You recite a verse which, if it had been revealed in relation to us, we would have taken that day as the day of rejoicing. Thereupon 'Umar said: I know where it was revealed and on the day when it was revealed and where Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had been at that time when it was revealed. It was revealed on the day of 'Arafa (ninth of Dhu'l Hijjah) and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had been staying in 'Arafat. Sufyan said: I doubt, whether it was Friday or not (and the verse referred to) is this:" Today I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favours upon you" (v. 4).

" What is recited to you in the Book about orphan women whom you give not what is ordained for them, while you like to marry them," these were revealed in connection with an orphan girl who was in the charge of the person and she shared with him in his property and he was reluctant to marry her himself and was also unwilling to marry her to someone else (fearing) that (that person) would share in his property (as the husband of that girl), preventing her to marry, neither marrying her himself nor marrying her to another person.

" They ask thee the religious verdict about women, say: Allah gives you the verdict about them" (iv. 126), that these relate to an orphan girl who is in charge of the person and she shares with him in his property (as a heir) even in the date-palm trees and he is reluctant to give her hand in marriage to any other person lest he (her husband) should partake of his property, and thus keep her in a lingering state.

" And whoever is poor let him take reasonably (out of it)" that it was revealed in connection with the custodian of the property of an orphan, who is in charge of her and looks after her; In case he is poor, he is allowed to eat out of that.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Hisham with the same chain of transmitters.

" When they came upon you from above you and from below you and when the eyes turned dull and the hearts rose up to the throats" (xxxiii. 10) pertain to the day of Ditch.

" And if a woman has reason to fear ill-treatment from her husband or that he might turn away from her" (iv. 128) that it was revealed in case of a woman who had long association with a person (as his wife) and now he intends to divorce her and she says: Do not divorce me, but retain me (as wife in your house) and you are permitted to live with another wife. It is in this context that this verse was revealed.

" And if a woman has reason to fear ill-treatment from her husband or that he might turn away from her" that it was revealed in case of a woman who lived with a person and perhaps he does not want to prolong (his relationship with her) whereas she has had sexual relationship with him (and as a result thereof) she got a child from him and she does not like that she should be divorced, so she says to him: I permit you to live with the other wife.

" And compel not your slave-girls to prostitute" up to the words:" Allah is Forgiving, Merciful."

" Those whom they call upon, themselves seek the means of access to their Lord," that that verse was revealed in connection with a party of Arabs who used to worship a group amnogst the jinn; the jinn embraced Islam but the people kept worshipping them without being conscious of it. Then this verse was revealed:" Those whom they call upon, themselves seek the means of access to their Lord."

I said to Ibn 'Abbas about Sura Tauba, whereupon he said: As for Sura Tauba, it is meant to humiliate (the non-believers and the hypocrites). There is constantly revealed in it (the pronoun) minhum (of them) and minhom (of them, i. e. such is the condition of some of them) till they (the Muslims) thought that none would be left unmentioned out of them who would not be blamed (for one fault or the other). I again said: What about Sura Anfal? He said: It pertains to the Battle of Badr. I again asked him about Sura al-Hashr. He said: It was revealed in connection with (the tribe) of Banu Nadir.

Anas b. Malik reported that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, sent revelation to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) just before his death in quick succession until he left for his heavenly home, and the day when he died, he received the revelation profusely.

If this verse were revealed in relation to the Jews (i e. "This day I have perfected your religion for you and have completed My favours for you and have chosen for you al-Islam as religion") we would have taken the day of rejoicing on which this verse was revealed. Thereupon 'Umar said: I know the day on which it was revealed and the hour when it was revealed and where Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had been when it was revealed. It was revealed on the night of Friday and we were in 'Arafat with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) at that time.

" He who is rich should abstain, and he who is poor may reasonably eat (out of it)" that this was revealed in relation to the guardian of an orphan who is poor; he may get out of that what is reasonable keeping in view his own status of solvency.

O, the son of my sister, the Muslims were commanded to seek forgiveness for the Companions of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) but they reviled them.

'Abd al Rahman b. Abzi commanded me that I should ask Ibn 'Abbas about these two verses:" He who slays a believer intentionally his requital shall be Hell where he would abide for ever" (iv. 92). So, I asked him and he said: Nothing has abrogated it. And as for this verse:" And they who call not upon another god with Allah and slay not the soul which Allah has forbidden, except in the cause of justice" (xxv. 68), he (Ibn Abbas) said: This has been revealed in regard to the polytheists."

I said to Ibn Abbas: Will the repentance of that person be accepted who kills a believer intentionally? He said: No. I recited to him this verse of Sura al-Furqan (xix.):" And those who call not upon another god with Allah and slay not the soul which Allah has forbidden except in the cause of justice" to the end of the verse. He said: This is a Meccan verse which has been abrogated by a verse revealed at Medina:" He who slays a believer intentionally, for him is the requital of Hell-Fire where he would abide for ever," and in the narration of Ibn Hisham (the words are): I recited to him this verse of Sura al-Furqan:" Except one who made repentance."

Ibn Abbas said to me: Do you know-and in the words of Harun (another narrator): Are you aware of-the last Sura which was revealed in the Qur'an as a whole? I said: Yes," When came the help from Allah and the victory" (cx.). Thereupon, he said: You have told the truth. And in the narration of Abu Shaiba (the words are): Do you know the Sura? And he did not mention the words" the last one".

When the Ansar performed the Pilgrimage, they did not enter their houses but from behind. A person from the Ansar came and he began to enter from his door but it was said to him (why he was doing something in contravention to the common practice of coming to the houses from behind). Then this verse was revealed." Piety is not that you come to the doors from behind" (ii. 189).

During the pre-Islamic days women circumambulated the Ka'ba nakedly, and said: Who would provide cloth to cover the one who is circumambulating the Ka'ba so that she would cover her private parts? And then she would say: Today will be exposed the whole or the part and what is exposed I shall not make it lawful. It was in this connection that the verse was revealed:" Adorn yourself at every place of worship" (vii. 31).