثُوا مِنْ عِلْمِهِ: أَنَّ ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ كَانَ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَهْلِ مِصْرَ. اسْمُهُ مَرْزُبَانُ بْنُ مَرْذُبَةَ الْيُونَانِيُّ، مِنْ وَلَدِ يُونَانِ بْنِ يَافِثَ بْنِ نُوحٍ. قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: وَاسْمُهُ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ، وَهُوَ الَّذِي بَنَى الْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةَ فَنُسِبَتْ إلَيْهِ. قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَقَدْ حَدَّثَنِي ثَوْرُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ عَنْ خَالِدِ بْنِ مَعْدَانَ الْكُلَاعِيُّ، وَكَانَ رَجُلًا قَدْ أَدْرَكَ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ سُئِلَ عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ فَقَالَ: مَلِكٌ مَسَحَ الْأَرْضَ مِنْ تَحْتِهَا بِالْأَسْبَابِ وَقَالَ خَالِدٌ: سَمِعَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ ؓ رَجُلًا يَقُولُ: يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: اللَّهُمَّ غَفْرًا، أَمَا رَضِيتُمْ أَنْ تَسَمَّوْا بِالْأَنْبِيَاءِ حَتَّى تَسَمَّيْتُمْ بِالْمَلَائِكَةِ. قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ أَيُّ ذَلِكَ كَانَ، أَقَالَ ذَلِكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَمْ لَا ؟ ( فَإِنْ كَانَ قَالَهُ )، فَالْحَقُّ مَا قَالَ. [ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي أَمْرِ الرُّوحِ ] وَقَالَ تَعَالَى فِيمَا سَأَلُوهُ عَنْهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ الرُّوحِ: وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
✧ [What God Most High revealed concerning the story of the wandering man] And He said regarding what they asked him about the affair of the wandering man: "And they ask you about Dhū al-Qarnayn. Say: I shall recite to you a remembrance of him. Indeed, We established him in the earth and gave him a means to everything. So he followed a means until he reached the end of the story of his account." And it was part of the account of Dhū al-Qarnayn that he was given what no one other than him was given, and the means were extended for him until he reached from the lands to the easts of the earth and its wests. He did not tread upon any land but that he was given authority over its people, until he reached from the east and the west to that beyond which there is nothing of creation. Ibn Isḥāq said: Someone who transmits the narratives from the non-Arabs, regarding what they inherited of their knowledge, related to me that Dhū al-Qarnayn was a man from the people of Egypt, whose name was Marzubān b. Mardhuba the Greek, from the descendants of Yūnān b. Yāfith b. Nūḥ. Ibn Hishām said: His name was al-Iskandar, and he is the one who built Alexandria, so it was named after him. Ibn Isḥāq said: Thawr b. Yazīd related to me from Khālid b. Maʿdān al-Kulāʿī—and he was a man who had met some of the Companions—that the Messenger of God ﷺ was asked about Dhū al-Qarnayn, and he said: "A king who traversed the earth beneath it by the means." And Khālid said: ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb ؓ heard a man saying, "O Dhū al-Qarnayn," and ʿUmar said: "O God, forgive! Are you not satisfied to call yourselves by the names of the prophets, until you call yourselves by the names of the angels?" Ibn Isḥāq said: God knows best whether that was so—whether the Messenger of God ﷺ said that or not. If he said it, then the truth is what he said. [What God Most High revealed concerning the matter of the spirit] And He, Most High, said regarding what they asked him about the matter of the spirit: "And they ask you about the spirit. Say: The spirit is from the command of my Lord, and you have not been given of knowledge except a little."
Sirat Ibn Hisham 338No grade recorded
[ سُؤَالُ يَهُودِ الْمَدِينَةِ لِلرَّسُولِ ﷺ عَنْ الْمُرَادِ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَحُدِّثْتُ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ: لَمَّا قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْمَدِينَةَ، قَالَتْ أَحْبَارُ يَهُودَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، أَرَأَيْتَ قَوْلَكَ: وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنْ الْعِلْمِ إلَّا قَلِيلًا إيَّانَا تُرِيدُ، أَمْ قَوْمَكَ ؟ قَالَ: كُلًّا؛ قَالُوا: فَإِنَّكَ تَتْلُو فِيمَا جَاءَكَ: أَنَّا قَدْ أُوتِينَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا بَيَانُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: إنَّهَا فِي عِلْمِ اللَّهِ قَلِيلٌ وَعِنْدَكُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ مَا يَكْفِيكُمْ لَوْ أَقَمْتُمُوهُ قَالَ: فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ فِيمَا سَأَلُوهُ عَنْهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ: وَلَوْ أَنَّمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلَامٌ وَالْبَحْرُ يَمُدُّهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ مَا نَفِدَتْ كَلِمَاتُ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ أَيْ أَنَّ التَّوْرَاةَ فِي هَذَا مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ قَلِيلٌ
✧ [The Question of the Jews of Madinah to the Messenger ﷺ about the Meaning of His Saying, Most High: “And you were not given of knowledge except a little”] Ibn Isḥāq said: And I was told on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās that he said: When the Messenger of God ﷺ arrived in Madinah, the rabbis of the Jews said: “O Muḥammad, do you see your saying: ‘And you were not given of knowledge except a little’—do you mean us or your people?” He said: “Both.” They said: “But you recite in what has come to you that we have been given the Torah, in which is an exposition of everything.” The Messenger of God ﷺ said: “It is little in God’s knowledge, and with you there is in it what suffices you if you would act upon it.” He said: Then God Most High sent down upon him, concerning what they asked him about regarding that: “And if all the trees on the earth were pens, and the sea, with seven more seas after it to replenish it, were ink, the words of God would not be exhausted. Truly God is Mighty, Wise” (Q 31:27)—that is, the Torah is, in this, little of God’s knowledge.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 339No grade recorded
[ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِشَأْنِ طَلَبِهِمْ تَسْيِيرَ الْجِبَالِ ] قَالَ: وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ فِيمَا سَأَلَهُ قَوْمُهُ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ مِنْ تَسْيِيرِ الْجِبَالِ، وَتَقْطِيعِ الْأَرْضِ، وَبَعْثِ مَنْ مَضَى مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ مِنْ الْمَوْتَى: وَلَوْ أَنَّ قُرْآنًا سُيِّرَتْ بِهِ الْجِبَالُ أَوْ قُطِّعَتْ بِهِ الْأَرْضُ أَوْ كُلِّمَ بِهِ الْمَوْتَى بَلْ لِلَّهِ الْأَمْرُ جَمِيعًا أَيْ لَا أَصْنَعُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ إلَّا مَا شِئْتَ. [ مَا أَنْزَلَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى رَدًّا عَلَى قَوْلِهِمْ لِلرَّسُولِ ﷺ خُذْ لِنَفْسِكَ ] وَأَنْزَلَ عَلَيْهِ فِي قَوْلِهِمْ: خُذْ لِنَفْسِكَ، مَا سَأَلُوهُ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ لِنَفْسِهِ، أَنْ يَجْعَلَ لَهُ جَنَانًا وَقُصُورًا وَكُنُوزًا، وَيَبْعَثَ مَعَهُ مَلَكًا يُصَدِّقُهُ بِمَا يَقُولُ، وَيَرُدُّ عَنْهُ: وَقَالُوا مَالِ هَذَا الرَّسُولِ يَأْكُلُ الطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشِي فِي الْأَسْوَاقِ لَوْلَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مَلَكٌ فَيَكُونَ مَعَهُ نَذِيرًا أَوْ يُلْقَى إِلَيْهِ كَنْزٌ أَوْ تَكُونُ لَهُ جَنَّةٌ يَأْكُلُ مِنْهَا وَقَالَ الظَّالِمُونَ إِنْ تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا رَجُلًا مَسْحُورًا انْظُرْ كَيْفَ ضَرَبُوا لَكَ الْأَمْثَالَ فَضَلُّوا فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَبِيلًا تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي إِنْ شَاءَ جَعَلَ لَكَ خَيْرًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَيْ مِنْ أَنْ تَمْشِيَ فِي الْأَسْوَاقِ وَتَلْتَمِسَ الْمَعَاشَ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكَ قُصُورًا. وَأَنْزَلَ عَلَيْهِ فِي ذَلِكَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِمْ: وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلَّا إِنَّهُمْ لَيَأْكُلُونَ الطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشُونَ فِي الْأَسْوَاقِ وَجَعَلْنَا بَعْضَكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ فِتْنَةً أَتَصْبِرُونَ وَكَانَ رَبُّكَ بَصِيرًا أَيْ جَعَلْتُ بَعْضَكُمْ لِبَعْضِ بَلَاءً لِتَصْبِرُوا، وَلَوْ شِئْتُ أَنْ أَجْعَلَ الدُّنْيَا مَعَ رُسُلِي فَلَا يُخَالَفُوا لَفَعَلْتُ
✧ [What God Most High revealed concerning their request for moving the mountains] He said: And God Most High revealed to him concerning what his people asked for themselves of moving the mountains, cleaving the earth, and raising those of their forefathers who had passed away from the dead: "Even if there were a Qur'an by which the mountains were moved, or by which the earth were cleft, or by which the dead were made to speak—rather, to God belongs the affair entirely" (Q 13:31), meaning: I do not do any of that except what I will. [What God Most High revealed in response to their saying to the Messenger ﷺ, "Take for yourself"] And He revealed to him concerning their saying, "Take for yourself," that which they asked him to take for himself: that He should make for him gardens and palaces and treasures, and send with him an angel to confirm what he says and defend him: "And they said, 'What is with this messenger? He eats food and walks in the markets. Why was an angel not sent down to him so that he would be with him as a warner? Or why was a treasure not cast down to him, or why does he not have a garden from which he eats?' And the wrongdoers said, 'You follow none but a bewitched man.' See how they strike similitudes for you, and they have gone astray, so they cannot find a way. Blessed is He who, if He wills, will make for you better than that—meaning better than that you walk in the markets and seek a livelihood—gardens beneath which rivers flow, and will make for you palaces" (Q 25:7‒10). And He revealed to him concerning that from their saying: "And We did not send before you any of the messengers but that they ate food and walked in the markets. And We made some of you a trial for others: will you be patient? And your Lord is ever Seeing" (Q 25:20), meaning: I made some of you a test for others so that you might be patient, and if I willed to make the world with My messengers so that they would not be opposed, I would have done so.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 340No grade recorded
[ مَا أَنْزَلَهُ تَعَالَى رَدًّا عَلَى قَوْلِ ابْنِ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ ] وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ فِيمَا قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ: وَقَالُوا لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّى تَفْجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ الْأَرْضِ يَنْبُوعًا أَوْ تَكُونَ لَكَ جَنَّةٌ مِنْ نَخِيلٍ وَعِنَبٍ فَتُفَجِّرَ الْأَنْهَارَ خِلَالَهَا تَفْجِيرًا أَوْ تُسْقِطَ السَّمَاءَ كَمَا زَعَمْتَ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفًا أَوْ تَأْتِيَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ قَبِيلًا أَوْ يَكُونَ لَكَ بَيْتٌ مِنْ زُخْرُفٍ أَوْ تَرْقَى فِي السَّمَاءِ وَلَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لِرُقِيِّكَ حَتَّى تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا كِتَابًا نَقْرَؤُهُ قُلْ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّي هَلْ كُنْتُ إِلَّا بَشَرًا رَسُولًا قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: الْيَنْبُوعُ: مَا نَبَعَ مِنْ الْمَاءِ مِنْ الْأَرْضِ وَغَيْرِهَا، وَجَمْعُهُ يَنَابِيعُ. قَالَ ابْنُ هَرْمَةَ، وَاسْمُهُ إبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْفِهْرِيُّ.: وَإِذَا هَرَقْتَ بِكُلِّ دَارٍ عَبْرَةً نُزِفَ الشُّئُونُ وَدَمْعُكَ الْيَنْبُوعُ وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي قَصِيدَةٍ لَهُ. وَالْكِسَفُ: الْقِطَعُ مِنْ الْعَذَابِ، وَوَاحِدَتُهُ: كِسْفَةٌ، مِثْلُ سِدْرَةٍ وَسِدَرٍ. وَهِيَ أَيْضًا: وَاحِدَةُ الْكِسْفِ. وَالْقَبِيلُ: يَكُونُ مُقَابَلَةً وَمُعَايَنَةً، وَهُوَ كَقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ قُبُلًا أَيْ عِيَانًا وَأَنْشَدَنِي أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ لِأَعْشَى بَنِي قَيْسِ بْنِ ثَعْلَبَةَ:: أُصَالِحُكُمْ حَتَّى تَبُوءُوا بِمِثْلِهَا كَصَرْخَةِ حُبْلَى يَسَّرَتْهَا قَبِيلُهَا يَعْنِي الْقَابِلَةُ، لِأَنَّهَا تُقَابِلُهَا وَتَقْبُلُ وَلَدَهَا. وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي قَصِيدَةٍ لَهُ. وَيُقَالُ: الْقَبِيلُ: جَمْعُهُ قُبُلٌ، وَهِيَ الْجَمَاعَاتُ، وَفِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: وَحَشَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ قُبُلًا فَقُبُلٌ: جَمْعُ قَبِيلٍ، مِثْلُ سُبُلٍ: جَمْعُ سَبِيلٍ، وَسُرُرٍ: جَمْعُ سَرِيرٍ، وَقُمُصٍ: جَمْعُ قَمِيصٍ. وَالْقَبِيلُ ( أَيْضًا ): فِي مَثَلٍ مِنْ الْأَمْثَالِ، وَهُوَ قَوْلُهُمْ: مَا يَعْرِفُ قَبِيلًا مِنْ دَبِيرٍ: أَيْ لَا يَعْرِفُ مَا أَقْبَلَ مِمَّا أَدْبَرَ؛ قَالَ الْكُمَيْتُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ:: تَفَرَّقَتْ الْأُمُورُ بِوَجْهَتَيْهِمْ فَمَا عَرَفُوا الدَّبِيرَ مِنْ الْقَبِيلِ وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي قَصِيدَةٍ لَهُ، وَيُقَالُ: إنَّمَا أُرِيدَ بِهَذَا ( الْقَبِيلِ ): الْفَتْلُ، فَمَا فُتِلَ إلَى الذِّرَاعِ فَهُوَ الْقَبِيلُ، وَمَا فُتِلَ إلَى أَطْرَافِ الْأَصَابِعِ فَهُوَ الدَّبِيرُ، وَهُوَ مِنْ الْإِقْبَالِ وَالْإِدْبَارِ الَّذِي ذَكَرْتُ. وَيُقَالُ: فَتْلُ الْمِغْزَلِ. فَإِذَا فُتِلَ ( الْمِغْزَلُ ) إلَى الرُّكْبَةِ فَهُوَ الْقَبِيلُ، وَإِذَا فُتِلَ إلَى الْوَرِكِ فَهُوَ الدَّبِيرُ. وَالْقَبِيلُ ( أَيْضًا ): قَوْمُ الرَّجُلِ. وَالزُّخْرُفُ: الذَّهَبُ. وَالْمُزَخْرَفُ: الْمُزَيَّنُ بِالذَّهَبِ. قَالَ الْعَجَّاجُ:: مِنْ طَلَلٍ أَمْسَى تَخَالُ الْمُصْحَفَا رُسُومَهُ وَالْمُذْهَبَ الْمُزَخْرَفَا وَهَذَانِ الْبَيْتَانِ فِي أُرْجُوزَةٍ لَهُ، وَيُقَالُ أَيْضًا لِكُلِّ مُزَيَّنٍ:. مُزَخْرَفٌ
✧ [What God Most High revealed in reply to the saying of Ibn Abī Umayyah] And God revealed concerning what ʿAbdallāh b. Abī Umayyah said: “And they said: We will never believe in you until you cause a spring to gush forth for us from the earth; or you have a garden of date-palms and vines, and cause rivers to gush forth in their midst with a gushing; or you cause the sky to fall upon us in pieces, as you have claimed; or you bring God and the angels before [us] face to face; or you have a house of gold ornament, or you ascend into the sky—and we will never believe in your ascending until you send down to us a book that we may read. Say: Glory be to my Lord! Am I anything but a mortal messenger?” Ibn Hishām said: al-yanbūʿ is what gushes forth of water from the earth and elsewhere; its plural is yanābīʿ. Ibn Harmah—whose name is Ibrāhīm b. ʿAlī al-Fihrī—said: “And when you pour forth in every abode a tear, the tear-ducts are drained dry, and your tears are a gushing spring.” This verse is in a qaṣīdah of his. Al-kisaf are the pieces of punishment; its singular is kisfah, like sidrah and sidar. It is also the singular of al-kisf. Al-qabīl may mean face-to-face and direct viewing, as in His saying, Most High: “or the punishment comes to them face to face,” meaning openly. Abū ʿUbaydah recited to me from Aʿshā Banī Qays b. Thaʿlabah: “I make peace with you until you return with the like of it, like the cry of a pregnant woman whose midwife assists her.” He means the midwife (al-qābilah), because she faces her and receives her child. This verse is in a qaṣīdah of his. It is said: al-qabīl—its plural is qubul, meaning groups. In the Book of God Most High: “and We gathered unto them all things, face to face (qubulan).” So qubul is the plural of qabīl, like subul is the plural of sabīl, surur the plural of sarīr, and qumuṣ the plural of qamīṣ. Al-qabīl also occurs in a proverb, namely their saying: “He does not know qabīl from dabīr,” meaning he does not know what comes forward from what goes back. Al-Kumayt b. Zayd said: “Matters dispersed in their two directions, so they knew not the back-spun from the front-spun.” This verse is in a qaṣīdah of his. It is said: by qabīl here is meant the spinning (al-fatl); what is spun toward the forearm is qabīl, and what is spun toward the fingertips is dabīr, and this is from the coming forward and going back that I have mentioned. It is said: the spinning of the spindle (al-mighzal); when the spindle is spun toward the knee it is qabīl, and when it is spun toward the hip it is dabīr. Al-qabīl also means a man’s people. Al-zukhruf is gold; al-muzakhraf is that which is adorned with gold. Al-ʿAjjāj said: “Of a ruined trace which in the evening you would imagine its outlines to be a muṣḥaf, and the gilded, gold-adorned.” These two verses are in a rajaz poem of his. It is also said of everything adorned: muzakhraf.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 341No grade recorded
[ مَا أَنْزَلَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى رَدًّا عَلَى قَوْلِهِمْ إنَّمَا يُعَلِّمُكَ رَجُلٌ بِالْيَمَامَةِ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَأَنْزَلَ عَلَيْهِ فِي قَوْلِهِمْ: إنَّا قَدْ بَلَغَنَا أَنَّكَ إنَّمَا يُعَلِّمُكَ رَجُلٌ بِالْيَمَامَةِ، يُقَالُ لَهُ الرَّحْمَنُ، وَلَنْ نُؤْمِنَ بِهِ أَبَدًا: كَذَلِكَ أَرْسَلْنَاكَ فِي أُمَّةٍ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهَا أُمَمٌ لِتَتْلُوَ عَلَيْهِمُ الَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَهُمْ يَكْفُرُونَ بِالرَّحْمَنِ قُلْ هُوَ رَبِّي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ مَتَابِ
✧ [What God Most High revealed in response to their saying, 'A man in al-Yamāmah is only teaching you'] Ibn Isḥāq said: And He revealed to him concerning their saying: 'It has reached us that a man in al-Yamāmah, called al-Raḥmān, is only teaching you, and we will never believe in him': 'Thus have We sent you to a community before which other communities have passed away, that you might recite to them that which We revealed to you, while they disbelieve in al-Raḥmān. Say: He is my Lord; there is no god but He. Upon Him I rely, and to Him is my return.'
Sirat Ibn Hisham 342No grade recorded
[ مَا أَنْزَلَهُ تَعَالَى فِي أَبِي جَهْلٍ وَمَا هَمَّ بِهِ ] وَأَنْزَلَ عَلَيْهِ فِيمَا قَالَ أَبُو جَهْلِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ، وَمَا هَمَّ بِهِ: أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يَنْهَى عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّى أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَانَ عَلَى الْهُدَى أَوْ أَمَرَ بِالتَّقْوَى أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى أَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ يَرَى كَلَّا لَئِنْ لَمْ يَنْتَهِ لَنَسْفَعَنْ بِالنَّاصِيَةِ نَاصِيَةٍ كَاذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُ سَنَدْعُ الزَّبَانِيَةَ كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: لَنَسْفَعًا: لَنَجْذِبَنْ وَلَنَأْخُذَنْ. قَالَ الشَّاعِرُ:: قَوْمٌ إذَا سَمِعُوا الصُّرَاخَ رَأَيْتَهُمْ مِنْ بَيْنِ مُلْجِمِ مُهْرِهِ أَوْ سَافِعِ وَالنَّادِي: الْمَجْلِسُ الَّذِي يَجْتَمِعُ فِيهِ الْقَوْمُ وَيَقْضُونَ فِيهِ أُمُورَهُمْ. وَفِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: وَتَأْتُونَ فِي نَادِيكُمُ الْمُنْكَرَ وَهُوَ النَّدِيُّ ( قَالَ عَبِيدُ بْنُ الْأَبْرَصِ ): اذْهَبْ إلَيْكَ فَإِنِّي مِنْ بَنِي أَسَدٍ أَهْلُ النَّدِيِّ وَأَهْلُ الْجُودِ وَالنَّادِي وَفِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: وَأَحْسَنُ نَدِيًّا وَجَمْعُهُ: أَنْدِيَةٌ. ( فَلْيَدْعُ أَهْلَ نَادِيهِ ) كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: وَاسْأَلِ الْقَرْيَةَ يُرِيدُ أَهْلَ الْقَرْيَةِ. قَالَ سَلَامَةُ بْنُ جَنْدَلٍ، أَحَدُ بَنِي سَعْدِ بْنِ زَيْدِ مَنَاةَ بْنِ تَمِيمٍ:: يَوْمَانِ يَوْمُ مَقَامَاتٍ وَأَنْدِيَةٍ وَيَوْمُ سَيْرٍ إلَى الْأَعْدَاءِ تَأْوِيبِ وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي قَصِيدَةٍ لَهُ. وَقَالَ الْكُمَيْتُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ:: لَا مَهَاذِيرَ فِي النَّدِيِّ مَكَانِي رَ وَلَا مُصْمِتِينَ بِالْإِفْحَامِ وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي قَصِيدَةٍ لَهُ. وَيُقَالُ: النَّادِي: الْجُلَسَاءُ. وَالزَّبَانِيَةُ: الْغِلَاظُ الشِّدَادُ، وَهُمْ فِي هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ: خَزَنَةُ النَّارِ. وَالزَّبَانِيَةُ ( أَيْضًا ) فِي الدُّنْيَا: أَعْوَانُ الرَّجُلِ الَّذِينَ يَخْدُمُونَهُ وَيُعِينُونَهُ، وَالْوَاحِدُ: زِبْنِيَةٌ. قَالَ ابْنُ الزِّبَعْرَى فِي ذَلِكَ:: مَطَاعِيمُ فِي الْمَقْرَى مَطَاعِينُ فِي الْوَغَى زَبَانِيَةٌ غُلْبٌ عِظَامٌ حُلُومُهَا يَقُولُ: شَدَّادٌ. وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي أَبْيَاتٍ لَهُ. وَقَالَ صَخْرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْهُذَلِيُّ، وَهُوَ صَخْرُ الْغَيِّ: وَمِنْ كَبِيرٍ نَفَرٌ زَبَانِيَهْ وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي أَبْيَاتٍ لَهُ
✧ [What God Most High revealed concerning Abū Jahl and what he intended] And He revealed to him regarding what Abū Jahl b. Hishām said, and what he intended: “Have you seen the one who forbids a servant when he prays? Have you seen whether he was upon guidance or enjoined piety? Have you seen if he denies and turns away? Does he not know that God sees? No! If he does not desist, We will surely drag him by the forelock—a lying, sinful forelock. So let him call his associates; We will call the guards of Hell. No! Do not obey him, but prostrate and draw near.” Ibn Hishām said: “lanasfaʿan” means “we will surely drag and seize.” A poet said: “A people who, when they hear the cry, you see them—one bridling his colt, one seizing [the forelock].” “Al-nādī” is the assembly in which the people gather and in which they decide their affairs. In the Book of God Most High: “And you commit in your assemblies what is wrong” (Q 29:29); it is “al-nadiyy.” (ʿAbīd b. al-Abraṣ said): “Go your way; indeed I am of Banū Asad, people of the assembly and people of generosity and the assembly.” And in the Book of God Most High: “And better as a gathering” (Q 19:73); its plural is “andiyah.” So “let him call his associates” (fa-l-yadʿu ahl nādīh), as He Most High said: “And ask the town” (Q 12:82)—He means the people of the town. Salāmah b. Jandal, one of Banū Saʿd b. Zayd Manāh b. Tamīm, said: “Two days: a day of noble stations and assemblies, and a day of journeying to enemies, returning.” And this verse is in a poem of his. And al-Kumayt b. Zayd said: “No babbler in the assembly is my place, nor those silenced by being rendered speechless.” And this verse is in a poem of his. It is said: “al-nādī” means the sitting companions. “Al-zabāniyah” are the rough, strong ones, and in this place they are the keepers of Hell. And “al-zabāniyah” (also) in this world are the helpers of a man who serve him and assist him; the singular is “zibniyah.” Ibn al-Zibaʿrā said concerning that: “Those who feed in the time of plenty and are fed in the battle—rough, strong guards of Hell, great are their forbearances.” He means: strong. And this verse is in some of his verses. And Ṣakhr b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Hudhalī, who is Ṣakhr al-Ghayy, said: “And from Kabīr came a group, his guards of Hell.” And this verse is in some of his verses.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 343No grade recorded
[ مَا أَنْزَلَهُ تَعَالَى فِيمَا عَرَضُوهُ عَلَيْهِ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ فِيمَا عَرَضُوا ( عَلَيْهِ ) مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ قُلْ مَا سَأَلْتُكُمْ مِنْ أَجْرٍ فَهُوَ لَكُمْ إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ
✧ [What God Most High revealed concerning what they offered him, peace and blessings be upon him, of their wealth] Ibn Isḥāq said: And God Most High revealed to him concerning what they offered of their wealth: “Say: Whatever reward I have asked of you is yours. My reward is only with God, and He is witness over all things.”
Sirat Ibn Hisham 344No grade recorded
[ اسْتِكْبَارُ قُرَيْشٍ عَنْ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِالرَّسُولِ ﷺ ] فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِمَا عَرَفُوا مِنْ الْحَقِّ، وَعَرَفُوا صِدْقَهُ فِيمَا حَدَّثَ، وَمَوْقِعَ نُبُوَّتِهِ فِيمَا جَاءَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمِ الْغُيُوبِ حِينَ سَأَلُوهُ عَمَّا سَأَلُوا عَنْهُ، حَالَ الْحَسَدُ مِنْهُمْ لَهُ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ اتِّبَاعِهِ وَتَصْدِيقِهِ، فَعَتَوْا عَلَى اللَّهِ وَتَرَكُوا أَمْرَهُ عِيَانًا، وَلَجُّوا فِيمَا هُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ الْكُفْرِ. فَقَالَ قَائِلُهُمْ: لَا تَسْمَعُوا لِهَذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَالْغَوْا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَغْلِبُونَ أَيْ اجْعَلُوهُ لَغْوًا وَبَاطِلًا، وَاِتَّخِذُوهُ هُزُوًا لَعَلَّكُمْ تَغْلِبُونَهُ بِذَلِكَ، فَإِنَّكُمْ إنْ نَاظَرْتُمُوهُ أَوْ خَاصَمْتُمُوهُ يَوْمًا غَلَبَكُمْ
✧ [The arrogance of Quraysh in refusing to believe in the Messenger ﷺ] When the Messenger of God ﷺ brought them what they recognized as the truth, and they recognized his truthfulness in what he related, and the reality of his prophethood in what he brought them of knowledge of the unseen when they asked him about what they asked, envy on their part toward him intervened between them and following him and believing him. So they became insolent toward God and abandoned His command openly, and persisted in the disbelief they were upon. Then one of them said: “Do not listen to this Qur’an, but make noise during it, perhaps you will overcome” (Q 41:26), that is, make it idle talk and falsehood, and take it in mockery, perhaps you will overcome him by that; for if you debate him or dispute with him one day, he will defeat you.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 345No grade recorded
[ تَهَكُّمُ أَبِي جَهْلٍ بِالرَّسُولِ ﷺ وَتَنْفِيرُ النَّاسِ عَنْهُ ] فَقَالَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ يَوْمًا وَهُوَ يَهْزَأُ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَمَا جَاءَ بِهِ مِنْ الْحَقِّ: يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ، يَزْعُمُ مُحَمَّدٌ أَنَّمَا جُنُودُ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ يُعَذِّبُونَكُمْ فِي النَّارِ وَيَحْبِسُونَكُمْ فِيهَا تِسْعَةَ عَشَرَ، وَأَنْتُمْ أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ عَدَدًا، وَكَثْرَةً، أَفَيَعْجِزُ كُلُّ ماِئَةِ رَجُلٍ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ ؟ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ فِي ذَلِكَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ: وَمَا جَعَلْنَا أَصْحَابَ النَّارِ إِلَّا مَلَائِكَةً وَمَا جَعَلْنَا عِدَّتَهُمْ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إلَى آخِرِ الْقِصَّةِ فَلَمَّا قَالَ ذَلِكَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضِ، جَعَلُوا إذَا جَهَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِالْقُرْآنِ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي، يَتَفَرَّقُونَ عَنْهُ، وَيَأْبَوْنَ أَنْ يَسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ، فَكَانَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْهُمْ إذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَسْتَمِعَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَعْضَ مَا يَتْلُو مِنْ الْقُرْآنِ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي، اسْتَرَقَ السَّمْعَ دُونَهُمْ فَرَقًا مِنْهُمْ، فَإِنْ رَأَى أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ عَرَفُوا أَنَّهُ يَسْتَمِعُ مِنْهُ ذَهَبَ خَشْيَةَ أَذَاهُمْ فَلَمْ يَسْتَمِعْ، وَإِنْ خَفَضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَوْتَهُ، فَظَنَّ الَّذِي يَسْتَمِعُ أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَسْتَمِعُونَ شَيْئًا مِنْ قِرَاءَتِهِ، وَسَمِعَ هُوَ شَيْئًا دُونَهُمْ أَصَاخَ لَهُ يَسْتَمِعُ مِنْهُ
✧ Abū Jahl said one day, while mocking the Messenger of God ﷺ and the truth he brought: “O assembly of Quraysh, Muḥammad claims that the soldiers of God who will torment you in the Fire and detain you therein are nineteen, while you are the most numerous of people in number and multitude. Is every hundred men of you unable to overcome one of them?” Then God Most High revealed to him concerning that, from His saying: “And We have made none but angels wardens of the Fire, and We have made their number only a trial for those who disbelieve” up to the end of the story. When they said that to one another, they would scatter from the Messenger of God ﷺ whenever he recited the Qurʾān aloud while praying, and they refused to listen to him. A man among them, when he wanted to listen to some of what the Messenger of God ﷺ recited from the Qurʾān while praying, would stealthily listen without them, out of fear of them. If he saw that they had realized he was listening to him, he would go away, fearing their harm, and would not listen. If the Messenger of God ﷺ lowered his voice, and the one listening thought they would not hear anything of his recitation, and he himself heard something without them, he would incline his ear to listen to him.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 346No grade recorded
[ سَبَبُ نُزُولِ آيَةِ وَلَا تَجْهَرْ إلَخْ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: حَدَّثَنِي دَاوُدُ بْنُ الْحُصَيْنِ، مَوْلَى عَمْرِو بْنِ عُثْمَانَ، أَنَّ عِكْرِمَةَ مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ حَدَّثَهُمْ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ حَدَّثَهُمْ: إنَّمَا أُنْزِلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ: وَلَا تَجْهَرْ بِصَلَاتِكَ وَلَا تُخَافِتْ بِهَا وَابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلًا وَابْتَغِ مِنْ أَجْلِ أُولَئِكَ النَّفَرِ. يَقُولُ: لَا تَجْهَرْ بِصَلَاتِكَ فَيَتَفَرَّقُوا عَنْكَ، وَلَا تُخَافِتْ بِهَا فَلَا يَسْمَعْهَا مَنْ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَسْمَعَهَا مِمَّنْ يَسْتَرِقُ ذَلِكَ دُونَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُ يَرْعَوِي إلَى بَعْضِ مَا يَسْمَعُ فَيَنْتَفِعَ بِهِ
✧ [The reason for the revelation of the verse “And do not be loud” etc.] Ibn Isḥāq said: Dāwūd b. al-Ḥuṣayn, mawlā of ʿAmr b. ʿUthmān, related to me that ʿIkrimah, mawlā of Ibn ʿAbbās, related to them that ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbbās ؓ related to them: This verse was revealed only: “And do not be loud in your prayer, nor be silent therein, but seek between that a way” (Q 17:110), and seek [a way] on account of those men. He says: Do not be loud in your prayer, lest they scatter from you; and do not be silent in it, lest the one who loves to hear it among those who listen secretly apart from them should not hear it, so that he might turn back to some of what he hears and benefit from it.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 322No grade recorded
مَا دَارَ بَيْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَبَيْنَ رُؤَسَاءِ قُرَيْشٍ، وَتَفْسِيرٌ لِسُورَةِ الْكَهْفِ [ اسْتِمْرَارُ قُرَيْشٍ عَلَى تَعْذِيبِ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: ثُمَّ إنَّ الْإِسْلَامَ جَعَلَ يَفْشُو بِمَكَّةَ فِي قَبَائِلِ قُرَيْشٍ فِي الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ، وَقُرَيْشٌ تَحْبِسُ مَنْ قَدَرَتْ عَلَى حَبْسِهِ، وَتَفْتِنُ مَنْ اسْتَطَاعَتْ فِتْنَتَهُ مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، ثُمَّ إنَّ أَشْرَافَ قُرَيْشٍ مِنْ كُلِّ قَبِيلَةٍ، كَمَا حَدَّثَنِي بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، وَعَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ قَالَ:
✧ What passed between the Messenger of God ﷺ and the leaders of Quraysh, and the interpretation of Sūrat al-Kahf. [The continuation of Quraysh's torment of those who accepted Islam] Ibn Isḥāq said: Then Islam began to spread in Makkah among the tribes of Quraysh, among the men and the women. And Quraysh were imprisoning those they were able to imprison, and trying to tempt whomever they could tempt of the Muslims. Then the nobles of Quraysh from every tribe, as some of the people of knowledge related to me from Saʿīd b. Jubayr, and from ʿIkrimah the mawlā of Ibn ʿAbbās, from ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbbās ؓ, said: