(Ṭawīl)
They grew defiant, embraced a patent lie, and Satan waylaid them from the path of truth—so they perished and led others to perdition.
We sought refuge in the word of the Prophet Muḥammad; thus the stewards of truth among us thrived and were made to flourish.
Though ties of blood bind me closely to them, blood offers no real nearness when hearts are not drawn together.
What nephew after us will deem you trustworthy? What in-law, after my own bond, will still look to you in hope?
A day will come when, once the people are divided and affairs laid bare, you will know whose course was truest.

Ibn Isḥāq said:
Then ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb and ʿAyyāsh ibn Abī Rabīʿah set out until they reached Madinah. Nāfiʿ related to me, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar, from his father, who said:

“When I resolved to emigrate to Madinah, ʿAyyāsh ibn Abī Rabīʿah, Hishām ibn al-ʿĀṣ, and I agreed to meet at al-Tanāḍub by the spring of Banū Ghifār, above Sarif. We said, ‘Whoever of us fails to appear there at dawn has been detained; the other two should proceed.’

“At daybreak ʿAyyāsh and I were at al-Tanāḍub, but Hishām was held back and persecuted until he succumbed. When we reached Madinah we stayed with Banū ʿAmr ibn ʿAwf in Qubāʾ. Meanwhile Abū Jahl ibn Hishām and al-Ḥārith ibn Hishām—ʿAyyāsh’s cousins and half-brothers—left Mecca and came to Madinah while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was still in Mecca.

“They spoke to ʿAyyāsh and said, ‘Your mother has vowed not to comb her hair until she sees you, nor to seek shade from the sun until she sees you.’ His heart softened toward her.

“I said to him, ‘By Allah, they want nothing but to turn you from your religion; beware of them. By Allah, if lice should trouble your mother she would surely comb her hair, and if the heat of Mecca became too fierce she would certainly find shade.’

“He replied, ‘I must honour my mother’s oath, and I have some money there that I wish to collect.’

“I said, ‘By Allah, you know that I am one of the wealthiest men of Quraysh: half of my wealth is yours—only do not go with them.’

“But he insisted on leaving with them. When he would not relent, I said, ‘Since you are determined, take this she-camel of mine. She is swift and tractable; stay on her back, and if you become suspicious of them, flee upon her.’

“He set out on her with them. When they were partway along the road, Abū Jahl said, ‘Brother, by Allah, my camel has become hard to ride. Will you not let me ride behind you on your camel?’

“‘Certainly,’ he replied, and they all dismounted to change mounts. But once on the ground they pounced on him, tied him up securely, marched him back to Mecca, and put him to trial until he recanted.

“We used to say,” ʿUmar continued, “that Allah would not accept repentance from anyone who had apostatized under persecution; they themselves said the same. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Madinah and Allah revealed:

‘Say: O My servants who have transgressed against their own souls! Despair not of Allah’s mercy. Surely Allah forgives all sins; indeed, He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. Turn in repentance to your Lord, and submit to Him before the punishment comes upon you, then you will not be helped. And follow the best of what has been sent down to you from your Lord before the punishment comes upon you suddenly while you are unaware.’ (al-Zumar 53–55).

“I wrote the verses with my own hand and sent them to Hishām ibn al-ʿĀṣ.” Hishām said, “When they reached me I began to recite them at Dhī…"