Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   Allah the Exalted says — while reminding His servants of His favors — that man prays for evil against himself, his children, and his property: he says "O Allah, destroy him and curse him" in his vexations and anger, just as he prays for good: that is, just as he prays to his Lord to grant him well-being and to give him safety in himself, his property, and his children. He says: if his prayer for evil against himself, his property, and his children were answered for him — as it is answered for him concerning the good — he would perish. But Allah, in His mercy, does not answer that for him.

   In accordance with what we have said, the exegetes spoke.

   * Mention of those who said that:

   Muhammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word وَيَدْعُ الإنْسَانُ بِالشَّرِّ دُعَاءَهُ بِالْخَيْرِ وَكَانَ الإنْسَانُ عَجُولا (Man prays for evil as he prays for good, and man is hasty): "This means that man says: 'O Allah, curse him and be wrathful against him' — were that given to him as swiftly as the good is given to him, he would perish." He also said: "It is also said: it is وَإِذَا مَسَّ الإِنْسَانَ الضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنْبِهِ أَوْ قَاعِدًا أَوْ قَائِمًا (When affliction touches man, he calls upon Us, lying on his side, sitting, or standing) so that He may relieve him of his affliction. Allah the Exalted says: if he remembered Me and obeyed Me and followed My command in times of ease, just as he calls upon Me in times of trial, that would be better for him."

   Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word وَيَدْعُ الإنْسَانُ بِالشَّرِّ دُعَاءَهُ بِالْخَيْرِ وَكَانَ الإنْسَانُ عَجُولا (Man prays for evil as he prays for good, and man is hasty): "He prays against his property, curses his property and his children — were Allah to answer him in that, it would ruin him."

   Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muhammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning وَيَدْعُ الإنْسَانُ بِالشَّرِّ دُعَاءَهُ بِالْخَيْرِ (Man prays for evil as he prays for good): "He prays against himself for something which, were it answered, would ruin him — and against his servant, or against his property."

   Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Husayn related to us, saying: Hajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning وَيَدْعُ الإنْسَانُ بِالشَّرِّ دُعَاءَهُ بِالْخَيْرِ وَكَانَ الإنْسَانُ عَجُولا (Man prays for evil as he prays for good, and man is hasty): "That is man's praying for evil against his children and his wife — he is hasty: he prays for it, while he does not want it to befall him."

   Concerning the explanation of وَكَانَ الإنْسَانُ عَجُولا (and man is hasty), opinions differed: Mujāhid and those whose words I have cited said: the meaning is that man is hasty in praying for what he does not want answered for him therein.

   Others said: by this is meant Ādam — that he was hasty after the soul was breathed into him, before it had been drawn through his entire body, and he tried to stand up. His progeny were described by his characteristics as hasty, on account of the haste of their father Ādam to stand up before his creation had been completed.

   * Mention of those who said that:

   Muhammad ibn al-Muthannā related to us, saying: Muhammad ibn Jaʿfar related to us, saying: Shuʿba related to us, on the authority of al-Hakam, on the authority of Ibrāhīm, that Salmān al-Fārisī said: "The first thing Allah created of Ādam was his head — he began to look while he was still being formed. His legs were not yet there; when it was after the afternoon prayer, he said: 'O my Lord, hasten this before night falls.' That is His word وَكَانَ الإنْسَانُ عَجُولا (and man is hasty)."

   Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: ʿUthmān ibn Saʿīd related to us, saying: Bishr ibn ʿAmāra related to us, on the authority of Abū Rawq, on the authority of al-Dahhāk, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: "When Allah breathed of His spirit into Ādam, the breath descended from his head — nothing of him did that breath flow through but it became flesh and blood. When the breath reached his navel, he looked at his body and was delighted at what he saw of his body, and tried to stand up but could not. That is the word of Allah the Exalted وَكَانَ الإنْسَانُ عَجُولا (and man is hasty)." He said: this means "impatient, without patience in ease or in adversity."

   Show original Arabic

   يقول تعالى ذكره مذكرا عباده أياديه عندهم، ويدعو الإنسان على نفسه وولده وماله بالشرّ، فيقول: اللهمّ أهلكه والعنه عند ضجره وغضبه، كدعائه بالخير: يقول: كدعائه ربه بأن يهب له العافية، ويرزقه السلامة في نفسه وماله وولده، يقول: فلو استجيب له في دعائه على نفسه وماله وولده بالشرّ كما يستجاب له في الخير هلك، ولكن الله بفضله لا يستجيب له في ذلك. وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك، قال أهل التأويل. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثني محمد بن سعد، قال: ثني أبي، قال: ثني عمي، قال: ثني أبي، عن أبيه، عن ابن عباس ، قوله ( وَيَدْعُ الإنْسَانُ بِالشَّرِّ دُعَاءَهُ بِالْخَيْرِ وَكَانَ الإنْسَانُ عَجُولا ) يعني قول الإنسان: اللهمَّ العنه واغضب عليه، فلو يُعَجل له ذلك كما يُعجل له الخير، لهلك، قال: ويقال: هو وَإِذَا مَسَّ الإِنْسَانَ الضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنْبِهِ أَوْ قَاعِدًا أَوْ قَائِمًا أن يكشف ما به من ضرّ، يقول تبارك وتعالى: لو أنه ذكرني وأطاعني، واتبع أمري عند الخير، كما يدعوني عند البلاء، كان خيرا له. حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، قوله ( وَيَدْعُ الإنْسَانُ بِالشَّرِّ دُعَاءَهُ بِالْخَيْرِ وَكَانَ الإنْسَانُ عَجُولا ) يدعو على ماله، فيلعن ماله وولده، ولو استجاب الله له لأهلكه. حدثنا محمد بن عبد الأعلى، قال: ثنا محمد بن ثور، عن معمر، عن قتادة ( وَيَدْعُ الإنْسَانُ بِالشَّرِّ دُعَاءَهُ بِالْخَيْرِ ) قال: يدعو على نفسه بما لو استجيب له هلك، وعلى خادمه، أو على ماله. حدثنا القاسم، قال: ثنا الحسين، قال: ثني حجاج، عن ابن جريج، عن مجاهد ( وَيَدْعُ الإنْسَانُ بِالشَّرِّ دُعَاءَهُ بِالْخَيْرِ وَكَانَ الإنْسَانُ عَجُولا ) قال: ذلك دعاء الإنسان بالشرّ على ولده وعلى امرأته، فيعجل: فيدعو عليه، ولا يحب أن يصيبه. واختلف في تأويل قوله ( وَكَانَ الإنْسَانُ عَجُولا ) فقال مجاهد ومن ذكرت قوله: معناه: وكان الإنسان عَجولا بالدعاء على ما يكره، أن يُستجاب له فيه. وقال آخرون: عنى بذلك آدم أنه عجل حين نفخ فيه الروح قبل أن تجري في جميع جسده ، فرام النهوض، فوصف ولده بالاستعجال، لما كان من استعجال أبيهم آدم القيام، قبل أن يتمّ خلقه. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثنا محمد بن المثنى، قال: ثنا محمد بن جعفر، قال: ثنا شُعبة، عن الحكم، عن إبراهيم، أن سلمان الفارسيّ، قال: أوّل ما خلق الله من آدم رأسه، فجعل ينظر وهو يُخلق، قال: وبقيت رجلاه؛ فلما كان بعد العصر قال: يا ربّ عَجِّل قبل الليل، فذلك قوله ( وَكَانَ الإنْسَانُ عَجُولا ). حدثنا أبو كريب، قال: ثنا عثمان بن سعيد، قال: ثنا بشر بن عمارة، عن أبي رَوْق، عن الضحاك عن ابن عباس، قال: لما نفخ الله في آدم من روحه أتت النفخة من قبَل رأسه، فجعل لا يجرى شيء منها في جسده، إلا صار لحما ودما؛ فلما انتهت النفخة إلى سرّته، نظر إلى جسده، فأعجبه ما رأى من جسده فذهب لينهض فلم يقدر، فهو قول الله تبارك وتعالى ( وَكَانَ الإنْسَانُ عَجُولا ) قال: ضَجِرا لا صبر له على سرّاء، ولا ضرّاء.