IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA?L IBN KATH~R 35God also stated, "He", (meaning Jesus) "was merely a servant whom We
favoured" (that is, by prophethood) "and We made him an example for the
people of Israel" (sarat al-Zukhruf; XLIII, v.59). That is, as an indication of the
totality of God's power to achieve His wishes, having created him from a female
without a male. Similarly, God created Eve from a male without a female, and
Adam without either, while He created all the rest of mankind from both male
and female.
As God stated in another verse, "And certainly We are creating him as a sign
for all mankind." That is, as a proof and an indication of His evident power, and
as a "mercy from Him", by which He gives mercy to those He wishes.Ibn Ishaq also mentions al-Akhnas b. Sharif and Almighty God's revelation
regarding him: "And do not obey every base oath-maker" (sarat Ntm or al-@lam;
LXVIII, v. 10).
He referred also to al-Walid b. al-Mughira as having said, "Does God make
revelation to Muhammad and not me, even though I am chief and leader of
Quraysh and also ignores Abii Mas'iid CAmr b. 'Amr al-Thaqafi, lord of Thaqif,
even though we are the greatest men of the two town^?"^ Regarding this state-
ment, God sent down: "And they say, 'Why was this Qur'w not revealed to
some great men of the two towns?'" (sarat al-Zukhruk XLIII, v.31), along with
other verses thereafter.
Ibn IshBq also referred to Ubayy h. Khalaf who said to Wqba b. Abo Mu'ayt,
"Have I not heard that you sat down with Muhammad and listened to him? I'll
never set eyes on you again unless yon spit in his face!" And 'Uqha, that enemy
of God, God damn him, did that! And so God sent down, "And a day (will
come) when the evil-doer will bite his hands and say, 'Would that I had taken
my path with the Messenger; woe is to me! How I wish I had not taken so-
and-so as my friend!'" (sarat ul-Fury&; XXV, v.27,28), along with following
verses.
He also related, "And Uhayy b. Khalaf took an old, disintegrating bone to him
and said, '0 Muhammad, do you claim that God can restore this after it has
disintegrated?' He then crumbled it in his hand and blew it into the air towards
the Messenger of God (SAAS). He replied, LYes, I do say that. God will restore
it and you too, even after you are like that. And then He will place you in the
lire!' And God revealed, 'He coins a metaphor for us, forgetting his own creation,
saying, 'LWho will give life to bones that are rotten?" Say, "He will give life to
them who first created them! He has knowledge of all creation"'" (sarat YZsiu;
XXXVI, v.78-9) to the end of that sarat.
Ibn Ishaq stated, "I have been told that once, when the Messenger of God
(SAAS) was making a circumambulation of the kacba, near its doorway, he was
obstructed by al-Aswad b. d-Mut~lib, al-Walid b. d-Mughira, Umayya b.
Khalaf and al-'AS b. Wa'il. They said to him, '0 Muhammad, come on! We'll
- Thaq~f were assoc~ated with al-Ta'if