CHAP. XLIX.
Intitled, The Inner Apartments; revealed at Medina.
In the name of the most merciful God.
[a] Anticipate not any matter, &c.] That is, do not presume to give your own decision in any case, before ye have received the judgment of God and his apostle.
[b] Raise not your voices above the voice of the prophet;] This verse is said to have been occasioned by a dispute between Abu Becr and Omar, concerning the appointing of a governor of a certain place; in which they raised their voices so high, in the presence of the apostle, that it was thought proper to forbid such indecencies for the future [1] .
[1] Jallal.
[c] Those who call unto thee from without the inner apartments;] These, they say, were Oyeyna Ebn Osein, and al Akrá Ebn Hâbes; who wanting to speak with Mohammed, when he was sleeping at noon in his women’s apartment, had the rudeness to call out several times, Mohammed, come forth to us [2] .
[2] Al Beidawi.
[d] If a wicked man come unto you with a tale, &c.] This passage was occasioned, it is said, by the following accident. Al Walid Ebn Okba being sent by Mohammed to collect the alms from the tribe of al Mostalek, when he saw them come out to meet him in great numbers, grew apprehensive they designed him some mischief, because of past enmity between him and them in the time of ignorance, and immediately turned back, and told the prophet they refused to pay their alms, and attempted to kill him; upon which Mohammed was thinking to reduce them by force: but on sending Khâled Ebn al Walîd to them, he found his former messenger had wronged them, and that they continued in their obedience [3] .
[3] Idem, Jallal.
[a] If two parties of the believers contend, &c] This verse is supposed to have been occasioned by a fray which happened between the tribes of al Aws and al Khazraj. Some relate that the prophet one day riding on an ass, as he passed near Abdallah Ebn Obba, the ass chanced to stale, at which Ebn Obba stopped his nose; and Ebn Rawâha said to him, By God, the piss of his ass smells sweeter than thy musk: whereupon a quarrel ensued between their followers, and they came to blows, tho’ they struck one another only with their hands and slippers, or with palm-branches [1] .
[1] Iidem.
[b] Neither let women laugh other women to scorn, &] It is said that this verse was revealed on account of Safiya Bint Hoyai, one of the prophet’s wives; who came to her husband and complained that the women said to her, O thou Jewess, the daughter of a Jew and of a Jewess: to which he answered, Canst thou not say, Aaron is my father, and Moses is my uncle, and Mohammed is my husband [2] ?
[2] Al Beidawi. See Prid. Life of Mahom. p. 111, &c.
[c] The Arabs of the desart, &c.] These were certain of the tribe of Asad, who came to Medina in a year of scarcity, and having professed Mohammedism, told the prophet that they had brought all their goods and their families, and would not oppose him, as some other tribes had done: and this they said to obtain a part of the alms, and to upbraid him with their having embraced his religion and party [3] .
[3] Idem.
[d] Answer, Ye do by no means believe; but say, We have embraced Islam.] That is, Ye are not sincere believers, but outward professors only of the true religion.
[a] Will ye inform God concerning your religion;] i.e. Will ye pretend to deceive him, by saying ye are true believers?
[b] God upbraideth you, that he hath directed you to the faith;] The obligation being not on God’s side, but on yours, for that he has favoured you so far as to guide you into the true faith, if ye are sincere believers.