About the Surah

The reason for descending the verse

The Great commentator, Mujahid, said, “Al-Walid ibn Al-Mughirah was in the habit of visiting the Prophet (s.a.w) and Abu Bakr so much so that the Quraysh thought he was going to embrace Islam. Abu Jahl then said to him, ‘The Quraysh claim that you visit Muhammad and Ibn Abi Quhafah to share food with them’. Al-Walid said to the Quraysh, ‘You are people of noble lineages and sound minds, but you claim that Muhammad is mad. Have you ever seen him seized by a bout of madness?’ They said, ‘No!’ He said, ‘And you claim that he is a soothsayer; have you ever seen him soothsaying?’ They said, ‘No!’ He said, ‘You claim that he is a poet; have you ever heard him utter poetry?’ They said, ‘No!’ He said, ‘You claim that he is a liar; have you ever caught him lying?’ They said, ‘No!’ The Quraysh said to Al-Walid, ‘What is he, then?’ He thought for a while, looked and frowned and then said, ‘He is nothing but a sorcerer’, hence Allah’s saying (And said, "This is not but magic imitated [from others]).” (Al-Wahidi,Reasons of Revelation)