Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   The discourse on the explanation of His statement, the Exalted:

   أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَنْ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُمْ مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ مَسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللَّهِ أَلا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ (214)

   (Or did you suppose that you would enter Paradise while there has not yet come to you the like of what befell those who passed away before you? Adversity and affliction touched them, and they were so shaken that the Messenger and those who believed with him cried out: "When will the help of Allah come?" Truly, the help of Allah is near.)

   Abū Jaʿfar said: As for His statement "or did you suppose" (am ḥasibtum), it is as though by "am" (or) He poses a question at the outset, without an interrogative particle preceding it, on account of a statement that precedes it and is connected to it. And had there been no statement before it to which it was connected, and had it been a fresh beginning, then that could only have come about by means of one of the interrogative particles. For if, in beginning a new statement, someone were to say: "Or (am) is your brother with you?", he would be saying something that has no meaning. But if he were to say: "Are you a man who is proud of his strength, or is your brother with you who helps you?", then he would have hit the mark. And we have already set forth a portion of this meaning earlier in this book of ours, in a manner that suffices so as to make repetition unnecessary.

   * * *

   The meaning of the statement is therefore: Or did you suppose, O you who believe in Allah and His messengers, that you would enter Paradise without there having befallen you the like of what befell those who were before you, namely the followers of the prophets and the messengers, of hardships, trials, and testing; so that you should be tried with that with which they were tried and tested of the "baʾsāʾ" — and that is the severity of want and poverty — and the "ḍarrāʾ" — and that is sicknesses and ailments — and that you should be shaken with their shaking, that is to say: without there having befallen you from your enemies severity and grievous hardship of fear and terror, such that the people experienced the help of Allah to them as being delayed and said: "When will Allah help us?" Then Allah informed them that His help to them was near, and that He would make them victorious over their enemy and give them the upper hand over them; and so He fulfilled for them what He had promised them, and raised their word high, and extinguished the fire of war of those who disbelieved.

   * * *

   And this verse — as the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) assert — was revealed on the Day of the Trench (al-Khandaq), when the believers underwent what they underwent of severe hardship, through the fear of the Confederates (al-Aḥzāb), the severity of the torment of the cold, and the straitness of the life in which they found themselves on that day. Allah, Mighty and Exalted, says to the believers among the companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَاءَتْكُمْ جُنُودٌ فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحًا وَجُنُودًا لَمْ تَرَوْهَا (O you who believe, remember the favor of Allah upon you when armies came to you, whereupon We sent against them a wind and armies you did not see) up to His statement: وَإِذْ زَاغَتِ الأَبْصَارُ وَبَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ وَتَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّهِ الظُّنُونَا * هُنَالِكَ ابْتُلِيَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَزُلْزِلُوا زِلْزَالا شَدِيدًا [al-Aḥzāb: 9-11] (And when the eyes turned aside and the hearts reached the throats, and you thought about Allah various thoughts. There the believers were tried and shaken with a violent shaking).

   * Mention of those who said that this verse was revealed on the Day of the Confederates:

   4064 — Mūsā ibn Hārūn related to me, he said: ʿAmr related to us, he said: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: "Or did you suppose that you would enter Paradise while there has not yet come to you the like of what befell those who passed away before you? Adversity and affliction touched them, and they were shaken." He said: This was revealed on the Day of the Confederates, when the one among them who said it said: مَا وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ إِلا غُرُورًا [al-Aḥzāb: 12] (Allah and His messenger have promised us nothing but delusion).

   4065 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, he said: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, he said: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement: "while there has not yet come to you the like of what befell those who passed away before you? Adversity and affliction touched them, and they were shaken." He said: It was revealed on the Day of the Confederates; the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his companions were afflicted with trial and siege, and they were as Allah, Mighty and Exalted, said: وَبَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ (And the hearts reached the throats).

   * * *

   As for His statement "wa-lammā yaʾtikum" (while there has not yet come to you): most of the grammarians explain it in the sense of "wa-lam yaʾtikum" (and there has not come to you), and they assert that "mā" is a connective and expletive element. And I have already set forth elsewhere the discourse on the "mā" which the grammarians call "ṣila" (connective element), and what its rule is, in a manner that makes repetition unnecessary.

   * * *

   As for the meaning of His statement "the like of what befell those who passed away before you," that means: the like of those who passed away and thus went by before you.

   * * *

   And I have shown elsewhere that "al-mathal" means likeness, semblance.

   * * *

   And in accordance with what we have said concerning that, the interpreters have spoken.

   * Mention of those who said that:

   4066 — It was related to me on the authority of ʿAmmār, he said: Ibn Abī Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ, his statement: "Or did you suppose that you would enter Paradise while there has not yet come to you the like of what befell those who passed away before you? Adversity and affliction touched them, and they were shaken"... [the report is incomplete in the source]

   4067 — Al-Qāsim related to us, he said: al-Ḥusayn related to us, he said: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Jurayj, he said concerning His statement: "until the Messenger and those who believed cried out": he said: that is the best of them and the one with the most knowledge of Allah.

   * * *

   And in His statement "until the Messenger cried out" (ḥattā yaqūla l-rasūl) there are two possible readings: the nominative ending -u (rafʿ) and the accusative ending -a (naṣb). Whoever reads the rafʿ does so because, since in that position "faʿala" (the completed form) would be fitting, he has nullified the governing effect of "ḥattā" upon it, because "ḥattā" does not govern "faʿala" (the completed form), but only governs "yafʿalu" (the incomplete form). And when "faʿala" precedes it, and that which follows it is "yafʿalu," while it is something that has already occurred and been completed, and the verb before it was not of long duration, then the most eloquent usage in the language of the Arabs at that point is the rafʿ in "yafʿalu" and the nullifying of the governing effect of "ḥattā" upon it. And that is like the statement of one who says: "I rose toward So-and-so until I strike him (aḍribu-hu)," where the rafʿ is the correct manner of speech in "aḍribu-hu," if he means: I rose toward him until I struck him, when the striking had already occurred and been completed, and the rising was not of long duration. But if that which precedes "ḥattā" of verb, in the form of "faʿala," is of long duration, and that which follows it of verb is in a form that is not concluded, then the correct manner of speech is the naṣb of "yafʿalu" and the making of "ḥattā" to govern. And that is like the statement of one who says: "So-and-so kept seeking you until he speaks to you (yukallima-ka)" = "and he began looking at you until he recognizes you (yuthbita-ka)." The correct manner of speech — wherein nothing else is correct — is the naṣb by "ḥattā," as the poet said:

   I drove them on until their mounts grew weary (takilla),

   and until the noble horses were no longer led by reins.

   He placed "takilla" in the naṣb, while the verb that comes after "ḥattā" lies in the past, because that which precedes it, namely "al-maṭw" (the driving on), is of long duration.

   And the correct reading — since that is so — is: "and they were shaken until the Messenger cried out" (wa-zulzilū ḥattā yaqūla l-rasūl), with the naṣb of "yaqūl," since "al-zalzala" (the shaking) is a verb of long duration, like "the driving on with the camels."

   And "al-zalzala" in this place is merely the fear of the enemy, not "the earthquake"; and for that reason it was of long duration, and the naṣb in "yaqūl" — even though it has the meaning of "faʿala" (the completed form) — was more eloquent and more correct than the rafʿ therein.

   Show original Arabic

   القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَنْ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُمْ مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ مَسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللَّهِ أَلا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ (214) قال أبو جعفر: وأما قوله: " أم حسبتم "، كأنه استفهم بـ " أم " في ابتداء لم يتقدمه حرف استفهام، لسبوق كلام هو به متصل، (26) ولو لم يكن قبله كلام &; 4-288 &; يكون به متصلا وكان ابتداءً لم يكن إلا بحرف من حروف الاستفهام; لأن قائلا لو كان قال مبتدئًا كلامًا لآخر: " أم عندك أخوك "؟ لكان قائلا ما لا معنى له. ولكن لو قال: " أنت رجل مُدِلٌّ بقوتك أم عندك أخوك ينصرك ؟" كان مصيبًا. وقد بينَّا بعض هذا المعنى فيما مضى من كتابنا هذا بما فيه الكفاية عن إعادته. * * * فمعنى الكلام: أم حسبتم أنكم أيها المؤمنون بالله ورسله تدخلون الجنة، ولم يصبكم مثلُ ما أصاب مَن قبلكم مِن أتباع الأنبياء والرسل من الشدائد والمحن والاختبار، فتُبتلوا بما ابتُلوا واختبروا به من " البأساء "- وهو شدة الحاجة والفاقة =" والضراء " -وهي العلل والأوصاب (27) - ولم تزلزلوا زلزالهم- يعني: ولم يصبهم من أعدائهم من الخوف والرعب شدة وجهدٌ حتى يستبطئ القوم نصر الله إياهم، فيقولون: متى الله ناصرنا؟ ثم أخبرهم الله أن نصره منهم قريبٌ، وأنه مُعليهم على عدوِّهم، ومظهرهم عليه، فنجَّز لهم ما وعدهم، وأعلى كلمتهم، وأطفأ نار حرب الذين كفروا. * * * وهذه الآية - فيما يزعم أهل التأويل- نـزلت يومَ الخندق، حين لقي المؤمنون ما لَقوا من شدة الجهد، من خوف الأحزاب، وشدة أذى البرد، وضيق العيش الذي كانوا فيه يومئذ، يقول الله جل وعز للمؤمنين من أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَاءَتْكُمْ جُنُودٌ فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحًا وَجُنُودًا لَمْ تَرَوْهَا إلى قوله: وَإِذْ زَاغَتِ الأَبْصَارُ وَبَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ وَتَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّهِ الظُّنُونَا * هُنَالِكَ ابْتُلِيَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَزُلْزِلُوا زِلْزَالا شَدِيدًا [الأحزاب: 9-11] &; 4-289 &; * ذكر من قال نـزلت هذه الآية يوم الأحزاب: 4064 - حدثني موسى بن هارون، قال: حدثنا عمرو، قال: حدثنا أسباط، عن السدي: " أم حسبتم أن تدخلوا الجنة ولما يأتكم مثل الذين خلوا من قبلكم مستهم البأساء والضراء وزلزلوا "، قال: نـزل هذا يوم الأحزاب حين قال قائلهم: مَا وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ إِلا غُرُورًا [الأحزاب: 12] 4065 - حدثنا الحسن بن يحيى، قال: أخبرنا عبد الرزاق، قال: أخبرنا معمر، عن قتادة في قوله: " ولما يأتكم مثل الذين خلوا من قبلكم مسَّتهم البأساءُ والضراء وزلزلوا "، قال: نـزلت في يوم الأحزاب، أصاب رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأصحابه بلاءٌ وحصرٌ، فكانوا كما قال الله جل وعزّ: وَبَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ * * * وأما قوله: " ولما يأتكم "، فإنّ عامة أهل العربية يتأوّلونه بمعنى: ولم يأتكم، ويزعمون أن " ما " صلة وحشو، وقد بينت القول في" ما " التي يسميها أهل العربية " صلة "، ما حكمها؟ في غير هذا الموضع بما أغنى عن إعادته. (28) * * * وأما معنى قوله: " مثل الذين خلوا من قبلكم "، فإنه يعني: شبه الذين خلوا فمضوا قبلكم. (29) * * * وقد دللت في غير هذا الموضع على أن " المثل "، الشبه. (30) * * * وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل. * ذكر من قال ذلك: &; 4-290 &; 4066 - حدثت عن عمار، قال: حدثنا ابن أبي جعفر، عن أبيه، عن الربيع قوله: " أم حسبتم أن تدخلوا الجنة ولما يأتكم مثل الذين خلوا من قبلكم مستهم البأساء والضراء وزلزلوا "... (31) 4067 - حدثنا القاسم، قال: حدثنا الحسين، قال: حدثني حجاج، عن عبد الملك بن جريج، قال قوله: " حتى يقول الرسول والذين آمنوا "، قال: هو خيرُهم وأعلمهم بالله. * * * وفي قوله: " حتى يقول الرسول "، وجهان من القراءة: الرفع، والنصب. ومن رفع فإنه يقول: لما كان يحسُن في موضعه " فعَل " أبطل عمل " حتى " فيها، لأن " حتى " غير عاملة في" فعل "، وإنما تعمل في" يفعل "، وإذا تقدمها " فعل "، وكان الذي بعدها " يفعل "، وهو مما قد فُعل وفُرغ منه، وكان ما قبلها من الفعل غير متطاول، فالفصيح من كلام العرب حينئذ الرفع في" يفعل " وإبطال عمل " حتى " عنه، وذلك نحو قول القائل: " قمت إلى فلان حتى أضربُه "، والرفع هو الكلام الصحيح في" أضربه "، إذا أراد: قمت إليه حتى ضربته، إذا كان الضرب قد كانَ وفُرغ منه، وكان القيام غيرَ متطاول المدة. فأمَّا إذا كان ما قبل " حتى " من الفعل على لفظ " فعل " متطاول المدة، وما بعدها من الفعل على لفظ غير منقضٍ، فالصحيح من الكلام نصب " يفعل "، وإعمال " حتى "، وذلك نحو قول القائل: " ما زال فلان يطلبك حتى يكلمك = وجعل ينظر إليك حتى يثبتك "، فالصحيح من الكلام - الذي لا يصح غيره- النصبُ بـ " حتى "، كما قال الشاعر: (32) مَطَــوْتُ بِهِـمْ حَـتَّى تَكِـلَّ مَطِيُّهـمْ وَحَـتَّى الجِيَـادُ مَـا يُقَـدْنَ بِأَرْسَـانِ (33) &; 4-291 &; فنصب " تكل "، والفعل الذي بعد " حتى " ماض، لأن الذي قبلها من " المطو " متطاول. والصحيح من القراءة - إذْ كان ذلك كذلك-: " وزلزلوا حتى يقولَ الرسول "، نصب " يقول "، إذ كانت " الزلزلة " فعلا متطاولا مثل " المطو بالإبل ". وإنما " الزلزلة " في هذا الموضع: الخوف من العدو، لا " زلزلة الأرض "، فلذلك كانت متطاولة وكان النصبُ في" يقول " وإن كان بمعنى " فعل " أفصحَ وأصحَّ من الرفع فيه. (34) -------------- الهوامش : (26) في المطبوعة : "لمسبوق كلام" وهو فاسد المعنى وذلك أن أحد شروط"أم" في الاستفهام : أن تكون نسقًا في الاستفهام لتقدم ما تقدمها من الكلام (انظر ما سلف 2 : 493) وقوله"لسبوق" هذا مصدر لم يرد في كتب اللغة ، ولكني رأيت الطبري وغيره يستعمله وسيأتي في نص الطبري بعد 2 : 240 ، 246 (بولاق) . (27) انظر معنى"البأساء والضراء" فيما سلف 3 : 349- 352 . (28) انظر ما سلف 1 : 405 ، 406/ ثم 2 : 230 ، 331 . وقوله : "صلة" أي زيادة ، كما سلف شرحها مرارا ، فاطلبها في فهرس المصطلحات . (29) انظر تفسير"خلا" فيما سلف 3 : 100 ، 128 ، 129 . (30) انظر ما سلف : 1 : 403 . (31) الأثر : 4066 - هذا أثر ناقص ، ولم أجد تمامه في مكان آخر . (32) هو امرؤ القيس . (33) ديوانه : 186 ، ومعاني القرآن للفراء 1 : 133 وسيبويه 1 : 417/ 2 : 203 ، ورواية سيبويه : "سريت بهم" وفي الموضع الثاني منه روى : "حَتَّى تَكِــــــلَّ غَـــــزِيّهم" مطا بالقوم يمطو مطوًا : مد بهم وجد في السير . يقول : جد بهم ورددهم في السير حتى كلت مطاياهم فصارت من الإعياء إلى حال لا تحتاج معها إلى أرسان تقاد بها ، وصار راكبوها من الكلال إلى إلقاء الأرسان وطرحها على الخيل . لا يبالون من تبعهم وإعيائهم ، كيف تسير ، ولا إلى أين . (34) قد استوفى الكلام في"حتى" الفراء في معاني القرآن 1 : 132- 138 واعتمد عليه الطبري في أكثر ما قاله في هذا الموضع .