بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ
Dia (Muhammad) bermuka masam dan berpaling,
Tafsir Ibn Kathir
Which was revealed in Makkah
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ
(In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Prophet being reprimanded because He frowned at a Weak Man
More than one of the scholars of Tafsir mentioned that one day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was addressing one of the great leaders of the Quraysh while hoping that he would accept Islam. While he was speaking in direct conversation with him, Ibn Umm Maktum came to him, and he was of those who had accepted Islam in its earliest days. He (Ibn Umm Maktum) then began asking the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about something, urgently beseeching him. The Prophet hoped that the man would be guided, so he asked Ibn Umm Maktum to wait for a moment so he could complete his conversation. He frowned in the face of Ibn Umm Maktum and turned away from him in order to face the other man. Thus, Allah revealed,
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى - أَن جَآءَهُ الاٌّعْمَى - وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُ يَزَّكَّى
(He frowned and turned away. Because there came to him the blind man. And how can you know that he might become pure) meaning, he may attain purification and cleanliness in his soul.
أَوْ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ الذِّكْرَى
(Or he might receive admonition, and the admonition might profit him) meaning, he may receive admonition and abstain from the forbidden.
أَمَّا مَنِ اسْتَغْنَى - فَأَنتَ لَهُ تَصَدَّى
(As for him who thinks himself self-sufficient. To him you attend;) meaning, `you face the rich person so that perhaps he may be guided.'
وَمَا عَلَيْكَ أَلاَّ يَزَّكَّى
(What does it matter to you if he will not become pure) meaning, `you are not responsible for him if he does not attain purification.'
وَأَمَّا مَن جَآءَكَ يَسْعَى - وَهُوَ يَخْشَى
(But as for him who came to you running. And is afraid.) meaning, `he is seeking you and he comes to you so that he may be guided by what you say to him.'
فَأَنتَ عَنْهُ تَلَهَّى
(Of him you are neglectful and divert your attention to another.) meaning, `you are too busy.' Here Allah commands His Messenger to not single anyone out with the warning. Rather, he should equal warn the noble and the weak, the poor and the rich, the master and the slave, the men and the women, the young and the old. Then Allah will guide whomever He chooses to a path that is straight. He has the profound wisdom and the decisive proof. Abu Ya`la and Ibn Jarir both recorded from `A'ishah that she said about,
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى
(He frowned and turned away.) was revealed." At-Tirmirdhi recorded this Hadith but he did not mention that it was narrated by `A'ishah. I say it is reported like this in Al-Muwatta' as well.
The Characteristics of the Qur'an
Allah says,
كَلاَّ إِنَّهَا تَذْكِرَةٌ
(Nay; indeed it is an admonition.) meaning, this Surah, or this advice in conveying knowledge equally among people, whether they are of noble or low class. Qatadah and As-Suddi both said,
كَلاَّ إِنَّهَا تَذْكِرَةٌ
(Nay; indeed it is an admonition.) "This means the Qur'an."
فَمَن شَآءَ ذَكَرَهُ
(So, whoever wills, let him pay attention to Him (it).) meaning, so whoever wills, he remembers Allah in all of his affairs. The pronoun could also be understood to be referring to the revelation since the conversation is alluding to it. Allah said:
فَى صُحُفٍ مُّكَرَّمَةٍ - مَّرْفُوعَةٍ مُّطَهَّرَةٍ
(In Records held in honor, exalted, purified.) meaning, this Surah or this admonition. Both meanings are connected to each other. Actually, all of the Qur'an is in honored pages, meaning respected and revered.
مَّرْفُوعَةٍ
(exalted) meaning, elevated in status.
مُّطَهَّرَةٍ
(purified) meaning, from impurity, additions and deficiency. Concerning Allah's statement,
بِأَيْدِى سَفَرَةٍ
(In the hands of ambassadors (Safarah),) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, and Ibn Zayd, all said, "These are the angels." Al-Bukhari said, "Safarah (ambassadors) refers to the angels. They travel around rectifying matters between themselves. The angels when they descend with the revelation of Allah, bringing it like the ambassador who rectifies matters between people." Allah said,
كِرَامٍ بَرَرَةٍ
(Honorable and obedient.) meaning, they are noble, handsome, and honorable in their creation. Their character and their deeds are righteous, pure and perfect. Here it should be noted that it is necessary for one who carries the Qur'an (i.e., the angel) to be following righteousness and guidance. Imam Ahmad recorded from `A'ishah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«الَّذِي يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ وَهُوَ مَاهِرٌ بِهِ، مَعَ السَّفَرَةِ الْكِرَامِ الْبَرَرَةِ، وَالَّذِي يَقْرَؤُهُ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِ شَاقٌّ، لَهُ أَجْرَان»
(He who recites the Qur'an proficiently, will be with the noble, righteous, ambassador angels, and the one who recites it with difficulty will receive two rewards.) This Hadith was reported by the group.
Hadits Terkait
Telah menceritakan kepada kami [Abu Bakr bin Abu Syaibah] dan [Muhammad bin Basysyar] dan [Muhammad Ibnul Walid] mereka berkata; telah menceritakan kepada kami [Muhammad bin Ja'far] berkata, telah menceritakan kepada kami [Syu'bah] dari [Ya'la bin 'Atho`] dari [Yazid bin Thalq] dari ['Abdurrahman bin Al Bailani] dari [Amru bin Abasah] ia berkata, "Aku mendatangi Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam dan kukatakan kepadanya, "Wahai Rasulullah, siapakah yang akan selamat bersamamu? ' beliau menjawab: "Orang merdeka dan budak, " aku bertanya lagi, "Apakah ada satu waktu yang paling dekat kepada Allah dari waktu yang lainnya?" beliau menjawab: "Ya, pertengahan malam
Telah menceritakan kepada kami [Mahmud bin Ghailan] berkata, telah menceritakan kepada kami [Abu Dawud] ia berkata; telah memberitakan kepada kami [Syu'bah] ia berkata; telah mengabarkan kepadaku [Abul Faidh] ia berkata; Aku mendengar [Sulaim bin Amir] berkata, "Antara Mu'awiyah dan penduduk Romawi mempunyai perjanjian. Mu'awiyah kemudian melakukan perjalanan di negeri mereka, dengan harapan ketika masa perjanjian telah habis ia menyerang negeri tersebut. Namun tiba- tiba ada seorang laki-laki di atas kendaraan atau kuda seraya berkata, "Allahu Akbar, hendaklah kalian penuhi perjanjian dan jangan berlaku curang." Dan ternyata laki-laki itu adalah [Amru bin Abasah], Mu'awiyah kemudian menanyakan hal itu kepada Amru bin Abasah, ia menjawab, "Aku mendengar Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam bersabda: "Barangsiapa di antara kalian mempunyai perjanjian dengan suatu kaum, maka jangan sekali-kali menghianati perjanjiannya hingga selesai masanya atau mengembalikan kepada mereka dengan cara yang baik (jujur)." Mu'awiyah kemudian pulang bersama pasukannya." Abu Isa berkata, "Hadits ini derajatnya hasan shahih
Telah menceritakan kepada kami [Ishaq bin Manshur Al Marwazi] berkata, telah mengabarkan kepada kami [Haiwah bin Syuraih Al Himshi] dari [Baqiyah] dari [bahir bin Sa'd] dari [Khalid bin Ma'dan] dari [Katsir bin Murrah] dari [Amru bin Abasah] bahwa Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam bersabda: "Barangsiapa tumbuh satu bulu uban di jalan Allah, maka bulu uban tersebut akan menjadi cahaya baginya pada hari kiamat." Abu Isa berkata, "Hadits ini derajatnya hasan shahih gharib, dan Haiwah bin Syuraih adalah Ibnu Yazid Al Himshi
Telah menceritakan kepada kami [Ahmad bin Mani'] berkata, telah menceritakan kepada kami [Yazid bin Harun] berkata, telah mengabarkan kepada kami [Muhammad bin Ishaq] dari [Abdullah bin 'Abdurrahman bin Abu Husain] bahwa Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam bersabda: "Sesungguhnya hanya dengan satu anak panah, Allah akan memasukkan tiga orang ke dalam surga; orang yang membuatnya dengan niat untuk suatu kebaikan; orang yang melemparkannya dan orang yang mempersiapkannya." Kemudian beliau bersabda: "(gemarlah berlatih) melempar dan berkendara. Sungguh, kalian melempar lebih aku sukai dari pada kalian berkendaraan. Setiap permainan yang dilakukan oleh seorang laki-laki muslim adalah batil kecuali latihan dia melempar anak panah dengan busurnya, atau pengajarannya terhadap kuda tunggangannya, atau senda guraunya dengan isterinya, karena sesungguhnya itu semua termasuk kebenaran." Telah menceritakan kepada kami [Ahmad bin Mani'] berkata, telah menceritakan kepada kami [Yazid bin Harun] berkata, telah mengabarkan kepada kami [Hisyam Ad Dastuwa`i] dari [Yahya bin Abu Katisr] dari [Abu Sallam] dari [Abdullah bin Al Azraq] dari [Uqbah bin Amir Al Juhani] dari Nabi shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam, seperti dalam hadits tersebut. Abu Isa berkata, "Dalam bab ini juga ada hadits dari Ka'b bin Murrah dan Amru bin Abasah bin Amru. Dan hadits ini derajatnya hasan shahih
Telah mengabarkan kepadaku ['Amru bin 'Utsman] dia berkata; telah menceritakan kepada kami [Baqiyyah] dia berkata; telah mengabarkan kepadaku [Az Zubaidi] dia berkata; telah mengabarkan kepadaku [Az Zuhri] dari ['Urwah] dari ['Aisyah] bahwa Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam bersabda: "Manusia akan dibangkitkan pada hari kiamat dalam keadaan tidak beralas kaki, telanjang serta tidak berkhitan." Lalu Aisyah bertanya; "Bagaimana dengan aurat?" beliau menjawab dengan membaca ayat: "Setiap orang dari mereka pada hari itu mempunyai urusan yang cukup menyibukkannya." (Qs. Abasa 80:)