‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As, Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib, and Zayd ibn Aslam said: “This verse was revealed concerning Umayyah ibn Abi al-Salt al-Thaqafi. His story was that he had read the Scriptures and knew that Allah would send a messenger, so he hoped that he himself would be that messenger. But when Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was sent, he envied him and disbelieved in him. He was a man of wisdom and sound admonition. He had gone to visit some kings, and when he returned, he passed by those slain at Badr. He asked about them, and was told, ‘Muhammad killed them.’ He said, ‘Had he been a prophet, he would not have killed his own kinsmen.’

“When Umayyah died, his sister, Fari‘ah, came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, asked her about the circumstances of her brother’s death. She said: ‘While he was asleep, two visitors came to him. They uncovered the roof of the house and descended. One of them sat by his feet and the other by his head. The one by his feet said to the one by his head, “Did he understand?” He said, “Has he been purified?” He said, “He refused.” I asked him about this, and he said, “Good was intended for me, but it was turned away from me.” Then he fainted. When he regained consciousness, he said:

“Every life, though its span may be prolonged,
Must one day come to an end.

Would that, before what has now become clear to me,
I had been among the mountain peaks, herding ibexes.

The Day of Reckoning is indeed a tremendous day,
A weighty day on which even the child will turn gray.”

Then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to her, “Recite to me some of your brother’s poetry.” So she recited to him some of his odes, and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to her: “His poetry believed, but his heart disbelieved.” Then Allah Most High revealed: “Recite to them the account of the one to whom We gave Our signs, but he cast them off”—the verse. (1)

In one narration from Ibn ‘Abbas, it is reported that it was revealed concerning al-Basus, a man from the Children of Israel, who had been granted three answered supplications. He had a wife, by whom he had children, and she said, “Give me one of them.” He said, “You may have one of them; what do you wish for?” She said, “Supplicate to Allah to make me the most beautiful woman among the Children of Israel.” So he supplicated for her, and she was made the most beautiful of the women among the Children of Israel. When she realized that there was no one among them like her, she no longer desired him. The husband became angry and supplicated against her, and she became a barking she-dog. Thus two of the supplications were spent on her.

Then his sons came and said, “We cannot bear this situation: our mother has become a barking she-dog, and people taunt us because of her. Supplicate to Allah to restore her to the condition she was in before.” So he supplicated to Allah, and she returned to how she had been. Thus all the supplications were spent on her. (2) The first two views are more apparent. (3)