RENAISSANCE FEBRUARY 2021

Ḥ adith Studies 16 Monthly Renaissance February 2021 sent a representative on his behalf in order to know what had happened. Thus Ab ū Lahab and the rest of the Quraysh gathered. Once the had assembled, the Prophet said: ‘What if I inform you that there is an army in the valley that plans to attack you; Will you believe me?’ They replied: ‘Yes because we have always witnessed the truth from you.’ The Prophet said: ‘Listen! I am a warner to you before the great torment.’ Thereafter Ab ū Lahab replied: ‘Curse be on you all days; Is this is what you gathered us for?’ At this, S ū rah Ab ū Lahab was revealed.” 1 III Critical Analysis Following is the critique put forth by Am ī n A ḥ s ā n I ṣ l āḥī on this narrative: In other words, when Ab ū Lahab misbehaved with the Prophet (sws) by uttering these words, the Almighty, in order to assure the Prophet (sws), revealed this s ū rah in condemnation of Ab ū Lahab and his wife. Since this incident occurred early in the Makkan period, exegetes regard this 1. Al-Bukh ā r ī , Al-J ā mi‘ al- ṣ a ḥīḥ , vol. 4, 1787, (no. 4492). See also: Ibid., vol. 4, 1804, (no. 4523); Ibid., vol. 4, 1902, (no. 4687); Ibid., vol. 4, 1902, (no. 4688); Ibid., vol. 4, 1902, (no. 4689); Muslim, Al-J ā mi‘ al- ṣ a ḥīḥ , vol. 1, 193, (no. 208); Al-Tirmidh ī , Sunan , vol. 5, 451, (no. 3363); A ḥ mad ibn Ḥ anbal, Musnad , vol. 1, 281, (no. 2544); Ibid., vol. 1, 307, (no. 2802); Ibn Sa‘d, Al- Ṭ abaq ā t al-kubr ā , vol. 1, 199-200; Al- F ā kih ī , Akhb ā r Makkah , vol. 2, 213, (no. 1379); Al- Ṭ a ḥā w ī , Shar ḥ ma‘ ā n ī al- ā th ā r , vol. 3, 285, Ibid., vol. 4, 288; Ibn Ab ī Ḥā tim, Tafs ī r , vol. 9, 2825, (no. 16011); Ibid., vol. 9, 3072, (no. 17379); Ibn Ḥ ibb ā n, Ṣ a ḥīḥ , vol. 1, 486-487, (no. 6550); Al- Ṭ abar ā n ī , Al-Mu‘jam al-kab ī r , vol. 12, 21, (no. 12352); Ab ū ‘Aw ā nah, Musnad , vol. 1, 87, (no. 262); Ibid., vol. 1, 88, (no. 263); Al-Bayhaq ī , Al-Sunan al-kubr ā , vol. 6, 371, (no. 12886); Ibid., vol. 7, 9, (no. 17503); Al-Bayhaq ī , Dal ā ’il al- nubuwwah , vol. 2, 181-183; Ibid., vol. 2, 182; Al-Nas ā ’ ī , Al-Sunan al- kubr ā , vol. 6, 244, (no. 10819); Ibid., vol. 6, 437, (no. 11426); Ibid., vol. 6, 256, (no. 11714); Ibn Mandah, Al- Ī m ā n , vol. 2, 882-883, (no. 949); Ibid., vol. 2, 883-884, (no. 950); Ibid., vol. 2, 884, (no. 951); Ibid., vol. 2, 884, (no. 952); Al- Ṭ abar ī , T ā r ī kh , vol. 1, 541-542; Ibid., vol. 19, 120- 122; Ibid., vol. 30, 336-337; Al-Baghaw ī , Shar ḥ al-sunnah , vol. 13, 327, (no. 3742); A ḥ mad ibn Mu ḥ ammad ibn Is ḥā q, ‘Aml al-yawm wa al- laylah , vol. 1, 543, (no. 982); Ibid., vol. 1, 543, (no. 983); Ab ū Nu‘aym, Al-Musnad al-mustakhraj , vol. 1, 278, (no. 509).