Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   with a ḍammah on the khāʾ and the lām, in the meaning: this is nothing but the custom of the ancients and their religion, as Ibn ʿAbbās said. For they were only rebuked for the structures they used to erect, for their violent conduct against people in the manner of tyrants, and for their scant gratitude toward their Lord for that with which He had favored them. To this they answered their prophet that they did what they did in following the transmitted custom (sunna) of the communities that preceded them, and in following their traces. Thus they said: this which we do is nothing but the fabrication (khalq) of the ancients — by which, with "khalq," they mean: the custom of the ancients.

   What further clarifies and confirms this in favor of the reading and the interpretation we have chosen is their statement: وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ (And we shall not be punished). For if they did not acknowledge that they have a Lord who is able to punish them, then they would not have said: وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ (And we shall not be punished), but rather they would have said: this with which you have come to us, O Hūd, is nothing but the fabrication of the ancients, and there is for us no punisher who punishes us. They did, however, acknowledge the Maker (al-Ṣāniʿ), but they worshipped the gods, in the manner in which the polytheists (mushrikīn) of the Arabs worshipped them, and they said that these brought them near to Allah. Therefore they said to Hūd, while denying his prophethood: سَوَاءٌ عَلَينَا أَوَعَظْتَ أَمْ لَمْ تَكُنْ مِنَ الْوَاعِظِينَ (It is the same for us whether you admonish us or are not among the admonishers). Then they said to him: this which we do is nothing but the custom and the ways of those who preceded us, and Allah will not punish us for it — just as He, exalted is His mention, has informed us about the past communities before us, that they used to say to their messengers: إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا آبَاءَنَا عَلَى أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ مُقْتَدُونَ (Indeed, we found our forefathers upon a way, and indeed we are following in their traces).

   The statement concerning the interpretation of His word, the Exalted: فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَةً وَمَا كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ (١٣٩) وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ (١٤٠) (But they denied him, and We destroyed them. Indeed, in that is a sign, and most of them were not believers (26:139). And indeed, your Lord is truly the Almighty, the Merciful (26:140)).

   He, exalted is His mention, says: ʿĀd denied the messenger of their Lord, Hūd. The "hāʾ" in His word (fa-kadhdhabūhu — "but they denied him") refers to the mention of Hūd. (Fa-ahlaknāhum — "and We destroyed them") means: We destroyed ʿĀd because of their denial of Our messenger. إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَةً (Indeed, in that is a sign) — He, exalted is His mention, says: indeed, in Our destruction of ʿĀd because of its denial of its messenger, is a lesson and an admonition for your people, O Muḥammad, who deny you concerning that which you have brought them from your Lord.

   He says: and most of those whom We destroyed were not among those who believe, according to the prior knowledge of Allah.

   وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ (And indeed, your Lord is truly the Almighty) — in His retribution upon His enemies, الرَّحِيمُ (the Merciful) — toward those who believe in Him.

   The statement concerning the interpretation of His word, the Exalted: كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ (١٤١) إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ صَالِحٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ (١٤٢) إِنِّي لَكُمْ رَسُولٌ أَمِينٌ (١٤٣) فَاتَّقُوا (Thamūd denied the messengers (26:141), when their brother Ṣāliḥ said to them: Will you not fear (Allah)? (26:142). Indeed, I am for you a trustworthy messenger (26:143). So fear (Allah)…)

   Show original Arabic

   بضم الخاء واللام، بمعنى: إن هذا إلا عادة الأوّلين ودينهم، كما قال ابن عباس، لأنهم إنما عوتبوا على البنيان الذي كانوا يتخذونه، وبطشهم بالناس بطش الجبابرة، وقلة شكرهم ربهم فيما أنعم عليهم، فأجابوا نبيّهم بأنهم يفعلون ما يفعلون من ذلك، احتذاء منهم سنة من قبلهم من الأمم، واقتفاء منهم آثارهم، فقالوا: ما هذا الذي نفعله إلا خلق الأوّلين، يعنون بالخلق: عادة الأوّلين. ويزيد ذلك بيانا وتصحيحا لما اخترنا من القراءة والتأويل، قولهم: (وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ) لأنهم لو كانوا لا يقرُّون بأن لهم ربا يقدر على تعذيبهم، ما قالوا: (وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ) بل كانوا يقولون: إن هذا الذي جئتنا به يا هود إلا خلق الأوّلين، وما لنا من معذب يعذبنا، ولكنهم كانوا مقرين بالصانع، ويعبدون الآلهة، على نحو ما كان مشركو العرب يعبدونها، ويقولون إنها تقربنا إلى الله زلفى، فلذلك قالوا لهود وهم منكرون نبوته: (سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْنَا أَوَعَظْتَ أَمْ لَمْ تَكُنْ مِنَ الْوَاعِظِينَ) ثم قالوا له: ما هذا الذي نفعله إلا عادة من قبلنا وأخلاقهم، وما الله معذبنا عليه. كما أخبرنا تعالى ذكره عن الأمم الخالية قبلنا، أنهم كانوا يقولون لرسلهم: (إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا آبَاءَنَا عَلَى أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ مُقْتَدُونَ) . القول في تأويل قوله تعالى: ﴿فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَةً وَمَا كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ (١٣٩) وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ (١٤٠)﴾ يقول تعالى ذكره: فكذّبت عاد رسول ربهم هودا، والهاء في قوله (فكذبوه) من ذكر هود. (فأهلكناهم) يقول: فأهلكنا عادا بتكذيبهم رسولنا. (إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَةً) يقول تعالى ذكره: إن في إهلاكنا عادا بتكذيبها رسولها، لعبرة وموعظة لقومك يا محمد، المكذّبيك فيما أتيتهم به من عند ربك. يقول: وما كان أكثر من أهلكنا بالذين يؤمنون في سابق علم الله. (وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ) في انتقامه من أعدائه، (الرَّحِيمُ) بالمؤمنين به. القول في تأويل قوله تعالى: ﴿كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ (١٤١) إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ صَالِحٌ أَلا تَتَّقُونَ (١٤٢) إِنِّي لَكُمْ رَسُولٌ أَمِينٌ (١٤٣) فَاتَّقُوا