Source: Ibn Kathir
| Which was revealed in Makkah |
| The First Surah in which a Prostration is revealed |
Al-Bukhari recorded that `Abdullah ﴿bin Mas`ud﴾ said, "Surat An-Najm was the first Surah in which a prostration was revealed. The Prophet (recited it in Makkah) and prostrated. Those who were with him did the same, except an old man who took a handful of soil and prostrated on it. Later on, I saw him killed as a disbeliever; he was Umayyah bin Khalaf.'' Al-Bukhari recorded this Hadith in several places of his Sahih, as did Muslim, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i, using various chains of narration through Abu Ishaq from `Abdullah.
| Allah swears the Messenger is True and His Words are a Revelation from Him |
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ash-Sha`bi and others stated that the Creator swears by whatever He wills among His creation, but the created only vow by the Creator. Allah said,
(By the star when it goes down.) Ibn Abi Najih reported that Mujahid said, "The star refers to Pleiades when it sets at Fajr.'' Ad-Dahhak said "When the Shayatin are shot with it.'' And this Ayah is like Allah's saying;
(So, I swear by the setting of the stars. And verily, that is indeed a great oath, if you but know. That is indeed an honorable recitation. In a Book well-guarded. Which none can touch but the pure. A revelation from the Lord of all that exists.)(56:75-80)
Allah said;
(Your companion has neither gone astray nor has erred.) This contains the subject of the oath. This part of the Ayah is the witness that the Messenger of Allah is sane and a follower of Truth. He is neither led astray, such as in the case of the ignorant who does not proceed on any path with knowledge, nor is he one who erred, such as in the case of the knowledgeable, who knows the Truth, yet deviates from it intentionally to something else. Therefore, Allah exonerated His Messenger and his Message from being similar to the misguided ways of the Christians and the erroneous paths of the Jews, such as knowing the Truth and hiding it, while abiding by falsehood. Rather, he, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him, and his glorious Message that Allah has sent him with, are on the perfect straight path, following guidance and what is correct.
| Muhammad was sent as a Mercy for all that exists; He does not speak of His Desire |
Allah said,
(Nor does he speak of desire), asserting that nothing the Prophet utters is of his own desire or wish,
(It is only a revelation revealed.), means, he only conveys to the people what he was commanded to convey, in its entirety without additions or deletions.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Umamah said that he heard the Messenger of Allah say, (Verily, numbers similar to the two tribes, or one of them, Rabi`ah and Mudar, will enter Paradise on account of the intercession of one man, who is not a Prophet.) A man asked, "O Allah's Messenger! Is not Rabi`ah a subtribe of Mudar.'' The Prophet said, (I said what I said.)
Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr said, "I used to record everything I heard from the Messenger of Allah so it would be preserved. The Quraysh discouraged me from this, saying, `You record everything you hear from the Messenger of Allah , even though he is human and sometimes speaks when he is angry' I stopped recording the Hadiths for a while, but later mentioned what they said to the Messenger of Allah , who said, (Write! By He in Whose Hand is my soul, every word that comes out of me is the Truth.)'' Abu Dawud also collected this Hadith.
| The Trustworthy Angel brought Allah's Revelation to the Trustworthy Messenger |
Allah the Exalted states that the Message His servant and Messenger Muhammad brought to people was taught to him by,
(mighty in power), he is Jibril, peace be upon him,
(Verily, this is the Word a most honorable messenger, owner of power, with (Allah) the Lord of the Throne, obeyed (by the angels) and trustworthy.)(81:19-21)
Allah said here,
(Dhu Mirrah), meaning, he is mighty in power, according to Mujahid, Al-Hasan and Ibn Zayd.
In an authentic Hadith from `Abdullah bin `Umar and Abu Hurayrah, the Prophet said, (Charity is not allowed for a rich person nor Dhu Mirrah (a strong person) of sound mind and body.)
Allah said;
(then he Istawa (rose).) this refers to the angel Jibril, according to Al-Hasan, Mujahid, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas,
(While he was in the highest part of the horizon.) meaning, Jibril rose to the highest part of the horizon, according to `Ikrimah and several others; `
Ikrimah said, "The highest horizon where the morning comes from.''
Mujahid said, "It is (the place of) sunrise.''
Qatadah said, "That from which the day comes.'' Ibn Zayd and several others said similarly.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "The Messenger of Allah saw Jibril in his original shape having six hundred wings, each wing filling the side of the horizon, with a colorful array, and pearls and rubies falling from each wing as much as only Allah knows.'' Only Imam Ahmad collected this Hadith. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Abbas said, "The Prophet asked Jibril to appear himself to him in his original shape and Jibril said to him, `Invoke your Lord.' The Prophet invoked his Lord the Exalted and Most Honored, and a great huge figure appeared to him from the east and kept rising and spreading. When the Prophet saw Jibril in his original shape, he was knocked unconscious. Jibril came down and revived the Prophet and wiped the saliva off of his cheeks.''' Only Ahmad collected this Hadith.
| Meaning of "at a distance of two bows' length or less |
Allah's statement,
(And was at a distance of two bows` length or less.) means, Jibril came closer to Muhammad when Jibril was descending to him on earth. At that time, the distance between them became only two bow lengths, when the bows are extended to full length, according to Mujahid and Qatadah. It was said that the meaning here is the distance between the bow's string and its wood center.
Allah's statement,
(or less) indicates that the distance was as only as far described, not more. This type of usage is found in several instances in the Qur'an, such as,
(Then, after that, your hearts were hardened and became as stones or even worse in hardness.)(2:74) The Ayah says that their hearts became not softer than rocks, but as hard and difficult as rocks, and more. There is a similar Ayah,
(fear men as they fear Allah or even more.)(4:77), and Allah's statement,
(And We sent him to hundred thousand (people) or even more.)(37:147), indicating that they were not less than a hundred thousand, but that amount or more. Therefore, this verifies the facts mentioned, leaving no doubt or means of refute.
Similarly, Allah said,
(And was at a distance of two bow lengths or less.) We stated before that it was Jibril who came down near the Prophet , according to `A'ishah, the Mother of the faithful, `Abdullah bin Mas`ud, Abu Dharr and Abu Hurayrah. We will mention their statements about this soon afterwards, Allah willing.
Ibn Jarir recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said about this Ayah, (And was at a distance of two bow lengths or less.) "Allah's Messenger said, (I saw Jibril; he had six hundred wings.)'' Al-Bukhari recorded that Talq bin Ghannam said that Za'idah said that Ash-Shaybani said, "I asked Zirr about the Ayah,
(And was at a distance of two bow lengths or less. So (Allah) revealed to His servant whatever He revealed.) Zirr said, "Abdullah narrated to us that Muhammad saw Jibril having six hundred wings.'' Allah's statement,
(So he revealed to His servant whatever He revealed.) means, Jibril conveyed to Allah's servant Muhammad whatever he conveyed. Or, the meaning here could be: Allah revealed to His servant Muhammad whatever He revealed through Jibril. Both meanings are correct.
Sa`id bin Jubayr said about Allah's statement,
(So He revealed to His servant whatever He revealed.) "Allah revealed to him,
(Did He not find you an orphan.)(93:6), and,
(And have We not raised high your fame)(94:4)'' Someone else said, "Allah revealed to the Prophet that the Prophets will not enter Paradise until he enters it first, and the nations will not enter it until his Ummah enters it first.''
| Did the Prophet see His Lord during the Night of Isra |
Allah said next,
(The heart lied not in what he saw. Will you then dispute with him about what he saw)
Muslim recorded from Ibn `Abbas about: (The heart lied not in what he saw), and,
(And indeed he saw him at a second descent.) "He saw Allah twice in his heart.''
Simak reported a similar from `Ikrimah from Ibn `Abbas. Abu Salih, As-Suddi and several others said similarly that the Prophet saw Allah twice in his heart.
Masruq said, "I went to `A'ishah and asked her, `Did Muhammad see his Lord' She said, `You said something that caused my hair to rise!' I said, `Behold!' and recited this Ayah, (Indeed he saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.) She said, `Where did your mind wander It was Jibril. Whoever says to you that Muhammad saw his Lord, or hid any part of what he was commanded (i.e., Allah's Message), or knew any of the five things which only Allah knows,
(Verily, Allah, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain...)(31:34),
Then he invents a great lie against Allah! The Prophet only saw Jibril twice, in his original shape, once near Sidrat Al-Muntaha and another time in Ajyad (in Makkah) while Jibril had six hundred wings that covered the horizon.''' Muslim recorded that Abu Dharr said, "I asked the Messenger of Allah , `Have you seen your Lord' He said, (How can I see Him since there was a light)''
In another narration, the Prophet said, (I only saw a light.)
Allah's statement,
(And indeed he saw him at a second descent. Near Sidrat Al-Muntaha.) "The Messenger of Allah said,
(I saw Jibril while he had six hundred wings and a colorful array of pearls and rubies falling from the feathers of his wings.)'' This Hadith has a good, strong chain of narration.
| Angels, Light and colors covered Sidrat Al-Muntaha |
Allah said,
(When that covered the lote tree which did cover it!) We mentioned before, in the Hadiths about Al-Isra' that the angels, Allah's Light, and spectacular colors covered the Sidrah.
Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "When the Messenger of Allah was taken on the Isra' journey, he ascended to Sidrat Al-Muntaha, which is in the seventh heaven. There everything terminates that ascends from the earth and is held there, and terminates everything that descends from above it is held there,
(When that covered the lote tree which did cover it!) He said, "Golden butterflies.
The Messenger of Allah was given three things: He was given the five prayers, he was given the concluding verses of Surat Al-Baqarah (2:284-286), and remission of serious sins for those among his Ummah who do not associate anything with Allah.'' Muslim collected this Hadith.
(The sight turned not aside, nor it transgressed beyond the limit.) indicates that the Prophet's sight did not turn right or left, according to `Ibn `Abbas,
(nor it transgressed beyond the limit.) not exceeding what has been ordained for it. This is a tremendous quality that demonstrates the Prophet's firm obedience to Allah, because he only did what was commanded and did ask beyond what he was given. Allah's statement,
(Indeed he saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.) is similar to another Ayah,
(In order that We might show him of Our Ayat.)(17:1), meaning, signs that testify to Allah's might and greatness. Relying on these two Ayat, some scholars of Ahl us-Sunnah said that the Prophet did not see Allah during the Isra' journey, because Allah said,
(Indeed he saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.) They said that, had the Prophet seen his Lord, Allah would have conveyed this news and the Prophet would have narrated it to the people.
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