Surah al-An'am

It is narrated from Shahr bin Hawshab (may Allah have mercy on him) that he said: "When Surah al-An'am was revealed, there was with it such a great host of angels that the echo of their glorification and sanctification was resounding through the skies; these angels had filled the entire space from the lowest heaven down to the earth. This whole surah is Makkan, except for the two verses that begin with 'Say: Come, I will recite' [Surah al-An'am: 151]."
Ishaq bin Rahwayh narrated this athar through Jarir, Layth and Shahr bin Hawshab.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) that he asked his companions: "What do you say about these two blessed verses: 'Indeed, those who have said, "Our Lord is Allah," and then remained steadfast' [Surah Fussilat: 30], and 'Those who believe and do not mix their faith with wrongdoing' [Surah al-An'am: 82]?" The Companions said: "'Those who have said, "Our Lord is Allah," and then remained steadfast' means those who affirmed Allah's lordship, then acted according to the requirements of that affirmation and stood firm on Allah's command; while 'those who believe and do not mix their faith with wrongdoing' means those who did not commit any sin after believing." Then Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "You have taken these verses to a very harsh and difficult meaning. In reality, 'those who believe and do not mix their faith with wrongdoing' means those who did not taint their faith with shirk (associating partners with Allah), and 'those who have said, "Our Lord is Allah," and then remained steadfast' means those who acknowledged the oneness of Allah and then remained so firm upon it that they did not deviate from the truth by inclining towards shirk or any other misguidance."
Imam Ishaq bin Rahwayh recorded this report in his Musnad, and although there is criticism of its chain, its meaning is supported by other sahih hadiths and athar.

Abu Usamah narrated, through some of the people of Makkah, from Imam Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him), concerning the words of Allah Almighty, "And do not follow (other) ways, for they will separate you from His way" [Surah al-An'am: 153], that he said: "This means innovations (bid'ah) and doubts."
Imam al-Darimi recorded this athar in his Sunan; although some narrators in its chain are unnamed (mubham), this saying is well known and reliable among the exegetes.

It is narrated from Mahan that a group came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "We have indeed committed great sins." The narrator says: I do not think that he (peace and blessings be upon him) gave them any reply (immediately). Then, when they turned to leave, this blessed verse was revealed: "And when those who believe in Our verses come to you, say: Peace be upon you. Your Lord has prescribed mercy upon Himself" [Surah al-An'am: 54]. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) called them back and recited this noble verse to them.
Imam Musaddad recorded it in his Musnad.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning the words of Allah Almighty, "And not a leaf falls" [Surah al-An'am: 59], that he said: "Whether on land or at sea, there is no tree (on the face of the earth) except that an angel is appointed over it who records every single leaf that falls from it."
Imam Ibn Jarir al-Tabari recorded this athar in his Tafsir, and other hadith scholars in their books, through Hassan al-Fihri.

It is narrated from Sayyidah Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: "Every person should fear lest (because of his wrong conduct) he become entirely cut off from the path and connection of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." Then she recited this blessed verse: "Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects, you (O Prophet) have nothing to do with them" [Surah al-An'am: 159].
In the chain of this report there is an unnamed (mubham) narrator whose name is not clear; however, its text points to the importance of avoiding sectarianism and following the Sunnah.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Khalid al-Khuza'i (may Allah be pleased with him) (who was one of the Companions of the Tree) that it was the practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that when people were present around him, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would offer a short prayer, yet complete in its bowing and prostration. Once he (peace and blessings be upon him) prolonged a prostration in prayer so much that we began signalling to one another to keep silent, as perhaps revelation was descending upon him (peace and blessings be upon him). Then, when he (peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer, someone said: O Messenger of Allah! You prolonged the prostration so much that we thought revelation might be descending upon you. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It was not so; rather, this was a prayer of longing and fear (that is, hope and dread). I asked Allah Almighty for three things; He granted me two and withheld one. I asked Allah that He would not destroy you root and branch with a punishment with which He destroyed those before you, and Allah accepted this supplication of mine; and I asked that He would not set over your whole community any external enemy who would violate your sanctities, and Allah granted this too; and I pleaded that He would not 'confound you into sects and make you taste the violence of one another' [Surah al-An'am: 65], that is, that He would not divide you into different factions and entangle you with one another, nor make you taste the severity of one another's fighting, but Allah withheld this from me (that is, He did not accept this supplication)." The narrator Abu Malik says: I asked Nafi': Did your father hear it from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) himself? He said: Yes, and, indicating with these fingers of his, he mentioned that his father heard it from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ten times.
Imam al-Bazzar also transmitted a similar narration with his chain through Ali bin al-Mundhir from Ibn Fudayl.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Khabbab bin al-Aratt (may Allah be pleased with him) concerning this saying of Allah, the Blessed and Exalted: "And do not drive away those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face. You are not accountable for them in anything, nor are they accountable for you in anything, so that you would drive them away and become one of the wrongdoers" [Surah al-An'am: 52]. He said: Al-Aqra' bin Habis and Uyaynah bin Hisn al-Fazari (may Allah be pleased with them both) came and found the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sitting with Sayyiduna Bilal, Suhayb and Khabbab (may Allah be pleased with them) and other weak and poor Muslims. When these chiefs saw these Companions around him (peace and blessings be upon him), they looked down on them. Then they came to him (peace and blessings be upon him) and said to him in private: "We would like you to set aside a special gathering for us through which the Arabs will recognize our merit and superiority, for we are the noble chiefs of the Arabs and various delegations come to us. So we feel ashamed that the Arabs should see us sitting with these slaves. So when we come to you, make them get up and leave you, and when we have finished and gone, then seat them with you if you wish." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said (to win their hearts): "Very well (I will do so)." They said: "Then have a written agreement drawn up for us." So he (peace and blessings be upon him) called for a sheet and summoned Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) to write. We were sitting in a corner when suddenly Jibril (peace be upon him) came down with this saying of Allah Almighty: "And do not drive away those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face" [Surah al-An'am: 52] up to "of the wrongdoers". Then Allah, Exalted in His Majesty, said: "And when those who believe in Our verses come to you, say: Peace be upon you. Your Lord has prescribed mercy for Himself" [Surah al-An'am: 54]. (On hearing this) the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) threw the sheet from his hand and called us, so we came to him (peace and blessings be upon him) while he was saying: 'Salamun alaykum, kataba rabbukum ala nafsihi al-rahmah' (Peace be upon you; your Lord has prescribed mercy for Himself). So we sat so close to him (peace and blessings be upon him) that our knees touched his blessed knees. After that, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would sit with us, and when he (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to get up, he would get up and leave us (so that we would not be hurt). Then Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed this verse: "And keep yourself patiently with those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face, and do not let your eyes pass beyond them, desiring the adornment of the life of this world" [Surah al-Kahf: 28]. The narrator said: what is meant by this was the desire for the gathering of those nobles of Quraysh. And He said: "And do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance" [Surah al-Kahf: 28], meaning Uyaynah and al-Aqra'. And in "and who follows his own desires and whose affair is ever furutan" [Surah al-Kahf: 28], "furutan" means "ruin and destruction". Then Allah Almighty set forth for them the parable of two men and of the life of this world. (Sayyiduna Khabbab says that after this) the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would remain sitting with us, and when the time came at which he would get up, we ourselves would get up and leave him (for his ease); otherwise he (peace and blessings be upon him) would always remain seated with patience and steadfastness until we ourselves got up.
Imam Abu Bakr said: Ahmad bin al-Mufaddal narrated to us; he mentioned this narration in full from Asbat bin Nasr. And Imam Ibn Majah recorded it in abridged form through the route of Amr al-Anqazi.