the messengers who had been sent to their fathers came those who were sent to them: Hud and Salih. Thus, the pronoun in the words “from before them” refers to Aad and Thamud (1), while that in the words “from behind them” refers to the messengers (2).
112/b. That is, with the command: “Worship none but Allah.” They said, “Had our Lord willed, He would have sent down angels” in place of these messengers; that is, had our Lord willed to call mankind, He would have sent down angels. “So we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent” (3).
Abu Said al-Shurayhi informed us; Abu Ishaq al-Tha‘labi informed us; Abdullah ibn Hamid al-Isfahani related to us; Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Ubaydi related to us; Ahmad ibn Majdah ibn al-Uryan informed us; al-Himmani related to us; Ibn Fudayl related to us, from al-Ajlah, from al-Dhayyal ibn Harmalah, from Jabir ibn Abdullah, who said:
The leaders of Quraysh, including Abu Jahl, said, “The matter of Muhammad has become unclear to us. Find us a man knowledgeable in poetry, soothsaying, and sorcery, so that he may go to him, speak with him, and then bring us a clear account of his affair.”
Utbah ibn Rabiah said, “By Allah, I have heard poetry, soothsaying, and sorcery, and I have acquired knowledge of these things. It would not escape me whether this was one of them or not.” So he went to him, and when he came before him, he said, “O Muhammad, are you better than Hashim? Are you better than Abd al-Muttalib? Are you better than Abdullah? Why, then, do you revile our gods and declare our fathers misguided? If you seek leadership, we shall raise our banners for you, and you shall remain our chief for as long as you live. If it is women that you desire, we shall marry you to ten women of whichever daughters of Quraysh you choose. And if it is wealth you seek, we shall collect for you enough wealth that neither you nor your descendants after you will ever be in need.”
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, remained silent and did not speak. When he had finished, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, recited:
“In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. Ha-Mim. A revelation from the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful—a Book whose verses have been set out in detail,”
up to His words: “But if they turn away, then say, ‘I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt of Aad and Thamud.’”
Utbah put his hand over the Prophet’s mouth, implored him by their ties of kinship, then returned to his family. He did not go out to Quraysh, but remained away from them. Abu Jahl said, “O people of Quraysh, by Allah, we can see only that Utbah has turned to Muhammad’s religion and has been impressed by his food. This can only be because of a hardship that has afflicted him. Come with us to him.”
So they went to him, and Abu Jahl said, “By Allah, O Utbah, nothing has kept you from us except that you have turned to Muhammad’s religion and have been impressed by his food. If you are in need, we shall collect from our wealth enough to free you from dependence on Muhammad’s food.”
Utbah grew angry and swore that he would never speak to Muhammad again. He said, “By Allah, you know that I am among the wealthiest men of Quraysh. Yet I went to him and laid the matter before him, and he answered me with something which, by Allah, was neither poetry, nor soothsaying, nor sorcery. He recited the surah up to His words: ‘But if they turn away, then say, “I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt of Aad and Thamud.”’ I then put my hand over his mouth and implored him, by our ties of kinship, to desist. And you know that Muhammad