Identifying the Audiences of (Q. 16:126)

here are three viewpoints regarding the occasion of (Q. 16:126)’s revelation, as well as identifying its direct audiences. According to the first viewpoint, which seems the most popular one within Muslim scholars, the verse was revealed during the Uḥud battlefield, and its only addressee is the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself. The narration explains that the Prophet wanted to take revenge on the Quraysh pagans, mutilating bodies of thirty or seventy of their slains, for the bloodlust of Ḥamza and other Muslim martyrs who were tragically mutilated by them. Thus, according to the first viewpoint, the mentioned versed was revealed and forbade Muhammad from doing so. of course, it is referred to two narrations from Ibn ʿAbbās and Abu Ḥurayra to prove it. Nonetheless, these narrationes are weak ones in terms of isnād and unreliable in terms of content as well. Moreover, they seem incompatible with the well-known personality of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), as well as his religious teachings. However, there is another viewpoint that refers to a narration from Ubayy b. Kaʿb, according to which, the verse in question was related to the words of anṣār and was revealed in the occasion of the conquest of Mecca. Although this second narration seems correct in terms of isnad, its content should be considered vague and false. Besides, the literal meaning of the verse gives no such an indication. The present article, which suggest the third viewpoint in this regard, attempts to indicate that this verse was revealed before the Prophet’s migration to Medina, and its revelation was not affected by any special occasion, including the above mentioned suggested ones. On the basis of the textual appearances of the verse, it seems that (Q. 16:126) is stating a general ruling, like many other Qur’anic verses, without limiting its audience to any specific individual.