Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   The explanation of His word, the Exalted: وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ فَإِذَا أُوذِيَ فِي اللَّهِ جَعَلَ فِتْنَةَ النَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ اللَّهِ وَلَئِنْ جَاءَ نَصْرٌ مِنْ رَبِّكَ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّا كُنَّا مَعَكُمْ أَوَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِمَا فِي صُدُورِ الْعَالَمِينَ ("And among the people are some who say: 'We believe in Allah,' but when harm is inflicted upon him for the sake of Allah, he regards the trial by the people as the punishment of Allah. And if help comes from your Lord, they will surely say: 'We were with you.' Does Allah not know best what is in the breasts of the worlds?") (29:10).

   The Exalted, whose praise is mentioned, says: and among the people are some who say: we have acknowledged Allah and acknowledged Him as One; but when the polytheists (mushrikīn) inflict harm upon him for his acknowledgment of Allah, he regards the trial (fitna) of the people against him in this worldly life as the punishment of Allah in the Hereafter, and so he apostatizes from his belief in Allah, returning to disbelief in Him. وَلَئِنْ جَاءَ نَصْرٌ مِنْ رَبِّكَ ("And if help comes from your Lord"), O Muḥammad, to the people who believe in Him, لَيَقُولُنَّ ("they will surely say") — those apostates from their faith, who regarded the trial of the people as the punishment of Allah — إِنَّا كُنَّا ("We were"), O believers, مَعَكُمْ ("with you"), we helped you against your enemies — out of lying and deception. Allah says: أَوَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ ("Does Allah not know best"), O people, better than anyone, بِمَا فِي صُدُورِ الْعَالَمِينَ ("what is in the breasts of the worlds"), of all His creation, both of those who say "we believe in Allah" and of others? For when harm is inflicted upon him for the sake of Allah, he apostatizes from the religion of Allah; how then can he seek to deceive the One from whom nothing remains hidden, and from whom no secret and no open matter is concealed?

   And in accordance with what we have said about this, the people of taʾwīl (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken.

   * Mention of who said that:

   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: وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ فَإِذَا أُوذِيَ فِي اللَّهِ جَعَلَ فِتْنَةَ النَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ اللَّهِ ("And among the people are some who say: 'We believe in Allah,' but when harm is inflicted upon him for the sake of Allah, he regards the trial by the people as the punishment of Allah"). He said: his trial (fitna) is that he apostatizes from the religion of Allah when harm is inflicted upon him for the sake of Allah.

   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 — all on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His word: فَإِذَا أُوذِيَ فِي اللَّهِ جَعَلَ فِتْنَةَ النَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ اللَّهِ ("but when harm is inflicted upon him for the sake of Allah, he regards the trial by the people as the punishment of Allah") up to His word: وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ ("and He will surely know the hypocrites"). He said: they are people who believe with their tongues, but when a trial from Allah befalls them, or a calamity in themselves, they fall into trial (fitna) and equate that in the worldly life with the punishment of Allah in the Hereafter.

   It was related to me on the authority of al-Ḥusayn, saying: I heard Abū Muʿādh saying: ʿUbayd informed us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk saying, concerning His word: وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ ("And among the people are some who say: 'We believe in Allah'"), the whole āya: it was sent down concerning some hypocrites (munāfiqīn) in Mecca who believed, but when harm was inflicted upon them and a trial from the polytheists befell them, they returned to disbelief out of fear of those who harmed them, and equated the harm of the people in the worldly life with the punishment of Allah.

   Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said, concerning His word, the Exalted: فَإِذَا أُوذِيَ فِي اللَّهِ جَعَلَ فِتْنَةَ النَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ اللَّهِ ("but when harm is inflicted upon him for the sake of Allah, he regards the trial by the people as the punishment of Allah"). He said: it is the hypocrite (munāfiq); when harm is inflicted upon him for the sake of Allah, he returns from the religion and commits disbelief, and regards the trial of the people as the punishment of Allah.

   And it has been mentioned that this āya was sent down concerning a group of believers who were in Mecca; they set out as emigrants (muhājirīn), but were overtaken and seized, and gave the polytheists — when their harm had befallen them — what these demanded of them.

   * Mention of the report about that:

   Aḥmad ibn Manṣūr al-Ramādī related to us, saying: Abū Aḥmad al-Zubayrī related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Shurayk related to us, on the authority of ʿAmr ibn Dīnār, on the authority of ʿIkrima, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: there was a group among the people of Mecca who had embraced Islam, but they kept their Islam concealed. The polytheists led them out with them on the day of Badr; some of them were struck down and some were killed. The Muslims said: these companions of ours were Muslims and were compelled — and they sought forgiveness for them. Then was sent down: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا فِيمَ كُنْتُمْ ("Indeed, those whom the angels take while they were wronging themselves, they said: 'In what condition were you?'") to the end of the āya. He said: they then wrote to the Muslims who had remained behind in Mecca this āya, [with the message] that there was no excuse for them; so they set out. The polytheists overtook them and they yielded to the trial (fitna). Then concerning them this āya was sent down: وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ فَإِذَا أُوذِيَ فِي اللَّهِ جَعَلَ فِتْنَةَ النَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ اللَّهِ ("And among the people are some who say: 'We believe in Allah,' but when harm is inflicted upon him for the sake of Allah, he regards the trial by the people as the punishment of Allah") to the end of the āya. The Muslims wrote that to them, and they set out, despairing of any good. Thereupon concerning them was sent down: ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لِلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا فُتِنُوا ثُمَّ جَاهَدُوا وَصَبَرُوا إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِنْ بَعْدِهَا لَغَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ ("Then indeed your Lord, to those who emigrated after they had been persecuted, and who then struggled and were patient — indeed, your Lord, after that, is surely Forgiving, Merciful"). Then they wrote that to them: that Allah had made for them a way out. So they set out; the polytheists overtook them and fought them, until whoever was saved was saved and whoever was killed was killed.

   Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word: وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ فَإِذَا أُوذِيَ فِي اللَّهِ ("And among the people are some who say: 'We believe in Allah,' but when harm is inflicted upon him for the sake of Allah") up to His word: وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ ("and He will surely know the hypocrites"). He said: these āyāt were sent down concerning the people whom the polytheists brought back to Mecca. These ten āyāt are Medinan up to here, and the rest of it is Meccan.

   Show original Arabic

   القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ فَإِذَا أُوذِيَ فِي اللَّهِ جَعَلَ فِتْنَةَ النَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ اللَّهِ وَلَئِنْ جَاءَ نَصْرٌ مِنْ رَبِّكَ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّا كُنَّا مَعَكُمْ أَوَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِمَا فِي صُدُورِ الْعَالَمِينَ (10) يقول تعالى ذكره: ومن الناس من يقول: أقررنا بالله فوحَّدناه، فإذَا آذاه المشركون في إقراره بالله، جعل فتنة الناس إياه في الدنيا، كعذاب الله في الآخرة، فارتدّ عن إيمانه بالله، راجعا على الكفر به ( وَلَئِنْ جَاءَ نَصْرٌ مِنْ رَبِّكَ ) يا محمد أهل الإيمان به (لَيَقُولُنَّ) هؤلاء المرتدّون عن إيمانهم، الجاعلون فتنة الناس كعذاب الله (إنَّا كُنَّا) أيها المؤمنون (مَعَكُمْ) ننصركم على أعدائكم، كذبا وإفكا، يقول الله: ( أَوَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ ) أيها القوم من كلّ أحد ( بِمَا فِي صُدُورِ الْعَالَمِينَ ) جميع خلقه، القائلين آمنا بالله وغَيرِهم، فإذا أُوذِي في الله ارتد عن دين الله فكيف يخادع من كان لا يخفى عليه خافية، ولا يستتر عنه سرا ولا علانية. 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: ( وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ فَإِذَا أُوذِيَ فِي اللَّهِ جَعَلَ فِتْنَةَ النَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ اللَّهِ ) قال: فتنته أن يرتدّ عن دين الله إذا أوذي في الله. 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: ( فَإِذَا أُوذِيَ فِي اللَّهِ جَعَلَ فِتْنَةَ النَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ اللَّهِ ...) إلى قوله: وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ قال: أناس يؤمنون بألسنتهم، فإذا أصابهم بلاء من الله أو مصيبة في أنفسهم افتتنوا، فجعلوا ذلك في الدنيا كعذاب الله في الآخرة. حُدِّثت عن الحسين، قال: سمعت أبا معاذ يقول: أخبرنا عبيد، قال: سمعت الضحاك يقول: قوله: ( وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ ...) الآية، نـزلت في ناس من المنافقين بمكة كانوا يؤمنون، فإذا أوذوا وأصابهم بلاء من المشركين، رجعوا إلى الكفر مخافة من يؤذيهم، وجعلوا أذى الناس في الدنيا كعذاب الله. حدثني يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب قال: قال ابن زيد، في قول الله: ( فَإِذَا أُوذِيَ فِي اللَّهِ جَعَلَ فِتْنَةَ النَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ اللَّهِ ) قال: هو المنافق إذا أوذي في الله رجع عن الدين وكفر، وجعل فتنة الناس كعذاب الله. وذُكر أن هذه الآية نـزلت في قوم من أهل الإيمان كانوا بمكة، فخرجوا مهاجرين، فأدركوا وأُخذوا فأعطوا المشركين لما نالهم أذاهم ما أرادوا منهم. * ذكر الخبر بذلك: حدثنا أحمد بن منصور الرمادي، قال: ثنا أبو أحمد الزبيري، قال: ثنا محمد بن شريك، عن عمرو بن دينار، عن عكرمة، عن ابن عباس، قال: كان قوم من أهل مكة أسلموا، وكانوا يستخفون بإسلامهم، فأخرجهم المشركون يوم بدر معهم، فأصيب بعضهم وقتل بعض، فقال المسلمون: كان أصحابنا هؤلاء مسلمين وأكرهوا، فاستغفروا لهم، فنـزلت إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا فِيمَ كُنْتُمْ ... إلى آخر الآية، قال: فكتب إلى من بقي بمكة من المسلمين بهذه الآية أن لا عذر لهم، فخرجوا. فلحقهم المشركون، فأعطوهم الفتنة، فنـزلت فيهم هذه الآية ( وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ فَإِذَا أُوذِيَ فِي اللَّهِ جَعَلَ فِتْنَةَ النَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ اللَّهِ ...) إلى آخر الآية، فكتب المسلمون إليهم بذلك، فخرجوا وأيسوا من كلّ خير، ثم نـزلت فيهم ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لِلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا فُتِنُوا ثُمَّ جَاهَدُوا وَصَبَرُوا إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِنْ بَعْدِهَا لَغَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ فكتبوا إليهم بذلك: إن الله قد جعل لكم مخرجا، فخرجوا، فأدركهم المشركون، فقاتلوهم، حتى نجا من نجا، وقُتل من قُتل. حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قَتادة، قوله: ( وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ فَإِذَا أُوذِيَ فِي اللَّهِ ...) إلى قوله: وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ قال: هذه الآيات أنـزلت فِي القوم الذين ردّهم المشركون إلى مكة، وهذه الآيات العشر مدنية إلى ههنا وسائرها مكي.