Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah said,
[لِيُثْبِتُوكَ]
(Liyuthbituka) means "to imprison you.'' As-Suddi said, "Ithbat is to confine
or to shackle.''
Imam Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar, the author of Al-Maghazi, reported from
`Abdullah bin Abi Najih, from Mujahid, from Ibn `Abbas, "Some of the chiefs of
the various tribes of Quraysh gathered in Dar An-Nadwah (their conference area)
and Iblis (Shaytan) met them in the shape of an eminent old man. When they saw
him, they asked, `Who are you' He said, `An old man from Najd. I heard that you
are having a meeting, and I wished to attend your meeting. You will benefit from
my opinion and advice.' They said, `Agreed, come in.' He entered with them.
Iblis said, `You have to think about this man (Muhammad)! By Allah, he will soon
overwhelm you with his matter (religion).' One of them said, `Imprison him,
restrained in chains, until he dies just like the poets before him all died,
such as Zuhayr and An-Nabighah! Verily, he is a poet like they were.' The old
man from Najd, the enemy of Allah, commented, `By Allah! This is not a good
idea. His Lord will release him from his prison to his companions, who will
liberate him from your hands. They will protect him from you and they might
expel you from your land.' They said, `This old man said the truth. Therefore,
seek an opinion other than this one.'
Another one of them said, `Expel him from your land, so that you are free
from his trouble! If he leaves your land, you will not be bothered by what he
does or where he goes, as long as he is not among you to bring you troubles, he
will be with someone else.' The old man from Najd replied, `By Allah! This is
not a good opinion. Have you forgotten his sweet talk and eloquency, as well as,
how his speech captures the hearts By Allah! This way, he will collect even more
followers among Arabs, who will gather against you and attack you in your own
land, expel you and kill your chiefs.' They said, `He has said the truth, by
Allah! Therefore, seek an opinion other than this one.' hAbu Jahl, may Allah
curse him, spoke next, `By Allah! I have an idea that no one else has suggested
yet, and I see no better opinion for you. Choose a strong, socially elevated
young man from each tribe, and give each one of them a sharp sword. Then they
would all strike Muhammad at the same time with their swords and kill him.
Hence, his blood would be shed by all tribes. This way, his tribe, Banu Hashim,
would realize that they cannot wage war against all of the Quraysh tribes and
would be forced to agree to accept the blood money; we would have brought
comfort to ourselves and stopped him from bothering us.'
The old man from Najd commented, `By Allah! This man has expressed the best
opinion, and I do not support any other opinion.' They quickly ended their
meeting and started preparing for the implementation of this plan.
Jibril came to the Prophet and commanded him not to sleep in his bed that
night and conveyed to him the news of their plot. The Messenger of Allah did not
sleep in his house that night, and Allah gave him permission to migrate. After
the Messenger migrated to Al-Madinah, Allah revealed to him Suat Al-Anfal
reminding him of His favors and the bounties He gave him,
[وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ
بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ
وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَـكِرِينَ ]
(And (remember) when the disbelievers plotted against you to imprison you, or
to kill you, or to expel you (from Makkah); they were plotting and Allah too was
plotting; and Allah is the best of plotters.)
Allah replied to the pagans' statement that they should await the death of
the Prophet , just as the poets before him perished, as they claimed,
[أَمْ يَقُولُونَ
شَاعِرٌ نَّتَرَبَّصُ بِهِ رَيْبَ الْمَنُونِ ]
(Or do they say: "He is a poet! We await for him some calamity by time!'')
[52:30]
As-Suddi narrated a similar story.
Muhammad bin Ishaq reported from Muhammad bin Ja`far bin Az-Zubayr, from
`Urwah bin Az-Zubayr who commented on Allah's statement,
[وَيَمْكُرُونَ
وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَـكِرِينَ]
(...they were plotting and Allah too was plotting, and Allah is the best of
plotters.) "I (Allah) plotted against them with My sure planning, and I saved
you (O Muhammad) from them.''
[وَإِذَا تُتْلَى
عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـتُنَا قَالُواْ قَدْ سَمِعْنَا لَوْ نَشَآءُ لَقُلْنَا مِثْلَ
هَـذَآ إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ أَسَـطِيرُ الأَوَّلِينَ - وَإِذْ قَالُواْ اللَّهُمَّ
إِن كَانَ هَـذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ
السَّمَآءِ أَوِ ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ - وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ
وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ
]
(31. And when Our Ayat are recited to them, they say: "We have heard (the
Qur'an); if we wish we can say the like of this. This is nothing but the tales
of the ancients.'') (32. And (remember) when they said: "O Allah! If this (the
Qur'an) is indeed the truth (revealed) from You, then rain down stones on us
from the sky or bring on us a painful torment.'') (33. And Allah would not
punish them while you (Muhammad ) are among them, nor will He punish them while
they seek (Allah's) forgiveness.)
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