Surah Al-Hajj, Ayah 22

The Reason for Revelation

It was recorded in the Two Sahihs that Abu Dharr swore that this Ayah --

هَـذَانِ خَصْمَانِ اخْتَصَمُواْ فِى رَبِّهِمْ

(These two opponents dispute with each other about their Lord;) was revealed concerning Hamzah and his two companions, and `Utbah and his two companions, on the day of Badr when they came forward to engage in single combat. This is the wording of Al-Bukhari in his Tafsir of this Ayah. Then Al-Bukhari recorded that `Ali bin Abi Talib said, "I will be the first one to kneel down before the Most Merciful so that the dispute may be settled on the Day of Resurrection." Qays (sub-narrator) said, "Concerning them the Ayah was revealed:

Commentary

هَـٰذَانِ خَصْمَانِ اخْتَصَمُوا (These are two opponents who have disputed about their Lord - 22:19). This verse, with its general words, deals with two sets of people, namely the Muslims and the infidels whether they belong to the earliest times or to later ages. However, the particular event in the background of which it was revealed about two groups of men who faced each other in combat on the battleground of Badr. Sayyidna Hamzah and ` Ubaidah ؓ stepped out of the Muslim ranks, whereas ` Utbah bin Rabi'ah, his son Walid and his brother Shaibah came out to challenge them. In the ensuing fight the three unbelievers were slain, Sayyidna and Hamzah ؓ emerged unscathed, while Sayyidna ` Ubaidah ؓ was mortally wounded and expired at the feet of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The revelation of this verse in relation to these warriors of the field of Badr is well established on the authority of traditions contained in Bukhari and Muslim, but it is evident that its message is not exclusive for them alone, but embraces the entire Muslim community of all times and ages.

Broadly speaking, all groups fall into only two categories, namely, the upholders of Truth and their opponents. In the present world, those who quarrel with the proponents of the Truth erroneously imagine that they have innumerable arguments in their favour. It is their lack of seriousness which makes them enter into meaningless discussions, as if they had convincing arguments. Since they do not want to admit the Truth, they pick false and senseless quarrels with it. In the Hereafter, such people will be punished severely for their rejection of the Truth; and from this punishment they will never have any respite.