Tafseer of The Clot · Al-Alaq · 96:9
Have you seen the one who forbids
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 explanation of His statement, the Exalted: أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يَنْهَى ("Have you seen him who forbids") (96:9).
It is mentioned that this verse and what follows it was revealed concerning Abū Jahl ibn Hishām. That was because he, according to what has reached us, said: "If I truly see Muḥammad praying, I will set my foot upon his neck." He had, according to what is mentioned, forbidden the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to pray. Then Allah said to His prophet Muḥammad ﷺ: Have you seen, O Muḥammad, Abū Jahl, who forbids you to pray at the place of prayer (al-maqām), while he turns away from the truth and denies it? He, exalted be His praise, makes His prophet and the believers marvel at the ignorance of Abū Jahl and his insolence toward his Lord, in his forbidding Muḥammad to pray to his Lord, while he — despite the favors he enjoys from Him — denies Him.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning that, the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken.
Mention of those who said that:
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Waraqāʾ related to us, both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning the statement of Allah: أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يَنْهَى * عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّى ("Have you seen him who forbids * a servant when he prays") — he said: it is Abū Jahl, who forbids Muḥammad ﷺ when he prays.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يَنْهَى * عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّى ("Have you seen him who forbids * a servant when he prays") — it was revealed concerning the enemy of Allah, Abū Jahl, and that was because he said: "If I truly see Muḥammad praying, I will trample upon his neck." Then Allah revealed what you hear.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning the statement of Allah: أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يَنْهَى * عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّى ("Have you seen him who forbids * a servant when he prays") — he said: Abū Jahl said: "If I truly see Muḥammad ﷺ praying, I will trample upon his neck." He said: and it was said: for every people there is a pharaoh, and the pharaoh of this people is Abū Jahl.
Isḥāq ibn Shāhīn al-Wāsiṭī related to us, saying: Khālid ibn ʿAbdallāh related to us, on the authority of Dāwūd, on the authority of ʿIkrima, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, he said: the Messenger ﷺ was praying when Abū Jahl came to him and forbade him to pray. Then Allah revealed: أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يَنْهَى * عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّى ("Have you seen him who forbids * a servant when he prays …") up to His statement: كَاذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ ("lying, sinning").
