The Effect of the Qur’an on ‘Umar and Jubayr’s Conversions to Islam: Sheikh ‘Abd al-Razzaq al-Badr

In one of his lessons, sheikh ‘Abd al-Razzaq al-Badr (teacher in al-Masjid al-Nabawi) mentioned the following beautiful stories and benefits about the effect of the Qur’an on ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab and Jubayr ibn Mut’im and their conversions to Islam:

ثم ذكر هذا الحديث ، حديث عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه ، قال : خَرَجْتُ قَبْلَ أَنْ أُسْلِمَ أَتَعَرَّضُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ ، فَوَجَدْتُهُ في المسجد فقمت فَقُمْتُ خَلْفَهُ، فَاسْتَفْتَحَ سُورَةَ الْحَاقَّةِ، فَجَعَلْتُ أَعْجَبُ مِنْ تَأْلِيفِ الْقُرْآنِ،

Next, the author mentions this narration of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, in which he says:

One day, prior to entering Islam, I went out intending to oppose Allah’s Messenger. I found him at the masjid, so I stood behind him. He began to recite surah al-Haqqah, and I found myself amazed by the arrangement and composition of the Qur’an.

وهذا فيها أن اسماع غير المسلم القرآن له تأثير في نظمه وتأليفه وهداياته وأياته ومعانيه ودلالاته ، وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّىٰ يَسْمَعَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ، إذا لعل ذلك هو سبب لهدايته ثم ينتبه هنا القرآن فيه بركة ، بركة عظيما جدا ، بركة عظيمة ، ولهذا اعظم ما ينبغي ان يعتنى به ويأتم به ويراعى فيه باب الدعوة يُسمع من يُدعى شيئ من القرآن حتي يكون ذلك سببا لهدايته ودخوله في الاسلام . ـ

This shows that letting a non-Muslim listen to the Qur’an has an impact on them, due to its arrangement, its composition, its guidance, its signs, its messages, and its evidences.

وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّىٰ يَسْمَعَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ

And if one of the mushirkoon seeks your protection, grant him protection so that he can hear the Words of Allah … [9:6]

for that might be a source of guidance for him.

Two Factors Which Lead to Jannah: Tafsir al-Sa’di

After describing the some of the punishments of the people of the hellfire in surah al-Haqqah, Allah then mentions the following two reasons for their punishment:

إِنَّهُ كَانَ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّـهِ الْعَظِيمِ * وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ

Indeed, he did not used to believe in Allah, the Most Great, * Nor did he encourage the feeding of the poor. [69:33-34]

Commenting on this, sheikh ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sa’di wrote:

فإن السبب الذي أوصله إلى هذا المحل: { إِنَّهُ كَانَ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ } بأن كان كافرا بربه معاندا لرسله رادا ما جاءوا به من الحق. { وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَى طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ } أي: ليس في قلبه رحمة يرحم بها الفقراء والمساكين فلا يطعمهم [من ماله] ولا يحض غيره على إطعامهم، لعدم الوازع في قلبه، وذلك لأن مدار السعادة ومادتها أمران: الإخلاص لله، الذي أصله الإيمان بالله، والإحسان إلى الخلق بوجوه الإحسان، الذي من أعظمها، دفع ضرورة المحتاجين بإطعامهم ما يتقوتون به، وهؤلاء لا إخلاص ولا إحسان، فلذلك استحقوا ما استحقوا.ـ

The cause which brought this person to this place is that

إِنَّهُ كَانَ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ

Indeed, he did not used to believe in Allah, the Most Great

for he used to disbelieve in his Lord, obstinately oppose His messengers, and reject the truth that the messengers brought to him.

وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَى طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ

Nor did he encourage the feeding of the poor

i.e. he did not have any mercy in his heart to take pity of the poor and the needy, so he didn’t use his money to feed them nor did he encourage others to feed them, for he had no sense of propriety left in his heart.

These two factors are mentioned because attaining everlasting joy revolves around two things:

Fulfilling the Rights of Allah and His Creation: Tafsir ibn Kathir

al-Haafidh Ismaa’eel ibn Kathir wrote the following in part of his explanation of surah al-Haqqah:

وقوله : ( إنه كان لا يؤمن بالله العظيم ولا يحض على طعام المسكين ) أي : لا يقوم بحق الله عليه من طاعته وعبادته ، ولا ينفع خلقه ويؤدي حقهم ; فإن لله على العباد أن يوحدوه ولا يشركوا به شيئا ، وللعباد بعضهم على بعض حق الإحسان والمعاونة على البر والتقوى ; ولهذا أمر الله بإقام الصلاة وإيتاء الزكاة ، وقبض النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو يقول : ” الصلاة ، وما ملكت أيمانكم ” .ـ

Allah’s statement:

إِنَّهُ كَانَ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّـهِ الْعَظِيمِ * وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ

Indeed, he did not use to have eemaan in Allah, the Magnificent * Nor did he encourage others to feed the poor. [69:33-34]

meaning: He neither fulfilled the rights of obedience and worship that Allah had over him nor did he bring any benefit to Allah’s creation or fulfill their rights. For Allah’s right over His slaves is that they would single Him out in worship and not associate anyone in worship alongside Him, and the rights of that the slaves have over one another is to show good treatment and aid one another in righteousness and piety. It is in the same vein that Allah commanded us to both establish the prayer and give the zakah. And the Prophet’s soul was taken while he was repeating, “The prayer, and those whom your right hand possesses!”

[Tafsir ibn Kathir 8/216]

See also: Two Factors Which Lead to Jannah: Tafsir al-Sa’di

See also: Tafsir of Surah al-Haqqah: al-Tafsir al-Muyassar