Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   Allah, exalted be His remembrance, says: Had they driven you out, they would have remained after you only a short time, and We would have destroyed them by a punishment from Us — this is Our established custom (sunna) toward those to whom We sent Our messengers before you; thus did We deal with the nations when they drove their messengers out from among them. The word "sunna" is here put in the accusative as a confirmation of the action implied in His words lā yalbathūna khilāfaka illā qalīlan — for the meaning of that is: We would have punished them after a short time, in accordance with Our custom toward the nations to whom We sent Our messengers before you. And you will not see Our custom deviate from its course.

   As Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His words Sunnata man qad arsalnā qablaka min rusulinā wa-lā tajidu li-sunnatinā taḥwīlan — that is to say: the custom toward the nations and the messengers who were before you was likewise: when they had denied their messengers and driven them out, they were granted no respite before Allah caused His punishment to descend upon them.

   Show original Arabic

   يقول تعالى ذكره: لو أخرجوك لم يلبثوا خلافك إلا قليلا ولأهلكناهم بعذاب من عندنا، سنتنا فيمن قد أرسلنا قبلك من رسلنا، فإنا كذلك كنا نفعل بالأمم إذا أخرجت رسلها من بين أظهرهم، ونصبت السنة على الخروج من معنى قوله لا يَلْبَثُونَ خِلافَكَ إِلا قَلِيلا لأن معنى ذلك: لعذّبناهم بعد قليل كسنتنا في أمم من أرسلنا قبلك من رسلنا، ولا تجد لسنتنا تحويلا عما جرت به. كما حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد ، عن قتادة، قوله ( سُنَّةَ مَنْ قَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ مِنْ رُسُلِنَا وَلا تَجِدُ لِسُنَّتِنَا تَحْوِيلا ) : أي سنة الأمم والرسل كانت قبلك كذلك إذا كذبوا رسلهم وأخرجوهم، لم يناظروا أن الله أنـزل عليهم عذابه.