Tafseer of He frowned · Abasa · 80:1
The Prophet frowned and turned away
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The statement concerning the explanation of His saying, the Exalted: عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى (1) (He frowned and turned away) (1).
He, exalted is His mention, means by His saying: عَبَسَ (He frowned): he drew his face together in aversion, وَتَوَلى (and turned away). He says: and he turned aside, أَنْ جَاءَهُ الأعْمَى (because the blind man came to him). He says: because the blind man came to him. And it has been transmitted from some of the reciters that they lengthened and drew out the alif in أنْ جاءَهُ , so that they read: آنْ جاءَهُ , as though the meaning of the saying according to them was: did the blind man come to him? [Therefore] he frowned and turned away; just as the one who recited read: آنْ كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ (Because he was a possessor of wealth and sons) with the lengthening of the alif of "an" and with its shortening.
And it has been transmitted that the blind man whom Allah mentions in this verse is Ibn Umm Maktūm, and that the Prophet ﷺ was reproved on his account.
* Mention of the reports that have been transmitted concerning that:
Saʿīd ibn Yaḥyā al-Umawī related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of Hishām ibn ʿUrwa, from what ʿUrwa had presented to him, on the authority of ʿĀʾisha, who said: عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى (He frowned and turned away) was revealed concerning Ibn Umm Maktūm. She said: he came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and began to say: guide me. She said: and with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ there were some of the notables of the polytheists (mushrikīn). She said: the Prophet ﷺ began to turn away from him and to turn toward the other, and he said: "Do you see anything objectionable in what I say?" Whereupon this one said: no. Concerning this was revealed: عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى (He frowned and turned away).
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His saying: عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى * أَنْ جَاءَهُ الأعْمَى (He frowned and turned away * because the blind man came to him). He said: "While the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was conversing confidentially with ʿUtba ibn Rabīʿa, Abū Jahl ibn Hishām and al-ʿAbbās ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib — and he was frequently turning toward them and offering them that they should believe — a blind man, named ʿAbd Allāh ibn Umm Maktūm, came walking toward him while he was in conversation with them. ʿAbd Allāh began to ask the Prophet ﷺ to recite a verse from the Qurʾān [for him], and said: O Messenger of Allah, teach me something of what Allah has taught you. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned away from him, frowned in his face and turned aside, and he disliked his words and turned toward the others. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had finished [his conversation] and wished to go to his family, Allah withheld a part of his sight, and then he let his head droop [from drowsiness]. Thereupon Allah revealed: عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى * أَنْ جَاءَهُ الأعْمَى * وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُ يَزَّكَّى * أَوْ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنْفَعَهُ الذِّكْرَى (He frowned and turned away * because the blind man came to him * and what would make you know? Perhaps he would purify himself * or take heed, so that the reminder would benefit him). When this was revealed concerning him, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ honored him and spoke to him, and he said to him: "What is your need? Do you desire anything?" And whenever he departed from him, he would say to him: "Do you have need of anything?" And that was because Allah had revealed: أَمَّا مَنِ اسْتَغْنَى * فَأَنْتَ لَهُ تَصَدَّى * وَمَا عَلَيْكَ أَلا يَزَّكَّى (As for him who deems himself self-sufficient * to him you attend * though it is not upon you that he does not purify himself)."
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Wakīʿ related to us, on the authority of Hishām, on the authority of his father, who said: عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى * أَنْ جَاءَهُ الأعْمَى (He frowned and turned away * because the blind man came to him) was revealed concerning Ibn Umm Maktūm.
