And he said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "Whoever introduces a good practice (Sunnah) will have its reward and the reward of those who act upon it after him, without their rewards being diminished in the slightest, and whoever introduces an evil practice (Sunnah) will bear its burden and the burden of those who act upon it after him, without their burdens being diminished in the slightest." Then he recited this verse: "And we record what they have put forth and their traces."

His saying, the Exalted: "And all things We have enumerated in a clear register." He said: The Mother of the Book (the Preserved Tablet).

18045 - From Qatada (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding his saying: "And all things We have enumerated in a clear register," he said: Everything is from a register, kept with Allah, meaning in a book.

His saying, the Exalted: "The people of the city."

18046 - From Burayda regarding "the people of the city," he said: Antioch.

18047 - My father narrated to us, Hisham ibn 'Ubayd Allah narrated to us, Ibn Jabir—who is Muhammad—narrated to us, from 'Abd al-Malik, meaning Ibn 'Umayr, he said: 'Urwa ibn Mas'ud al-Thaqafi said to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): "Send me to my people to invite them to Islam." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "Go." So he went, and he passed by al-Lat and al-'Uzza, saying, "There is no 'Uzza; accept Islam and you will be safe. O assembly of allies, indeed 'Uzza is no 'Uzza, and indeed Lat is no Lat. Accept Islam and you will be safe." He said that three times. Then a man shot an arrow at him, hitting his jugular vein, and he died. This reached the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), who said: "His likeness is the likeness of the companion of Ya-Sin: 'He said, "I wish my people knew, of what my Lord has forgiven me and placed me among the honored."'"

His saying, the Exalted: "When We sent to them two."

18048 - From Qatada (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding his saying: "When We sent to them two," he said: It reached me that 'Isa (Jesus) son of Maryam sent to the people of the city—which is Antioch—two men from the Apostles, and he followed them with a third.

18049 - From Abu al-'Aliya (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding his saying: "When We sent to them two, but they denied them; so We strengthened them with a third," he said: So that the proof against them would be stronger. They came to the people of the city and invited them to Allah alone and to worship Him with no partner, but they denied them."