Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: Al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Jarīr, on the authority of ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUbayd ibn ʿUmayr, who said: It was said to him: "Raise your head, your supplication has been answered."

   Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: Al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Mubārak, on the authority of Al-Ḥasan, and Mukhlad, on the authority of Hishām, on the authority of Al-Ḥasan — the narration of the one passing into that of the other — and they both said: It was said to him: ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ هَذَا مُغْتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ ("Stamp with your foot — this is a cool bathing place and a drink"). So he stamped with his foot, whereupon a spring gushed forth. He washed himself in it, and there remained of his ailment no visible trace but that it fell away. Allah caused every tormenting affliction and every illness to vanish, and his youth and beauty returned, more handsome and more excellent than they had ever been. Then he stamped again with his foot, whereupon a second spring gushed forth; he drank from it, and there remained in his bowels no illness but that it left him. He stood up healthy and was clothed in a robe of honor. He looked about himself and saw nothing of his former possessions — neither family members nor wealth — but that Allah had doubled it for him. Indeed, it was even narrated to us that the water with which he had washed fell upon his breast as golden locusts. He began to gather them up with his hand, whereupon Allah revealed to him: "O Ayyūb, have I not made you rich?" He answered: "Yes indeed, but this is Your blessing, and who could ever have his fill of it?" He went out and sat down upon an elevated place.

   His wife said to herself: "What if he has sent me away to someone whose food I must eat? May I then leave him to starve or leave him unattended so that the wild beasts devour him? I shall return to him." She returned, but saw neither the dung-heap nor any trace of the former condition — matters had been wholly transformed. She walked about the place where the dung-heap had stood and wept, while Ayyūb watched her. She was in awe of the man in the robe of honor, hesitant to approach him and inquire of him, but Ayyūb sent someone to her and summoned her. He said: "What do you want, handmaid of Allah?" She wept and said: "I am seeking that sick man, who was cast upon the dung-heap — I do not know whether he has perished or what has become of him." Ayyūb asked her: "What was he to you?" She wept and said: "My husband. Have you seen him?" — while in tears saying that he had surely been here. He asked: "Would you recognize him if you saw him?" She answered: "Could he be hidden from one who has seen him?" She began to stare at him, but hesitated, and then said: "I shall tell you something: he resembled you, as none other in Allah's creation did, in his days of health." He said: "I am Ayyūb, who commanded you to slaughter a sacrificial animal to Satan — but I obeyed Allah and disobeyed Satan, and I supplicated Allah, and He has restored to me what you now see." Al-Ḥasan said: Then Allah had mercy upon her on account of her steadfastness in the trial together with him, and commanded him, as a mitigation toward her, that he should take a bundle of twigs and strike her with it a single blow, as a mitigation toward her on account of her steadfastness with him.

   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 the word of Allah: وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَى رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ to the end of the two verses — when Satan had struck him with calamity and torment, Allah caused him to forget the supplication, so that he would beseech Him to remove the trial from him. Yet he continued to remember Allah abundantly, and the trial only increased his longing for Allah and his good faith. When the appointed term had elapsed and Allah had decreed to remove the trial from him, He granted him permission and made it easy for him to supplicate. Before that, Allah, exalted and blessed is He, used to say: "It does not befit My servant Ayyūb to supplicate Me without My answering him." When he supplicated, Allah answered him and restored to him double for all that he had lost: his family members returned to him, and as many again besides, and Allah praised him: إِنَّا وَجَدْنَاهُ صَابِرًا نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ ("We found him steadfast — what an excellent servant! Truly he was ever-returning [in repentance]").

   The people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) differed concerning the family members whom Allah intends by His word وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ: are they the family members given to him in this life, or is that a promise that Allah made to Ayyūb concerning the Hereafter?

   Some said: Allah gave Ayyūb in this life as many family members as he had lost; his own family members were not given back to him in this life, but Allah promised Ayyūb that He would give them to him in the Hereafter.

   Abū l-Sāʾib Salm ibn Junāda related to me, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us, on the authority of Layth, who said: Mujāhid sent a man named Qāsim to ʿIkrima to ask him about the word of Allah to Ayyūb وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ. He said: It was said to him: "Your family members are for you in the Hereafter; if you wish, We will give them to you now in this life, and if you wish, they shall be for you in the Hereafter and We will give you their like in this life." He answered: "Let them be for me in the Hereafter, and let me receive their like in this life." He returned to Mujāhid and reported this; Mujāhid said: "He has spoken well."

   Others said: Allah restored to him his own family members and added as many again to them.

   Those who said this: Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām ibn Salm related to us, on the authority of Abī Sinān, on the authority of Thābit, on the authority of Al-Ḍaḥḥāk, on the authority of Ibn Masʿūd — concerning وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ: he said: "His own family members."

   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: When Ayyūb supplicated, Allah answered him and restored to him double for all that he had lost — his family members returned to him and as many again besides.

   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, concerning وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ: he said: "He brought them to life in their own persons, and gave him as many again above that."

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Layth, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning the word وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ: he said: "It was said to him: If you wish, We will bring them to life, and if you wish, they shall be for you in the Hereafter and you shall receive their like in this life. He chose that they should be in the Hereafter, and that he should receive their like in this life."

   Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda — concerning وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ: Al-Ḥasan and Qatāda said: "Allah brought his own family members back to life and added as many again to them."

   Others said: He gave him an equal number from the offspring of his restored wealth and family; the wealth and the family members He restored to him.

   Those who said this: Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of a man, on the authority of Al-Ḥasan — concerning وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ: he said: "From their offspring."

   His word رَحْمَةً is in the accusative because it carries the meaning: We did this with them as a mercy (raḥma) from Us toward him.

   His word وَذِكْرَى لِلْعَابِدِينَ — He says: And as a reminder for the worshippers of their Lord We did this with him, so that they might take a lesson from it and know that Allah tries His friends and those whom He loves among His servants in this life with all kinds of trials with respect to their own persons, their family, and their wealth — not as a humiliation for them, but as a trial from Allah to see whether, through their steadfastness therein, their acceptance of it, and their good certainty of faith, they attain the rank that Allah, exalted and blessed is He, has prepared for them of honor with Him.

   Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: Al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Abī Maʿshar, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Kaʿb al-Qurẓī, concerning His word رَحْمَةً مِنْ عِنْدِنَا وَذِكْرَى لِلْعَابِدِينَ and His word رَحْمَةً مِنَّا وَذِكْرَى لأولِي الألْبَابِ: he said: "When a believer is stricken by a trial and he remembers what befell Ayyūb, let him say: 'One who was better than us — one of the prophets — was stricken likewise.'"

   Show original Arabic

   حدثنا القاسم، قال: ثنا الحسين، قال: ثني حجاج، عن جرير، عن عبد الله بن عبيد بن عمير، قال: فقيل له: ارفع رأسك فقد استجيب لك. حدثنا القاسم، قال: ثنا الحسين، قال: ثني حجاج، عن مبارك، عن الحسن ومخلد، عن هشام، عن الحسن، دخل حديث أحدهما في الآخر، قالا فقيل له: ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ هَذَا مُغْتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ فركض برجله فنبعت عين، فاغتسل منها، فلم يبق عليه من دائه شيء ظاهر إلا سقط، فأذهب الله كل ألم وكل سقم، وعاد إليه شبابه وجماله، أحسن ما كان وأفضل ما كان، ثم ضرب برجله، فنبعت عين أخرى فشرب منها، فلم يبق في جوفه داء إلا خرج، فقام صحيحا، وكُسِي حُلة، قال: فجعل يتلفت ولا يرى شيئا ما كان له من أهل ومال إلا وقد أضعفه الله له، حتى والله ذُكر لنا أن الماء الذي اغتسل به، تطاير على صدره جرادا من ذهب، قال: فجعل يضمه بيده، فأوحى الله إليه: يا أيوب ألم أغنك؟ قال: بلى، ولكنها بركتك، فمن يشبع منها، قال: فخرج حتى جلس على مكان مشرف، ثم إن امرأته قالت: أرأيت إن كان طردني إلى من أكله؟ أدعه يموت جوعا أو يضيع فتأكله السباع؟ لأرجعنّ إليه فرجعت، فلا كُناسة ترى، ولا من تلك الحال التي كانت، وإذا الأمور قد تغيرت، فجعلت تطوف حيث كانت الكناسة وتبكي، وذلك بعين أيوب، قالت: وهابت صاحب الحُلة أن تأتيه فتسأل عنه، فأرسل إليها أيوب فدعاها، فقال: ما تريدين يا أمة الله؟ فبكت وقالت: أردت ذلك المبتَلى الذي كان منبوذا على الكُناسة، لا أدري أضاع أم ما فعل؟ قال لها أيوب: ما كان منك؟ فبكت وقالت: بعلي، فهل رأيته؟ وهي تبكي إنه قد كان هاهنا؟ قال: وهل تعرفينه إذا رأيتيه؟ قالت: وهل يخفى على أحد رآه؟ ثم جعلت تنظر إليه وهي تهابه، ثم قالت: أما إنه كان أشبه خلق الله بك إذ كان صحيحا، قال: فإني أنا أيوب الذي أمرتيني أن أذبح للشيطان، وإني أطعت الله وعصيت الشيطان، فدعوت الله فردّ علي ما ترين، قال الحسن: ثم إن الله رحمها بصبرها معه على البلاء أن أمره تخفيفا عنها أن يأخذ جماعة من الشجر فيضربها ضربة واحدة تخفيفا عنها بصبرها معه. حدثني محمد بن سعد، قال: ثني أبي، قال: ثني عمي، قال: ثني أبي، عن أبيه، عن ابن عباس، قوله ( وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَى رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ )... إلى آخر الآيتين، فإنه لما مسه الشيطان بنصب وعذاب، أنساه الله الدعاء أن يدعوه فيكشف ما به من ضرّ، غير أنه كان يذكر الله كثيرا، ولا يزيده البلاء في الله إلا رغبة وحسن إيمان، فلما انتهى الأجل، وقضى الله أنه كاشف ما به من ضرّ أذن له في الدعاء، ويسرَّه له، وكان قبل ذلك يقول تبارك وتعالى: لا ينبغي لعبدي أيوب أن يدعوني، ثم لا أستجيب له، فلما دعا استجاب له، وأبدله بكل شيء ذهب له ضعفين، ردّ إليه أهله ومثلهم معهم، وأثنى عليه فقال: إِنَّا وَجَدْنَاهُ صَابِرًا نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ . واختلف أهل التأويل في الأهل الذي ذكر الله في قوله ( وآتيناه أهله ومثلهم معهم ) أهم أهله الذين أوتيهم في الدنيا، أم ذلك وعد وعده الله أيوب أن يفعل به في الآخرة؟ فقال بعضهم: إنما آتى الله أيوب في الدنيا مثل أهله الذين هلكوا، فإنهم لم يُرَدّوا عليه في الدنيا، وإنما وعد الله أيوب أن يؤتيه إياهم في الآخرة. حدثني أبو السائب سلم بن جنادة، قال: ثنا ابن إدريس، عن ليث، قال: أرسل مجاهد رجلا يقال له قاسم إلى عكرمة يسأله عن قول الله لأيوب ( وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ ) فقال: قيل له: إن أهلك لك في الآخرة، فإن شئت عجلناهم لك في الدنيا، وإن شئت كانوا لك في الآخرة، وآتيناك مثلهم في الدنيا، فقال: يكونون لي في الآخرة، وأُوتي مثلهم في الدنيا، قال: فرجع إلى مجاهد فقال: أصاب. وقال آخرون: بل ردّهم إليه بأعيانهم وأعطاه مثلهم معهم. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا حكام بن سلم، عن أبي سنان، عن ثابت، عن الضحاك، عن ابن مسعود ( وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ ) قال: أهله بأعيانهم. حدثني محمد بن سعد، قال: ثني أبي، قال: ثني عمي، قال: ثني أبي، عن أبيه، عن ابن عباس: لما دعا أيوب استجاب الله له، وأبدله بكل شيء ذهب له ضعفين، ردّ إليه أهله ومثلهم معهم. حدثنا القاسم، قال: ثنا الحسين، قال: ثني حجاج، عن ابن جريج، عن مجاهد وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ قال: أحياهم بأعيانهم، وردّ إليه مثلهم (8) . حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا جرير، عن ليث، عن مجاهد، في قوله ( وآتيناه أهله ومثلهم معهم ) قال: قيل له: إن شئت أحييناهم لك، وإن شئت كانوا لك في الآخرة وتعطى مثلهم في الدنيا، فاختار أن يكونوا في الآخرة ومثلهم في الدنيا. حدثنا بشر ، قال: ثنا يزيد ، قال : ثنا سعيد ، عن قتادة ( وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ ) قال الحسن وقتادة: أحيا الله أهله بأعيانهم ، وزاده إليهم مثلهم. وقال آخرون: بل آتاه المثل من نسل ماله الذي ردّه عليه وأهله ، فأما الأهل والمال فإنه ردّهما عليه. *ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثنا ابن عبد الأعلى ، قال : ثنا ابن ثور ، عن معمر ، عن رجل ، عن الحسن ( وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ ) قال: من نسلهم. وقوله ( رَحْمَةَ ) نصبت بمعنى: فعلنا بهم ذلك رحمة منا له. وقوله ( وَذِكْرَى لِلْعَابِدِينَ ) يقول: وتذكرة للعابدين ربهم فعلنا ذلك به ليعتبروا به ، ويعلموا أن الله قد يبتلي أولياءه ومن أحبّ من عباده في الدنيا بضروب من البلاء في نفسه وأهله وماله ، من غير هوان به عليه ، ولكن اختبارا منه له ليبلغ بصبره عليه واحتسابه إياه وحسن يقينه منـزلته التي أعدها له تبارك وتعالى من الكرامة عنده ، وقد: حدثنا القاسم ، قال : ثنا الحسين ، قال: ثني حجاج ، عن أبي معشر ، عن محمد بن كعب القرظي ، في قوله رَحْمَةً مِنْ عِنْدِنَا وَذِكْرَى لِلْعَابِدِينَ وقوله رَحْمَةً مِنَّا وَذِكْرَى لأولِي الألْبَابِ ) قال: أيما مؤمن أصابه بلاء فذكر ما أصاب أيوب فليقل: قد أصاب من هو خير منا نبيا من الأنبياء. ------------------- الهوامش : (8) هذا يناسب الاستشهاد على عدم ردهم بأعيانهم . فلعله مؤخر من تقديم .