Bal`am bin Ba`ura

Bal`am bin Ba`ura

"And recite to them the story of him to whom 
We gave Our Ayat, but he threw them away; so 
Shaytan followed him up, and he became of those 
who went astray." (7:175)

Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Abdullah bin Mas`ud said 
that this Ayah; 

"Is about Bal`am bin Ba`ura' a man from the 
Children of Israel.'' 

Shu`bah and several other narrators narrated 
this statement from Mansur who got it from Ibn 
Mas`ud. 

Al-Awfi reported that Ibn Abbas said, 

"He is Bal`am bin Ba`ura', a man from Yemen 
whom Allah had given the knowledge of His Ayat, 
but he abandoned them.'' 

Malik bin Dinar said, 

"He was one of the scholars of the Children of 
Israel whose supplication was acceptable. They 
used to seek his lead in supplication in times of 
difficulty. Allah's Prophet Musa sent him to the 
King of Madyan to call him to Allah. That king 
appeased him and gave him land and gifts, and 
he reverted from the religion of Musa and 
followed the king's religion.'' 

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said, 

"He is a man from the city of the tyrants 
(Jerusalem) whose name was Bal`am and who 
knew Allah's Greatest Name.'' 

Ali bin Abi Talhah also reported that Ibn Abbas 
that he said, 

"When Musa and those with him went to the city 
of the tyrants (Jerusalem), the cousins of Bal`am 
and his people came to him and said, `Musa is a 
strong man, and he has many soldiers. If he 
gains the upper hand over us, we will be 
destroyed. Therefore, supplicate to Allah that He 
prevents Musa and those with him from prevailing 
over us.' Bal`am said, `If I supplicate to Allah 
that He turns back Musa and those with him, I 
will lose in this life and the Hereafter.' 
They kept luring him until he supplicated against 
Musa and his people, and Allah took away what 
he bestowed on him (of knowledge).