About the Surah

The reason for descending the verse

Abdullah ibn Umar narrated from his father he said, “When we gathered for migration, myself, ‘Ayyash ibn Abi Rabi‘ah, and Hisham ibn Al-‘As ibn Wa’il set an appointment between us. We said, ‘We shall meet at Al-Manasif, Banu Ghifar’s site for entering Ihram. If some of us do not make it, it means they have been stopped and the others should proceed ahead’. ‘Ayyash and I made it but Hisham was stopped and was tortured until he renounced Islam. We then made it to Madinah. We used to say, ‘Allah will never accept the repentance of these people.They have known Allah and His Messenger but then renounced their faith because of a worldly affliction that has befallen them’. But Allah (exalted is He) revealed (Say,‘O My slaves who have been prodigal to their own hurt! Despair not of the mercy of Allah) up to His words (Is not the home of the scorners in Hell?) [39:60]” ‘Umar said, “I wrote these verses with my own hands and sent them to Hisham.” Hisham said, “When I received the verses, I went to Tuwa and prayed, ‘O Allah, grant me understanding of these verses’. I knew then that they were revealed about us; I therefore mounted my camel and joined the Messenger of Allah.” It is also related that this verse was revealed about Wahshiyy, the killer of Hamzah, may Allah’s mercy and good pleasure be with him. (Al-Wahidi,Reasons of Revelation)