8539 - My father narrated to us, Abu Yusuf Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn al-Hajjaj al-Saydalani told us, Mutarrif ibn Mazin told us, Mirdas ibn Yafinah narrated to me, from 'Abd al-Malik ibn Abi Yazid and Wahb ibn Munabbih, regarding the statement of Allah: "And when your Lord took from the children of Adam, from their loins," up to His statement: "Am I not your Lord?" They both said: "[They are] the messengers."

His statement, the Exalted: "And thus do We explain the signs, and perhaps they will return."

8540 - Ahmad ibn 'Uthman ibn Hakim informed us, in what he wrote to me, Ahmad ibn Mufaddal told us, Asbat told us, from al-Suddi, regarding His statement: "And thus do We explain the signs," meaning: We explain and clarify.

His statement, the Exalted: "And recite to them the news of him to whom We gave Our signs."

[The First Aspect]

8541 - Ahmad ibn Sinan narrated to us, 'Abd al-Rahman told us, from Sufyan, from Mansur, from Abu al-Duha, from Masruq, from 'Abdullah, concerning "him to whom We gave Our signs, but he detached himself from them." He said: It was revealed regarding Bal'am, meaning ibn Abar, a man from Yemen.

The Second Aspect:

8542 - Yunus ibn Habib narrated to us, Abu Dawud told us, Shu'bah told us, Ya'la ibn 'Ata' informed me, he said: I heard Nafi' ibn 'Asim say: I heard 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr say regarding this verse: "And recite to them the news of him to whom We gave Our signs, but he detached himself from them." He said: He is Umayyah ibn Abi al-Salt al-Thaqafi. It was narrated from Qatadah similarly.

The Third Aspect:

8543 - My father narrated to us, Ibrahim Mahdi al-Missisi told us, Abu 'Awanah told us, from 'Abd al-Malik ibn 'Umayr, from Nafi' ibn 'Asim, who said: I was in a circle in which 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr was present, and a man recited: "And recite to them the news of him to whom We gave Our signs, but he detached himself from them." He said: Do you know who he is? Some of them said: He is Sayfi ibn al-Rahib.

8544 - Abu Zur'ah narrated to us, Safwan told us, al-Walid told us, Sa'id told us, from Qatadah, from 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, regarding: "And recite to them the news of him to whom We gave Our signs," he said: He is Sayfi ibn al-Rahib.

The Fourth Aspect:

8545 - My father narrated to us, Abu Salih told us, Mu'awiyah ibn Salih narrated to me, from 'Ali ibn Abi Talhah, from Ibn 'Abbas, regarding His statement: "And recite to them the news of him to whom We gave Our signs, but he detached himself from them." He said: