(The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His messenger…) [5:33]. Abu Nasr Ahmad ibn ‘Ubayd Allah al-Makhladi informed us> Abu ‘Amr ibn Nujayd> Muslim> ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Hammad> Sa‘id ibn Abi ‘Arubah> Qatadah> Anas who related that a group of people from ‘Ukal and ‘Uraynah went to see the Messenger of Allah, Allah, bless him and give him peace. They said: “O Messenger of Allah, we were never people of agriculture, and before we settled around Medina we used to be people who looked after cattle”. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, ordered that they be given a flock of camels, a shepherd and commanded them to set off with them, with a dispensation to drink their milk and urine. When they reached the region of al-Harrah, they killed the shepherd of the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, and took off with the camels. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, sent after them and when they were captured and brought to him, he cut off their hands and feet and gouged their eyes. They were left in this state in Medina until they died. Said Qatadah: “It was mentioned to us that this verse was revealed about them (The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His messenger and strive after corruption in the land…)”. Narrated by Muslim from Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna from ‘Abd al-A‘la from Sa‘id up to the quotation of Qatadah.
Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi , trans. Mokrane Guezzou
