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give the owner of the palm tree a palm tree (1) in Paradise. Abū al-Dahdāh heard this, bought it in exchange for an orchard he owned, and gave it to the neighbour. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, then promised him an orchard in Paradise in return.”
The response is:
Those versed in the Quran, its interpretation, and the circumstances of its revelation agree that this verse cannot refer exclusively to Abū al-Dahdāh to the exclusion of Abū Bakr. This is because this surah (2) is Meccan by scholarly consensus, whereas the incident involving Abū al-Dahdāh took place in Medina, also by scholarly consensus. He was one of the Ansār (Helpers), and the Ansār became the Prophet’s Companions only in Medina. Moreover, orchards—the gardens known as walled gardens—were found only in Medina. It is therefore impossible that the verse was revealed only after the incident involving Abū al-Dahdāh (3).
Rather, if some scholars have said that it was revealed concerning him, what they mean is
(1) Nakhlatan (“a palm tree”) is omitted in (م).
(2) (س), (ب) read: nuzūlihi, wa-hādhihi (“its revelation, and this”).
(3) Ibn Hajar writes in his entry on Abū al-Dahdāh (al-Isāba, 4/59–60): “Abū al-Dahdāh al-Ansārī was an ally of the Ansār. Abū Umar said: ‘I have found no information about his name or lineage beyond the fact that he belonged to the Ansār as their ally.’ Al-Baghawī simply called him ‘Abū al-Dahdāh al-Ansārī,’ without adding anything further. Ahmad, al-Baghawī and al-Hākim transmitted, through Hammād ibn Salama, from Thābit, from Anas, that a man said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, so-and-so owns a palm tree, and I need it to complete my wall. Tell him to give it to me so that I can complete my wall.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: ‘Give it to him in exchange for a palm tree in Paradise.’ But he refused. Abū al-Dahdāh then approached him and said: ‘Sell me your palm tree in exchange for my orchard.’ He agreed. Abū al-Dahdāh then came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family and grant him peace, and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I have bought the palm tree in exchange for my orchard. Give it to him, for I have given it to you.’ He said: ‘How many laden palm trees Abū al-Dahdāh will have in Paradise!’ He repeated this several times…”
Ibn Hajar then said: “Ibn Manda transmitted, through Abd Allāh ibn al-Hārith, from Ibn Masūd: ‘When the verse “Who will lend Allah a goodly loan, so that He may multiply it for him?” was revealed, Abū al-Dahdāh said: “O Messenger of Allah, does Allah want a loan from us?” He replied: “Yes.”’ The hadith continues, mentioning what he gave in charity.”
صَاحِبِ النَّخْلَةِ نَخْلَةً
(١)
فِي الْجَنَّةِ، فَسَمِعَ أَبُو الدَّحْدَاحِ فَاشْتَرَاهَا بِبُسْتَانٍ لَهُ وَوَهَبَهَا الْجَارَ، فَجَعَلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَهُ بُسْتَانًا عِوَضَهَا فِي الْجَنَّةِ ".
وَالْجَوَابُ:
أَنْ يُقَالَ: لَا يَجُوزُ أَنْ تَكُونَ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ مُخْتَصَّةً بِأَبِي الدَّحْدَاحِ دُونَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ بِاتِّفَاقِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ بِالْقُرْآنِ وَتَفْسِيرِهِ وَأَسْبَابِ نُزُولِهِ، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ هَذِهِ
(٢)
السُّورَةَ مَكِّيَّةٌ بِاتِّفَاقِ الْعُلَمَاءِ، وَقِصَّةُ أَبِي الدَّحْدَاحِ كَانَتْ بِالْمَدِينَةِ بِاتِّفَاقِ الْعُلَمَاءِ فَإِنَّهُ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ، وَالْأَنْصَارُ إِنَّمَا صَحِبُوهُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، وَلَمْ تَكُنِ الْبَسَاتِينُ وَهِيَ الْحَدَائِقُ الَّتِي تُسَمَّى بِالْحِيطَانِ إِلَّا بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَمِنَ الْمُمْتَنِعِ أَنْ تَكُونَ الْآيَةُ لَمْ تَنْزِلْ إِلَّا بَعْدَ قِصَّةِ أَبِي الدَّحْدَاحِ
(٣)
،
بَلْ إِنْ كَانَ قَدْ قَالَ بَعْضُ الْعُلَمَاءِ:
إِنَّهَا نَزَلَتْ فِيهِ، فَمَعْنَاهُ
(١) نَخْلَةً: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (م)
(٢) س، ب: نُزُولِهِ، وَهَذِهِ.
(٣) قَالَ ابْنُ حَجَرٍ فِي تَرْجَمَةِ أَبِي الدَّحْدَاحِ (الْإِصَابَةُ ٤/٥٩ - ٦٠) " أَبُو الدَّحْدَاحِ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ حَلِيفٌ لَهُمْ. قَالَ أَبُو عُمَرَ: لَمْ أَقِفْ عَلَى اسْمِهِ وَلَا نَسَبِهِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنَّهُ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ حَلِيفٌ لَهُمْ. وَقَالَ الْبَغَوِيُّ: أَبُو الدَّحْدَاحِ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ وَلَمْ يَزِدْ: وَرَوَى أَحْمَدُ وَالْبَغَوِيُّ وَالْحَاكِمُ مِنْ طَرِيقِ حَمَّادِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ ثَابِتٍ عَنْ أَنَسٍ أَنَّ رَجُلًا قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ: إِنَّ لِفُلَانٍ نَخْلَةً وَأَنَا أُقِيمُ حَائِطِي بِهَا، فَأْمُرْهُ أَنْ يُعْطِيَنِي حَتَّى أُقِيمُ حَائِطِي بِهَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ " اعْطِهْ إِيَّاهَا بِنَخْلَةٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ " فَأَبَى. قَالَ: فَأَتَاهُ أَبُو الدَّحْدَاحِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: بِعْنِي نَخْلَتَكَ بِحَائِطِي. قَالَ فَفَعَلَ فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَآلِهِ، فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ابْتَعْتُ النَّخْلَةَ بِحَائِطِي فَاجْعَلْهَا لَهُ فَقَدَ أَعَطَيْتُكَهَا. فَقَالَ: " كَمْ مِنْ عَذْقٍ رَدَّاحٍ لِأَبِي الدَّحْدَاحِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ " قَالَهَا مِرَارًا. . إِلَخْ. . ثُمَّ قَالَ ابْنُ حَجَرٍ: " وَأَخْرَجَ ابْنُ مَنْدَهْ مِنْ طَرِيقِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ: لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ (مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ) فَقَالَ أَبُو الدَّحْدَاحِ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ يُرِيدُ مِنَّا الْقَرْضَ؟ قَالَ: " نَعَمْ " الْحَدِيثَ، وَفِيهِ ذَكَرَ مَا تَصَدَّقَ بِهِ.