~c. 615 CE (Meccan period) · 7 BH
After being tortured into uttering words of disbelief and released as the youngest of his family, Ammar ibn Yasir went to the Prophet ﷺ at Dar al-Arqam in remorse. The Prophet ﷺ reassured him that what mattered was the faith in his heart, and Allah revealed a verse in Surah al-Nahl clarifying that one who is compelled into disbelief while the heart remains firm in faith is not held responsible.
Established the principle that words spoken under duress to save one's life, while the heart remains firm in faith, do not constitute disbelief.
Other events recorded in 7 BH. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.
Ya Rasulullah, I uttered words of kufr. What am I going to do now?
How is the faith in your heart?
As it always is.
If they return, then you return.
Meaning: if the Quraysh do the same thing to you again, you may say the same words again under duress.
مَن كَفَرَ بِاللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ إِيمَانِهِ إِلَّا مَنْ أُكْرِهَ وَقَلْبُهُ مُطْمَئِنٌّ بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَٰكِن مَّن شَرَحَ بِالْكُفْرِ صَدْرًا فَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
“Whoever disbelieves in Allah after their belief — not those who are forced while their hearts are firm in faith, but those who embrace disbelief wholeheartedly — they will be condemned by Allah and suffer a tremendous punishment.”
This is the exact verse the event's own account cites: revealed to clarify that Ammar ibn Yasir RA's forced words under torture did not count against him, since his heart remained firm in faith.