It has already been reported from Abū al-Ashdayn (1) that he wrestled with the Prophet ﷺ and that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ threw him to the ground.
Ibn Isḥāq (2) then related the story of the Christians from Abyssinia—about twenty riders—who came to Mecca and, every one of them, embraced Islam. We have cited that incident earlier, after the account of the Negus; praise and gratitude belong to Allah (3).
Ibn Isḥāq (4) said: Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat in the mosque, the weaker members of his Companions would sit with him—Khabbāb, ʿAmmār, Abū Fukayhah Yasār (5), the client of Ṣafwān ibn Umayyah, Ṣuhayb, and others like them among the Muslims. Quraysh mocked them, and some of them would say to one another: “These are his followers, as you can see. Are these the ones to whom Allah has granted guidance and truth instead of us? If what Muhammad has brought were any good, these people would not have beaten us to it, nor would Allah have singled them out over us.”
Concerning them Allah ﷻ revealed:
“Do not drive away those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face. You are not accountable for them in the least, nor are they accountable for you in the least; so if you turn them away you will be among the wrongdoers. Thus We have tested some of them by means of others, so that they may say, ‘Are these the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed His favour among us?’ Does not Allah know best those who are grateful? And when those who believe in Our revelations come to you, say, ‘Peace be upon you. Your Lord has prescribed mercy for Himself: whoever among you commits an evil in ignorance and then repents thereafter and makes amends, surely He is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’” (al-Anʿām 6:52–54)
He said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would often sit at al-Marwah near the stall of a Christian youth named Jabr, a slave of the Banū al-Ḥaḍramī. The Meccans used to say, “By Allah, much of what Muhammad brings is taught to him only by Jabr.” Allah the Exalted therefore revealed regarding their claim: “It is only a human being who teaches him! Yet the tongue of the one they point to is foreign, whereas this is a clear Arabic tongue.” (al-Naḥl 16:103)
He then mentioned (8) that Sūrat al-Kawthar was revealed about al-ʿĀṣ ibn Wāʾil when he said of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, “He is cut off,” meaning that he had no male offspring and that when he died his name would vanish. In response Allah Most High said: “Indeed, it is your enemy who is cut off.” (al-Kawthar 108:3) In other words, his remembrance will be severed after him—even if he were to leave behind thousands of children and descendants—for mere progeny does not ensure lasting renown.
True fame and an honourable, truthful reputation are not attained through an abundance of offspring, lineage, and descendants. We have already discussed this sūrah in our Tafsīr, and praise belongs to Allah.