سورة الحجر

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) went into his house grieved and distressed by their words, and locked the door. But Jibra'il came to him at that very hour from Allah and said: "al-Salam (one of the names of Allah) sends peace upon you and says: فَاصْدَعْ بِما تُؤْمَرُ وَ أَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِکِینَ [Therefore declare openly what you are bidden and turn aside from the polytheists] — that is, make your affair open to the people of Makkah and call them to faith."

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): فَاصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ وَ أَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِکِینَ* إِنَّا کَفَیْنَاکَ الْمُسْتَهْزِئِینَ [Therefore declare openly what you are bidden and turn aside from the polytheists. Surely We suffice you against the mockers] — this verse was revealed in Makkah three years after the Prophet's (peace be upon him and his family) mission. The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) was raised to prophethood on a Monday, and Ali (peace be upon him) accepted Islam on Tuesday, then Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), accepted Islam. Abu Talib came with Ja'far to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and saw him praying with Ali (peace be upon him) standing beside him. He said to Ja'far: "Pray beside your cousin!" Ja'far stood on the left side, and the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) placed himself between Ali (peace be upon him) and Ja'far. After that, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) would pray, and Ali (peace be upon him), Ja'far, Zayd ibn Harithah and Khadijah (peace be upon her) would follow him in prayer. After three years, Allah said: فَاصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ وَ أَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِکِینَ* إِنَّا کَفَیْنَاکَ الْمُسْتَهْزِئِینَ [Therefore declare openly what you are bidden and turn aside from the polytheists. Surely We suffice you against the mockers]. Those who mocked the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) were five: Walid ibn Mughirah, As ibn Wa'il, Aswad ibn Muttalib, Aswad ibn Abd Yaghuth, and Harith ibn Tulatilah al-Khuza'i.

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): When, after that, three years had passed over the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), Allah revealed to him: فَاصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ وَ أَعْرِضْ عَنِ المُشْرِکِینَ [Therefore declare openly what you are bidden and turn aside from the polytheists]. So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) went out and stood upon al-Hijr (in the northern corner of the Ka'bah) and said: "O gathering of Quraysh, and O gathering of the Arabs! I call you to the worship of Allah and to casting aside partners and idols, and I invite you to testify that there is no god but Allah, for indeed I am the Messenger of Allah. So respond to me, and by it you will rule over the Arabs, and the non-Arabs will submit to you, and you will become kings." They mocked him and laughed and said: "Muhammad son of Abdullah has gone mad." And they harmed him with their tongues.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Halabi narrates from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) that he said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) remained in Makkah for five years hidden, fearful and concealed, not making his affair public, and only Ali (peace be upon him) and Khadijah (peace be upon her) were with him. Then Allah the Exalted commanded him to make his message manifest, so the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) came forth and made his affair public."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), after the revelation came down upon him, remained [in Makkah] for thirteen years, three of which he was hidden and fearful, not appearing openly, until Allah the Exalted commanded him to make his message manifest, and at that time he made the call public.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): It was revealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) that what he had been commanded concerning Ali (peace be upon him) — declare it openly, for it is the truth from your Lord.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abbas ibn Jarish narrated from Imam Jawad (peace be upon him) that he said, quoting Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "My father (Imam Baqir (peace be upon him)) was performing tawaf of the Ka'bah when a man who had wrapped part of his turban around his face blocked his path and did not let him complete his seven circuits, until he took him to a house near Safa and sent word to me as well, so that together we became three... He said: 'Now I will ask a difficult question; tell me why this knowledge is not made manifest as it was made manifest in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)?' My father laughed and said: 'Allah refuses to disclose His knowledge except to one whose faith has been tested. Just as He decreed that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) should be patient with the harm of Quraysh and should not fight them except by Allah's command. There were many matters that he kept concealed until the command came: فَاصْدَعْ بِما تُؤْمَرُ وَ أَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِکِینَ [Therefore declare openly what you are bidden and turn aside from the polytheists]. By Allah! If he had made it public before this command, he would still have been safe. But he was bound to carry out the command and feared to oppose it, and for that reason he held back. I wish your eye could fall upon the Mahdi (may Allah hasten his noble relief) of this ummah, while the angels with the swords of the family of Dawud [are between the sky and the earth and] punish the souls of the disbelievers who have died, and join to them the souls of the living who resemble them.' At that point the man drew out a sword and said: 'Is this too one of those swords?' My father said: 'By the Allah who raised Muhammad al-Mustafa (peace be upon him and his family) for mankind, yes.'"

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Abu Basir said: Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said regarding the verse: "Do not recite your prayer too loudly, nor too softly" (Isra/110): "This verse was abrogated by the verse فَاصْدَعْ بِما تُؤْمَرُ [Therefore declare openly what you are bidden]."