al-hadi.net

al-Hujraat > Verse 6

The references on this page can be obtained from www.muhaddith.org/cgi-bin/e_Optns.exe website. Search criteria is فَاسِقًا (fasiqan). Select the books you want under the Quran section (1st column from the right).

Walid ibn Uqbah is from Banu Umayyah. He was appointed the governor of Kufa by Uthman ibn Affan, and Abdullah ibn Masu'ud was the treasurer. Walid ibn Uqbah was a corrupt ruler with a heavy drinking problem. He ruled over Kufa with injustice. He always encountered an opposition from the different tribes living in Kufa because of his wicked actions. Abdullah ibn Masu'ud was one of those who heavily opposed Walid ibn Uqbah. As a result, the latter plotted his exile (ibn Masu'ud) to Medina, where he was heavily beaten up by one of the servant of Uthman.

One morning, Walid ibn Uqbah enters the masjid, heavily drunk and prayed four raka'as for the Fajr prayer. He wanted to pray more if the people allowed him. The muslims behind him were whispering about the incident. The leader of one the tribes approached the half-conscious Walid and found out that he was heavily drunk. When the news reached Uthman, he resigned Walid from the governship and requested him to come to Medina. He was then flogged 80 lashes by Ali ibn Abi Talib.

It is unanimously agreed that the following verse relates to Ali ibn Abi Talib (believer) in one hand, and Walid ibn Uqba on the other (transgressor)

Quran 32:18-20
Is he then who is a believer like him who is a transgressor? They are not equal - As for those who believe and do good, the gardens are their abiding-place; an entertainment for what they did - And as for those who transgress, their abode is the fire; whenever they desire to go forth from it they shall be brought back into it, and it will be said to them: Taste the chastisement of the fire which you called a lie.

أَفَمَن كَانَ مُؤْمِنًا كَمَن كَانَ فَاسِقًا لَّا يَسْتَوُونَ - أَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَلَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ الْمَأْوَى نُزُلًا بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ - وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فَسَقُوا فَمَأْوَاهُمُ النَّارُ كُلَّمَا أَرَادُوا أَن يَخْرُجُوا مِنْهَا أُعِيدُوا فِيهَا وَقِيلَ لَهُمْ ذُوقُوا عَذَابَ النَّارِ الَّذِي كُنتُم بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَ

I quote the commentary of Pooya/Ali: "All commentators and compilers of the traditions are unanimous that these verses relate to Ali ibn abi Talib on the one hand and Walid ibn Aqbah ibn Mu-it on the other. Wahidi relates in his book Asbab al Nuzul from Sa-id ibn Jubayr, who relates from Ibn Abbas that Walid said to Ali: "My spear is much sharper than yours, my speech is much more eloquent than yours and my army is larger than yours." Ali said: "Keep quiet. You lead an evil life." "Believer" refers to Ali, and "he who is a transgressor" refers to Walid.

Read more about this verse...

Another verse that reprimands Walid ibn Uqbah:

Quran 49:6
O you who believe! if an evil-doer comes to you with a report, look carefully into it, lest you harm a people in ignorance, then be sorry for what you have done.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن جَاءكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَأٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا أَن تُصِيبُوا قَوْمًا بِجَهَالَةٍ فَتُصْبِحُوا عَلَى مَا فَعَلْتُمْ نَادِمِينَ

I quote the commentary of Pooya/Ali: "The Holy Prophet sent Walid bin Aqbah to Bani Mustalaq to collect zakat. Before becoming Muslims the tribe of Mustalaq did not like Walid, so to show their change of heart, as they were all now brothers in faith, they came out in a large gathering to receive him outside the town, but Walid, a man of easy morals, jumped at the conclusion that they wanted to kill him; so turned at once on his heels and came back to the Holy Prophet with a false conjecture that the tribe of Mustalaq had turned apostate. The truth was found out and this verse was revealed to condemn Walid, a companion of the Holy Prophet, and men like him who are ready to shed innocent blood on mere guesswork".

قوله تعالى: "يا أيها الذين آمنوا إن جاءكم فاسق بنبأ فتبينوا" قيل: إن هذه الآية نزلت في الوليد بن عقبة بن أبي معيط. وسبب ذلك ما رواه سعيد عن قتادة أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بعث الوليد بن عقبة مصدقا إلى بني المصطلق، فلما أبصروه أقبلوا نحوه فهابهم - في رواية: لإحنة كانت بينه وبينهم - ، فرجع إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فأخبره أنهم قد ارتدوا عن الإسلام. فبعث نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خالد بن الوليد وأمره أن يتثبت ولا يعجل، فانطلق خالد حتى أتاهم ليلا، فبعث عيونه فلما جاؤوا أخبروا خالدا أنهم متمسكون بالإسلام، وسمعوا أذانهم وصلاتهم، فلما أصبحوا أتاهم خالد ورأى صحة ما ذكروه، فعاد إلى نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فأخبره، فنزلت هذه الآية، فكان يقول نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: [التأني من الله والعجلة من الشيطان]. وفي رواية: أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بعثه إلى بني المصطلق بعد إسلامهم، فلما سمعوا به ركبوا إليه، فلما سمع بهم خافهم، فرجع إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فأخبره أن القوم قد هموا بقتله، ومنعوا صدقاتهم. فهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بغزوهم، فبينما هم كذلك إذ قدم وفدهم على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقالوا: يا رسول الله، سمعنا برسولك فخرجنا إليه لنكرمه، ونؤدي إليه ما قبلنا من الصدقة، فاستمر راجعا، وبلغنا أنه يزعم لرسول الله أنا خرجنا لنقاتله، والله ما خرجنا لذلك، فأنزل الله تعالى هذه الآية. وسمي الوليد فاسقا أي كاذبا. قال ابن زيد ومقاتل وسهل بن عبدالله: الفاسق الكذاب. وقال أبو الحسن الوراق: هو المعلن بالذنب. وقال ابن طاهر: الذي لا يستحي من الله. وقرأ حمزة والكسائي "فتثبتوا" من التثبت. الباقون "فتبينوا" من التبيين "أن تصيبوا قوما" أي لئلا تصيبوا، فـ "أن" في محل نصب بإسقاط الخافض. "بجهالة" أي بخطأ. "فتصبحوا على ما فعلتم نادمين" على العجلة وترك التأني.

References:
• al-Jami'i li Ahkam al-Qur'an, by Imam al-Qurtubi: الجزء 16 من الطبعة >> سورة الحجرات >> الآية: 6 {يا أيها الذين آمنوا إن جاءكم فاسق بنبأ فتبينوا أن تصيبوا قوما بجهالة فتصبحوا على ما فعلتم نادمين}