His saying, the Exalted: "And if you had been rude and harsh of heart."

4409 - My father narrated to us, Ahmad ibn 'Abd al-Rahman narrated to us, 'Abd Allah ibn Abi Ja'far narrated to us, from his father, from al-Rabi' regarding His saying: "And if you had been rude and harsh of heart, they would have disbanded from about you," meaning: Allah has purified him from rudeness and harshness, and made him merciful, accessible, and compassionate to the believers. The same was narrated from Qatadah.

His saying, the Exalted: "They would have disbanded from about you."

4410 - Muhammad ibn al-'Abbas narrated to us, Muhammad ibn 'Amr narrated to us, Salamah narrated to us, who said: Muhammad ibn Ishaq said: "They would have disbanded from about you," meaning: they would have left you.

His saying, the Exalted: "So pardon them."

4411 - And by the same chain, Muhammad ibn Ishaq said: "So pardon them," meaning: overlook them.

His saying, the Exalted: "And ask forgiveness for them."

4412 - And by the same chain, Muhammad ibn Ishaq said: "And ask forgiveness for them," meaning: ask for their sins to be forgiven.

His saying, the Exalted: "And consult them in the matter."

[The First Aspect]

4413 - Yunus ibn 'Abd al-A'la narrated to us by way of reading, Ibn Wahb informed us, who said: I heard Sufyan ibn 'Uyaynah narrating from Ma'mar, from Ibn Shihab, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: I have never seen anyone who consulted his companions more than the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

4414 - My father narrated to us, 'Abd Allah ibn Raja' narrated to us, 'Imran al-Qattan informed us, from al-Hasan regarding His saying: "And consult them in the matter," he said: By Allah, he was never consulted except that Allah decreed for them the right course and what is beneficial.

4415 - Abu Sa'id narrated to us, Waki' narrated to us, from Sufyan, from a man, from al-Dahhak, regarding His saying: "And consult them in the matter," he said: Allah did not command His Prophet to consult except for the merit He knew to be in it.

4416 - My father narrated to us, Ibn Abi 'Umar narrated to us, Sufyan narrated to us, from Ibn Shubruma, from al-Hasan regarding His saying: "And consult them in the matter," he said: He knew that he had no need of them—and sometimes he would say: He had no need of them—but He wanted it to be an established practice for those after him.