" Those to whom they call upon, themselves seek the means or access to their Lord as to whoever of them becomes nearest" (xvii. 57) that it related to a party of Jinn who were being worshipped and they embraced Islam but those who worshipped them kept on worshipping them (though the Jinn whom the misguided people worshipped had become Muslims). It was then that this verse was revealed.

Now coming to the point. Behold I when the command pertaining to the prohibition of wine was revealed, it was prepared from five things: from wheat, barley, date, grape, honey; and wine is that which clouds the intellect; and O people, I wish Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) could have explained to us in (more) detail the laws pertaining to the inheritance of the grandfather, about one who dies leaving no issue, and some of the problems pertaining to interest.

This hadith has been transmitted on the same authority but with a slight variation of wording.

" These two adversaries who dispute about their Lord" (xxii. 19) was revealed in connection with those who on the Day of Badr came out (of rows to fight against the non-believers and they were) Hamza, 'Ali, 'Ubaida b. Harith (from the side of the Muslims) and 'Utba and Shaiba, both of them the sons of Rabi'a and Walid b. 'Utba (from the side of the non-believers of Mecca).

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr through another chain of transmitters.

" If you fear that you will not be able to observe equity in case of orphan girls" ; the rest of the hadith is the same but with a slight variation of wording.

The inhabitants of Kufa differed in regard to this verse:" But whoever slays another believer intentionally, his requital shall be Hell" (iv. 92), so I went to Ibn 'Abbas and asked him about it, whereupon he said: This has been revealed and nothing abrogated it.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Abu 'Umais through the same chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording.

As-Salam-o-'Alaikum. They caught hold of him and killed him and took possession of his flock. Then this verse was revealed:" He who meets you and extends you salutations, don't say: You are not a Muslim" (iv. 94). Ibn 'Abbas, however, recited the word as-Salam instead of" as-Salam".

Go and fetch something for us by committing prostitution. It was in this connection that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed this verse:" And compel not your slave-girls to prostitution when they desire to keep chaste in order to seek the frail goods of this world's life, and whoever compels them, then surely after their compulsion Allah is Forgiving, Merciful" (xxiv. 33).

This is what Abu Huraira reported to us from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and in this connection he narrated some of the ahadith and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: It was said to people of Israel: Enter this land saying Hitta (Remove Thou from us the burden of our sins), whereupon We would forgive you your sins, but they twisted (this statement) and entered the gate dragging upon their breech and said: The" grain in the ear."

Commander of the Faithful, there is a verse in your Book, which you recite. Had it been revealed in connection with the Jews, we would have taken it as the day of rejoicing. Thereupon he said: Which verse do you mean? He replied:" This day I have perfected your religion for you and I have completed My favours upon you and I have chosen al-Islam as religion for you." Umar said, I know the day when it was revealed and the place where it was revealed. It was revealed to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) at 'Arafat on Friday.

" If you fear that you will not be able to maintain equity amongst the orphan girls, then marry (those) you like from amongst the women two, three or four." She said: O, the son of my sister, the orphan girl is one who is under the patronage of her guardian and she shares with him in his property and her property and beauty fascinate him and her guardian makes up his mind to marry her without giving her due share of the wedding money and is not prepared (to pay so much amount) which anyone else is prepared to pay and so Allah has forbidden to marry these girls but in case when equity is observed as regards the wedding money and they are prepared to pay them the full amount of the wedding money and Allah commanded to marry other women besides them according to the liking of their heart. 'Urwa reported that 'A'isha said that people began to seek verdict from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) after the revelation of this verse about them (orphan girls) and Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed this verse:" They asked thee verdict about women; say: Allah gives verdict to you in regard to them and what is recited to you in the Book about orphan woman, whom you give not what is ordained for them while you like to marry them" (iv. 126). She said: The wording of Allah" what is recited to you" in the Book means the first verse, i. e." if you fear that you may not be able to observe equity in case of an orphan woman, marry what you like in case of woman" (iv. 3). 'A'isha said: (And as for this verse [iv. 126], i. e. and you intend" to marry one of them from amongst the orphan girls" it pertains to one who is in charge (of orphans) having small amount of wealth and less beauty and they have been forbidden that they should marry what they like of her wealth and beauty out of the orphan girls, but with equity, because of their disliking for them.

" If you fear that you would not be able to observe equity in case of orphan girls)," it was revealed in reference to a person who had an orphan girl (as his ward) and he was her guardian, and her heir, and she possessed property, but there was none to contend on her behalf except her ownself. And he (her guardian) did not give her in marriage because of her property and he tortured her and ill-treated her, it was in relation to her that (Allah said: )" If you fear that you would not be able to observe equity in case of orphan girls, then marry whom you like among women," i. e. whatever I have made lawful for you and leave her whom you are putting to torture.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abu Usama with the same chain of narrators.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of narrators but with a slight variation of wording.

This verse was revealed in Mecca:" 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" up to the word Muhdana (abased). Thereupon the polytheists said: Islam is of no avail to us for we have made peer with Allah and we killed the soul which Allah had forbidden to do and we committed debauchery, and it was (on this occasion) that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed this verse:" Except him who repents and believes and does good deeds" up to the end Ibn 'Abbis says: He who enters the fold of Islam and understands its command and then kills the soul there is no repentance for him.

Since our acceptance of Islam and the revelation of this verse in which Allah has shown annoyance to us:" Has not the time yet come for the believers that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah?" (lvii. 16), there was a gap of four years.

" Those whom they call upon, themselves seek the means of access to their Lord," that it related to a group of people who worshipped a party amongst the Jinn. The group from amongst the Jinn embraced Islam, but the people kept worshipping them as they did before, and it was (on this occasion) that the verse was revealed:" Those whom they call upon, themselves seek the means of access to their Lord." This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Sulaiman with the same chain of transmitters.

I heard 'Umar b. Khattab delivering sermon on the pulpit ol Allah's messenger (ﷺ) and saying': Now, coming to the point, O people, there was revealed (the command pertaining to the prohibition of wine) and it was prepared (at that time) out of five things: grape, date, honey, wheat, barley, and wine is that which clouds the intellect, and, O people, I wish Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had explained to us in greater detail three things: the inheritance of the grandfather, of one who dies without leaving any issue, and some of the problems of interest.