Explaining the Seriousness of the Mistake

ibn ‘umar, muhammad ibn ka’b, zayd ibn aslam and qutaadah reported (the following is compiled from their reports) that during the campaign of tabook, a man said, “we have never seen anyone who loves food and tells lies more than our reciters, or anyone who is more cowardly on the battlefield” – referring to the messenger of allaah (peace and blessings of allaah be upon him) and his companions. ‘awf ibn maalik said, ‘you are lying! you are a hypocrite, and i am going to tell the messenger of allaah (peace and blessings of allaah be upon him).’ ‘awf went to the messenger of allaah to tell him, but found that qur`aan had already been revealed concerning it. that man came to the prophet (peace and blessings of allaah be upon him), who was riding his camel, and said, “o messenger of allaah, we were only talking idly and joking, just to pass time on the journey.” ibn ‘umar said, “it is as if i can see him hanging onto the reins of the prophet’s camel, with the stones hitting his feet, saying, “we were only talking idly and joking,” whilst the messenger of allaah (peace and blessings of allaah be upon him) was reciting (interpretation of the meaning),

‘say: was it at allaah and his aayaat (signs) and his messenger that you were mocking?’ [al-tawbah 9:65],

…no more, no less.”

ibn jareer reported that ibn ‘umar (may allaah be pleased with him) said: “during the campaign of tabook a man said in a gathering, ‘we have never seen anyone who loves food and tells lies more than our reciters, or anyone who is more cowardly on the battlefield.’ a man who was present said, ‘you are lying! you are a hypocrite, and i am going to tell the messenger of allaah (peace and blessings of allaah be upon him),’ and qur`aan was revealed.” ‘abd-allaah ibn ‘umar said, “i saw him hanging on to the reins of the prophet’s camel, kicking up the stones and saying, ‘o messenger of allaah, we were only talking idly and joking,’ and the messenger of allaah (peace and blessings of allaah be upon him) was saying (interpretation of the meaning),

“say: was it at allaah and his aayaat (signs) and his messenger that you were mocking?” [al-tawbah 9:65].

(tafseer ibn jareer al-tabari, 14/333, dar al-kutub al-‘ilmiyyah, first edn., 1412. its men are the men of saheeh, except hishaam ibn sa’d, from whom muslim did not report except as a corroborating report, as in al-meezaan. it was also reported by al-tabari with his isnaad, and there is a corroborating report with a hasan isnaad recorded by ibn haatim from the hadeeth of ka’b ibn maalik. saheeh al-musnad min asbaab al-nuzool, p.71).