Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   The explanation of the words of Allah the Exalted: إِذْ تَمْشِي أُخْتُكَ فَتَقُولُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى مَنْ يَكْفُلُهُ فَرَجَعْنَاكَ إِلَى أُمِّكَ كَيْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلا تَحْزَنَ وَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا فَنَجَّيْنَاكَ مِنَ الْغَمِّ وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا فَلَبِثْتَ سِنِينَ فِي أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ ثُمَّ جِئْتَ عَلَى قَدَرٍ يَا مُوسَى (20:40)

   (When your sister was walking and said: Shall I direct you to someone who can take care of him? Thus We returned you to your mother, that her eye might find coolness and that she might not grieve. And you killed a person, but We saved you from grief. And We tried you with severe trials. Then you remained for years among the people of Midian. Then you came at the appointed time, O Moses.)

   His word إِذْ تَمْشِي أُخْتُكَ فَتَقُولُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى مَنْ يَكْفُلُهُ (20:40): Allah the Exalted says: when your sister was walking, following you, until she found you, and then went to those who were seeking a wet-nurse for you, and said: Shall I direct you to someone who can take care of him? What should have come after His word إِذْ تَمْشِي أُخْتُكَ has been omitted, because the context provides sufficient indication.

   The reason why the sister of Moses said this to them is what Mūsā ibn Hārūn related to us, saying: ʿAmr related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, who said: when his mother cast him into the river, قَالَتْ لأخْتِهِ قُصِّيهِ (she said to his sister: follow him). When the house of Pharaoh picked him up and they sought women to suckle him, he refused to drink from any of the women. The women vied with one another to do this in order to gain standing with Pharaoh through the nursing; but he refused to take any. His sister said: هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ يَكْفُلُونَهُ لَكُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُ نَاصِحُونَ (Shall I direct you to a household that will take care of him for you and be sincerely devoted to him?) They seized her and said: you already know this child—direct us to his family. She said: I do not know him, I only said that they are loyal to the king.

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq, who said: the mother of Moses said to his sister: follow him and see what they do with him. She set out, فَبَصُرَتْ بِهِ عَنْ جُنُبٍ وَهُمْ لا يَشْعُرُونَ (she saw him from a distance, while they did not perceive it). The child needed the breast, and they sought wet-nurses for him and called women together; but he did not drink from any woman. This troubled them, and wet-nurse after wet-nurse was brought, but he took nothing from them. His sister said to them, when she saw how anxious they were and how great their longing was: هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ يَكْفُلُونَهُ لَكُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُ نَاصِحُونَ (Shall I direct you to a household that will take care of him for you and be sincerely devoted to him?)—namely because they know the high position of the child with you and your longing for the pleasure of the king. By His word هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى مَنْ يَكْفُلُهُ He means: shall I direct you to someone who will take him in, take care of him, suckle him, and raise him? It has also been said that the meaning of وَكَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِيَّا (Zachariah took her into his care) is: he took her in.

   His word فَرَجَعْنَاكَ إِلَى أُمِّكَ كَيْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلا تَحْزَنَ (20:40): Allah the Exalted says: We made you return to your mother after you had fallen into the hands of the house of Pharaoh, that her eye might find coolness through your safety and your rescue from death and drowning in the river, and that she might not grieve over you out of fear of Pharaoh, that he might kill you.

   As Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq, who said: when the sister of Moses said to them what she said, they said: bring her. She went to her mother and informed her. Her mother went along until she reached them; they handed her the child, and as soon as she placed him in her lap he seized her breast. They rejoiced. Thus Allah brought him back to his mother, that her eye might find coolness and that she might not grieve. The mercy of Allah toward her and toward him went so far that He returned her child to her and inclined the heart of Pharaoh and his household in her favor, with safety from the death that was feared for others; it was as though they belonged to the household of Pharaoh in safety and ease. He slept upon the cushions and beds of Pharaoh.

   His word وَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا (20:40): Allah the Exalted means by this that he killed the Coptic man whom he killed when the Israelite called upon him for help against him, and Moses struck him with a blow of his fist. His word فَنَجَّيْنَاكَ مِنَ الْغَمِّ (20:40): Allah the Exalted says: We saved you from your grief over the killing of the individual whom you killed, when they wished to kill you and We delivered you from them, so that you fled to the people of Midian—they could neither kill you nor take you captive.

   His killing of him was, according to what is reported, by mistake, as Wāṣil ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to me, saying: Muḥammad ibn Fuḍayl related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Sālim, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: "Moses killed the one whom he killed from the house of Pharaoh by mistake, and Allah said to him: وَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا فَنَجَّيْنَاكَ مِنَ الْغَمِّ وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا ."

   Zakariyyā ibn Yaḥyā ibn Abī Zāʾida and Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, they said: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us, both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning فَنَجَّيْنَاكَ مِنَ الْغَمِّ : he said: from the killing of the person.

   Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning فَنَجَّيْنَاكَ مِنَ الْغَمِّ : the person whom he had killed.

   The exegetes differed concerning the explanation of His word وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا . Some said: We tried you with a severe trial and put you to the test.

   Those who said this are mentioned below:

   ʿAlī related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allāh related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا : he said: "We tested you with a severe test."

   Muḥammad 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: وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا —he said: "you were tried with a trial."

   Al-ʿAbbās ibn al-Walīd al-Āmulī related to me, saying: Yazīd ibn Hārūn related to us, saying: Aṣbagh ibn Zayd al-Juhanī informed us, saying: al-Qāsim ibn Ayyūb informed us, saying: Saʿīd ibn Jubayr related to me: I asked ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbās about the word of Allah to Moses وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا and asked him about the meaning of "al-futūn" (the trials). He said to me: begin the day afresh, Ibn Jubayr, for this is a long story. The next morning I went early to Ibn ʿAbbās to redeem his promise. Ibn ʿAbbās said: Pharaoh and his companions discussed the promise that Allah had made to Ibrāhīm that He would make prophets and kings among his offspring. Some said: the Israelites expect this without doubting; they thought it would be Joseph the son of Jacob, but when he died they said: Allah did not promise Ibrāhīm thus. Pharaoh said: what is your judgment? They took counsel and arrived at the decision to send men with knives through the land of the Israelites; every newborn male they found they were to cut its throat. When they saw that the elders of the Israelites died at their appointed time and the boys were being slaughtered, they said: soon you will exterminate the Israelites and then you will have to do for yourselves the labor and services that they performed for you. Slaughter for one year all the newborn males, so that their number decreases, and for one year let no one be slaughtered, so that the boys can grow up to replace the elders who die; for they will never become numerous enough through those whom you leave alive that you need fear their preponderance, and never so few through those whom you kill. They arrived at this decision.

   The mother of Moses conceived Aaron in the ensuing year, the year in which the boys were not slaughtered, and bore him openly without fear. When the following year came she conceived Moses, and worries and grief came over her heart—this is one of the trials, Ibn Jubayr, for they wished to strike him even in his mother's womb. Allah revealed to her: وَلا تَخَافِي وَلا تَحْزَنِي إِنَّا رَادُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ (Fear not and grieve not, We shall return him to you and make him one of the messengers). He commanded her, as soon as she had borne him, to place him in an ark and cast it into the river. She did what she had been commanded. But as soon as her child disappeared from her sight, she was overcome by Iblīs and said to herself: if only he had been slaughtered with me, then I would have laid him out and shrouded him, and that would have seemed dearer to me than to deliver him with my own hands to the fish and the creatures of the sea. The water carried the ark along until it set him down at the landing place where the maidservants of the house of Pharaoh drew water. They saw him and seized him. They wished to open the door, but some said to the others: there is something valuable inside; if we open it we will not make the wife of Pharaoh believe in us. They carried it unchanged, without touching anything of it, and handed it over to her. When she opened it she saw the child within it; she felt a love for him such as she had never felt for any human being before. وَأَصْبَحَ فُؤَادُ أُمِّ مُوسَى فَارِغًا (the heart of the mother of Moses became empty) of everything except the remembrance of Moses. When the slaughterers of children heard of it, they came to the wife of Pharaoh with their knives, intending to slaughter him—this is one of the trials, Ibn Jubayr. She said to the slaughterers: leave me, for this one child adds nothing to the Israelites; let me go to Pharaoh to ask him to grant me the child—if he grants it to me you have acted well and rightly, and if he commands that it be slaughtered I will not reproach you. When she brought the child to Pharaoh, she said: قُرَّةُ عَيْنٍ لِي وَلَكَ (it is a coolness of the eye for me and for you). Pharaoh said: let it be for you, it is nothing to me. And it has been said: had Pharaoh agreed that it was a coolness for his eye as his wife agreed, then Allah would have guided him thereby as He guided his wife through him; but Allah held him back from this. She sent to all the women in her surroundings who were nursing to choose a wet-nurse for him; but whenever a woman wished to nurse him he refused her breast, until the wife of Pharaoh became afraid that he would refuse the milk and die—this grieved her. She gave the order to bring him out to the market, the gathering place of people, in the hope of finding a wet-nurse from whom he would drink; but he took nothing from anyone. The mother of Moses said at the break of day to her sister: follow him and look for him—do you hear that he is still alive, or have the creatures of the sea and its fish devoured him? She had forgotten what Allah had promised her. Her sister saw him from a distance while they did not perceive it; she said out of joy, when the wet-nurses did not avail her: I can direct you to a household that will take care of him for you and be sincerely devoted to him. They seized her and said: how do you know of their sincerity—do they perhaps know him? They began to doubt—this is one of the trials, Ibn Jubayr. She said: their sincerity toward him and their tenderness for him, their longing for the wet-nursing of the king and their hope for his favor. They let her go. She went to her mother and informed her of the news. Her mother came, and as soon as she placed him in her lap he sprang to her breast until his sides were filled. Messengers went hastening to the wife of Pharaoh to inform her that they had found a wet-nurse for her child. She sent for her, and she was brought with the child to her. When she saw what the wet-nurse did with the child, she said: stay with me to suckle my son, for I have never loved anyone as I love him. The woman said: I cannot leave my house and my child, for they would be lost; if you wish that I take him to my house so that he is with me and I will give him my best care, then I will do so; otherwise I will not leave my house and my child. The mother of Moses remembered what Allah had promised her and made it difficult for the wife of Pharaoh; she was certain that Allah would fulfill His promise. She returned that same day with her child to her house. Allah made him grow up well and preserved him for what He had decreed for him. The Israelites lived together in one part of the city and were protected through him from the injustice and the forced labor that had been imposed upon them.

   When he reached adulthood, the wife of Pharaoh said to the mother of Moses: bring me my son to visit. She promised her a day on which she would bring him. She said to her confidants, her wet-nurses, and her stewards: each of you must meet my son with a gift and honor so that he sees that; I will send a confidant who notes everything that everyone does. The gifts, honor, and presents came to meet him from the moment he left the house of his mother until he entered upon the wife of Pharaoh. She rewarded him and honored him and rejoiced over him, and the good result of her upbringing pleased her. She said: bring him to Pharaoh, let him reward him and honor him. When they brought him in to Pharaoh, Pharaoh laid him on his lap. Moses seized the beard of Pharaoh and pulled it. One of the enemies of Allah said: do you not see that? This is what Allah promised Ibrāhīm, that he will strike you down and stand above you. Pharaoh sent for the slaughterers to slaughter him—this is one of the trials, Ibn Jubayr, after all the suffering with which he had been tried and what they wished to do to him. The wife of Pharaoh hastened to Pharaoh and said: what is your decision concerning this child that you had granted me? He said: do you not see that he claims he will strike me down and stand above me? She said: set a test by which you can know the truth—bring two burning coals and two pearls and hold them before him; if he takes the pearls and avoids the coals, then he understands something; if he takes the coals and leaves the pearls, then know that no one who has understanding prefers the coals over the pearls. They held this before him, and he took the coals; they pulled them out of his hands out of fear that they would burn his hand. The woman said: do you see that? Allah turned Pharaoh away from him after he had intended to kill him, and Allah completed His decree with him.

   When he had reached his full strength and had become a man, no one from the house of Pharaoh could come upon any of the Israelites in his presence with injustice or forced labor, and they resisted completely. One day he was walking in a part of the city; he saw two men fighting, one of the Israelites and one of the house of Pharaoh. The Israelite called upon him for help against the Copt. Moses became enraged and his anger grew intense, because he attacked him while he knew the position of Moses toward the Israelites and his protection of them—the people knew only that this arose from the wet-nursing bond, except the mother of Moses, unless Allah had shown Moses therein what He had not shown others. Moses struck the Copt with a blow of his fist and killed him; no one saw them except Allah and the Israelite. Moses said after he had killed the man: هَذَا مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ مُضِلٌّ مُبِينٌ (this is the work of the devil; he is a clear, misleading enemy.) Then he said: رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَغَفَرَ لَهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ (Lord, I have wronged my soul, forgive me—and He forgave him; He is the Forgiving, the Merciful). فَأَصْبَحَ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ (he became in the city fearful, watchful for news). They went to Pharaoh and said to him: the Israelites have killed a man from the house of Pharaoh—take our right and do not be lenient toward them in this. He said: seek out for me the perpetrator and someone who is a witness, for it is not just to judge without proof and an established fact. They sought this; while they were going about without finding proof, Moses passed by the next day and saw the same Israelite fighting with a Copt. The Israelite called upon him for help. Moses came upon him while he was repentant of what had happened the previous day and he detested what he saw. He became enraged and stretched out his hand, intending to attack the Copt. The Israelite said, because of what had happened the previous day and that day: إِنَّكَ لَغَوِيٌّ مُبِينٌ (you are truly a clear deviant). The Israelite looked at Moses after what he had said, and saw him enraged as he had been enraged the day before when he killed the Copt; he feared that Moses after those words meant him himself—but Moses had not meant him, he meant the Copt. The Israelite became afraid, broke loose from the Copt, and said: يَا مُوسَى أَتُرِيدُ أَنْ تَقْتُلَنِي كَمَا قَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا بِالأَمْسِ (O Moses, do you wish to kill me as you killed a person yesterday?)—he said this out of fear that Moses wished to kill him. They left one another alone. The Copt went to his people and told them what he had heard from the Israelite: do you wish to kill me as you killed a person yesterday? Pharaoh sent the slaughterers. Moses took the main road and they pursued him without fearing that he would escape them. A man from the company of Moses from the farthest part of the city took a shorter way and reached Moses before them and informed him of the news—this is one of the trials, Ibn Jubayr.

   Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us, both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His word (futūnan): he said: a trial—the casting into the ark, then into the sea, then its being picked up by the house of Pharaoh, then the departing in fear.

   Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr said and Abū ʿĀṣim said: in fear, or hungering—Abū ʿĀṣim was uncertain—and al-Ḥārith said: fearful and watchful, without being uncertain.

   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: the same, and he said: خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ , without being uncertain.

   Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا : he said: We tried you with a trial.

   I was told, on the authority of al-Ḥusayn, who said: I heard Abā Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd informed us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning His word وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا : it is trial after trial.

   Others said: the meaning of this is: We made you pure.

   Those who said this are mentioned below:

   Al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا —We purified you with a complete purification.

   Ibn al-Muthannā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar related to us, saying: Shuʿba related to us, on the authority of Yaʿlā ibn Muslim, who said: I heard Saʿīd ibn Jubayr explain this word: وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا —he said: We purified you with a complete purification.

   Abū Jaʿfar says: we have already explained in the preceding part of this work the meaning of al-fitna (trial)—that it is testing and trying—with indications that make it unnecessary to repeat this here.

   His word فَلَبِثْتَ سِنِينَ فِي أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ (20:40): in this sentence a part has been omitted that is necessary for its completeness, but which has been omitted because the context gives an indication of the omitted part. The meaning of the sentence is: and We tried you with severe trials, so you departed in fear, to the people of Midian, and you remained for years among them.

   His word ثُمَّ جِئْتَ عَلَى قَدَرٍ يَا مُوسَى (20:40): Allah the Exalted says: then you came at the time that We had appointed to send you as a messenger to Pharaoh and according to the measure of that.

   In the same sense in which we explained this, the exegetes spoke.

   Those who said this are mentioned below:

   Muḥammad 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 ثُمَّ جِئْتَ عَلَى قَدَرٍ يَا مُوسَى : he said: you have indeed come at the appointed time, O Moses.

   Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us, both on the authority of Mujāhid: he said, concerning عَلَى قَدَرٍ يَا مُوسَى : a promised appointment.

   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: he said: at a promised appointment.

   Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word عَلَى قَدَرٍ يَا مُوسَى : he said: the measure of the mission and the prophethood. The Arabs say: so-and-so has come at a measure (ʿalā qadarin), when he has come at the time of his need; hence the verse of the poet:

   Nāla l-khilāfata aw kānat lahu qadaran Kamā atā rabbahu Mūsā ʿalā qadari

   (He attained the caliphate, or it was destined for him, as Moses came to his Lord at the appointed time.)

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   القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : إِذْ تَمْشِي أُخْتُكَ فَتَقُولُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى مَنْ يَكْفُلُهُ فَرَجَعْنَاكَ إِلَى أُمِّكَ كَيْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلا تَحْزَنَ وَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا فَنَجَّيْنَاكَ مِنَ الْغَمِّ وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا فَلَبِثْتَ سِنِينَ فِي أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ ثُمَّ جِئْتَ عَلَى قَدَرٍ يَا مُوسَى (40) وقوله ( إِذْ تَمْشِي أُخْتُكَ فَتَقُولُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى مَنْ يَكْفُلُهُ ) يقول تعالى ذكره: حين تمشي أختك تتبعك حتى وجدتك، ثم تأتي من يطلب المراضع لك، فتقول: هل أدلكم على من يكفله؟ وحذف من الكلام ما ذكرت بعد قوله ( إِذْ تَمْشِي أُخْتُكَ ) استغناء بدلالة الكلام عليه. وإنما قالت أخت موسى ذلك لهم لِما حدثنا موسى بن هارون، قال: ثنا عمرو، قال: ثنا أسباط، عن السديّ، قال: لما ألقته أمه في اليم ( قَالَتْ لِأخْتِهِ قُصِّيهِ) فلما التقطه آل فرعون، وأرادوا له المرضعات، فلم يأخذ من أحد من &; 18-305 &; النساء، وجعل النساء يطلبن ذلك لينـزلن عند فرعون في الرضاع، فأبى أن يأخذ، فقالت أخته: هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ يَكْفُلُونَهُ لَكُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُ نَاصِحُونَ ؟ فأخذوها وقالوا: بل قد عرفت هذا الغلام، فدلينا على أهله، قالت: ما أعرفه، ولكن إنما قلت هم للملك ناصحون. حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا سلمة، عن ابن إسحاق، قال: قالت، يعني أم موسى لأخته: قصيه فانظري ماذا يفعلون به، فخرجت في ذلك فَبَصُرَتْ بِهِ عَنْ جُنُبٍ وَهُمْ لا يَشْعُرُونَ وقد احتاج إلى الرضاع والتمس الثدي، وجمعوا له المراضع حين ألقى الله محبتهم عليه، فلا يؤتى بامرأة، فيقبل ثديها، فيرمضهم ذلك، فيؤتى بمرضع بعد مرضع، فلا يقبل شيئا منهم، فقالت لهم أخته حين رأت من وجدهم به وحرصهم عليه هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ يَكْفُلُونَهُ لَكُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُ نَاصِحُونَ أي لمنـزلته عندكم وحرصكم على مسرّة الملك ، وعنى بقوله: ( هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى مَنْ يَكْفُلُهُ ) هل أدلكم على من يضمه إليه فيحفظه ويرضعه ويربيه، وقيل: معنى وَكَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِيَّا ضمها. وقوله ( فَرَجَعْنَاكَ إِلَى أُمِّكَ كَيْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلا تَحْزَنَ ) يقول تعالى ذكره: فرددناك إلى أمك بعد ما صرت في أيدي آل فرعون، كيما تقرّ عينها بسلامتك ونجاتك من القتل والغرق في اليم، وكيلا تحزن عليك من الخوف من فرعون عليك أن يقتلك. كما حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا سلمة، عن ابن إسحاق، قال: لما قالت أخت موسى لهم ما قالت، قالوا: هات، فأتت أمه فأخبرتها، فانطلقت معها حتى أتتهم، فناولوها إياه، فلما وضعته في حجرها أخذ ثديها، وسرّوا بذلك منه، وردّه الله إلى أمه كي تقرّ عينها، ولا تحزن، فبلغ لطف الله لها وله، أن ردّ عليها ولدها وعطف عليها نفع فرعون وأهل بيته مع الأمنة من القتل الذي يتخوف على غيره، فكأنهم كانوا من أهل بيت فرعون في الأمان والسعة، فكان على فرش فرعون وسرره. وقوله ( وَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا ) يعني جلّ ثناؤه بذلك: قتله القبطي الذي قتله حين استغاثه عليه الإسرائيلي، فوكزه موسى. وقوله ( فَنَجَّيْنَاكَ مِنَ الْغَمِّ ) يقول تعالى ذكره: فنجيناك من غمك بقتلك النفس التي قتلت، إذ أرادوا أن يقتلوك &; 18-306 &; بها فخلصناك منهم، حتى هربت إلى أهل مدين، فلم يصلوا إلى قتلك وقودك. وكان قتله إياه فيما ذُكر خطأ، كما حدثني واصل بن عبد الأعلى، قال: ثنا محمد بن فضيل، عن أبيه، عن سالم، عن عبد الله بن عمر، قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: " إنَّما قَتَلَ مُوسَى الَّذي قَتَلَ مِنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ خَطَأ، فقال الله له ( وَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا فَنَجَّيْنَاكَ مِنَ الْغَمِّ وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا )". حدثني زكريا بن يحيى بن أبي زائدة، ومحمد بن عمرو، قالا ثنا أبو عاصم، قال: ثنا عيسى، وحدثني الحارث، قال: ثنا الحسن، قال: ثنا ورقاء، جميعا عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد ( فَنَجَّيْنَاكَ مِنَ الْغَمِّ ) قال: من قتل النفس. حدثنا بِشْر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة ( فَنَجَّيْنَاكَ مِنَ الْغَمِّ ) النفس التي قتل. واختلف أهل التأويل في تأويل قوله ( وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا ) فقال بعضهم: ابتليناك ابتلاء واختبرناك اختبارا. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثني عليّ، قال: ثنا عبد الله، قال: ثني معاوية عن عليّ، عن ابن عباس، قوله ( وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا ) يقول: اختبرناك اختبارا. حدثني محمّد بن سعد، قال: ثني أبي، قال: ثني عمي، قال: ثنى أبي، عن أبيه، عن ابن عباس، ( وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا ) قال: ابتليت بلاء. حدثني العباس بن الوليد الآملي، قال: ثنا يزيد بن هارون، قال: أخبرنا أصبغ بن زيد الجهني، قال: أخبرنا القاسم بن أيوب، قال: ثني سعيد بن جبير، قال: سألت عبد الله بن عباس، عن قول الله لموسى ( وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا ) فسألته على الفتون ما هي؟ فقال لي: استأنف النهار يا بن جبير، فإن لها حديثا طويلا قال: فلما أصبحت غدوت على ابن عباس لأنتجز منه ما وعدني، قال: فقال ابن عباس: تذاكر فرعون وجلساؤه ما وعد الله إبراهيم أن يجعل في ذرّيته أنبياء وملوكا، فقال بعضهم: إن بني إسرائيل ينتظرون ذلك وما يشكون، ولقد كانوا يظنون أنه يوسف بن يعقوب; فلما هلك قالوا: ليس هكذا كان الله وعد إبراهيم، فقال فرعون: فكيف ترون؟ قال: فأتمروا بينهم، وأجمعوا أمرهم على &; 18-307 &; أن يبعث رجالا معهم الشفار يطوفون في بني إسرائيل، فلا يجدون مولودًا ذكرًا إلا ذبحوه; فلما رأوا أن الكبار من بني إسرائيل يموتون بآجالهم، وأن الصغار يذبحون، قالوا: يوشك أن تفنوا بني إسرائيل، فتصيرون إلى أن تباشروا من الأعمال والخدمة التي كانوا يكفونكم، فاقتلوا عاما كلّ مولود ذكر، فيقل أبناؤهم، ودعوا عاما لا تقتلوا منهم أحدا، فتشبّ الصغار مكان من يموت من الكبار، فإنهم لن يكثروا بمن تستحيون منهم، فتخافون مكاثرتهم إياكم، ولن يقلوا بمن تقتلون، فأجمعوا أمرهم على ذلك. فحملت أمّ موسى بهارون في العام المقبل الذي لا يذبح فيه الغلمان، فولدته علانية آمنة، حتى إذا كان العام المقبل حملت بموسى، فوقع في قلبها الهمّ والحزن، وذلك من الفتون يا ابن جبير، مما دخل عليه في بطن أمه مما يراد به، فأوحى الله إليها وَلا تَخَافِي وَلا تَحْزَنِي إِنَّا رَادُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ وأمرها إذا ولدته أن تجعله في تابوت ثم تلقيه في اليم، فلما ولدته فعلت ما أمرت به، حتى إذا توارى عنها ابنها أتاها إبليس، فقالت في نفسها: ما صنعت بابني لو ذبح عندي، فواريته وكفنته كان أحب إلي من أن ألقيه بيدي إلى حيتان البحر ودوابه، فانطلق به الماء حتى أوفى به عند فرضة مستقى جواري آل فرعون، فرأينه فأخذنه، فهممن أن يفتحن الباب، فقال بعضهن لبعض: إن في هذا مالا وإنا إن فتحناه لم تصدّقنا امرأة فرعون بما وجدنا فيه، فحملنه كهيئته لم يحرّكن منه شيئا، حتى دفعنه إليها; فلما فتحته رأت فيه الغلام، فألقي عليه منها محبة لم يلق مثلها منها على أحد من الناس وَأَصْبَحَ فُؤَادُ أُمِّ مُوسَى فَارِغًا من كلّ شيء إلا من ذكر موسى ، فلما سمع الذباحون بأمره أقبلوا إلى امرأة فرعون بشفارهم، يريدون أن يذبحوه، وذلك من الفتون يا ابن جُبير، فقالت للذباحين: انصرفوا عني، فإن هذا الواحد لا يزيد في بني إسرائيل، فآتي فرعون فأستوهبه إياه، فإن وهبه لي كنتم قد أحسنتم وأجملتم، وإن أمر بذبحه لم ألمكم، فلما أتت به فرعون قالت قُرَّةُ عَيْنٍ لِي وَلَكَ قال فرعون: يكون لك، وأما أنا فلا حاجة لي فيه، فقال: والذي يحلف به لو أقرّ فرعون أن يكون له قرة عين كما أقرت به، لهداه الله به كما هدى به امرأته، ولكن الله حرمه ذلك، فأرسلت إلى من حولها من كلّ أنثى لها لبن، لتختار له ظئرا، فجعل كلما أخذته امرأة منهم لترضعه لم يقبل ثديها، حتى &; 18-308 &; أشفقت امرأة فرعون أن يمتنع من اللبن فيموت، فحزنها ذلك، فأمرت به فأخرج إلى السوق مجمع الناس ترجو أن تصيب له ظئرا يأخذ منها، فلم يقبل من أحد ، وأصبحت أمّ موسى، فقالت لأخته: قصيه واطلبيه، هل تسمعين له ذكرا، أحي ابني، أو قد أكلته دواب البحر وحيتانه؟ ونسيت الذي كان الله وعدها، فبصرت به أخته عن جنب وهم لا يشعرون، فقالت من الفرح حين أعياهم الظؤورات: أنا أدلكم على أهل بيت يكفلونه لكم وهم له ناصحون، فأخذوها وقالوا: وما يدريك ما نصحهم له، هل يعرفونه حتى شكوا في ذلك، وذلك من الفتون &; 18-309 &; يا ابن جُبير، فقالت: نصحهم له وشفقتهم عليه، رغبتهم في ظؤورة الملك، ورجاء منفعته، فتركوها، فانطلقت إلى أمها فأخبرتها الخبر، فجاءت، فلما وضعته في حجرها نـزا إلى ثديها حتى امتلأ جنباه، فانطلق البُشراء إلى امرأة فرعون يبشرونها أن قد وجدنا لابنك ظئرا، فأرسلت إليها، فأتيت بها وبه، فلما رأت ما يصنع بها قالت: امكثي عندي حتى ترضعي ابني هذا فإني لم أحبّ حبه شيئا قطّ ، قال: فقالت: لا أستطيع أن أدع بيتي وولدي، فيضيع، فإن طابت نفسك أن تعطينيه، فأذهب به إلى بيتي فيكون معي لا آلوه خيرا فعلت، وإلا فإني غير تاركة بيتي وولدي، وذكرت أمّ موسى ما كان الله وعدها، فتعاسرت على امرأة فرعون، وأيقنت أن الله تبارك وتعالى منجز وعده، فرجعت بابنها إلى بيتها من يومها، فأنبته الله نباتا حسنا، وحفظه لما قضى فيه، فلم يزل بنو إسرائيل وهم مجتمعون في ناحية المدينة يمتنعون به من الظلم والسخرة التي كانت فيهم. فلما ترعرع قالت امرأة فرعون لأمّ موسى: أزيريني ابني فوعدتها يوما تزيرها إياه فيه، فقالت لخواصها وظؤورتها وقهارمتها: لا يبقين أحد منكم إلا استقبل ابني بهدية وكرامة ليرى ذلك، وأنا باعثة أمينة تحصي كل ما يصنع كلّ إنسان منكم ، فلم تزل الهدية والكرامة والتحف تستقبله من حين خرج من بيت أمه إلى أن دخل على امرأة فرعون، فلما دخل عليها نحلته وأكرمته، وفرحت به، وأعجبها ما رأت من حُسن أثرها عليه، وقالت: انطلقن به إلى فرعون، فلينحله، وليكرمه ، فلما دخلوا به عليه جعلته في حجره، فتناول موسى لحية فرعون حتى مدّها، فقال عدوّ من أعداء الله: ألا ترى ما وعد الله إبراهيم أنه سيصرعك ويعلوك، فأرسل إلى الذباحين ليذبحوه وذلك من الفتون يا بن جُبَير، بعد كلّ بلاء ابتلي به وأريد به، فجاءت امرأة فرعون تسعى إلى فرعون، فقالت: ما بدا لك في هذا الصبيّ الذي قد وهبته لي؟ قال: ألا ترين يزعم أنه سيصرعني ويعلوني، فقالت: اجعل بيني وبينك أمرا تعرف فيه الحق، ائت بجمرتين ولؤلؤتين، فقرّبهنّ إليه، فإن بطش باللؤلؤتين واجتنب الجمرتين علمت أنه يعقل، وإن تناول الجمرتين ولم يرد اللؤلؤتين، فاعلم أن أحدا لا يؤثر الجمرتين على اللؤلؤتين وهو يعقل، فقرّب ذلك إليه، فتناول الجمرتين، فنـزعوهما منه مخافة أن تحرقا يده، فقالت المرأة: ألا ترى؟ فصرفه الله عنه بعد ما قد همّ به، وكان الله بالغا فيه أمره. فلما بلغ أشدّه، وكان من الرجال، لم يكن أحد من آل فرعون يخلص إلى أحد من بني إسرائيل معه بظلم ولا سخرة، حتى امتنعوا كلّ امتناع، فبينما هو يمشي ذات يوم في ناحية المدينة، إذ هو برجلين يقتتلان، أحدهما من بني إسرائيل، والآخر من آل فرعون، فاستغاثه الإسرائيلي على الفرعوني، فغضب موسى واشتدّ غضبه، لأنه تناوله وهو يعلم منـزلة موسى من بني إسرائيل، وحفظه لهم، ولا يعلم الناس إلا أنما ذلك من قِبَل الرضاعة غير أمّ موسى، إلا أن يكون الله أطلع موسى من ذلك على ما لم يطلع عليه غيره; فوكز موسى الفرعوني فقتله، وليس يراهما أحد إلا الله والإسرائيلي، فقال موسى حين قتل الرجل: ( هَذَا مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ مُضِلٌّ مُبِينٌ) ثُمَّ قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَغَفَرَ لَهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ فَأَصْبَحَ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ الأخبار، فأتى فرعون، فقيل له: إن بني إسرائيل قد قتلوا رجلا من آل فرعون، فخُذ لنا بحقنا ولا ترخص لهم في ذلك، فقال: ابغوني قاتله ومن يشهد عليه، لأنه لا يستقيم أن يقضي بغير بيِّنة ولا ثبت، فطلبوا له ذلك; فبينما هم يطوفون لا يجدون ثَبَتا، إذ مرّ موسى من الغد، فرأى ذلك الإسرائيلي يقاتل فرعونيا، فاستغاثه الإسرائيلي على الفرعوني، فصادف موسى وقد ندم على ما كان منه بالأمس وكره الذي رأى، فغضب موسى، فمدّ يده وهو يريد أن يبطش بالفرعوني، قال للإسرائيلي لما فعل بالأمس واليوم إِنَّكَ لَغَوِيٌّ مُبِينٌ فنظر الإسرائيلي موسى بعد ما قال، فإذا هو غضبان كغضبه بالأمس الذي قتل فيه &; 18-310 &; الفرعوني، فخاف أن يكون بعد ما قال له إِنَّكَ لَغَوِيٌّ مُبِينٌ أن يكون إياه أراد، ولم يكن أراده، وإنما أراد الفرعوني، فخاف الإسرائيلي، فحاجز الفرعوني فقال يَا مُوسَى أَتُرِيدُ أَنْ تَقْتُلَنِي كَمَا قَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا بِالأَمْسِ وإنما قال ذلك مخافة أن يكون إياه أراد موسى ليقتله، فتتاركا; فانطلق الفرعوني إلى قومه، فأخبرهم بما سمع من الإسرائيلي من الخبر حين يقول: أتريد أن تقتلني كما قتلت نفسًا بالأمس؟ فأرسل فرعون الذباحين، فسلك موسى الطريق الأعظم، فطلبوه وهم لا يخافون أن يفوتهم. وجاء رجل من شيعة موسى من أقصى المدينة، فاختصر طريقًا قريبًا حتى سبقهم إلى موسى، فأخبره الخبر، وذلك من الفتون يا بن جُبير. حدثني محمد بن عمرو، قال: ثنا أبو عاصم، قال: ثنا عيسى; وحدثني الحارث، قال: ثنا الحسن، قال: ثنا ورقاء، جميعا عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد، قوله: (فُتُونًا) قال: بلاء، إلقاؤه في التابوت، ثم في البحر، ثم التقاط آل فرعون إياه، ثم خروجه خائفا. قال محمد بن عمرو، وقال أبو عاصم: خائفا، أو جائعا " شكّ أبو عاصم "، وقال الحارث: خائفا يترقب، ولم يشك. حدثنا القاسم، قال: ثنا الحسين، قال: ثني حجاج، عن ابن جريج، عن مجاهد، مثله وقال: خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ ، ولم يشك. حدثنا بِشْر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة قوله ( وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا ) يقول: ابتليناك بلاء. حُدِثت عن الحسين، قال: سمعت أبا مُعاذ يقول: أخبرنا عبيد، قال: سمعت الضحاك يقول في قوله ( وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا ) هو البلاء على إثر البلاء. وقال آخرون: معنى ذلك: أخلصناك. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثني الحارث، قال: ثنا الحسن، قال: ثنا ورقاء، عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد ( وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا ) أخلصناك إخلاصا. حدثنا ابن المثنى، قال: ثنا محمد بن جعفر، قال: ثنا شعبة، عن يعلى بن مسلم، قال: سمعت سعيد بن جُبير، يفسِّر هذا الحرف ( وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا ) قال: أخلصناك إخلاصا. &; 18-311 &; قال أبو جعفر: وقد بيَّنا فيما مضى من كتابنا هذا معنى الفتنة، وأنها الابتلاء والاختبار بالأدلة المُغنية عن الإعادة في هذا الموضع. وقوله ( فَلَبِثْتَ سِنِينَ فِي أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ ) وهذا الكلام قد حذف منه بعض ما به تمامه اكتفاء بدلالة ما ذكر عما حذف. ومعنى الكلام: وفتناك فتونا، فخرجت خائفا إلى أهل مدين، فلبثت سنين فيهم. وقوله ( ثُمَّ جِئْتَ عَلَى قَدَرٍ يَا مُوسَى ) يقول جلّ ثناؤه: ثم جئت للوقت الذي أردنا إرسالك إلى فرعون رسولا ولمقداره. 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 ( ثُمَّ جِئْتَ عَلَى قَدَرٍ يَا مُوسَى ) يقول: لقد جئت لميقات يا موسى. حدثني محمد بن عمرو، قال: ثنا أبو عاصم، قال: ثنا عيسى، وحدثني الحارث، قال: ثنا الحسن، قال: ثنا ورقاء، جميعا عن مجاهد، قال ( عَلَى قَدَرٍ يَا مُوسَى ) قال: موعد. حدثنا القاسم، قال: ثنا الحسين، قال: ثني حجاج، عن ابن جُرَيج، عن مجاهد، قال: علي ذي موعد. حدثنا الحسن بن يحيى، قال: أخبرنا عبد الرزاق، قال: أخبرنا معمر، عن قتادة، في قوله: ( عَلَى قَدَرٍ يَا مُوسَى ) قال: قدر الرسالة والنبوّة ، والعرب تقول: جاء فلان على قدر: إذا جاء لميقات الحاجة إليه; ومنه قول الشاعر: نـالَ الخِلافَـةَ أوْ كـانَتْ لَـهُ قَـدَرا كَمَـا أَتـى رَبَّـهُ مُوسَـى عَـلى قَدَرِ (1) --------------- الهوامش: (1) هذا البيت لجرير ، من قصيدة عدة تسعة وعشرون بيتا في ديوانه ( طبعة الصاوي بالقاهرة 274 - 276 ) والرواية فيه : " نال الخلافة " كرواية المؤلف ، وفي بعض كتب الشواهد : " جاء الخلافة " . وفي هامش الديوان : ويروى : " عز الخلافة " البيت . ومحل الشاهد في البيت ، قوله : " على قدر " فإن معناه : القضاء الموافق . قال في ( اللسان : قدر ) : يقال : قدر الإله كذا تقديرا ؛ وإذا وافق الشيء الشيء قلت : جاء قدره ، وقال ابن سيده : القدر والقدر ( بسكون الدال وتحريكها ) : القضاء والحكم ، وهو ما يقدره الله عز وجل من القضاء ، ويحكم به من الأمور .