Allah tells His Prophet about what the leaders of Quraysh discussed when they
came and listened to him reciting Qur'an in secret, without their people knowing
about it. They said that he was Mashur which according to the better-known view
means someone affected by magic (Sihr); it may also mean a man who has a lung,
i.e., a mere human being, as if they were saying that if you follow Muhammad,
you will only be following a human being. This second suggestion does not sound
correct, because what they meant here was that he was under the influence of
Sihr (magic) which made him see dreams in which he learned these words that he
recited. Some of them said he was a poet, or a soothsayer, or crazy, or a
sorcerer. Allah says:
[انْظُرْ كَيْفَ
ضَرَبُواْ لَكَ الاٌّمْثَالَ فَضَلُّواْ فَلاَ يَسْتَطِيعْونَ سَبِيلاً ]
(See what examples they have put forward for you. So they have gone astray,
and never can they find a way.) meaning, they will never be guided to the truth
and will never find a way to reach it. Muhammad bin Ishaq said in As-Sirah:
"Muhammad bin Muslim bin Shihab Az-Zuhri told me that it happened that Abu
Sufyan bin Harb, Abu Jahl bin Hisham and Al-Akhnas bin Shurayq bin `Amr bin Wahb
Ath-Thaqafi, the ally of Bani Zahrah, went out one night to listen to the
Messenger of Allah when he was praying at night in his house. Each one of them
took up a position for listening, and none of them knew that the others were
also there. They stayed listening to him all night until dawn came. When they
left, they met up on the road, each of them blaming the others, saying to one
another; `Do not come back again, lest you give the wrong impression [i.e., that
you like what you hear].' Then they went away until the second night came, when
each of them came back to his place and spent the night listening. When dawn
came they left, then when they met up on the road, each of them blamed the
others, saying the same as they had said the previous night. Then they went away
until the third night came, when each of them came back to his place and spent
the night listening. When dawn came they left, then when they met up on the
road, they said to one another, `Let us not leave until we promise not to come
back,' so they made a promise to that effect, and went their separate ways. In
the morning, Al-Akhnas bin Shurayq took his stick and went to the house of Abu
Sufyan bin Harb, where he said, `Tell me, O Abu Hanzalah [i.e., Abu Sufyan],
what do you think of what you have heard from Muhammad' Abu Sufyan said, `O Abu
Tha`labah [i.e., Al-Akhnas], by Allah, I have heard something I understand and I
know what is meant by it, and I have heard things I do not understand and do not
know what is meant by it.' Al-Akhnas said: `Me too, by the One by Whom you
swore.' Then he left and went to Abu Jahl, and entered his house. He said, `O
Abu Al-Hakam [i.e., Abu Jahl], what do you think of what you have heard from
Muhammad' He said, `What did you hear' He said, `We and Banu `Abd Manaf competed
for honor and position: they fed people so we fed people, they engaged in battle
so we engaged in battle, they gave so we gave, until we were neck and neck, like
race horses. Then they said, we have a Prophet among us who receives revelation
from heaven. How could we compete with that By Allah we will never believe in
him.' Then Al-Akhnas got up and left him.''
[وَقَالُواْ أَءِذَا
كُنَّا عِظَـماً وَرُفَـتاً أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ خَلْقاً جَدِيداً - قُلْ
كُونُواْ حِجَارَةً أَوْ حَدِيداً - أَوْ خَلْقًا مِّمَّا يَكْبُرُ فِى صُدُورِكُمْ
فَسَيَقُولُونَ مَن يُعِيدُنَا قُلِ الَّذِى فَطَرَكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ
فَسَيُنْغِضُونَ إِلَيْكَ رُؤُوسَهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هُوَ قُلْ عَسَى أَن
يَكُونَ قَرِيبًا - يَوْمَ يَدْعُوكُمْ فَتَسْتَجِيبُونَ بِحَمْدِهِ وَتَظُنُّونَ
إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً ]
(49. And they say: "When we are bones and fragments (destroyed), should we
really be resurrected (to be) a new creation'') (50. Say: "Be you stones or
iron,'') (51. "Or some created thing that is yet greater (or harder) in your
breasts.'' Then, they will say: "Who shall bring us back (to life)'' Say: "He
Who created you first!'' Then, they will shake their heads at you and say: "When
will that be'' Say: "Perhaps it is near!'') (52. On the Day when He will call
you, and you will answer with (words of) His praise and obedience, and you will
think that you have stayed (in this world) but a little while!)
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