Period of Revelation
It was revealed before the Migration to Habash. We learn from authentic Traditions that
Hadrat Ja'afar recited vv. 1-40 of this Sura in the court of Negus when he called the
migrants to his court.Historical Background
We have already briefly referred to the conditions of that period in the introduction to
Sura Al-Kahf. Here we shall give rather fuller details of the same conditions
which will be helpful in grasping the meaning of this Sura and the other Suras of the
period. When the chiefs of the Quraishfelt that they had failed to suppress the Islamic
movement by ridicule
sarcasm
and by holding out promises and threats and by making false accusations
they resorted to persecution
beating and economic pressure. They would catch hold of the new Muslims of their
clans and persecute them
starve them and would even inflict physical torture on them in order to coerce them to
give up Islam. The most pitiful victims of their persecution were the poor people and the
slaves and the proteges of the Quraish. They were beaten black and blue
were imprisoned and kept thirsty and hungry and were dragged on the burning sands of
Makkah. The people would get work from the professional labourers but would not pay
them their wages. As an instance we give below the story of Hadrat KhabbabbinArat
which is given in Bukhari and Muslim: "I used to work as a blacksmith in Makkah. Once
I did some work for As bin Wa'il. When I went to ask for my wages
he said
'I will not pay your wages unless you disown Muhammad'." In the same connection
Hadrat Khabbabsays
One day the Holy Prophet was sitting in the shadow of the Ka'abah. I went to him and
said
'0 Messenger of Allah
now persecution has gone to its extreme; why do you not pray to Allah (for relief)?' At
this the Holy Prophet was greatly moved. He said
'The believers before you were persecuted much more than you. Their bones were
scraped with combs of iron and their heads were cut with saws
but still they did not give up their Faith. I assure you that Allah will fulfil this Mission
and there will come a period of such peace that one would travel from Sanna to
Hadramaut
and he will have no fear from anyone
save Allah. But you people have already become impatient'.
(Bukhari) When the conditions became unbearable
the Holy Prophet
in the month of Rajab of the fifth year of Prophethood
gave advice to his Companions to this effect: "You may well migrate to Habash
for there is a king
who does not allow any kind of injustice to anyone
and there is good in his land. You should remain there till the time that Allah provides a
remedy for your affliction". Accordingly
at first
eleven men and four women left for Habash. The Quraishpursued them up to the coast
but fortunately they got a timely boat for Habash at the sea-port of Shu'aibah
and they escaped attest. Then after a few months
other people migrated to Habash and their number rose to eighty-three men and eleven
women of the Quraishand seven non-Quraish. After this
only forty persons were left with the Holy Prophet at Makkah. There was a great hue
and cry in Makkah after this Migration
for every family of the Quraishwas adversely affected by this. There was hardly a family
of the Quraishwhich did not lose a son
a son-in-law
a daughter
a brother or a sister. For instance
there were among the Migrants the near relatives of Abu Jahl
Abu Sufyan and other chief of the Quraishwho were notorious for their persecution of
the Muslims. As a result of this
some of them became even more bitter in their enmity of Islam
while there were others who were so moved by this that they embraced Islam. For
instance
this Migration left a deep mark on Hadrat Umar. One of his relatives
Laila
daughter of Hathmah
says
I was packing my luggage for Migration
while my husband
Amr bin Rabiy'ah
had gone out. In the meantime Umar came there and began to watch me
while I was engaged in preparation for the journey. Then he said
'Are you also going to migrate?' I answered
'Yes by God
you people have persecuted us much. But the wide earth of Allah is open for us. Now
we are going to a place where Allah will grant us peace'. At this
I noticed such signs of emoti
Theme and Subject
Keeping in view this historical background
it becomes quite obvious that this Sura was sent down to serve the migrants as a
provision" for their journey to Habash
as if to say
Though you are leaving your country as persecuted emigrants to a Christian country
you should not in the least hide anything from the teachings you have received. There-
fore you should plainly say to the Christians that Prophet Jesus was not the son of God.
After relating the story of Prophets John and Jesus in vv. 1-40
the story of Prophet Abraham has been related (vv. 41-50) also for the benefit of the
Migrants for he also had been forced like them to leave his country by the persecution
of his father
his family and his country men. On the one hand
this meant to console the Emigrants that they were following the footsteps of Prophet
Abraham and would attain the same good end as that Prophet did. On the other hand
it meant to warn the disbeliever
of Makkah that they should note it well that they were in the position of the cruel people
who had persecuted their forefather and leader
Abraham
while the Muslim Emigrants were in the position of Prophet Abraham himself. Then the
mention of the other Prophets has been made in vv. 51-65 with a view to impress that
Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) had brought the same way of Life that had
been brought by the former Prophets but their followers had become corrupt and
adopted wrong ways. In the concluding passage (vv. 66-98)
a strong criticism has been made of the evil ways of the disbelievers of Makkah
while the Believers have been given the good news that they would come out
successful and become the beloved of the people
in spite of the worst efforts of the enemies of the Truth.
