Tarikh (al-Tabari) 733
What passed between the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the leaders of Quraysh, and something of the commentary on Surat al-Kahf
قَوْلُ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ فِي أَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ [ مَا دَارَ بَيْنَ عُتْبَةَ وَبَيْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَحَدَّثَنِي يَزِيدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ كَعْبٍ الْقُرَظِيِّ، قَالَ: حُدِّثْتُ أَنَّ عُتْبَةَ بْنَ رَبِيعَةَ، وَكَانَ سَيِّدًا، قَالَ يَوْمًا وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ فِي نَادِي قُرَيْشٍ، وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ جَالِسٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَحْدَهُ: يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ، أَلَا أَقُومُ إلَى مُحَمَّدٍ فَأُكَلِّمَهُ وَأَعْرِضَ عَلَيْهِ أُمُورًا لَعَلَّهُ يَقْبَلُ بَعْضَهَا فَنُعْطِيهِ أَيَّهَا شَاءَ، وَيَكُفُّ عَنَّا ؟ وَذَلِكَ حِينَ أَسْلَمَ حَمْزَةُ، وَرَأَوْا أَصْحَابَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَزِيدُونَ وَيَكْثُرُونَ؛ فَقَالُوا: بَلَى يَا أَبَا الْوَلِيدِ، قُمْ إلَيْهِ فَكَلِّمْهُ فَقَامَ إلَيْهِ عُتْبَةُ حَتَّى جَلَسَ إلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَقَالَ: يَا ابْنَ أَخِي، إنَّكَ مِنَّا حَيْثُ قَدْ عَلِمْتَ مِنْ السِّطَةِ فِي الْعَشِيرَةِ، وَالْمَكَانِ فِي النَّسَبِ، وَإِنَّكَ قَدْ أَتَيْتَ قَوْمَكَ بِأَمْرِ عَظِيمٍ فَرَّقْتَ بِهِ جَمَاعَتَهُمْ وَسَفَّهْتَ بِهِ أَحْلَامَهُمْ وَعِبْتَ بِهِ آلِهَتَهُمْ وَدِينَهُمْ وَكَفَّرْتَ بِهِ مَنْ مَضَى مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ، فَاسْمَعْ مِنِّي أَعْرِضْ عَلَيْكَ أُمُورًا تَنْظُرُ فِيهَا لَعَلَّكَ تَقْبَلُ مِنْهَا بَعْضَهَا. قَالَ: فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: قُلْ يَا أَبَا الْوَلِيدِ، أَسْمَعْ؛ قَالَ: يَا ابْنَ أَخِي، إنْ كُنْتَ إنَّمَا تُرِيدُ بِمَا جِئْتَ بِهِ مِنْ هَذَا الْأَمْرِ مَالًا جَمَعْنَا لَكَ مِنْ أَمْوَالِنَا حَتَّى تَكُونَ أَكْثَرَنَا مَالًا، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تُرِيدُ بِهِ شَرَفًا سَوَّدْنَاكَ عَلَيْنَا، حَتَّى لَا نَقْطَعَ أَمْرًا دُونَكَ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تُرِيدُ بِهِ مُلْكًا مَلَّكْنَاكَ عَلَيْنَا؛ وَإِنْ كَانَ هَذَا الَّذِي يَأْتِيكَ رِئْيًا تَرَاهُ لَا تَسْتَطِيعُ رَدَّهُ عَنْ نَفْسِكَ، طَلَبْنَا لَكَ الطِّبَّ، وَبَذَلْنَا فِيهِ أَمْوَالَنَا حَتَّى نُبْرِئَكَ مِنْهُ، فَإِنَّهُ رُبَّمَا غَلَبَ التَّابِعُ عَلَى الرَّجُلِ حَتَّى يُدَاوَى مِنْهُ أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ لَهُ. حَتَّى إذَا فَرَغَ عُتْبَةُ، وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَسْتَمِعُ مِنْهُ، قَالَ: أَقَدْ فَرَغْتَ يَا أَبَا الْوَلِيدِ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: فَاسْمَعْ مِنِّي؛ قَالَ: أَفْعَلُ؛ فَقَالَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ حم تَنْزِيلٌ مِنَ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ كِتَابٌ فُصِّلَتْ آيَاتُهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا فَأَعْرَضَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ وَقَالُوا قُلُوبُنَا فِي أَكِنَّةٍ مِمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ مَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِيهَا يَقْرَؤُهَا عَلَيْهِ. فَلَمَّا سَمِعَهَا مِنْهُ عُتْبَةُ، أَنْصَتَ لَهَا، وَأَلْقَى يَدَيْهِ خَلْفَ ظَهْرِهِ مُعْتَمِدًا عَلَيْهِمَا يَسْمَعُ مِنْهُ؛ ثُمَّ انْتَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إلَى السَّجْدَةِ مِنْهَا، فَسَجَدَ ثُمَّ قَالَ: قَدْ سَمِعْتَ يَا أَبَا الْوَلِيدِ مَا سَمِعْتَ، فَأَنْتَ وَذَاكَ [ مَا أَشَارَ بِهِ عُتْبَةُ عَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ ] فَقَامَ عُتْبَةُ إلَى أَصْحَابِهِ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضِ: نَحْلِفُ بِاَللَّهِ لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ بِغَيْرِ الْوَجْهِ الَّذِي ذَهَبَ بِهِ. فَلَمَّا جَلَسَ إلَيْهِمْ قَالُوا: مَا وَرَاءَكَ يَا أَبَا الْوَلِيدِ ؟ قَالَ: وَرَائِي أَنِّي قَدْ سَمِعْتُ قَوْلًا وَاَللَّهِ مَا سَمِعْتُ مِثْلَهُ قَطُّ، وَاَللَّهِ مَا هُوَ بِالشِّعْرِ، وَلَا بِالسِّحْرِ، وَلَا بِالْكِهَانَةِ، يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ، أَطِيعُونِي وَاجْعَلُوهَا بِي، وَخَلُّوا بَيْنَ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ وَبَيْنَ مَا هُوَ فِيهِ فَاعْتَزِلُوهُ، فَوَاَللَّهِ لَيَكُونَنَّ لِقَوْلِهِ الَّذِي سَمِعْتُ مِنْهُ نَبَأٌ عَظِيمٌ، فَإِنْ تُصِبْهُ الْعَرَبُ فَقَدْ كُفِيتُمُوهُ بِغَيْرِكُمْ، وَإِنْ يَظْهَرْ عَلَى الْعَرَبِ فَمُلْكُهُ مُلْكُكُمْ، وَعِزُّهُ عِزُّكُمْ، وَكُنْتُمْ أَسْعَدَ النَّاسِ بِهِ، قَالُوا: سَحَرَكَ وَاَللَّهِ يَا أَبَا الْوَلِيدِ بِلِسَانِهِ، قَالَ: هَذَا رَأْيِي فِيهِ، فَاصْنَعُوا مَا بَدَا لَكُمْ. ومن طريق الْأَجْلَحِ عن جابر. زَادَ: وَإِنْ كُنْتَ إِنَّمَا بِكَ الرِّيَاسَةُ عَقَدْنَا أَلْوِيَتَنَا لَكَ، فَكُنْتَ رَأْسَنَا مَا بَقِيتَ. وَعِنْدَهُ: أَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَالَ لَهُ: فَإِنْ أَعْرَضُوا فَقُلْ أَنْذَرْتُكُمْ صَاعِقَةً مِثْلَ صَاعِقَةِ عَادٍ وَثَمُودَ أَمْسَكَ عُتْبَةُ عَلَى فِيهِ، وَنَاشَدَهُ الرَّحِمَ أَنْ يَكُفَّ عَنْهُ، وَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ، وَاحْتَبَسَ عَنْهُمْ. فَقَالَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ: يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ، وَاللَّهِ مَا نَرَى عُتْبَةَ إِلَّا صَبَأَ إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ، وَأَعْجَبَهُ طَعَامُهُ، وَمَا ذَاكَ إِلَّا مِنْ حَاجَةٍ أَصَابَتْهُ، انْطَلِقُوا بِنَا إِلَيْهِ. فَأَتَوْهُ، فَقَالَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ: وَاللَّهِ يَا عُتْبَةُ مَا جِئْنَا إِلَّا أَنَّكَ صَبَوْتَ إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ، وَأَعْجَبَكَ أَمْرُهُ، فَإِنْ كَانَ بِكَ حَاجَةٌ جَمَعْنَا لَكَ مِنْ أَمْوَالِنَا مَا يُغْنِيكَ عَنْ طَعَامِ مُحَمَّدٍ. فَغَضِبَ وَأَقْسَمَ بِاللَّهِ لَا يُكَلِّمُ مُحَمَّدًا أَبَدًا، وَقَالَ: لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ أَنِّي مِنْ أَكْثَرِ قُرَيْشٍ مَالًا، وَلَكِنِّي أَتَيْتُهُ وَقَصَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقِصَّةَ فَأَجَابَنِي بِشَيْءٍ وَاللَّهِ مَا هُوَ بِسِحْرٍ وَلَا بِشِعْرٍ وَلَا كِهَانَةٍ، قَرَأَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ حم تَنْزِيلٌ مِنَ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ حَتَّى بَلَغَ فَإِنْ أَعْرَضُوا فَقُلْ أَنْذَرْتُكُمْ صَاعِقَةً مِثْلَ صَاعِقَةِ عَادٍ وَثَمُودَ [ فُصِّلَتْ: 113 ] فَأَمْسَكْتُ بِفِيهِ، وَنَاشَدْتُهُ الرَّحِمَ أَنْ يَكُفَّ، وَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا إِذَا قَالَ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَكْذِبْ، فَخِفْتُ أَنْ يَنْزِلَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْعَذَابُ.
Translation
✧ The statement of ʿUtbah b. Rabīʿah concerning the matter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ [What passed between ʿUtbah and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ] Ibn Isḥāq said: Yazīd b. Ziyād narrated to me, from Muḥammad b. Kaʿb al-Quraẓī, who said: I was told that ʿUtbah b. Rabīʿah, who was a chief, said one day while he was sitting in the assembly of Quraysh, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting in the mosque alone: "O assembly of Quraysh, shall I not go to Muḥammad and speak with him and present to him certain matters, perhaps he will accept some of them, and we will give him whichever he wishes, and he will desist from us?" That was when Ḥamzah had embraced Islam, and they saw the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ increasing and multiplying. They said: "Yes, O Abū al-Walīd, go to him and speak with him." So ʿUtbah went to him until he sat beside the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: "O son of my brother, you are of us in the position of eminence in the clan and the standing in lineage that you know. Yet you have brought your people a momentous matter by which you have divided their community, made fools of their minds, found fault with their gods and their religion, and declared those of their forefathers who have passed away to be disbelievers. So listen to me; I will present to you certain matters for you to consider, perhaps you will accept some of them." He said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: "Speak, O Abū al-Walīd; I am listening." He said: "O son of my brother, if by this matter you have come with you seek wealth, we will gather for you from our wealth until you become the wealthiest of us. If you seek honor by it, we will make you our lord, so that we will decide no matter without you. If you seek kingship by it, we will make you king over us. And if this thing that comes to you is a vision you see that you cannot repel from yourself, we will seek medicine for you and expend our wealth in it until we cure you of it, for sometimes the jinn-follower overcomes a man until he is treated for it"—or as he said to him. When ʿUtbah had finished, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was listening to him, he said: "Have you finished, O Abū al-Walīd?" He said: "Yes." He said: "Then listen to me." He said: "I will do so." Then he said: "In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Ḥā Mīm. A revelation from the Compassionate, the Merciful. A Book whose verses are set out in detail as an Arabic Qurʾān for a people who know, as a bearer of good tidings and a warner; but most of them turned away, so they do not hear. They say, 'Our hearts are in coverings from that to which you call us.'" Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ continued in it, reciting it to him. When ʿUtbah heard it from him, he listened to it attentively and placed his hands behind his back, leaning on them, listening to him. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reached the prostration in it and prostrated. Then he said: "You have heard, O Abū al-Walīd, what you have heard; so you and that." [What ʿUtbah suggested to his companions] ʿUtbah rose and went to his companions. Some of them said to one another: "We swear by Allah, Abū al-Walīd has come back to you with a different expression than the one with which he went." When he sat with them, they said: "What is behind you, O Abū al-Walīd?" He said: "Behind me is that I have heard a speech such as, by Allah, I have never heard the like of. By Allah, it is not poetry, nor sorcery, nor soothsaying. O assembly of Quraysh, obey me and let it be my affair. Leave this man and what he is engaged in, and keep away from him. By Allah, there will surely be a great event from this speech of his that I have heard. If the Arabs strike him down, you will have been spared of him by others; and if he prevails over the Arabs, his kingship will be your kingship, his might your might, and you will be the most fortunate of people through him." They said: "He has bewitched you, by Allah, O Abū al-Walīd, with his tongue." He said: "This is my view of him, so do whatever seems good to you." From the route of al-Ajlaḥ, from Jābir. He added: "And if what you seek is leadership, we will bind our banners for you, so that you will be our head as long as you live." In his version: When he said to him: "But if they turn away, then say, 'I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt of ʿĀd and Thamūd,'" ʿUtbah put his hand over his mouth and adjured him by kinship to desist, and he did not go out to his family but remained away from them. Abū Jahl said: "O assembly of Quraysh, by Allah, we see that ʿUtbah has inclined to Muḥammad and is pleased with his food. That is only because of some need that has befallen him. Let us go to him." They went to him, and Abū Jahl said: "By Allah, O ʿUtbah, we have come only because you have inclined to Muḥammad and his affair has pleased you. If you have some need, we will gather for you from our wealth what will make you independent of Muḥammad's food." He became angry and swore by Allah that he would never speak to Muḥammad again. He said: "You know that I am among the wealthiest of Quraysh, but I went to him and told them the story. He answered me with something that, by Allah, is not sorcery, nor poetry, nor soothsaying. He recited: 'In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Ḥā Mīm. A revelation from the Compassionate, the Merciful,' until he reached: 'But if they turn away, then say, "I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt of ʿĀd and Thamūd"' [Fuṣṣilat: 13]. I put my hand over his mouth and adjured him by kinship to desist. You know that when Muḥammad says something, he does not lie, so I feared that punishment would descend upon you."
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.