Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   ** أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولَكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْلُ ** (Or do you wish to question your messenger as Moses was questioned before?)

   **The statement on the explanation of the words of the Exalted: أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْل ** (Or do you wish to question your messenger as Moses was questioned before?)

   The people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) differed concerning the occasion for which this verse was revealed. Some of them said what amounts to the following:

   1473 – Abū Kurayb related this to us, saying: Yūnus ibn Bukayr related to me; and Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama ibn al-Faḍl related to us; both of them said: Ibn Isḥāq related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Abī Muḥammad, the freedman (mawlā) of Zayd ibn Thābit, related to me, saying: Saʿīd ibn Jubayr or ʿIkrima related to me, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: Rāfiʿ ibn Ḥuraymila and Wahb ibn Zayd said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: "Bring us a book that you send down upon us from heaven, so that we may read it, and cause rivers to gush forth for us, and then we will follow you and hold you to be true!" Thereupon Allah revealed concerning that statement of theirs: أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْل (Or do you wish to question your messenger as Moses was questioned before?), the whole verse.

   Others said what amounts to the following:

   1474 – Bishr ibn Muʿādh related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His words: أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْل (Or do you wish to question your messenger as Moses was questioned before?): Moses was questioned, and it was said to him: أَرِنَا اللَّه جَهْرَة (Show us Allah openly).

   1475 – Mūsā ibn Hārūn related to me, saying: ʿAmr related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْل (Or do you wish to question your messenger as Moses was questioned before?), namely that Allah should show Himself to them openly. Thus the Arabs asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that he bring them Allah, so that they might see Him openly.

   Others said what amounts to the following:

   1476 – Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related this to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning the words of Allah: أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْل (Or do you wish to question your messenger as Moses was questioned before?), namely that Allah should show Himself to them openly. Thus the Quraysh asked Muḥammad ﷺ that Allah should make al-Ṣafā into gold for him. He said: "Yes, and it will be for you like the table of the children of Israel: if you then fall into unbelief [it will strike you]." But they refused and turned away.

   * Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid, who said: The Quraysh asked Muḥammad that he make al-Ṣafā into gold for them. Thereupon he said: "Yes, and it will be for you like the table for the children of Israel: if you then fall into unbelief [it will strike you]." But they refused and turned away. Thereupon Allah revealed: أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْل (Or do you wish to question your messenger as Moses was questioned before?), namely that Allah should show Himself to them openly.

   * Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, the same.

   Others said what amounts to the following:

   1477 – Al-Muthannā related this to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: Ibn Abī Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ, on the authority of Abī al-ʿĀliya, who said: A man said: "O Messenger of Allah, if only we had the expiations (kaffārāt) of the children of Israel!" Thereupon the Prophet ﷺ said: "O Allah, we do not desire them! What Allah has given you is better than what He gave the children of Israel." And the Prophet said: "When one of the children of Israel committed a sin, he would find it written upon his door, together with its expiation. If he then performed the expiation, that was a disgrace for him in this life; if he did not perform the expiation, that was a disgrace for him in the hereafter. But Allah has given you something better than He gave the children of Israel." He said: وَمَنْ يَعْمَل سُوءًا أَوْ يَظْلِم نَفْسه ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِر اللَّه يَجِد اللَّه غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا (And whoever does evil or wrongs himself and then asks Allah for forgiveness will find Allah forgiving and merciful) (4:110). He said: And he said: "The five prayers, and the Friday prayer until the [next] Friday prayer, are expiations for what lies between them." And he said: "Whoever intended a good deed but did not perform it, one good deed is recorded for him; and if he performs it, ten like deeds are recorded for him. And none perishes with Allah except him who is [hopelessly] lost." Thereupon Allah revealed: أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْل (Or do you wish to question your messenger as Moses was questioned before?).

   The grammarians (ahl al-ʿarabiyya) differed concerning the meaning of the أَمْ ("or/but") in His words: أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ ("Or do you wish").

   Some of the scholars of Basra said: It has the meaning of a question, and the explanation of the words is: "Do you wish to question your messenger?"

   Others of them said: It has the meaning of a new question, detached from the [preceding] statement, as if by it you turn back to its beginning — as the Arabs say: "They are indeed camels, O people — or is it sheep?" and "It was indeed thus and so — or is it merely a supposition of mine?" He said: His words أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ ("Or do you wish") do not rest upon doubt; rather, He spoke this in order to present their conduct as reprehensible. He cited in support of that statement the verse of al-Akhṭal:

   > Has your eye lied to you — or did you truly see, near Wāsiṭ, > in the dusky gloom of the rain clouds, an apparition?

   Some grammarians of the Kufan school said: If you wish, you may take His words أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ ("Or do you wish") as a question following upon a statement that preceded it — as the Exalted, whose praise is great, said: ألم تَنْزِيل الْكِتَاب لَا رَيْب فِيهِ مِنْ رَبّ الْعَالَمِينَ أُمّ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ (Alif Lām Mīm. The sending down of the Book about which there is no doubt, from the Lord of the worlds. Or do they say: he has invented it?) (32:1–3) — where the "أَمْ" ("or") came without a question preceding it. That was for him an indication that it is a newly begun question, following upon a statement that preceded it.

   And the proponent of this view said: "أَمْ" ("or") is in meaning a response to the question in two ways: one is that it carries the meaning of "أَيْ" ("namely/which"), and the other that by it a question is posed, and it then comes as a connective sequence (nasaq), while it is intended as a beginning — except that it is a beginning connected to a [preceding] statement. But were you to begin a statement preceded by no statement and then pose a question, that can only be done with the [interrogative] alif or with "هَلْ". He said: And if you wish, you may say that His words أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ ("Or do you wish") were preceded by a question of which it forms a response, namely in His words: أَلَمْ تَعْلَم أَنَّ اللَّه عَلَى كُلّ شَيْء قَدِير (Do you not know that Allah has power over all things?).

   The correct view of what may be said about this is, in my judgment, in accordance with the reports (āthār) we have cited from the people of interpretation, that it is a newly begun question with the meaning: "Do you wish, O people, to question your messenger?" It was only permissible for the people to pose a question with "أَمْ" — even though one of the conditions of "أَمْ" is that it forms a connective sequence in a question following upon a preceding statement — because it becomes a newly begun question when a preceding statement precedes it. And it has not been heard of the Arabs that they posed a question with it without a statement preceding it. Its counterpart is His word, whose praise is great: ألم تَنْزِيل الْكِتَاب لَا رَيْب فِيهِ مِنْ رَبّ الْعَالَمِينَ أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ (Alif Lām Mīm. The sending down of the Book about which there is no doubt, from the Lord of the worlds. Or do they say: he has invented it?).

   "أَمْ" may also have the meaning of "بَلْ" ("rather/nay") when it is preceded by a question in which "أَيْ" is not fitting, as one says: "Do you have a right against us, or are you a man known for his wrongdoing?" And the poet said:

   > By Allah, I do not know whether Salmā appeared in a phantom shape, > or the people, or — everyone is dear to me —

   by which he means: "rather: everyone is dear to me."

   Some used to say, in refutation of the statement of him who claims that "أَمْ" in His words أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ ("Or do you wish") is a new question, detached from the statement and by it turning back to its beginning, that the first is an assertion (khabar) and the second a question, whereas a question cannot occur within an assertion nor an assertion within a question; rather, doubt overcame him — so he claims — after the assertion had passed, and therefore he posed a question.

   If, then, the meaning of "أَمْ" is as we have described, then the explanation of the words is: "Do you wish, O people, to question your messenger about matters as the people of Moses before you questioned [their prophet], so that you fall into unbelief if he withholds those [matters] from you upon your asking for something that, in the wisdom of Allah, may not be granted to you — or so that you perish, if it is something that, in His wisdom, may indeed be granted to you and He then grants it to you, after which you fall into unbelief — just as those before you perished, of the communities who asked their prophets for something they had no right to ask them, and who, when it was granted to them, fell into unbelief, whereupon the punishments promptly overtook them because of their unbelief, after Allah had granted them their request."

   ** وَمَنْ يَتَبَدَّلِ الْكُفْرَ بِالْإِيمَانِ ** (And whoever exchanges unbelief (kufr) for faith (īmān))

   **The statement on the explanation of the words of the Exalted: وَمَنْ يَتَبَدَّل الْكُفْر بِالْإِيمَانِ ** (And whoever exchanges unbelief for faith.)

   The Exalted, whose praise is great, means by His words وَمَنْ يَتَبَدَّل ("and whoever exchanges"): and whoever puts unbelief in the place [of faith]. And by "unbelief" (kufr) He means: the denial of Allah and His signs; بِالْإِيمَانِ ("for faith"), by which He means: the holding true of Allah and His signs and the acknowledgment of Him.

   It has been said that by "unbelief" (kufr) in this place "hardship/adversity" (al-shidda) is meant, and by "faith" (īmān) "prosperity" (al-rakhāʾ). I, however, know of no "adversity" among the meanings of kufr, nor "prosperity" in the meaning of īmān — unless he who said this meant, by his interpretation of kufr in the meaning of "adversity" in this place, and by his interpretation of īmān in the meaning of "prosperity": the adversities that Allah has prepared for the unbelievers (kuffār) in the hereafter, and the bliss that Allah has prepared for the people of faith therein. In that case it would constitute an [acceptable] interpretation, even though it lies far from what is understood from the outward wording of the address.

   Mention of who said that:

   1478 – Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: Ibn Abī Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Abī al-ʿĀliya: وَمَنْ يَتَبَدَّل الْكُفْر بِالْإِيمَانِ (And whoever exchanges unbelief for faith), he says: he exchanges prosperity for adversity.

   * Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Abī Jaʿfar, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ, on the authority of Abī al-ʿĀliya, something similar.

   And in His words وَمَنْ يَتَبَدَّل الْكُفْر بِالْإِيمَانِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاء السَّبِيل (And whoever exchanges unbelief for faith has indeed strayed from the right way) there lies a clear indication for what we have said, namely that these verses, from His words يَا أَيّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَقُولُوا رَاعِنَا (O you who believe, do not say "rāʿinā"), are an address from Allah, whose praise is great, directed to those who believe in Him among the Companions (ṣaḥāba) of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and a rebuke from Him to them for a deed that had earlier issued from them, by which the Jews were gladdened and which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ disapproved of for them, so that Allah too disapproved of it for them. Thus He rebuked them for it, and He made known to them that the Jews are a people of treachery toward them, and of envy and malice, and that they wish them calamities and pursue their misfortune. And He forbade them to seek counsel with them, and He informed them that whoever among them apostatizes (irtadda) from his religion and exchanges his faith for unbelief has indeed missed the right course of the way.

   ** فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ ** (He has indeed strayed from the right way)

   **The statement on the explanation of the words of the Exalted: فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاء السَّبِيل ** (He has indeed strayed from the right way.)

   As for His words فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ("he has indeed strayed"): by it He means: he has gone away and deviated. The root meaning of straying (al-ḍalāl) with respect to a thing is: going away from it and deviating from it. Then it is used for the thing that perishes and for the thing not worthy of attention, as one says of the insignificant man who has no renown and no standing: "a lost son of a lost one" and "a lowly son of a lowly one"; as al-Akhṭal said concerning the thing that perishes:

   > You were the sediment upon the wave of a turbid, foaming [stream], > which the surging flood carried along, so that it was lost in lostness —

   by which he means: it perished and vanished.

   And what Allah, whose mention is exalted, meant by His words فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاء السَّبِيل (he has indeed strayed from the right way) is: he has gone away from the middle of the way and deviated from it.

   As for the explanation of His words سَوَاء السَّبِيل ("the middle of the way"): by al-sawāʾ He means: the right course and the path. The root meaning of al-sawāʾ is: the middle. It is related of ʿĪsā ibn ʿUmar the grammarian that he said: "I kept writing until my sawāʾ broke," by which he meant his waist. And Ḥassān ibn Thābit said:

   > O woe for the helpers (anṣār) of the Prophet and his progeny, > after he has vanished into the middle (sawāʾ) of the grave —

   by which he means by al-sawāʾ the middle. The Arabs say: "He is in sawāʾ al-sabīl," by which they mean: in the middle of the way. And "sawāʾ al-arḍ" with them is the level middle of it. As for al-sabīl (the way): it is the trodden road (al-ṭarīq al-masbūl); it is derived from masbūl and transformed into sabīl.

   The explanation of the words, then, is: "And whoever exchanges faith in Allah and in His messenger for unbelief, so that he apostatizes from his religion, has indeed deviated from the path of the way and from its clear, trodden middle."

   This statement reports, according to its outward form, the straying of him who exchanges faith for unbelief from the way; but what is meant by it is the report concerning him that he has abandoned the religion of Allah — which Allah has willed for His servants and which He has made for them into a way along which they go to His good pleasure, and into a path that they ride toward His love and toward the attainment of His gardens (jannāt). For the Exalted, whose praise is great, has made the way along which he who travels it, when he rides its trodden track and holds to its middle as he traverses it, is saved, attains his goal, and gains his aim — He has made that [way] into a likeness for His religion to which He has called His servants, a likeness for the fact that, by holding fast to it and following it, they attain their desires in their hereafter, just as he who holds to the trodden track of the way, by holding to it, attains his striving for salvation along it and reaches the place that he intended and wished to reach.

   And He has made the image of him who deviates from his religion and deviates from following that to which He calls him of His worship during his life — [and thereby deviates from] what he hoped to attain with his works in his hereafter and to obtain in his return [to Allah], and [thus] slips away from what he hoped for of reward for his work and thereby distances himself from his Lord — into the image of him who deviates from the path of the way and the right course of the path, who, the further he penetrates in the direction he has taken, only grows further removed from the place of his need, and strays further from the place that he intended and wished to reach.

   And this way, concerning which Allah has reported that whoever exchanges unbelief for faith has indeed strayed from the middle of it, is the straight path (al-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm) for which we have been commanded to seek guidance with His words: اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاط الْمُسْتَقِيم صِرَاط الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْت عَلَيْهِمْ (Guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor).

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   أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولَكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْلُ الْقَوْل فِي تَأْوِيل قَوْله تَعَالَى : { أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْل } اخْتَلَفَ أَهْل التَّأْوِيل فِي السَّبَب الَّذِي مِنْ أَجْله أُنْزِلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَة . فَقَالَ بَعْضهمْ بِمَا : 1473 - حَدَّثَنَا بِهِ أَبُو كُرَيْب , قَالَ : حَدَّثَنِي يُونُس بْن بُكَيْر , وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْن حُمَيْدٍ , قَالَ : ثنا سَلَمَة بْن الْفَضْل , قَالَا : ثنا ابْن إسْحَاق , قَالَ : حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّد بْن أَبِي مُحَمَّد مَوْلَى زَيْد بْن ثَابِت , قَالَ : حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيد بْن جُبَيْر أَوْ عِكْرِمَة عَنْ ابْن عَبَّاس : قَالَ رَافِع بْن حُرَيْمِلَة وَوَهْب بْن زَيْد لِرَسُولِ اللَّه صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : ائْتِنَا بِكِتَابِ تُنْزِلهُ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ السَّمَاء نَقْرَؤُهُ وَفَجِّرْ لَنَا أَنَهَارًا نَتَّبِعك وَنُصَدِّقك ! فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّه فِي ذَلِكَ مِنْ قَوْلهمْ : { أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْل } الْآيَة . وَقَالَ آخَرُونَ بِمَا : 1474 - حَدَّثَنَا بِشْر بْن مُعَاذ , قَالَ ثنا يَزِيد , قَالَ : ثنا سَعِيد , عَنْ قَتَادَة قَوْله : { أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْل } وَكَانَ مُوسَى يُسْأَل فَقِيلَ لَهُ : { أَرِنَا اللَّه جَهْرَة } . 4 153 1475 - حَدَّثَنِي مُوسَى بْن هَارُونَ , قَالَ : ثنا عَمْرو , قَالَ : ثنا أَسْبَاط , عَنْ السُّدِّيّ : { أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْل } أَنْ يُرِيهِمْ اللَّه جَهْرَة , فَسَأَلَتْ الْعَرَب رَسُول اللَّه صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يَأْتِيهِمْ بِاَللَّهِ فَيَرَوْهُ جَهْرَة . وَقَالَ آخَرُونَ بِمَا : 1476 - حَدَّثَنِي بِهِ مُحَمَّد بْن عَمْرو , قَالَ : ثنا أَبُو عَاصِم , قَالَ : ثنا عِيسَى , عَنْ ابْن أَبِي نَجِيح , عَنْ مُجَاهِد فِي قَوْل اللَّه : { أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْل } أَنْ يُرِيهِمْ اللَّه جَهْرَة . فَسَأَلَتْ قُرَيْش مُحَمَّدًا صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يَجْعَل اللَّه لَهُ الصَّفَا ذَهَبًا , قَالَ : " نَعَمْ , وَهُوَ لَكُمْ كَمَائِدَةِ بَنِي إسْرَائِيل إنْ كَفَرْتُمْ " . فَأَبَوْا وَرَجَعُوا . * حَدَّثَنَا الْقَاسِم , قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا الْحُسَيْن , قَالَ : حَدَّثَنِي حَجَّاج , عَنْ ابْن جُرَيْجٍ , عَنْ مُجَاهِد قَالَ : سَأَلَتْ قُرَيْش مُحَمَّدًا أَنْ يَجْعَل لَهُمْ الصَّفَا ذَهَبًا , فَقَالَ : " نَعَمْ , وَهُوَ لَكُمْ كَالْمَائِدَةِ لِبَنِي إسْرَائِيل إنْ كَفَرْتُمْ " . فَأَبَوْا وَرَجَعُوا , فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّه { أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْل } أَنْ يُرِيهِمْ اللَّه جَهْرَة . * حَدَّثَنِي الْمُثَنَّى , قَالَ : ثنا أَبُو حُذَيْفَة , قَالَ : ثنا شِبْل , عَنْ ابْن أَبِي نَجِيح , عَنْ مُجَاهِد مِثْله . وَقَالَ آخَرُونَ بِمَا : 1477 - حَدَّثَنِي بِهِ الْمُثَنَّى , قَالَ : ثنا إسْحَاق , قَالَ : ثنا ابْن أَبِي جَعْفَر , عَنْ أَبِيهِ , عَنْ الرَّبِيع , عَنْ أَبِي الْعَالِيَة , قَالَ : قَالَ رَجُل : يَا رَسُول اللَّه لَوْ كَانَتْ كَفَّارَاتنَا كَفَّارَات بَنِي إسْرَائِيل ! فَقَالَ النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " اللَّهُمَّ لَا نَبْغِيهَا ! مَا أَعْطَاكُمْ اللَّه خَيْر مِمَّا أَعْطَى بَنِي إسْرَائِيل ; فَقَالَ النَّبِيّ : كَانَتْ بَنُو إسْرَائِيل إذَا فَعَلَ أَحَدهمْ الْخَطِيئَة وَجَدَهَا مَكْتُوبَة عَلَى بَابه وَكَفَّارَتهَا , فَإِنْ كَفَّرَهَا كَانَتْ لَهُ خِزْيًا فِي الدُّنْيَا , وَإِنْ لَمْ يُكَفِّرهَا كَانَتْ لَهُ خِزْيًا فِي الْآخِرَة . وَقَدْ أَعْطَاكُمْ اللَّه خَيْرًا مِمَّا أَعْطَى بَنِي إسْرَائِيل , قَالَ : { وَمَنْ يَعْمَل سُوءًا أَوْ يَظْلِم نَفْسه ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِر اللَّه يَجِد اللَّه غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا } " 4 110 قَالَ : وَقَالَ : " الصَّلَوَات الْخَمْس وَالْجُمُعَة إلَى الْجُمُعَة كَفَّارَات لِمَا بَيْنهنَّ " . وَقَالَ : " مَنْ هَمَّ بِحَسَنَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلهَا كُتِبَتْ لَهُ حَسَنَة , فَإِنْ عَمِلَهَا كُتِبَتْ لَهُ عَشْر أَمْثَالهَا , وَلَا يَهْلَك عَلَى اللَّه إلَّا هَالِك " . فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّه : { أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْل } . وَاخْتَلَفَ أَهْل الْعَرَبِيَّة فِي مَعْنَى { أَمْ } الَّتِي فِي قَوْله : { أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ } . فَقَالَ بَعْض الْبَصْرِيِّينَ : هِيَ بِمَعْنَى الِاسْتِفْهَام , وَتَأْوِيل الْكَلَام : أَتُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ ؟ وَقَالَ آخَرُونَ مِنْهُمْ : هِيَ بِمَعْنَى اسْتِفْهَام مُسْتَقْبَل مُنْقَطِع مِنْ الْكَلَام , كَأَنَّك تَمِيل بِهَا إلَى أَوَّله كَقَوْلِ الْعَرَب : إنَّهَا لَإِبِل يَا قَوْم أَمْ شَاءَ , وَلَقَدْ كَانَ كَذَا وَكَذَا أَمْ حَدْس نَفْسِيّ . قَالَ : وَلَيْسَ قَوْله : { أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ } عَلَى الشَّكّ ; وَلَكِنَّهُ قَالَهُ لِيُقَبِّح لَهُ صَنِيعهمْ . وَاسْتَشْهَدَ لِقَوْلِهِ ذَلِكَ بِبَيْتِ الْأَخْطَل : كَذَبَتْك عَيْنك أَمْ رَأَيْت بِوَاسِطِ غَلَس الظَّلَام مِنْ الرَّبَاب خَيَالًا وَقَالَ بَعْض نَحْوِيِّي الْكُوفِيِّينَ : إنْ شِئْت جَعَلْت قَوْله : { أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ } اسْتِفْهَامًا عَلَى كَلَام قَدْ سَبَقَهُ , كَمَا قَالَ جَلّ ثَنَاؤُهُ : { ألم تَنْزِيل الْكِتَاب لَا رَيْب فِيهِ مِنْ رَبّ الْعَالَمِينَ أُمّ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ } 32 1 - 3 فَجَاءَتْ " أَمْ " وَلَيْسَ قَبْلهَا اسْتِفْهَام . فَكَانَ ذَلِكَ عِنْده دَلِيلًا عَلَى أَنَّهُ اسْتِفْهَام مُبْتَدَأ عَلَى كَلَام سَبَقَهُ . وَقَالَ قَائِل هَذِهِ الْمَقَالَة : " أَمْ " فِي الْمَعْنَى تَكُون رَدًّا عَلَى الِاسْتِفْهَام عَلَى جِهَتَيْنِ , إحْدَاهُمَا : أَنْ تَعْرِف مَعْنَى " أَيْ " , وَالْأُخْرَى أَنْ يُسْتَفْهَم بِهَا , وَيَكُون عَلَى جِهَة النَّسَق , وَاَلَّذِي يَنْوِي بِهِ الِابْتِدَاء ; إلَّا أَنَّهُ ابْتِدَاء مُتَّصِل بِكَلَامِ , فَلَوْ ابْتَدَأْت كَلَامًا لَيْسَ قَبْله كَلَام ثُمَّ اسْتَفْهَمْت لَمْ يَكُنْ إلَّا بِالْأَلِفِ أَوْ ب " هَلْ " . قَالَ : وَإِنْ شِئْت قُلْت فِي قَوْله : { أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ } قَبْله اسْتِفْهَام , فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ فِي قَوْله : { أَلَمْ تَعْلَم أَنَّ اللَّه عَلَى كُلّ شَيْء قَدِير } . وَالصَّوَاب مِنْ الْقَوْل فِي ذَلِكَ عِنْدِي عَلَى مَا جَاءَتْ بِهِ الْآثَار الَّتِي ذَكَرْنَاهَا عَنْ أَهْل التَّأْوِيل أَنَّهُ اسْتِفْهَام مُبْتَدَأ بِمَعْنَى : أَتُرِيدُونَ أَيّهَا الْقَوْم أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ ؟ وَإِنَّمَا جَازَ أَنْ يَسْتَفْهِم الْقَوْم ب " أَمْ " وَإِنْ كَانَتْ " أَمْ " أَحَد شُرُوطهَا أَنْ تَكُون نَسَقًا فِي الِاسْتِفْهَام لِتُقَدِّم مَا تَقَدَّمَهَا مِنْ الْكَلَام ; لِأَنَّهَا تَكُون اسْتِفْهَامًا مُبْتَدَأ إذَا تَقَدَّمَهَا سَابِق مِنْ الْكَلَام , وَلَمْ يُسْمَع مِنْ الْعَرَب اسْتِفْهَام بِهَا وَلَمْ يَتَقَدَّمهَا كَلَام . وَنَظِيره قَوْله جَلّ ثَنَاؤُهُ : { ألم تَنْزِيل الْكِتَاب لَا رَيْب فِيهِ مِنْ رَبّ الْعَالَمِينَ أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ } . وَقَدْ تَكُون " أَمْ " بِمَعْنَى " بَلْ " إذَا سَبَقَهَا اسْتِفْهَام لَا يَصْلُح فِيهِ " أَيْ " , فَيَقُولُونَ : هَلْ لَك قِبَلنَا حَقّ , أَمْ أَنْت رَجُل مَعْرُوف بِالظُّلْمِ ؟ وَقَالَ الشَّاعِر : فَوَاَللَّهِ مَا أَدْرِي أَسَلْمَى تَغَوَّلَتْ أَمْ الْقَوْم أَمْ كُلّ إلَيَّ حَبِيب يَعْنِي : بَلْ كُلّ إلَيَّ حَبِيب . وَقَدْ كَانَ بَعْضهمْ يَقُول مُنْكِرًا قَوْل مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ " أَمْ " فِي قَوْله : { أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ } اسْتِفْهَام مُسْتَقْبَل مُنْقَطِع مِنْ الْكَلَام يَمِيل بِهَا إلَى أَوَّله أَنَّ الْأَوَّل خَبَر وَالثَّانِي اسْتِفْهَام , وَالِاسْتِفْهَام لَا يَكُون فِي الْخَبَر , وَالْخَبَر لَا يَكُون فِي الِاسْتِفْهَام ; وَلَكِنْ أَدْرَكَهُ الشَّكّ بِزَعْمِهِ بَعْد مُضِيّ الْخَبَر , فَاسْتَفْهَمَ . فَإِذَا كَانَ مَعْنَى " أَمْ " مَا وَصَفْنَا , فَتَأْوِيل الْكَلَام : أَتُرِيدُونَ أَيّهَا الْقَوْم أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ مِنْ الْأَشْيَاء نَظِير مَا سَأَلَ قَوْم مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْلكُمْ , فَتَكْفُرُوا إنْ مَنَعْتُمُوهُ فِي مَسْأَلَتكُمْ مَا لَا يَجُوز فِي حِكْمَة اللَّه إِعْطَاؤُكُمُوه , أَوْ أَنْ تَهْلَكُوا , إنْ كَانَ مِمَّا يَجُوز فِي حِكْمَته عَطَاؤُكُمُوهُ فَأَعْطَاكُمُوهُ ثُمَّ كَفَرْتُمْ مِنْ بَعْد ذَلِكَ , كَمَا هَلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلكُمْ مِنْ الْأُمَم الَّتِي سَأَلَتْ أَنْبِيَاءَهَا مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهَا مَسْأَلَتهَا إيَّاهُمْ , فَلَمَّا أُعْطِيَتْ كَفَرَتْ , فَعُوجِلَتْ بِالْعُقُوبَاتِ لِكُفْرِهَا بَعْد إعْطَاء اللَّه إيَّاهَا سُؤْلهَا . وَمَنْ يَتَبَدَّلِ الْكُفْرَ بِالْإِيمَانِ الْقَوْل فِي تَأْوِيل قَوْله تَعَالَى : { وَمَنْ يَتَبَدَّل الْكُفْر بِالْإِيمَانِ } . يَعْنِي جَلّ ثَنَاؤُهُ بِقَوْلِهِ : { وَمَنْ يَتَبَدَّل } وَمَنْ يَسْتَبْدِل الْكُفْر ; وَيَعْنِي بِالْكُفْرِ : الْجُحُود بِاَللَّهِ وَبِآيَاتِهِ { بِالْإِيمَانِ } , يَعْنِي بِالتَّصْدِيقِ بِاَللَّهِ وَبِآيَاتِهِ وَالْإِقْرَار بِهِ . وَقَدْ قِيلَ عَنِّي بِالْكُفْرِ فِي هَذَا الْمَوْضِع الشِّدَّة وَبِالْإِيمَانِ الرَّخَاء . وَلَا أَعْرِف الشِّدَّة فِي مَعَانِي الْكُفْر , وَلَا الرَّخَاء فِي مَعْنَى الْإِيمَان , إلَّا أَنْ يَكُون قَائِل ذَلِكَ أَرَادَ بِتَأْوِيلِهِ الْكُفْر بِمَعْنَى الشِّدَّة فِي هَذَا الْمَوْضِع وَبِتَأْوِيلِهِ الْإِيمَان فِي مَعْنَى الرَّخَاء مَا أَعَدَّ اللَّه لِلْكُفَّارِ فِي الْآخِرَة مِنْ الشَّدَائِد , وَمَا أَعَدَّ اللَّه لِأَهْلِ الْإِيمَان فِيهَا مِنْ النَّعِيم , فَيَكُون ذَلِكَ وَجْهًا وَإِنْ كَانَ بَعِيدًا مِنْ الْمَفْهُوم بِظَاهِرِ الْخِطَاب . ذِكْر مَنْ قَالَ ذَلِكَ : 1478 - حَدَّثَنِي الْمُثَنَّى , قَالَ : ثنا إسْحَاق , قَالَ : ثنا ابْن أَبِي جَعْفَر , عَنْ أَبِيهِ , عَنْ أَبِي الْعَالِيَة : { وَمَنْ يَتَبَدَّل الْكُفْر بِالْإِيمَانِ } يَقُول : يَتَبَدَّل الشِّدَّة بِالرَّخَاءِ . * حَدَّثَنَا الْقَاسِم , قَالَ : ثنا الْحَسَن , قَالَ : حَدَّثَنِي حَجَّاج , عَنْ ابْن أَبِي جَعْفَر , عَنْ الرَّبِيع , عَنْ أَبِي الْعَالِيَة بِمِثْلِهِ . وَفِي قَوْله : { وَمَنْ يَتَبَدَّل الْكُفْر بِالْإِيمَانِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاء السَّبِيل } دَلِيل وَاضِح عَلَى مَا قُلْنَا مِنْ أَنَّ هَذِهِ الْآيَات مِنْ قَوْله : { يَا أَيّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَقُولُوا رَاعِنَا } خِطَاب مِنْ اللَّه جَلّ ثَنَاؤُهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَصْحَاب رَسُول اللَّه صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَعِتَاب مِنْهُ لَهُمْ عَلَى أَمْر سَلَفَ مِنْهُمْ مِمَّا سَرَّ بِهِ الْيَهُود وَكَرِهَهُ رَسُول اللَّه صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَهُمْ , فَكَرِهَهُ اللَّه لَهُمْ . فَعَاتَبَهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ , وَأَعْلَمهُمْ أَنَّ الْيَهُود أَهْل غِشّ لَهُمْ وَحَسَد وَبَغْي , وَأَنَّهُمْ يَتَمَنَّوْنَ لَهُمْ الْمَكَارِه وَيَبْغُونَهُمْ الْغَوَائِل , وَنَهَاهُمْ أَنْ يَنْتَصِحُوهُمْ , وَأَخْبَرَهُمْ أَنَّ مَنْ ارْتَدَّ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ دِينه فَاسْتَبْدَلَ بِإِيمَانِهِ كُفْرًا فَقَدْ أَخْطَأَ قَصْد السَّبِيل . فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ الْقَوْل فِي تَأْوِيل قَوْله تَعَالَى : { فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاء السَّبِيل } . أَمَّا قَوْله : { فَقَدْ ضَلَّ } فَإِنَّهُ يَعْنِي بِهِ ذَهَبَ وَحَادَ . وَأَصْل الضَّلَال عَنْ الشَّيْء : الذَّهَاب عَنْهُ وَالْحَيْد . ثُمَّ يُسْتَعْمَل فِي الشَّيْء الْهَالِك وَالشَّيْء الَّذِي لَا يُؤْبَه لَهُ , كَقَوْلِهِمْ لِلرَّجُلِ الْخَامِل الَّذِي لَا ذِكْر لَهُ وَلَا نَبَاهَة : ضَلّ بْن ضَلّ , وَقَلّ بْن قَلّ ; كَقَوْلِ الْأَخْطَل فِي الشَّيْء الْهَالِك : كُنْتَ الْقَذَى فِي مَوْجِ أَكَدَرَ مُزْبِدٍ قَذَفَ الْأَتِيُّ بِهِ فَضَلَّ ضَلَالًا يَعْنِي : هَلَكَ فَذَهَبَ . وَاَلَّذِي عَنَى اللَّه تَعَالَى ذِكْره بِقَوْلِهِ : { فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاء السَّبِيل } فَقَدْ ذَهَبَ عَنْ سَوَاء السَّبِيل وَحَادَ عَنْهُ . وَأَمَّا تَأْوِيل قَوْله : { سَوَاء السَّبِيل } فَإِنَّهُ يَعْنِي بِالسَّوَاءِ : الْقَصْد وَالْمَنْهَج , وَأَصْل السَّوَاء : الْوَسَط ; ذُكِرَ عَنْ عِيسَى بْن عُمَر النَّحْوِيّ أَنَّهُ قَالَ : " مَا زِلْت أَكْتُب حَتَّى انْقَطَعَ سَوَائِي " , يَعْنِي وَسَطِي . وَقَالَ حَسَّان بْن ثَابِت : يَا وَيْح أَنْصَار النَّبِيّ وَنَسْله بَعْد الْمَغِيب فِي سَوَاء الْمُلْحِد يَعْنِي بِالسَّوَاءِ الْوَسَط . وَالْعَرَب تَقُول : هُوَ فِي سَوَاء السَّبِيل , يَعْنِي فِي مُسْتَوَى السَّبِيل . وَسَوَاء الْأَرْض مُسْتَوَاهَا عِنْدهمْ , وَأَمَّا السَّبِيل فَإِنَّهَا الطَّرِيق الْمَسْبُول , صُرِفَ مِنْ مَسْبُول إلَى سَبِيل . فَتَأْوِيل الْكَلَام إذًا : وَمَنْ يَسْتَبْدِل بِالْإِيمَانِ بِاَللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِ الْكُفْر فَيَرْتَدّ عَنْ دِينه , فَقَدْ حَادَ عَنْ مَنْهَج الطَّرِيق وَوَسَطه الْوَاضِح الْمَسْبُول . وَهَذَا الْقَوْل ظَاهِره الْخَبَر عَنْ زَوَال الْمُسْتَبْدِل بِالْإِيمَانِ وَالْكُفْر عَنْ الطَّرِيق , وَالْمَعْنَى بِهِ الْخَبَر عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ تَرَكَ دِين اللَّه الَّذِي ارْتَضَاهُ لِعِبَادِهِ وَجَعَلَهُ لَهُمْ طَرِيقًا يَسْلُكُونَهُ إلَى رِضَاهُ , وَسَبِيلًا يَرْكَبُونَهَا إلَى مَحَبَّته وَالْفَوْز بِجَنَّاتِهِ . فَجَعَلَ جَلّ ثَنَاؤُهُ الطَّرِيق الَّذِي إذَا رَكِبَ مَحَجَّته السَّائِر فِيهِ وَلَزِمَ وَسَطه الْمُجْتَاز فِيهِ , نَجَا وَبَلَغَ حَاجَته وَأَدْرَكَ طِلْبَته لِدِينِهِ الَّذِي دَعَا إلَيْهِ عِبَاده مَثَلًا لِإِدْرَاكِهِمْ بِلُزُومِهِ وَاتِّبَاعه إدْرَاكهمْ طَلَبَاتهمْ فِي آخِرَتهمْ , كَاَلَّذِي يُدْرِك اللَّازِم مَحَجَّة السَّبِيل بِلُزُومِهِ إيَّاهَا طِلْبَته مِنْ النَّجَاة مِنْهَا , وَالْوُصُول إلَى الْمَوْضِع الَّذِي أَمَّهُ وَقَصَدَهُ . وَجَعَلَ مِثْل الْحَائِد عَنْ دِينه وَالْحَائِد عَنْ اتِّبَاع مَا دَعَاهُ إلَيْهِ مِنْ عِبَادَته فِي حَيَاته مَا رَجَا أَنْ يُدْرِكهُ بِعَمَلِهِ فِي آخِرَته وَيَنَال بِهِ فِي مُعَاده وَذَهَابه عَمَّا أَمَلَ مِنْ ثَوَاب عَمَله وَبُعْده بِهِ مِنْ رَبّه , مَثَل الْحَائِد عَنْ مَنْهَج الطَّرِيق وَقَصْد السَّبِيل , الَّذِي لَا يَزْدَاد وُغُولًا فِي الْوَجْه الَّذِي سَلَكَهُ إلَّا ازْدَادَ مِنْ مَوْضِع حَاجَته بُعْدًا , وَعَنْ الْمَكَان الَّذِي أَمَّهُ وَأَرَادَهُ نَأْيًا . وَهَذِهِ السَّبِيل الَّتِي أَخْبَرَ اللَّه عَنْهَا أَنَّ مَنْ يَتَبَدَّل الْكُفْر بِالْإِيمَانِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاءَهَا , هِيَ الصِّرَاط الْمُسْتَقِيم الَّذِي أُمِرْنَا بِمَسْأَلَتِهِ الْهِدَايَة لَهُ بِقَوْلِهِ : { اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاط الْمُسْتَقِيم صِرَاط الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْت عَلَيْهِمْ } .