The Story of Tu’mah ibn Ubayriq and Qatadah ibn al-Nu’man: A Lesson on Hypocrisy and Repentance
وَلَيْسَتِ ٱلتَّوْبَةُ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَهُمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ قَالَ إِنِّى تُبْتُ ٱلْـَٰٔنَ وَلَا ٱلَّذِينَ يَمُوتُونَ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا“But repentance is not [accepted] of those who [continue to] do evil deeds up until, when death comes to one of them, he says: ‘Indeed, I have repented now,’ or of those who die while they are disbelievers. For them We have prepared a painful punishment.” (Surah An-Nisa 18)
Tu’mah ibn Ubayriq and his companions were a group of hypocrites who lived in Madinah and pretended to be Muslims. They were involved in a theft case that was brought to the Prophet’s attention. Tu’mah had stolen an armour from his neighbour Qatadah ibn al-Nu’man and hid it in the house of a Jew named Zayd ibn al-Samin. He then lied and swore by Allah that he was innocent. The Prophet investigated the matter and found out the truth with Allah’s guidance.
Qatadah ibn al-Nu’man was the owner of the armour that Tu’mah ibn Ubayriq had stolen. When he got his armour back, he was grateful to Allah and His Messenger for revealing the truth and exposing the hypocrite. He also witnessed a miracle when the Prophet restored the eye of one of his companions who had been injured while defending him. This companion was Qatadah’s nephew and his name was also Qatadah. The Prophet made his eye more beautiful and sharper than before.
Qatadah ibn al-Nu’man was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and a member of the Ansar. He was from the Zafar branch of the Nabit clan of the Aws tribe. He participated in the second pledge at al-Aqabah and fought in all the battles with the Prophet. He was also an archer and carried the banner of his clan at the conquest of Mecca. He died in 23 AH (643-644 AD) at the age of 65 lunar years. He had four children: Abdullah, Umm 'Amr, 'Amr and Hafsa. One of his grandsons, Asim ibn Umar ibn Qatada, was a notable narrator of hadith and a major source for the historian Ibn Ishaq.
Tu’mah ibn Ubayriq was a hypocrite who lived in Madinah and pretended to be a Muslim. He stole an armour from his neighbour Qatadah ibn al-Nu’man and hid it in the house of a Jew named Zayd ibn al-Samin. He then lied and swore by Allah that he was innocent. The Prophet investigated the matter and found out the truth with Allah’s guidance. He then revealed verses 105-113 of Surah An-Nisa, which condemned Tu’mah and his supporters for their lies, treachery and disbelief.
إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ لِتَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِمَآ أَرَىٰكَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَلَا تَكُن لِّلْخَآئِنِينَ خَصِيمًا
Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth so you may judge between the people by that which Allah has shown you. And do not be for the deceitful an advocate.
وَٱسْتَغْفِرِ ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
And seek forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.
وَلَا تُجَٰدِلْ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخْتَانُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ خَوَّانًا أَثِيمًا
And do not argue on behalf of those who deceive themselves. Indeed, Allah loves not one who is a habitually sinful deceiver.
يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَا يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ وَهُوَ مَعَهُمْ إِذْ يُبَيِّتُونَ مَا لَا يَرْضَىٰ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطًا
They conceal [their evil intentions and deeds] from the people, but they cannot conceal [them] from Allah, and He is with them [in His knowledge] when they plot by night, in words that He cannot approve. And ever is Allah, of what they do, encompassing.
هَٰٓأَنتُمْ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ جَٰدَلْتُمْ عَنْهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا فَمَن يُجَٰدِلُ ٱللَّهَ عَنْهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ أَم مَّن يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكِيلًا
Here you are - those who argue on their behalf in [this] worldly life - but who will argue with Allah for them on the Day of Resurrection, or who will [then] be their representative?
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ سُوٓءًا أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُۥ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ ٱللَّهَ يَجِدِ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful.
وَمَن يَكْسِبْ إِثْمًا فَإِنَّمَا يَكْسِبُهُۥ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِۦ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
And whoever commits a sin only earns it against himself. And Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.
وَمَن يَكْسِبْ خَطِيٓـَٔةً أَوْ إِثْمًا ثُمَّ يَرْمِ بِهِۦ بَرِيٓـًٔا فَقَدِ ٱحْتَمَلَ بُهْتَٰنًا وَإِثْمًا مُّبِينًا
But whoever earns an offense or a sin and then blames it on an innocent [person] has taken upon himself a slander and manifest sin.
وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَتُهُۥ لَهَمَّت طَّآئِفَةٌ مِّنْهُمْ أَن يُضِلُّوكَ وَمَا يُضِلُّونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۖ وَمَا يَضُرُّونَكَ مِن شَىْءٍ ۚ وَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَكَ مَا لَمْ تَكُن تَعْلَمُ ۚ وَكَانَ فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ عَظِيمًا
And if it was not for the favor of Allah upon you, [O Muhammad], and His mercy, a group of them would have determined to mislead you. But they do not mislead except themselves, and they will not harm you at all. And Allah has revealed to you the Book and wisdom and has taught you that which you did not know. And ever has the favor of Allah upon you been great.
وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَتُهُۥ لَهَمَّت طَّآئِفَةٌ مِّنْهُمْ أَن يُضِلُّوكَ وَمَا يُضِلُّونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۖ وَمَا يَضُرُّونَكَ مِن شَىْءٍ ۚ وَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَكَ مَا لَمْ تَكُن تَعْلَمُ ۚ وَكَانَ فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ عَظِيمًا
And if it was not for the favor of Allah upon you, [O Muhammad], and His mercy, a group of them would have determined to mislead you. But they do not mislead except themselves, and they will not harm you at all. And Allah has revealed to you the Book and wisdom and has taught you that which you did not know. And ever has the favor of Allah upon you been great.
The story from tafsir ibn kathir in brief is:
- A man named Tu'mah ibn Ubayriq stole an armour from his neighbour Qatadah ibn al-Nu'man and hid it in the house of a Jew named Zayd ibn al-Samin.
- He then lied and swore by Allah that he was innocent, and his tribe supported him against the Jew.
- The Prophet was about to judge in favour of Tu'mah based on the available evidence, but Allah revealed the truth to him through verses 105-113 of Surah An-Nisa.
- The verses exposed the hypocrisy and treachery of Tu'mah and his supporters, and warned them of a severe punishment if they did not repent sincerely.
- The verses also affirmed the justice and wisdom of Allah, and His grace and mercy upon the Prophet and the believers.
- Zayd was innocent and had no knowledge of the theft. He later embraced Islam and became a companion of the Prophet. He died during the caliphate of Uthman ibn Affan.
The verses also warned them of a severe punishment in this world and the Hereafter if they did not repent sincerely.
Some additional facts about Tu’mah are:
He was involved in another theft case that was brought to the Prophet’s attention. He had stolen some dates from a garden that belonged to some orphans. The Prophet ordered him to return the dates and admonished him for his crime.
He died as a disbeliever and a rebel against Islam. He joined the apostates who fought against the Muslims during the Ridda wars after the death of the Prophet. He was killed by Khalid ibn al-Walid at the Battle of Yamama.