(O ye who believe, say not (unto the Prophet): “Listen to us” [ra‘ina] …) [2:104]. Said Ibn ‘Abbas according to the narration of ‘Ata’: “This is because the Arabs used to employ this expression [ra‘ina], so when the Jews heard them using it with the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, they liked it. This same expression in the parlance of the Jews had the connotation of vile abusive language. They said: ‘Before, we used to abuse Muhammad (s)ecretly. Now, you can abuse him openly because this expression is used in their speech’. Therefore, they used to come to Allah’s Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, and say: ‘O Muhammad! ra‘ina’, and the they would laugh. A man from the Helpers — Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah who understood well the language of the Jews—understood the reason. He said to them: ‘O enemies of Allah! May Allah’s curse be on you. By Him in Whose Hand is Muhammad’s soul, I will cut the head of any man of you who utters this expression’. They objected, saying: ‘But do you not use the same expression with him?’ And therefore Allah, exalted is He, revealed: (O ye who believe, say not (unto the Prophet): “Listen to us” [ra‘ina]) but say “Look upon us” [unzurna]…).
Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi , trans. Mokrane Guezzou
