Chapter: “They ask you about the Spirit”

Yahya ibn Abi Zaʾidah related—from Dawud ibn Abi Hind—from ʿIkrimah—from Ibn ʿAbbas—that the Quraysh said to the Jews, “Give us something with which we can question this man.” They replied, “Ask him about the Spirit.” Thereupon the verse was revealed: “They ask you about the Spirit. Say: the Spirit is of my Lord’s command, and you have been given but little knowledge” (Al-Israʾ 17:85). The Quraysh objected, “Are we to be told that we have been given only a small share of knowledge, when we have been given the Torah that contains God’s ruling? Whoever is given the Torah has indeed been granted abundant good.” Then the verse was revealed: “Say: If the sea were ink for the words of my Lord…” (Al-Kahf 18:109). This chain of transmission is sound.

Yunus narrated from Ibn Ishaq who said: A man from Mecca told me—on the authority of Saʿid ibn Jubayr, from Ibn ʿAbbas—that the idolaters of Quraysh dispatched al-Nadr ibn al-Harith and ʿUqbah ibn Abi Muʿayt to the Jewish scholars in Yathrib. They said to them, “Question them about Muhammad; describe him and report his words, for they are the People of the Scripture.” They accordingly presented his description and some of his statements. The Jewish scholars said, “Ask him about three matters that we direct you to raise. If he explains them to you, he is a prophet sent by God. Ask him about young men who disappeared in ancient times—what became of them, for theirs is a wondrous tale. Ask him about a great traveler who reached the furthest East and West—what was his story. And ask him about the Spirit—what is it?” The two envoys returned to Mecca and said, “O