Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ibnhibban:40al-Naḍr b. Muḥammad b. al-Mubārak al-Harawī > Muḥammad b. ʿUthmān al-ʿIjlī > ʿUbaydullāh b. Mūsá > Isrāʾīl > Abū Isḥāq > al-Barāʾ > Lammā Nazalat Lā Yastawī al-Qāʿidūn from al-Muʾminīn

[Machine] When the verse "The sitting ones among the believers are not equal" was revealed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Summon Zaid for me and let him bring the tablet and the inkpot or the shoulder blade and the inkpot." Then he said, "Write: 'The sitting ones among the believers and the fighters in the path of Allah are not equal.'" Amr ibn Um Maktum, who was blind, was behind the Prophet ﷺ , and he said, "O Messenger of Allah, what should I do, for I am a blind man?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "But those [women] who have no means to marry - for them is other than lawful [wedded] persons."  

ابن حبّان:٤٠أَخْبَرَنَا النَّضْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ الْهَرَوِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ الْعِجْلِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى عَنْ إِسْرَائِيلَ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ قَالَ

لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ {لَا يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ} قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «ادْعُ لِي زَيْدًا وَيَجِيءُ مَعَهُ بِاللَّوْحِ وَالدَّوَاةِ أَوْ بِالْكَتِفِ وَالدَّوَاةِ» ثُمَّ قَالَ «اكْتُبْ لَا يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ» قَالَ وَخَلْفَ ظَهْرِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ عَمْرُو بْنُ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ الْأَعْمَى قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَمَا تَأْمُرُنِي فَإِنِّي رَجُلٌ ضَرِيرُ الْبَصَرِ؟ قَالَ الْبَرَاءُ فَأُنْزِلَتْ مَكَانَهَا {غَيْرَ أُولِي الضَّرَرِ}  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Aḥmad, Ṭabarānī
bukhari:4594Muḥammad b. Yūsuf > Isrāʾīl > Abū Isḥāq > al-Barāʾ > Lammā Nazalat Lā Yastawī al-Qāʿidūn from al-Muʾminīn

When the Verse:--"Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home)," (4.95) was revealed, the Prophet said, "Call so-and-so." That person came to him with an ink-pot and a wooden board or a shoulder scapula bone. The Prophet ﷺ said (to him), "Write: 'Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and those who strive and fight in the Cause of Allah." Ibn Um Maktum who was sitting behind the Prophet ﷺ then said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I am a blind man." So there was revealed in the place of that Verse, the Verse:--"Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home) except those who are disabled (by injury, or are blind or lame etc.) and those who strive and fight in the Cause of Allah." (4.95)  

البخاري:٤٥٩٤حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ عَنْ إِسْرَائِيلَ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ قَالَ

لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ {لاَ يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ} قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ ادْعُوا فُلاَنًا فَجَاءَهُ وَمَعَهُ الدَّوَاةُ وَاللَّوْحُ أَوِ الْكَتِفُ فَقَالَ اكْتُبْ لاَ يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَخَلْفَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ ابْنُ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنَا ضَرِيرٌ فَنَزَلَتْ مَكَانَهَا {لاَ يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُولِي الضَّرَرِ وَالْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ }  

bukhari:4990ʿUbaydullāh b. Mūsá > Isrāʾīl > Abū Isḥāq > al-Barāʾ

There was revealed: 'Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and those who strive and fight in the Cause of Allah.' (4.95) The Prophet ﷺ said, "Call Zaid for me and let him bring the board, the inkpot and the scapula bone (or the scapula bone and the ink pot)."' Then he said, "Write: 'Not equal are those Believers who sit..", and at that time ʿAmr bin Um Maktum, the blind man was sitting behind the Prophet ﷺ . He said, "O Allah's Apostle! What is your order For me (as regards the above Verse) as I am a blind man?" So, instead of the above Verse, the following Verse was revealed: 'Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) except those who are disabled (by injury or are blind or lame etc.) and those who strive and fight in the cause of Allah.' (4.95)  

البخاري:٤٩٩٠حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى عَنْ إِسْرَائِيلَ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ قَالَ

لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ {لاَ يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ} قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ ادْعُ لِي زَيْدًا وَلْيَجِئْ بِاللَّوْحِ وَالدَّوَاةِ وَالْكَتِفِ أَوِ الْكَتِفِ وَالدَّوَاةِ ثُمَّ قَالَ اكْتُبْ لاَ يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ وَخَلْفَ ظَهْرِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ عَمْرُو بْنُ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ الأَعْمَى قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَمَا تَأْمُرُنِي فَإِنِّي رَجُلٌ ضَرِيرُ الْبَصَرِ فَنَزَلَتْ مَكَانَهَا {لاَ يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ} فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ {غَيْرُ أُولِي الضَّرَرِ}  

ahmad:18485Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar > Shuʿbah > Abū Isḥāq > al-Barāʾ

[Machine] He heard Al-Bara'ah saying about this verse: "The believers who sit at home are not equal to those who strive in the cause of Allah." The Prophet ﷺ commanded Zaid to write it down, so he brought a shoulder blade and wrote it. Then, Ibn Umm Maktum complained to him about his difficult situation, so the verse was revealed: "The believers who sit at home are not equal to those who strive in the cause of Allah except for the disabled." (Quran 4:95)  

أحمد:١٨٤٨٥حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ الْبَرَاءَ يَقُولُ فِي هَذِهِ الْآيَةِ {لَا يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ} [النساء 95] {وَالْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ} [النساء 95] قَالَ فَأَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ زَيْدًا فَجَاءَ بِكَتِفٍ فَكَتَبَهَا قَالَ فَشَكَا إِلَيْهِ ابْنُ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ ضَرَارَتَهُ فَنَزَلَتْ {لَا يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُولِيالضَّرَرِ} [النساء 95]  

ahmad:18556Wakīʿ > Sufyān > Abū Isḥāq > al-Barāʾ b. ʿĀzib

"When the following was revealed: 'Not equal are those of the believers who sit (4:95)' 'Amr bin Umm Maktum came to the Prophet ﷺ." He said: "He was blind, so he said: 'O Messenger of Allah! What do you order me with? Indeed my vision is disabled.' So Allah [Most High] revealed this Ayah: 'Except those who are disabled.' So the Prophet ﷺ said: 'Bring me a shoulder bone and inkwell' - or 'Bring me a tablet and an inkwell.'" (Using translation from Tirmidhī 3031)   

أحمد:١٨٥٥٦حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ قَالَ

{لَا يَسْتَوِي} [النساء 95] الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُولِي الضَّرَرِ قَالَ لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ جَاءَ عَمْرُو بْنُ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَكَانَ ضَرِيرَ الْبَصَرِ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِمَا تَأْمُرُنِي؟ إِنِّي ضَرِيرُ الْبَصَرِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ {غَيْرُ أُولِي الضَّرَرِ} [النساء 95] فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ ائْتُونِي بِالْكَتِفِ وَالدَّوَاةِ أَوِ اللَّوْحِ وَالدَّوَاةِ  

ahmad:18679Hāshim b. al-Qāsim > Zuhayr > Abū Isḥāq > al-Barāʾ b. ʿĀzib

[Machine] I was with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he said, "Pray for me that Zaid may come or bring the shoulder and water-pot or the tablet and water-pot. Write, 'The sitters among the believers are not equal to the fighters in the cause of Allah.'" (Quran 4:95) He said, "This verse was revealed in this way." Ibn Umm Maktum was sitting behind him and he said, "O Messenger of Allah! I have a problem with my eyes." So the verse was revealed before he left, 'except for those disabled by injury.' (Quran 4:95)  

أحمد:١٨٦٧٩حَدَّثَنَا هَاشِمُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ قَالَ

كُنْتُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ ادْعُوا لِي زَيْدًا يَجِيءُ أَوْ يَأْتِي بِالْكَتِفِ وَالدَّوَاةِ أَوِ اللَّوْحِ وَالدَّوَاةِ اكْتُبْ {لَا يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ} [النساء 95] {وَالْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ} [النساء 95] قَالَ هَكَذَا نَزَلَتْ قَالَ فَقَالَ ابْنُ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ وَهُوَ خَلْفَ ظَهْرِهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ بِعَيْنَيَّ ضَرَرًا قَالَ فَنَزَلَتْ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَبْرَحَ {غَيْرُ أُولِي الضَّرَرِ} [النساء 95]  

tabarani:4899[Chain 1] ʿAbdān b. Muḥammad al-Marwazī > Isḥāq b. Rāhawayh > ʿAbd al-Razzāq > Maʿmar [Chain 2] Mūsá b. Jumhūr al-Tinnīsī al-Simsār > Muḥammad b. Ḥumayd al-Rāzī > ʿAbdullāh b. al-Mubārak > Maʿmar > al-Zuhrī > Qabīṣah b. Dhuʾayb > Zayd b. Thābit

[Machine] I was writing to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he said to me, "Write: 'The ones who stay behind from the believers are not equal to those who strive in the cause of Allah.' And 'Abdullah bin Umm Maktum came and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, I love Jihad in the cause of Allah, but I have a condition that caused my eyesight to deteriorate.' Zaid bin Thabit said, 'I conveyed his words.' Then, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ placed his hand on my thigh, and I feared that it might hurt, and he said, 'The ones who stay behind from the believers are not equal to those who strive in the cause of Allah, except for the disabled individuals.'"  

الطبراني:٤٨٩٩حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَانُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمَرْوَزِيُّ ثنا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ رَاهَوَيْهِ أَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ جُمْهُورِ التِّنِّيسِيُّ السِّمْسَارُ ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ الرَّازِيُّ ثنا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ قَبِيصَةَ بْنِ ذُؤَيْبٍ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ قَالَ

كُنْتُ أَكْتُبُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ لِي اكْتُبْ {لَا يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ} {وَالْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ} فَجَاءَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي أَحَبُّ الْجِهَادَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ وَلَكِنْ بِي مِنَ الزَّمَانَةِ مَا تَرَى ذَهَبَ بَصَرِي قَالَ زَيْدُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ فَثَقُلَتْ فَخِذُ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ عَلَى فَخِذِي حَتَّى خَشِيتُ أَنْ يَرُضَّهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ {لَا يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُولِي الضَّرَرِ وَالْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ}