[His saying, the Almighty: "And indeed, they were about to provoke you..." the verse.]

13355 - From Sa'id ibn Jubayr, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: The polytheists said to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: "The prophets, peace and blessings be upon them, used to reside in al-Sham, so what is it that binds you to Medina?" They intended for him to leave, so Allah the Almighty revealed: "And indeed, they were about to provoke you from the land..." the verse.

13356 - From Abd al-Rahman ibn Ghanam, may Allah be pleased with him: The Jews came to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and said: "If you are a prophet, then go to al-Sham, for al-Sham is the land of the Gathering and the land of the prophets, peace and blessings be upon them." The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, believed what they said and undertook the expedition of Tabuk, desiring nothing but al-Sham. When he reached Tabuk, Allah revealed to him verses from Surah Bani Isra'il after the Surah had been concluded: "And indeed, they were about to provoke you from the land" up to His saying: "...a change." So He commanded him to return to Medina and said: "In it is your life, in it is your death, and from it you will be brought forth." Gabriel, peace be upon him, said to him: "Ask your Lord, for every prophet has a request." He said: "What do you command me to ask for?" He replied: "Say: My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance and exit a sound exit and grant me from Yourself a supporting authority." These were revealed to him on his return from Tabuk.

13357 - From Qatadah, may Allah be pleased with him, regarding His saying: "And indeed, they were about to provoke you from the land": They are the people of Mecca who sought to expel the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, from Mecca. They did so after that, so Allah the Almighty destroyed them on the day of Badr. They did not tarry long after that until Allah destroyed them on the day of Badr, and such was the way of Allah the Almighty with the messengers, peace and blessings be upon them, when their people did such things to them.

13358 - From Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, regarding His saying: "...and then they will not remain [there] after you, except for a little": He said: He means by "the little," the day He seized them at Badr. That was the little, which was followed by much.

13359 - From al-Suddi, he said: The "little" is eighteen months.

13360 - From Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: "The decline of the sun": Its setting. The Arabs say: When the sun sets, the sun has declined (dalakat).