Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet (pbuh))
كتاب التفسير
Chapter 145: The Statement of Allah: "They ask you (O Muhammad ﷺ) about Al-Anfal (the spoils of war). Say: 'The spoils are for Allah and the Messenger ﷺ.' So fear Allah and adjust all matters of difference among you..." (V.8:1)
I asked Ibn `Abbas regarding Surat-al-Anfal. He said, "It was revealed in connection with the Battle of Badr."
Chapter 146: "Verily! The worst of (moving) living creatures with Allah are the deaf and the dumb, those who understand not (i.e., the disbelievers) ." (V.8:22)
Regarding the Verse: "Verily! The worst of beasts in the Sight of Allah are the deaf and the dumb---- those who understand not." (8.22) (The people referred to here) were some persons from the tribe of Bani `Abd-Addar.
Chapter 147: "O you who believe! Answer Allah (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he () calls you to that which will give you life, and know that Allah comes in between a man and his heart (i.e., He prevents an evil person to decide anything). And verily, to Him you shall (all) be gathered." (V.8:24)
While I was praying, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) passed me and called me, but I did not go to him until I had finished the prayer. Then I went to him, and he said, "What prevented you from coming to me? Didn't Allah say:-- "O you who believe! Answer the call of Allah (by obeying Him) and His Apostle when He calls you?" He then said, "I will inform you of the greatest Sura in the Qur'an before I leave (the mosque)." When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) got ready to leave (the mosque), I reminded him. He said, "It is: 'Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.' (i.e. Surat-al-Fatiha) As-sab'a Al-Mathani (the seven repeatedly recited Verses).
Chapter 148: The Statement of Allah: "And (remember) when they said, 'O Allah! If this (the Qur'an) is indeed the truth (revealed) from You, then rain down stones on us..." (V.8:32)
Abu Jahl said, "O Allah! If this (Qur'an) is indeed the Truth from You, then rain down on us a shower of stones from the sky or bring on us a painful torment." So Allah revealed:-- "But Allah would not punish them while you were amongst them, nor He will punish them while they seek (Allah's) forgiveness..." (8.33) And why Allah should not punish them while they turn away (men) from Al- Masjid-al-Haram (the Sacred Mosque of Mecca)..." (8.33-34)
Chapter 149: The Statement of Allah: "And Allah would not punish them while you (Muhammad ﷺ) are amongst them, nor will He punish them while they seek (Allah's) forgiveness." (V.8:33)
Abu Jahl said, "O Allah! If this (Qur'an) is indeed the Truth from You), then rain down on us a shower of stones from the sky or bring on us a painful punishment." So there was revealed:-- 'But Allah would not punish them while you (Muhammad) were amongst them, nor will He punish them while they seek (Allah's) Forgiveness. And why Allah should not punish them while they stop (men) from Al-Masjid-al-Haram ..' (8.33-34)
Chapter 150: "And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism, i.e., worshipping others besides Allah) and the religion (worship) will be all for Allah (Alone) (in the whole of the world)..." (V.8:39)
That a man came to him (while two groups of Muslims were fighting) and said, "O Abu `Abdur Rahman! Don't you hear what Allah has mentioned in His Book: 'And if two groups of believers fight against each other...' (49.9) So what prevents you from fighting as Allah has mentioned in His Book?"' Ibn `Umar said, "O son of my brother! I would rather be blamed for not fighting because of this Verse than to be blamed because of another Verse where Allah says: 'And whoever kills a believer intentionally..." (4.93) Then that man said, "Allah says:-- 'And fight them until there is no more afflictions (worshipping other besides Allah) and the religion (i.e. worship) will be all for Allah (Alone)" (8.39) Ibn `Umar said, "We did this during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) when the number of Muslims was small, and a man was put to trial because of his religion, the pagans would either kill or chain him; but when the Muslims increased (and Islam spread), there was no persecution." When that man saw that Ibn `Umar did not agree to his proposal, he said, "What is your opinion regarding `Ali and `Uthman?" Ibn `Umar said, "What is my opinion regarding `Ali and `Uthman? As for `Uthman, Allah forgave him and you disliked to forgive him, and `Ali is the cousin and son-in-law of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ." Then he pointed out with his hand and said, "And that is his daughter's (house) which you can see."
Ibn `Umar came to us and a man said (to him), "What do you think about 'Qit-alal-Fitnah' (fighting caused by afflictions)." Ibn `Umar said (to him), "And do you understand what an affliction is? Muhammad used to fight against the pagans, and his fighting with them was an affliction, (and his fighting was) not like your fighting which is carried on for the sake of ruling."
Chapter 151: "0 Prophet (Muhammad ﷺ)! Urge the believers to fight..." (V.8:65)
When the Verse:-- "If there are twenty steadfast amongst you, they will overcome two hundred." (8.65) was revealed, then it became obligatory for the Muslims that one (Muslim) should not flee from ten (non-Muslims). Sufyan (the sub-narrator) once said, "Twenty (Muslims) should not flee before two hundred (non Muslims)." Then there was revealed: 'But now Allah has lightened your (task)..' (8.66) So it became obligatory that one-hundred (Muslims) should not flee before two hundred (nonmuslims). (Once Sufyan said extra, "The Verse: 'Urge the believers to the fight. If there are twenty steadfast amongst you (Muslims) ..' was revealed.) Sufyan said, "Ibn Shabrama said, "I see that this order is applicable to the obligation of enjoining good and forbidding evil."
Chapter 152: "Now that Allah has lightened your (task), for He knows that there is weakness in you..." (V.8:66)
When the Verse:--'If there are twenty steadfast amongst you (Muslims), they will overcome twohundred (non-Muslims).' was revealed, it became hard on the Muslims when it became compulsory that one Muslim ought not to flee (in war) before ten (non-Muslims). So (Allah) lightened the order by revealing: '(But) now Allah has lightened your (task) for He knows that there is weakness in you. So if there are of you one-hundred steadfast, they will overcome (two-hundred (non-Muslims).' (8.66) So when Allah reduced the number of enemies which Muslims should withstand, their patience and perseverance against the enemy decreased as much as their task was lightened for them.
Chapter 154: Allah's Statement: "Freedom from (all) obligations (is declared) from Allah and His Messenger ﷺ to those of the Mushrikin [polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah and in His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ] with whom you made a treaty." (V.9:1)
The last Verse that was revealed was: 'They ask you for a legal verdict: Say: Allah directs (thus) about Al-Kalalah (those who leave no descendants or ascendants as heirs).' And the last Sura which was revealed was Baraatun (9) .
Chapter 155: The Statement of Allah: "So travel freely (O Mushrikün) for four months (as you will) throughout the land, but know that you cannot escape (from the punishment of) Allah, and Allah will disgrace the disbelievers." (V.9:2)
Abu Huraira said, "During that Hajj (in which Abu Bakr was the chief of the pilgrims) Abu Bakr sent me along with announcers on the Day of Nahr ( 10th of Dhul-Hijja) in Mina to announce: "No pagans shall perform, Hajj after this year, and none shall perform the Tawaf around the Ka`ba in a naked state." Humaid bin `Abdur Rahman added: Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent `Ali bin Abi Talib (after Abu Bakr) and ordered him to recite aloud in public Surat Bara'a. Abu Huraira added, "So `Ali, along with us, recited Bara'a (loudly) before the people at Mina on the Day of Nahr and announced; "No pagan shall perform Hajj after this year and none shall perform the Tawaf around the Ka`ba in a naked state."
Chapter 156: Allah's Statement: "And a declaration from Allah and His Messenger... (up to)... Mushrikün ." (V.9:3)
Abu Huraira said, "Abu Bakr sent me in that Hajj in which he was the chief of the pilgrims along with the announcers whom he sent on the Day of Nahr to announce at Mina: "No pagan shall perform Hajj after this year, and none shall perform the Tawaf around the Ka`ba in a naked state." Humaid added: That the Prophet (ﷺ) sent `Ali bin Abi Talib (after Abu Bakr) and ordered him to recite aloud in public Surat-Baraa. Abu Huraira added, "So `Ali, along with us, recited Bara'a (loudly) before the people at Mina on the Day of Nahr and announced "No pagan shall perform Hajj after this year and none shall perform the Tawaf around the Ka`ba in a naked state."
Chapter 157: "Except those of the Mushrikün [polytheists, pagans, idolaters, and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah and in His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ] with whom you (Muslims) have a treaty..." (V.9:4)
Abu Huraira said that Abu Bakr sent him during the Hajj in which Abu Bakr was made the chief of the pilgrims by Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) before (the year of) Hajjat al-Wada` in a group (of announcers) to announce before the people; 'No pagan shall perform the Hajj after this year, and none shall perform the Tawaf around the Ka`ba in a naked state. Humaid used to say The Day of Nahr is the day of Al- Hajj Al-Akbar (the Greatest Day) because of the narration of Abu Huraira.
Chapter 158: The Statement of Allah: "Fight you the leaders of disbelief (chiefs of Quraish - Mushrikün of Makkah) for surely their oaths are nothing to them..." (V.9:12)
We were with Hudhaifa and he said, "None remains of the people described by this Verse (9.12), "Except three, and of the hypocrites except four." A bedouin said, "You the companions of Muhammad! Tell us (things) and we do not know that about those who break open our houses and steal our precious things? ' He (Hudhaifa) replied, "Those are Al Fussaq (rebellious wrongdoers) (not disbelievers or hypocrites). Really, none remains of them (hypocrite) but four, one of whom is a very old man who, if he drinks water, does not feel its coldness."
Chapter 159: The Statement of Allah: "...And those who hoard up gold and silver (AI-Kanz—the money, the Zakãt of which has not been paid) and spend it not in the Way of Allah—announce to them a painful torment." (V.9:34)
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The Kanz (money, the Zakat of which is not paid) of anyone of you will appear in the form of bald-headed poisonous male snake on the Day of Resurrection."
I passed by (visited ) Abu Dhar at Ar-Rabadha and said to him, "What has brought you to this land?" He said, "We were at Sham and I recited the Verse: "They who hoard up gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah; announce to them a painful torment, " (9.34) where upon Muawiya said, 'This Verse is not for us, but for the people of the Scripture.' Then I said, 'But it is both for us (Muslim) and for them.' "
Chapter 160: The Statement of Allah "On the Day when that (Al-Kanz—money gold and silver, etc., the Zakät of which has not been paid) will be heated in the fire of Hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads…" (V.9:35)
Wewent out with 'Abdullãh bin 'Umar and hesaid, "This (Verse) was revealed before theprescription of Zakat, and when Zakãt wasprescribed, Allah made it a means ofpurifying one's wealth."
Chapter 161: The Statement of Allah: "Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year) so was it ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are sacred, (i.e., the 1st, the 7th, the 11th, and the 12th months of the Islamic calendar). That is the right religion; so wrong not yourself therein.. ." (V.9:36)
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Time has come back to its original state which it had when Allah created the Heavens and the Earth; the year is twelve months, four of which are sacred. Three of them are in succession; Dhul-Qa'da, Dhul-Hijja and Al-Muharram, and (the fourth being) Rajab Mudar (named after the tribe of Mudar as they used to respect this month) which stands between Jumad (ath-thani) and Sha'ban."
Chapter 162: The Statement of Allah: “...The second of two, when they (Muhammad ﷺ and Abü Bakr were in the cave, and he ﷺ said to his companion (Abu Bakr ) ‘Be not sad (or afraid), surely Allah is with us.'" (V.9:40)
I was in the company of the Prophet (ﷺ) in the cave, and on seeing the traces of the pagans, I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) If one of them (pagans) should lift up his foot, he will see us." He said, "What do you think of two, the third of whom is Allah?"