They said: ‘Do inform us!’ He said: ‘It is the love of the cross, the consumption of wine and pork’. Then he challenged them to summon Allah’s curse upon the liar amongst them. They promised to come and see him in the evening. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, went and brought Fatimah, al-Hasan and al-Husayn whose hands he held, then he sent for the two men. But they refused to come and see him and agreed to pay a levied tax. The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said then: ‘By Him Who has sent me with the truth, had they agreed to summon Allah’s curse on the liar, fire would have rained on the valley [where the delegation of Najran had camped]’. Then the following verse was revealed about them ((unto him): Come! We will summon our sons and your sons…)”. Al-Sha‘bi said: “our sons refer to al-Hasan and al-Husayn and our women refers to Fatimah, while ourselves refers to ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be well pleased with one and all”.
Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi , trans. Mokrane Guezzou
