Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet (pbuh))

Narrated Um Atiya: We took the oath of allegiance to Allah's Apostle and he recited to us: 'They will not associate anything in worship with Allah,' and forbade us to bewail the dead. Thereupon a lady withdrew her hand (refrained from taking the oath of allegiance), and said, "But such-and-such lady lamented over one of my relatives, so I must reward (do the same over the dead relatives of) hers." The Prophet did not object to that, so she went (there) and returned to the Prophet so he accepted her pledge of allegiance.

Narrated Ibn `Abbas: Regarding the saying of Allah: 'And they will not disobey you in any just matter.' (60.12) That was one of the conditions which Allah imposed on The believing) women (who came to take the oath of allegiance to the Prophet).

Narrated 'Ubada bin As-Samit: While we were with the Prophet, he said, "Will you swear to me the pledge of allegiance that you will not worship any thing besides Allah, will not commit illegal sexual intercourse, and will not steal?" Then he recited the Verse concerning the women. (Sufyan, the subnarrator, often said that the Prophet: added, "Whoever among you fulfills his pledge, will receive his reward from Allah, and whoever commits any of those sins and receives the legal punishment (in this life), his punishment will be an expiation for that sin; and whoever commits any of those sins and Allah screens him, then it is up to Allah to punish or forgive them."

Narrated Ibn `Abbas: I witnessed the `Id-al-Fitr prayer with Allah's Apostle , Abu Bakr, `Umar and `Uthman; and all of them offered it before delivering the sermon... and then delivered the sermon. Once the Prophet (after completing the prayer and the sermon) came down, as if I am now looking at him waving at the men with his hand to sit down, and walked through them till he, along with Bilal, reached (the rows of) the women. Then he recited: 'O Prophet! When believing women come to you to take the oath of allegiance that they will not worship anything other than Allah, will not steal, will not commit illegal sexual intercourse, will not kill their children, and will not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood (by making illegal children belonging to their husbands)'....(60.12) Having finished, he said, 'Do you agree to that?" One lady, other than whom none replied the Prophet said, "Yes, O Allah's Apostle!" (The, sub-narrator, Al-Hasan did not know who the lady was.) Then the Prophet said to them: "Will you give alms?" Thereupon Bilal spread out his garment and the women started throwing big rings and small rings into Bilal's garment. (See Hadith No. 95 vol.2)

Narrated Jubair bin Mut`im: I heard Allah's Apostle saying, 'I have several names: I am Muhammad and I am Ahmad, and I am Al- Mahi with whom Allah obliterates Kufr (disbelief), and I am Al-Hashir (gatherer) at whose feet (i.e. behind whom) the people will be gathered (on the Day of Resurrection), and I am Al-Aqib (i.e. who succeeds the other prophets in bringing about good).

Narrated Abu Huraira: While we were sitting with the Prophet Surat Al-Jumu'a was revealed to him, and when the Verse, "And He (Allah) has sent him (Muhammad) also to other (Muslims).....' (62.3) was recited by the Prophet, I said, "Who are they, O Allah's Apostle?" The Prophet did not reply till I repeated my question thrice. At that time, Salman Al-Farisi was with us. So Allah's Apostle put his hand on Salman, saying, "If Faith were at (the place of) Ath-Thuraiya (pleiades, the highest star), even then (some men or man from these people (i.e. Salman's folk) would attain it."

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said. Then some men from these people would attain it."

Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah: A caravan of merchandise arrived at Medina on a Friday while we were with the Prophet All the people left (the Prophet and headed for the caravan) except twelve persons. Then Allah revealed:-- 'But when they see some bargain or some amusement they disperse headlong to it.' ..(62.11)

Narrated Zaid bin Arqam: While I was taking part in a Ghazwa. I heard `Abdullah bin Ubai (bin Abi Salul) saying. "Don't spend on those who are with Allah's Apostle, that they may disperse and go away from him. If we return (to Medina), surely, the more honorable will expel the meaner amongst them." I reported that (saying) to my uncle or to `Umar who, in his turn, informed the Prophet of it. The Prophet called me and I narrated to him the whole story. Then Allah's Apostle sent for `Abdullah bin Ubai and his companions, and they took an oath that they did not say that. So Allah's Apostle disbelieved my saying and believed his. I was distressed as I never was before. I stayed at home and my uncle said to me. "You just wanted Allah's Apostle to disbelieve your statement and hate you." So Allah revealed (the Sura beginning with) 'When the hypocrites come to you.' (63.1) The Prophet then sent for me and recited it and said, "O Zaid! Allah confirmed your statement."

Narrated Zaid bin Arqam: I was with my uncle and I heard `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul, saying, "Don't spend on those who are with Allah's Apostle that they may disperse and go away from him." He also said, "If we return to Medina, surely, the more honorable will expel the meaner." So I informed my uncle of that and then my uncle informed Allah's Apostle thereof. Allah's Apostle sent for `Abdullah bin Ubai and his companions. They swore that they did not say anything of that sort Allah's Apostle deemed their statement true and rejected mine. Thereof I became as distressed as I have never been before, and stayed at home. Then Allah revealed (Surat Al-Munafiqin): 'When the hypocrites come to you.....(63.1) They are the ones who say: Spend nothing on those who are with Allah's Apostle ..(63.7) Verily the more honorable will expel therefrom the meaner..' (63.7-8) Allah's Apostle sent for me and recited that Sura for me and said, "Allah has confirmed your statement." 'That is because they believed, then disbelieved, so a seal was set on their hearts, therefore they understand not.' (63.3)

Narrated Zaid bin Arqam: When `Abdullah bin Ubai said, "Do not spend on those who are with Allah's Apostle," and also said, "If we return to Medina," I informed the Prophet of his saying. The Ansar blamed me for that, and `Abdullah bin Ubai swore that he did not say. I returned to my house and slept. Allah's Apostle then called me and I went to him. He said, "Allah has confirmed your statement." The Verse: "They are the one who say: Spend nothing......(63.7) was revealed.

Narrated Zaid bin Arqam: We went out with the Prophet : on a journey and the people suffered from lack of provisions. So `Abdullah bin Ubai said to his companions, "Don't spend on those who are with Allah's Apostle, that they may disperse and go away from him." He also said, "If we return to Medina, surely, the more honorable will expel therefrom the meaner. So I went to the Prophet and informed him of that. He sent for `Abdullah bin Ubai and asked him, but `Abdullah bin Ubai swore that he did not say so. The people said, "Zaid told a lie to 'Allah's Apostle." What they said distressed me very much. Later Allah revealed the confirmation of my statement in his saying:-- '(When the hypocrites come to you.' (63.1) So the Prophet called them that they might ask Allah to forgive them, but they turned their heads aside. (Concerning Allah's saying: 'Pieces of wood propped up,' Zaid said; They were the most handsome men.)

Narrated Zaid bin Arqam: While I was with my uncle, I heard `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul saying, "Do not spend on those who are with Allah's Apostle, that they may disperse and go away (from him). And if we return to Medina, surely, the more honorable will expel therefrom the meaner. "I mentioned that to my uncle who, in turn, mentioned it to the Prophet. The Prophet called me and I told him about that. Then he sent for `Abdullah bin Ubai and his companions, and they swore that they did not say so. The Prophet disbelieved my statement and believed theirs. I was distressed as I have never been before, and I remained in my house. My uncle said to me, "You just wanted the Prophet to consider you a liar and hate you." Then Allah revealed:-- 'When the hypocrites come to you, they say: 'We bear witness that you are indeed the Apostle of Allah." (63.1) So the Prophet sent for me and recited it and said, "Allah has confirmed your statement."

Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah: We were in a Ghazwa (Sufyan once said, in an army) and a man from the emigrants kicked an Ansari man (on the buttocks with his foot). The Ansari man said, "O the Ansar! (Help!)" and the emigrant said. "O the emigrants! (Help!) Allah's Apostle heard that and said, "What is this call for, which is characteristic of the period of ignorance?" They said, "O Allah's Apostle! A man from the emigrants kicked one of the Ansar (on the buttocks with his foot)." Allah's Apostle said, "Leave it (that call) as is a detestable thing." `Abdullah bin Ubai heard that and said, 'Have the (the emigrants) done so? By Allah, if we return Medina, surely, the more honorable will expel therefrom the meaner." When this statement reached the Prophet. `Umar got up an, said, "O Allah's Apostle! Let me chop off the head of this hypocrite (`Abdullah bin Ubai)!" The Prophet said "Leave him, lest the people say that Muhammad kills his companions." The Ansar were then more in number than the emigrants when the latter came to Medina, but later on the emigrant increased.

Narrated Musa bin `Uqba: `Abdullah bin Al-Fadl told me that Anas bin Malik said, "I was much grieve over those who had been killed in the Battle of Al-Harra. When Zaid bin Arqarr heard of my intense grief (over the killed Ansar), he wrote a letter to me saying that he heard Allah's Apostle saying, O Allah! Forgive the Ansar and the Ansar children. The subnarrator, Ibn Al-Fadl, is not sure whether the Prophet also said, And their grand-children." Some of those who were present, asked Anas (about Zaid). He said, "He (Zaid) is the one about whom Allah's Apostle said, 'He is the one whose sound hearing Allah testified.'

Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah: We were in a Ghazwa and a man from the emigrants kicked an Ansari (on the buttocks with his foot). The Ansari man said, "O the Ansari! (Help!)" The emigrant said, "O the emigrants! (Help)." When Allah's Apostle heard that, he said, "What is that?" They said, "A man from the emigrants kicked a man from the Ansar (on the buttocks his foot). On that the Ansar said, 'O the Ansar!' and the emigrant said, 'O the emigrants!" The Prophet said' "Leave it (that call) for it Is a detestable thing." The number of Ansar was larger (than that of the emigrants) at the time when the Prophet came to Medina, but later the number of emigrants increased. `Abdullah bin Ubai said, "Have they, (the emigrants) done so? By Allah, if we return to Medina, surely, the more honorable will expel therefrom the meaner," `Umar bin Al-Khattab said, "O Allah's Apostle! Let me chop off the head of this hypocrite!" The Prophet said, "Leave him, lest the people say Muhammad kills his companions:"

Narrated Salim: That `Abdullah bin `Umar told him that he had divorced his wife while she was in her menses so `Umar informed Allah's Apostle of that. Allah's Apostle became very angry at that and said, "(Ibn `Umar must return her to his house and keep her as his wife till she becomes clean and then menstruates and becomes clean again, whereupon, if he wishes to divorce her, he may do so while she is still clean and before having any sexual relations with her, for that is the legally prescribed period for divorce as Allah has ordered."

Narrated Abu Salama: A man came to Ibn `Abbas while Abu Huraira was sitting with him and said, "Give me your verdict regarding a lady who delivered a baby forty days after the death of her husband." Ibn `Abbas said, "This indicates the end of one of the two prescribed periods." I said "For those who are pregnant, their prescribed period is until they deliver their burdens." Abu Huraira said, I agree with my cousin (Abu Salama)." Then Ibn `Abbas sent his slave, Kuraib to Um Salama to ask her (regarding this matter). She replied. "The husband of Subai'a al Aslamiya was killed while she was pregnant, and she delivered a baby forty days after his death. Then her hand was asked in marriage and Allah's Apostle married her (to somebody). Abu As-Sanabil was one of those who asked for her hand in marriage".

Narrated Ibn `Abbas: If someone says to his wife, "You are unlawful to me." he must make an expiation (for his oath). Ibn `Abbas added: There is for you in Allah's Apostle, an excellent example to follow.

Narrated `Aisha: Allah's Apostle used to drink honey in the house of Zainab, the daughter of Jahsh, and would stay there with her. So Hafsa and I agreed secretly that, if he come to either of us, she would say to him. "It seems you have eaten Maghafir (a kind of bad-smelling resin), for I smell in you the smell of Maghafir," (We did so) and he replied. "No, but I was drinking honey in the house of Zainab, the daughter of Jahsh, and I shall never take it again. I have taken an oath as to that, and you should not tell anybody about it."

Narrated Ibn `Abbas: For the whole year I had the desire to ask `Umar bin Al-Khattab regarding the explanation of a Verse (in Surat Al-Tahrim) but I could not ask him because I respected him very much. When he went to perform the Hajj, I too went along with him. On our return, while we were still on the way home. `Umar went aside to answer the call of nature by the Arak trees. I waited till he finished and then I proceeded with him and asked him. "O chief of the Believers! Who were the two wives of the Prophet who aided one another against him?" He said, "They were Hafsa and `Aisha." Then I said to him, "By Allah, I wanted to ask you about this a year ago, but I could not do so owing to my respect for you." `Umar said, "Do not refrain from asking me. If you think that I have knowledge (about a certain matter), ask me; and if I know (something about it), I will tell you." Then `Umar added, "By Allah, in the Pre-lslamic Period of Ignorance we did not pay attention to women until Allah revealed regarding them what He revealed regarding them and assigned for them what He has assigned. Once while I was thinking over a certain matter, my wife said, "I recommend that you do so-and-so." I said to her, "What have you got to do with the is matter? Why do you poke your nose in a matter which I want to see fulfilled.?" She said, How strange you are, O son of Al-Khattab! You don't want to be argued with whereas your daughter, Hafsa surely, argues with Allah's Apostle so much that he remains angry for a full day!" `Umar then reported; how he at once put on his outer garment and went to Hafsa and said to her, "O my daughter! Do you argue with Allah's Apostle so that he remains angry the whole day?" H. afsa said, "By Allah, we argue with him." `Umar said, "Know that I warn you of Allah's punishment and the anger of Allah's Apostle . . . O my daughter! Don't be betrayed by the one who is proud of her beauty because of the love of Allah's Apostle for her (i.e. `Aisha)." `Umar addled, "Then I went out to Um Salama's house who was one of my relatives, and I talked to her. She said, O son of Al-Khattab! It is rather astonishing that you interfere in everything; you even want to interfere between Allah's Apostle and his wives!' By Allah, by her talk she influenced me so much that I lost some of my anger. I left her (and went home). At that time I had a friend from the Ansar who used to bring news (from the Prophet) in case of my absence, and I used to bring him the news if he was absent. In those days we were afraid of one of the kings of Ghassan tribe. We heard that he intended to move and attack us, so fear filled our hearts because of that. (One day) my Ansari friend unexpectedly knocked at my door, and said, "Open Open!' I said, 'Has the king of Ghassan come?' He said, 'No, but something worse; Allah's Apostle has isolated himself from his wives.' I said, 'Let the nose of `Aisha and Hafsa be stuck to dust (i.e. humiliated)!' Then I put on my clothes and went to Allah's Apostle's residence, and behold, he was staying in an upper room of his to which he ascended by a ladder, and a black slave of Allah's Apostle was (sitting) on the first step. I said to him, 'Say (to the Prophet ) `Umar bin Al-Khattab is here.' Then the Prophet admitted me and I narrated the story to Allah's Apostle. When I reached the story of Um Salama, Allah's Apostle smiled while he was lying on a mat made of palm tree leaves with nothing between him and the mat. Underneath his head there was a leather pillow stuffed with palm fibres, and leaves of a saut tree were piled at his feet, and above his head hung a few water skins. On seeing the marks of the mat imprinted on his side, I wept. He said.' 'Why are you weeping?' I replied, "O Allah's Apostle! Caesar and Khosrau are leading the life (i.e. Luxurious life) while you, Allah's Apostle though you are, is living in destitute". The Prophet then replied. 'Won't you be satisfied that they enjoy this world and we the Hereafter?' "

Narrated Ibn `Abbas: I intended to ask `Umar so I said, "Who were those two ladies who tried to back each other against the Prophet?" I hardly finished my speech when he said, They were `Aisha and Hafsa."

Narrated Ibn `Abbas: I intended to ask `Umar about those two ladies who back each other against 'Allah's Apostle . For one year I was seeking the opportunity to ask this question, but in vain, until once when I accompanied him for Hajj. While we were in Zahran, `Umar went to answer the call of nature and told me to follow him with some water for ablution. So I followed him with a container of water and started pouring water for him. I found it a good opportunity to ask him, so I said, "O chief of the Believers! Who were those two ladies who had backed each other (against the Prophet)?" Before I could complete my question, he replied, "They were `Aisha and Hafsa."

Narrated `Umar: The wives of the Prophet out of their jealousy, backed each other against the Prophet, so I said to them, "It may be, if he divorced you all, that Allah will give him, instead of you wives better than you." So this Verse was revealed. (66.5)

Narrated Ibn `Abbas: (regarding the Verse):-- 'Cruel after all that, base-born (of illegitimate birth).' (68.13) It was revealed in connection with a man from Quaraish who had a notable sign (Zanamah) similar to the notable sign which usually-hung on the neck of a sheep (to recognize it).

Narrated Haritha bin Wahb Al-Khuza`i: I heard the Prophet saying. "May I tell you of the people of Paradise? Every weak and poor obscure person whom the people look down upon but his oath is fulfilled by Allah when he takes an oath to do something. And may I inform you of the people of the Hell-Fire? They are all those violent, arrogant and stubborn people."

Narrated Abu Sa`id: I heard the Prophet saying, "Allah will bring forth the severest Hour, and then all the Believers, men and women, will prostrate themselves before Him, but there will remain those who used to prostrate in the world for showing off and for gaining good reputation. Such people will try to prostrate (on the Day of Judgment) but their back swill be as stiff as if it is one bone (a single vertebra).

Narrated Ibn `Abbas: All the idols which were worshipped by the people of Noah were worshipped by the Arabs later on. As for the idol Wadd, it was worshipped by the tribe of Kalb at Daumat-al-Jandal; Suwa' was the idol of (the tribe of) Murad and then by Ban, Ghutaif at Al-Jurf near Saba; Yauq was the idol of Hamdan, and Nasr was the idol of Himyr, the branch of Dhi-al-Kala.' The names (of the idols) formerly belonged to some pious men of the people of Noah, and when they died Satan inspired their people to (prepare and place idols at the places where they used to sit, and to call those idols by their names. The people did so, but the idols were not worshipped till those people (who initiated them) had died and the origin of the idols had become obscure, whereupon people began worshipping them.

Narrated Ibn `Abbas: Allah's Apostle went out along with a group of his companions towards `Ukaz Market. At that time something intervened between the devils and the news of the Heaven, and flames were sent down upon them, so the devils returned. Their fellow-devils said, "What is wrong with you? " They said, "Something has intervened between us and the news of the Heaven, and fires (flames) have been shot at us." Their fellow-devils said, "Nothing has intervened between you and the news of the Heaven, but an important event has happened. Therefore, travel all over the world, east and west, and try to find out what has happened." And so they set out and travelled all over the world, east and west, looking for that thing which intervened between them and the news of the Heaven. Those of the devils who had set out towards Tihama, went to Allah's Apostle at Nakhla (a place between Mecca and Taif) while he was on his way to `Ukaz Market. (They met him) while he was offering the Fajr prayer with his companions. When they heard the Holy Qur'an being recited (by Allah's Apostle), they listened to it and said (to each other). This is the thing which has intervened between you and the news of the Heavens." Then they returned to their people and said, "O our people! We have really heard a wonderful recital (Qur'an). It gives guidance to the right, and we have believed therein. We shall not join in worship, anybody with our Lord." (See 72.1-2) Then Allah revealed to His Prophet (Surat al- Jinn): 'Say: It has been revealed to me that a group (3 to 9) of Jinns listened (to the Qur'an).' (72.1) The statement of the Jinns was revealed to him .