One day our Master was having a chat with the mighty polytheist Walid bin Mughira, endeavoring to make him join Islam…

At that point, Hadhdat Khadija’s nephew Abdullah bin Ummu Maktum, a blind man, came to our Master and inadvertently interrupted:

“O Rasul of Allah! Give me guidance! Teach me the things that Allah has taught you?”

While our Master was strenuously striving to guide the great chief of the polytheists to Islam, the interruption of Abdullah bin Ummu Maktum was disconcerting to our Master. He ignored him and continued to converse with Walid bin Mughiyra.

Thereupon the following verses were revealed as a warning:

He frowned and turned away!

When the blind man approached him!

How do you know, perhaps he might be purified!

Or perhaps he is going to contemplate on the reminder and that remembrance is going to benefit him!

As for he who thinks himself without need...

You give attention to him!

But what is it to you if he is not purified!

Whereas the one who comes to you with a thirst for knowledge!

He is in awe!

Yet you do not give your attention to him![1]

After this verse was revealed, whenever our Master came upon Ummu Maktum he would greet him with the words, “O the person who made my Rabb warn me” and sit and converse with him…