Imam Ahmad reported from Khabbab bin Al-Aratt that he said, "I was a
blacksmith and Al-" ®256؛لs bin Wa'il owed me a debt. So I went to him to
collect my debt from him. He said to me, `No, by Allah, I will not pay my debt
to you until you disbelieve in Muhammad.' I replied to him, `No, by Allah, I
will not disbelieve in Muhammad until you die and are resurrected again.' He
then said to me, `Verily, if I die and am resurrected, and you come to me, I
will also have abundance of wealth and children and I will repay you then.'
Then, Allah revealed these Ayat,
[أَفَرَأَيْتَ
الَّذِى كَفَرَ بِـَايَـتِنَا وَقَالَ لأوتَيَنَّ مَالاً وَوَلَداً ]
(Have you seen him who disbelieved in Our Ayat and said: "I shall certainly
be given wealth and children.'') until,
[وَيَأْتِينَا
فَرْداً]
(and he shall come to Us alone.) This was also recorded by the two compilers
of the Sahihs and other collections as well. In the wording of Al-Bukhari it
states that Khabbab said, "I used to be a blacksmith in Makkah and I made a
sword for Al-" ®256؛لs bin Wa'il. So I went to him to collect my pay from
him...'' then he mentioned the rest of the Hadith and he said,
[أَمِ اتَّخَذَ عِندَ
الرَّحْمَـنِ عَهْداً]
(or has he taken a covenant from the Most Gracious) "This means an agreement.
'' Concerning Allah's statement,
[أَطَّلَعَ
الْغَيْبَ]
(Has he known the Unseen) This is a rejection of the person who says,
[لأوتَيَنَّ مَالاً
وَوَلَداً]
(I shall certainly be given wealth and children.) Meaning, on the Day of
Resurrection. In other words, "Does he know what he will have in the Hereafter,
to such an extent that he can swear to it''
[أَمِ اتَّخَذَ عِندَ
الرَّحْمَـنِ عَهْداً]
(or has he taken a covenant from the Most Gracious) Or has he received a
promise from Allah that he will be given these things It has already been stated
that in Sahih Al-Bukhari it is mentioned that covenant means an agreement.
Concerning Allah's statement,
[كَلاَّ]
(Nay,) This is a participle that opposes what came before it and gives
emphasis to what follows it.
[سَنَكْتُبُ مَا
يَقُولُ]
(We shall record what he says,) what he is seeking, and his idea that he has
given himself about what he hopes for, and his disbelief in Allah the Most
Great.
[وَنَمُدُّ لَهُ مِنَ
الْعَذَابِ مَدّاً]
(We shall increase his torment. ) This is referring to what will happen in
the abode of the Hereafter, because of his saying his disbelief in Allah in this
life.
[وَنَرِثُهُ مَا
يَقُولُ]
(And We shall inherit from him all that he speaks of,) His wealth and
children. It means, "We will take all of this from him, in opposition to his
claim that he will be given more wealth and children in the Hereafter than he
had in this life.'' To the contrary, in the Hereafter that which he had in this
life will be taken from him. This is why Allah says,
[وَيَأْتِينَا
فَرْداً]
(And he shall come to Us alone.) without wealth or children.
[وَاتَّخَذُواْ مِن
دُونِ اللَّهِ ءالِهَةً لِّيَكُونُواْ لَهُمْ عِزّاً ]
[كَلاَّ
سَيَكْفُرُونَ بِعِبَـدَتِهِمْ وَيَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ ضِدّاً ]
[أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّآ
أَرْسَلْنَا الشَّيَـطِينَ عَلَى الْكَـفِرِينَ تَؤُزُّهُمْ أَزّاً - فَلاَ
تَعْجَلْ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّمَا نَعُدُّ لَهُمْ عَدّاً ]
(81. And they have taken gods besides Allah, that they might give them honor,
power and glory.) (82. Nay, but they will deny their worship of them, and will
become their adversaries.) (83. See you not that We have sent the Shayatin
against the disbelievers to push them to do evil. ) (84. So make no haste
against them; We only count out to them a (limited) number.)