Did The Prophet (S) Frown At A Blind Man? - Animation Video
The first 11 verses of Surah Abasa (80) talk about an individual who frowned at a blind man. Leading Sunni historians claim that the Prophet (S) while engaging in a discussion with leading chiefs of Makkah was interrupted by a blind man and subsequently turned his face away. This notion is vehemently rejected by Shi'a historians.
Did the Holy Prophet frown as a blind man?
It was during the early years of the Prophet's mission in Mecca, and the Polytheists had been harshly persecuting the newly converted Muslims. On one occasion, the Prophet decided to approach some of the heads of the tribe of Quraysh, such as Abu Jahl and others to preach to them the message of Islam and to ask them, at the very least, to cease their hostile behaviour towards the vulnerable Muslims.
During their conversation, a blind man by the name of Abdullah Ibn Umm Maktum approached the gathering. He began to interrupt them with some questions that he had for the Prophet. After being unheard and then ignored a few times, he continued interrupting, until someone within the gathering frowned at him and turned his back towards him.
It was on this occasion that Surah Abasa of the Holy Qur'an was revealed whose first few verses condemned that person by saying: "he frowned and turned away" (80:1), "because a blind man came to him" (80:2), "you never know, perhaps he may be purified" (80:3), "or he may be mindful benefiting from the reminder" (80:4).
Who was this person who frowned at Abdullah Ibn Umm Maktum? Was it the Prophet, or was it someone from amongst the heads of Quraysh?
The Muslims have historically had a difference of opinion on this matter. Whilst numerous scholars of the Ahl as-Sunna believe that the person who frowned and is being condemned in this chapter is the Prophet, the Shi'a believed categorically that it was not, and could not have been the Prophet.
According to the Shi'a, the person who frowned was an individual from amongst the Polytheists. In the narration attributed to Imam As-Sadiq, this person was from the Bani Umayya. When this polytheist saw Abdullah Ibn Umm Maktum approaching the Prophet and looking to ask some questions, he frowned and he turned his face away from Abdullah. This polytheist had such a disgusted expression on his face, that it made him look as if he would become polluted by the mere presence of Abdullah. It was in this context that Allah revealed the verses of Surah Abasa and condemned this polytheist for being arrogant and conceited.
Another reason why the Shi'a believed that these verses could not have been condemning the Prophet, it is because it is well established, through the Holy Qur'an and their traditions, that the Prophet possessed some of the highest personal ethical qualities. In fact, one of his main responsibilities was to perfect the morality of mankind. How is it then possible to conceive that a person who was entrusted by Allah to educate mankind about ethics and to lead the way in it, could be so impatient that he would frown at the sight of a blind man who was simply trying to ask him some questions?
Such a belief is not only patently absurd, but it is outright contradictory towards the explicit description of the Prophet that is portrayed in the verses of the Holy Qur'an and the traditions.
