24. The account of the delegation of Christians who became Muslims
Sirat Ibn Hisham 452No grade recorded
أَمْرُ وَفْدِ النَّصَارَى الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُوا [ مُحَاوَلَةُ أَبِي جَهْلٍ رَدَّهَمُ عَنِ الْإِسْلَامِ وَإِخْفَاقِهِ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: ثُمَّ قَدِمَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَهُوَ بِمَكَّةَ، عِشْرُونَ رَجُلًا أَوْ قَرِيبٌ مِنْ ذَلِكَ مِنْ النَّصَارَى، حِينَ بَلَغَهُمْ خَبَرُهُ مِنْ الْحَبَشَةِ، فَوَجَدُوهُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فَجَلَسُوا إلَيْهِ وَكَلَّمُوهُ وَسَأَلُوهُ، وَرِجَالٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ فِي أَنْدِيَتِهِمْ حَوْلَ الْكَعْبَةِ؛ فَلَمَّا فَرَغُوا مِنْ مَسْأَلَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَمَّا أَرَادُوا، دَعَاهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَتَلَا عَلَيْهِمْ الْقُرْآنَ. فَلَمَّا سَمِعُوا الْقُرْآنَ فَاضَتْ أَعَيْنُهُمْ مِنْ الدَّمْعِ، ثُمَّ اسْتَجَابُوا لِلَّهِ، وَآمَنُوا بِهِ وَصَدَّقُوهُ، وَعَرَفُوا مِنْهُ مَا كَانَ يُوصَفُ لَهُمْ فِي كِتَابِهِمْ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ. فَلَمَّا قَامُوا عَنْهُ اعْتَرَضَهُمْ أَبُو جَهْلِ بْنُ هِشَامٍ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ، فَقَالُوا لَهُمْ: خَيَّبَكُمْ اللَّهُ مِنْ رَكْبٍ بَعَثَكُمْ مَنْ وَرَاءَكُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ دِينِكُمْ تَرْتَادُونَ لَهُمْ لِتَأْتُوهُمْ بِخَبَرِ الرَّجُلِ، فَلَمْ تَطْمَئِنَّ مَجَالِسُكُمْ عِنْدَهُ، حَتَّى فَارَقْتُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَصَدَّقْتُمُوهُ بِمَا قَالَ، مَا نَعْلَمُ رَكْبًا أَحْمَقَ مِنْكُمْ. أَوْ كَمَا قَالُوا. فَقَالُوا لَهُمْ: سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ، لَا نُجَاهِلُكُمْ، لَنَا مَا نَحْنُ عَلَيْهِ، وَلَكُمْ مَا أَنْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ، لَمْ نَأْلُ أَنْفُسَنَا خَيْرًا
✧ The Account of the Delegation of Christians Who Accepted Islam [Abū Jahl's Attempt to Turn Them Away from Islam and His Failure] Ibn Isḥāq said: Then there came to the Messenger of God ﷺ, while he was in Makkah, twenty men or about that number of Christians, when news of him reached them from Abyssinia. They found him in the mosque, and they sat with him, spoke with him, and questioned him, while men of Quraysh were in their assemblies around the Kaʿbah. When they had finished questioning the Messenger of God ﷺ about what they wanted, the Messenger of God ﷺ summoned them to God, Mighty and Majestic, and recited the Qurʾān to them. When they heard the Qurʾān, their eyes overflowed with tears, then they responded to God, believed in Him, and affirmed him, and they recognized in him what had been described to them in their scripture concerning his affair. When they rose from him, Abū Jahl b. Hishām confronted them with a group of Quraysh, and they said to them: 'May God disappoint you as a band! Those behind you of your co-religionists sent you to seek out news of the man for them, so that you might bring them word of him. Yet your sitting with him was not settled before you abandoned your religion and affirmed what he said. We know of no band more foolish than you.' Or as they said. They said to them: 'Peace be upon you. We will not dispute foolishly with you. To us our deeds, and to you your deeds. We have not failed to seek good for ourselves.'
Sirat Ibn Hisham 453No grade recorded
[ مَوَاطِنُهُمْ وَمَا نَزَلَ فِيهِمْ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ] وَيُقَالُ: إنَّ النَّفَرَ مِنْ النَّصَارَى مِنْ أَهْلِ نَجْرَانَ، فَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ أَيَّ ذَلِكَ كَانَ. فَيُقَالُ - وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ - فِيهِمْ نَزَلَتْ هَؤُلَاءِ الْآيَاتُ الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ هُمْ بِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ وَإِذَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِهِ إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا مِنْ قَبْلِهِ مُسْلِمِينَ إلَى قَوْلِهِ لَنَا أَعْمَالُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ لَا نَبْتَغِي الْجَاهِلِينَ قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَقَدْ سَأَلْتُ ابْنَ شِهَابٍ الزُّهْرِيَّ عَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ الْآيَاتِ فِيمَنْ أُنْزِلْنَ فَقَالَ لِي: مَا أَسْمَعُ مِنْ عُلَمَائِنَا أَنَّهُنَّ أُنْزِلْنَ فِي النَّجَاشِيِّ وَأَصْحَابِهِ. وَالْآيَةُ مِنْ سُورَةِ الْمَائِدَةِ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ: ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ إلَى قَوْلِهِ: فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ
✧ [Their abodes and what was sent down in the Qur’an concerning them] And it is said: the band of Christians were from the people of Najrān — but God knows best which of that it was. It is said — and God knows best — concerning them were sent down these verses: “Those to whom We gave the Scripture before it — they believe in it; and when it is recited to them, they say, ‘We believe in it; it is the truth from our Lord; indeed we were Muslims before it’” up to His saying: “For us our deeds and for you your deeds; peace be upon you; we do not seek the ignorant.” Ibn Isḥāq said: I asked Ibn Shihāb al-Zuhrī about these verses, concerning whom they were sent down, and he said to me: I do not hear from our scholars except that they were sent down concerning the Negus and his companions. And the verse of Sūrat al-Māʾidah, from His saying: “That is because among them are qissīsīn and monks, and they do not act arrogantly” up to His saying: “so write us down among the witnesses.”
Sirat Ibn Hisham 454No grade recorded
[ تَهَكُّمُ الْمُشْرِكِينَ بِمَنْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَنُزُولُ آيَاتٍ فِي ذَلِكَ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إذَا جَلَسَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فَجَلَسَ إلَيْهِ الْمُسْتَضْعَفُونَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ خَبَّابٌ، وَعَمَّارٌ، وَأَبُو فَكِيهَةَ يَسَارٌ مَوْلَى صَفْوَانَ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ مُحَرِّثٍ، وَصُهَيْبٌ، وَأَشْبَاهُهُمْ مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، هَزِئَتْ بِهِمْ قُرَيْشٌ، وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضِ: هَؤُلَاءِ أَصْحَابُهُ كَمَا تَرَوْنَ، أَهَؤُلَاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ بَيْنِنَا بِالْهُدَى وَالْحَقِّ لَوْ كَانَ مَا جَاءَ بَهْ مُحَمَّدٌ خَيْرًا مَا سَبَقَنَا هَؤُلَاءِ إلَيْهِ، وَمَا خَصَّهُمْ اللَّهُ بِهِ دُونَنَا. فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِيهِمْ: وَلَا تَطْرُدِ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ مَا عَلَيْكَ مِنْ حِسَابِهِمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ وَمَا مِنْ حِسَابِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَتَطْرُدَهُمْ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ وَكَذَلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لِيَقُولُوا أَهَؤُلَاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ بَيْنِنَا أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّاكِرِينَ وَإِذَا جَاءَكَ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِآيَاتِنَا فَقُلْ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ أَنَّهُ مَنْ عَمِلَ مِنْكُمْ سُوءًا بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَنَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
✧ [The mockery of the polytheists toward those whom God had favored, and the revelation of verses concerning that] Ibn Isḥāq said: When the Messenger of God ﷺ sat in the mosque, and the weak among his companions sat with him—Khabbāb, ʿAmmār, Abū Fakīhah Yasār, the client of Ṣafwān b. Umayyah b. Muḥarrith, Ṣuhayb, and their like among the Muslims—Quraysh mocked them, and some of them said to others: “These are his companions, as you see. Are these the ones whom God has favored among us with guidance and truth? If what Muḥammad brought were good, these would not have preceded us to it, and God would not have singled them out for it instead of us.” So God, exalted is He, revealed concerning them: “And do not drive away those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His face. You are not accountable for them in anything, nor are they accountable for you in anything, that you should drive them away and thus be among the wrongdoers. And thus We try some of them by others, that they may say: ‘Are these the ones upon whom God has favored among us?’ Is not God best aware of the thankful? And when those who believe in Our signs come to you, say: ‘Peace be upon you. Your Lord has prescribed mercy upon Himself: that whoever among you does evil in ignorance and then repents after that and makes amends—then indeed He is Forgiving, Merciful.’”
Sirat Ibn Hisham 455No grade recorded
[ ادِّعَاءُ الْمُشْرِكِينَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ بِتَعْلِيمِ جَبْرٍ لَهُ، وَمَا أَنَزَلَ اللَّهُ فِي ذَلِكَ ] وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ - فِيمَا بَلَغَنِي - كَثِيرًا مَا يَجْلِسُ عِنْدَ الْمَرْوَةِ إلَى مَبْيَعَةِ غُلَامٍ نَصْرَانِيٍّ يُقَالُ لَهُ: جَبْرٌ، عَبْدٌ لِبَنِي الْحَضْرَمِيِّ، فَكَانُوا يَقُولُونَ: وَاَللَّهِ مَا يُعَلِّمُ مُحَمَّدًا كَثِيرًا مِمَّا يَأْتِي بَهْ إلَّا جَبْرٌ النَّصْرَانِيُّ، غُلَامُ بَنِي الْحَضْرَمِيِّ. فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي ذَلِكَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِمْ: وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا يُعَلِّمُهُ بَشَرٌ لِسَانُ الَّذِي يُلْحِدُونَ إِلَيْهِ أَعْجَمِيٌّ وَهَذَا لِسَانٌ عَرَبِيٌّ مُبِينٌ قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: يُلْحِدُونَ إلَيْهِ: يَمِيلُونَ إلَيْهِ. وَالْإِلْحَادُ: الْمَيْلُ عَنْ الْحَقِّ. قَالَ رُؤْبَةُ بْنُ الْعَجَّاجِ: إذَا تَبِعَ الضَّحَّاكَ كُلُّ مُلْحِدٍ قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: يَعْنِي الضَّحَّاكَ الْخَارِجِيَّ، وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ: أُرْجُوزَةٌ لَهُ
✧ [The polytheists' claim that Jabr taught the Prophet, and what God revealed concerning that] The Messenger of God ﷺ — as it has reached me — used often to sit at al-Marwah near the place of sale of a Christian slave called Jabr, a slave belonging to the Banū al-Ḥaḍramī. They used to say: "By God, none teaches Muḥammad much of what he brings except Jabr the Christian, the slave of the Banū al-Ḥaḍramī." So God Most High revealed concerning their saying: "And indeed We know that they say, 'It is only a human being who teaches him.' The tongue of the one to whom they incline is foreign, while this is a clear Arabic tongue." Ibn Hishām said: "yulḥidūna ilayhi: they incline towards him. Al-ilḥād is inclining away from the truth." Ruʾbah b. al-ʿAjjāj said: "When every heretic follows al-Ḍaḥḥāk." Ibn Hishām said: "He means al-Ḍaḥḥāk the Khārijite. This verse is one of his rajaz poems."