291 — ‘Abdullāh narrated to us, saying: Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ayyūb Abū Ja‘far narrated to us, saying: Ibrāhīm ibn Sa‘d narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn Ishāq, from Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullāh ibn Abī ‘Atīq, from ‘Āmir ibn ‘Abdullāh ibn al-Zubayr, from one of his family members, who said:

Abū Quhāfah said to his son Abū Bakr, “My son, I see you freeing weak slaves. If you are going to do this, why not free strong men who would protect you and stand in your defence?” Abū Bakr replied, “Father, I seek only what I seek.”

The narrator said: It was said that these verses were revealed specifically concerning him and what his father had said to him:

“As for the one who gives and fears Allah” [al-Layl: 5], through to His words—Mighty and Majestic is He:

“And he owes no one any favour to be repaid, but seeks only the Countenance of his Lord, the Most High. And he will surely be pleased.” [al-Layl: 20].