Hadith No: 3
Al-Shawkani - Tafsir Fath al-Qadeer - Interpretation of Surah Al-Hujurat (49): 1
Interpretation of His Statement, exalted be He: {O you who have believed, do not put [yourselves] before Allah and His Messenger. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.}
Volume: (1) - Page Number: (1391)
[The text is lengthy, so only the relevant excerpt is provided here]
- .... Ahmad, Ibn Abi Hatim, al-Tabarani, Ibn Mundih, and Ibn Marduyah narrated, and al-Suyuti said with a good chain from al-Harith ibn Dhurar al-Khuza'i, who said: I came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny), and he invited me to Islam, so I entered it and affirmed it. He then called me to zakat (almsgiving), and I acknowledged it. I said, "O Messenger of Allah, return to my people and invite them to Islam and the performance of zakat. Whoever responds to me, I will collect their zakat, and you can send a messenger to me, O Messenger of Allah, at such and such a time to receive what I have collected of the zakat." When al-Harith collected the zakat from those who responded to him and the time approached that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) intended to send to him, the messenger was delayed and did not come. Al-Harith thought that this might indicate some displeasure from Allah and His Messenger, so he called the leaders of his people and said to them: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) had appointed me a time to send a messenger to me to collect what I had of the zakat, and there is no negligence from the Messenger of Allah. I see the delay of his messenger as nothing but a sign of displeasure." So, go and we will come to the Messenger of Allah."
And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) sent al-Walid ibn Uqbah to al-Harith to collect what he had gathered of the zakat. When al-Walid set out and had traveled part of the way, he became apprehensive and returned to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) and said: "Al-Harith refused me the zakat and intended to kill me." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) struck out towards al-Harith, and al-Harith came with his companions. When the group had set out and distanced itself from Medina, al-Harith met them and said: "This is al-Harith." When he approached them, he asked: "To whom have you been sent?" They said: "To you." He asked: "Why?" They replied: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) sent al-Walid ibn Uqbah to you, and he claimed that you refused him the zakat and intended to kill him." Al-Harith replied: "No, by the One who sent Muhammad with the truth, I never saw him at all, nor did he come to me." When al-Harith entered upon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny), he said: "You refused the zakat and intended to kill my messenger." Al-Harith answered: "No, by the One who sent you with the truth, I never saw him, nor did he see me, and I only approached when I feared for the delay of the messenger of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny), lest it be a sign of displeasure from Allah and His Messenger." Then, it was revealed: {O you who have believed, if there comes to you a dissolute one with a report, investigate (Al-Hujurat 49:6)}
to His statement: {And Allah is Knowing and Wise (Al-Hujurat 49:8)}
Ibn Kathir said: "This is one of the best reports narrated regarding the reason for the verse's revelation, and many accounts have been narrated agreeing that it is the reason for the verse's revelation and what is intended by it, even if the stories differ."