His saying, the Exalted: "Greater than the killing."

2035 - My father narrated to us, Muhammad b. Abi Bakr al-Muqaddami narrated to us, al-Mu'tamir b. Sulayman narrated to us, from his father, al-Hadrami narrated to me, from Abu al-Sawwar, from Jundub b. 'Abd Allah, he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sent a group, and they encountered Ibn al-Hadrami and killed him. The polytheists said to the Muslims: "You killed in the Sacred Month." [The verse continued] up to His saying: "And fitnah is greater than killing." He said: "[Greater] than shirk (polytheism)."

It was [also] narrated from Ibn 'Umar, he said: "And fitnah is greater than killing," he said: "[Greater] than shirk."

His saying, the Exalted: "And they will not cease to fight against you."

2036 - Hajjaj b. Hamzah narrated to us, Shababah narrated to us, Warqa' narrated to us, from Ibn Abi Najih, from Mujahid, regarding His saying: "And they will not cease to fight against you"—[meaning] the disbelievers of Quraysh.

His saying, the Exalted: "Until they turn you back from your religion."

2037 - Muhammad b. al-'Abbas, the mawla (freed slave) of Banu Hashim, narrated to us, Muhammad b. 'Amr Zunayj narrated to us, from Mujahid [1], His saying: "And they will not cease to fight against you"—[meaning] the disbelievers of Quraysh.

2038 - Muhammad b. al-'Abbas, the mawla (freed slave) of Banu Hashim, narrated to us, Muhammad b. 'Amr Zunayj narrated to us, Salamah narrated to us, Muhammad said: in what al-Zuhri and Yazid b. Ruman narrated to us, from 'Urwah b. al-Zubayr: "And they will not cease to fight against you until they turn you back from your religion, if they are able"—meaning: they are persistent in the most malicious and gravest of that, neither repenting nor desisting.

His saying: "And whoever among you turns back from his religion and dies while he is a disbeliever—for those, their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter."

2039 - Yunus b. 'Abd al-A'la informed us by reading, Ibn Wahb informed us, 'Abd Allah b. 'Ayyash narrated to me, from Abu Sakhr, from Muhammad b. Ka'b, regarding His saying: "And whoever among you turns back from his religion"—he said: "Whoever turns back from the truth."