Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   The explanation of His word: وَأَنْزَلَ الْفُرْقَانَ ("and He sent down the Criterion (al-furqān)").

   Abū Jaʿfar said: He, exalted is His praise, means by this: and He sent down the separation between truth and falsehood concerning that about which the parties and the adherents of the various religious communities disagreed in the matter of ʿĪsā and others.

   * * *

   We have already set forth earlier that "al-furqān" is nothing but a verbal form (faʿlān) from their saying: "Allah made a distinction (faraqa) between truth and falsehood," that is: He separated between the two by causing the truth to prevail over falsehood, either through the conclusive proof, or through superior force and victory by power and strength.

   * * *

   And in accordance with what we have said about this, the exegetes (ahl al-taʾwīl) have expressed themselves, except that some of them directed its interpretation toward the meaning that it is the separation between truth and falsehood in the matter of ʿĪsā, and some of them toward the meaning that it is the separation between truth and falsehood in the rulings of the religious laws.

   Mention of those who said that the meaning is: "the separation between truth and falsehood in the matter of ʿĪsā and the parties":

   6561 - Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar ibn al-Zubayr: "and He sent down the Criterion (al-furqān)," that is: the separation between truth and falsehood concerning that about which the parties disagreed in the matter of ʿĪsā and others.

   * * *

   Mention of those who said that its meaning is: "the separation between truth and falsehood in the rulings and the laws of Islam":

   6562 - Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: "and He sent down the Criterion (al-furqān)," that is the Qurʾān, which He sent down upon Muḥammad, and by which He distinguished between truth and falsehood; in it He declared the permitted permitted and the forbidden forbidden, in it He instituted His laws, in it He fixed His prescribed punishments (ḥudūd), in it He imposed His obligations, in it He gave His clarification, in it He commanded obedience to Him, and in it He forbade disobedience to Him.

   6563 - Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: Ibn Abī Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ: "and He sent down the Criterion (al-furqān)," he said: the Criterion is the Qurʾān, which distinguished between truth and falsehood.

   * * *

   Abū Jaʿfar said: The interpretation which we have cited from Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar ibn al-Zubayr concerning this is more fitting to be correct than the interpretation which we have cited from Qatāda and al-Rabīʿ, namely that the meaning of "al-furqān" in this place is: that Allah brought about a separation between His Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ and those who disputed with him in the matter of ʿĪsā and in other of his affairs, through the conclusive proof that cut off their excuse and the excuse of their like among those who disbelieve in Allah.

   We have said that this statement is more fitting to be correct, because Allah's mention of His sending down of the Qurʾān — before His mention of His sending down of the Torah and the Gospel in this verse — was already preceded by His word: نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ ("He has sent down upon you the Book with the truth, confirming what was before it"). And there is no doubt that that "Book" is the Qurʾān and nothing else. There is therefore no ground to repeat it again, since there is no benefit in a repetition that is not already contained in His mention of it and His informing about it at the outset.

   * * *

   The explanation of His word: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ ذُو انْتِقَامٍ (4) ("Verily, those who disbelieve in the signs of Allah, for them there is a severe punishment, and Allah is Almighty, Lord of retribution").

   Abū Jaʿfar said: He, exalted is His praise, means by this: verily, those who denied the signs of Allah and His proofs of His oneness and His divinity, and that ʿĪsā is a servant of His, and who took the Masīḥ as a god and lord, or claimed a son for Allah, for them there is from Allah a severe punishment on the Day of Resurrection.

   * * *

   And "those who disbelieve" are those who denied the signs of Allah; and "the signs of Allah" are Allah's signs, His proofs, and His arguments.

   * * *

   And this statement of Allah, mighty and exalted, gives insight into the meaning of His word: وَأَنْزَلَ الْفُرْقَانَ , namely that what is meant by it is the separation which is a proof for the people of truth against the people of falsehood. For He followed it with His word: "verily, those who disbelieve in the signs of Allah," that is: verily, those who denied that separation and that distinction which He sent down as a distinction between who is in the right and who is in the wrong — "for them there is a severe punishment," a threat from Allah against whoever opposes the truth after it has become clear to him, and whoever goes against the path of guidance after the proof has been established against him. Then He informed them that He is "Almighty" (ʿazīz) in His sovereignty; no preventer can prevent Him from punishing whom He wills of them, and no barrier can rise up between Him and him, and no one is able to thwart Him in that — and that He is "Lord of retribution" (dhū intiqām) against whoever denied His arguments and His proofs after they had been established against him and after they had become clear to him and he knew them.

   * * *

   And in accordance with what we have said about this, the exegetes have expressed themselves.

   Mention of those who said that:

   6564 - Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar ibn al-Zubayr: "verily, those who disbelieve in the signs of Allah, for them there is a severe punishment, and Allah is Almighty, Lord of retribution," that is: verily, Allah takes retribution against whoever disbelieved in His signs after he knew them and knew what had come from Him concerning them.

   6565 - Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: Ibn Abī Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ: "verily, those who disbelieve in the signs of Allah, for them there is a severe punishment, and Allah is Almighty, Lord of retribution," [here the narration breaks off; its continuation and any subsequent reports have been lost in the source].

   Show original Arabic

   القول في تأويل قوله : وَأَنْـزَلَ الْفُرْقَانَ قال أبو جعفر: يعني جل ثناؤه بذلك: وأنـزل الفصْل بين الحق والباطل فيما اختلفت فيه الأحزابُ وأهلُ الملل في أمر عيسى وغيره. * * * وقد بينا فيما مضى أنّ" الفرْقان "، إنما هو " الفعلان " من قولهم: " فرق الله &; 6-163 &; بين الحق والباطل "، فصل بينهما بنصره الحقَّ على الباطل، (40) إما بالحجة البالغة، وإما بالقهر والغلبة بالأيدِ والقوة. (41) * * * وبما قلنا في ذلك قال أهلُ التأويل، غير أنّ بعضهم وجّه تأويله إلى أنه فصل بين الحق والباطل في أمر عيسى = وبعضهم: إلى أنه فصل بين الحق والباطل في أحكام الشرائع. ذكر من قال: معناه: " الفصل بين الحق والباطل في أمر عيسى والأحزاب ": 6561 - حدثنا ابن حميد قال، حدثنا سلمة، عن ابن إسحاق، عن محمد بن جعفر بن الزبير: " وأنـزل الفرقان "، أي: الفصلَ بين الحق والباطل فيما اختلف فيه الأحزاب من أمر عيسى وغيره. (42) * * * ذكر من قال: معنى ذلك: " الفصل بين الحق والباطل في الأحكام وشرائع الإسلام ": 6562 - حدثنا بشر قال، حدثنا يزيد قال، حدثنا سعيد، عن قتادة: " وأنـزل الفرقان "، هو القرآن، أنـزله على محمد، وفرق به بين الحق والباطل، فأحلّ فيه حلاله وحرّم فيه حرامه، وشرع فيه شرائعه، وحدّ فيه حدوده، وفرض فيه فرائضَه، وبين فيه بيانه، وأمر بطاعته، ونهى عن معصيته. 6563 - حدثني المثنى قال: حدثنا إسحاق قال، حدثنا ابن أبي جعفر، عن أبيه، عن الربيع: " وأنـزل الفرقان "، قال: الفرقان، القرآن، فرق بين الحق والباطل. * * * &; 6-164 &; قال أبو جعفر: والتأويل الذي ذكرناه عن محمد بن جعفر بن الزبير في ذلك، أولى بالصحة من التأويل الذي ذكرناه عن قتادة والربيع = وأن يكون معنى " الفرقان " في هذا الموضع: فصل الله بين نبيه محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم والذين حاجُّوه في أمر عيسى، وفي غير ذلك من أموره، بالحجة البالغة القاطعة عذرَهم وعذرَ نُظرائهم من أهل الكفر بالله. وإنما قلنا هذا القول أولى بالصواب، لأن إخبارَ الله عن تنـزيله القرآنَ - قبل إخباره عن تنـزيله التوراة والإنجيل في هذه الآية - قد مضى بقوله: نَـزَّلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ . ولا شك أن ذلك " الكتاب "، هو القرآن لا غيره، فلا وجه لتكريره مرة أخرى، إذ لا فائدة في تكريره، ليست في ذكره إياه وخبره عنه ابتداءً. * * * القول في تأويل قوله : إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ ذُو انْتِقَامٍ (4) قال أبو جعفر: يعني بذلك جل ثناؤه: إنّ الذين جحدوا أعلام الله وأدلته على توحيده وألوهته، وأن عيسى عبدٌ له، واتخذوا المسيح إلهًا وربًّا، أو ادَّعوه لله ولدًا، لهم عذاب من الله شديدٌ يوم القيامة. * * * و " الذين كفروا "، هم الذين جحدوا آيات الله = و "آيات الله "، أعلامُ الله وأدلته وحججه. (43) * * * وهذا القول من الله عز وجل ينبئ عن معنى قوله: (44) وَأَنْـزَلَ الْفُرْقَانَ أنه معنِيٌّ به الفصل الذي هو حجة لأهل الحق على أهل الباطل. (45) لأنه عقب ذلك بقوله: " إن الذين كفروا بآيات الله "، يعني: إن الذين جحدوا ذلك الفصل والفرقانَ الذي أنـزله فرقًا بين المحق والمبطل =" لهم عذاب شديدٌ"، وعيدٌ من الله لمن عاند الحقّ بعد وضوحه له، وخالف سبيلَ الهدى بعد قيام الحجة عليه = ثم أخبرهم أنه " عزيز " في سلطانه لا يمنعه مانع ممن أراد عذابه منهم، ولا يحول بينه وبينه حائل، ولا يستطيع أن يعانده فيه أحدٌ = وأنه " ذو انتقام " ممنّ جحد حججه وأدلته بعد ثبوتها عليه، وبعد وضوحها له ومعرفته بها. * * * وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل. ذكر من قال ذلك: 6564 - حدثنا ابن حميد قال، حدثنا سلمة، عن محمد بن إسحاق، عن محمد بن جعفر بن الزبير: " إن الذين كفروا بآيات الله لهم عذاب شديد والله عزيزٌ ذو انتقام "، أي: إن الله منتقم ممن كفرَ بآياته بعد علمه بها، ومعرفته بما جاء منه فيها. (46) 6565 - حدثني المثنى قال، حدثنا إسحاق قال، حدثنا ابن أبي جعفر، عن أبيه، عن الربيع،" إن الذين كفروا بآيات الله لهم عذاب شديد والله عزيزٌ ذو انتقام "، ............................................................................ ............................................................................ (47) ___________________________ الهوامش : (40) في المطبوعة والمخطوطة: "يفصل بينهما... بالحق" مضارعًا ، والصواب أن يكون ماضيًا كما أثبته. (41) انظر ما سلف 1: 98 ، 99 / ثم 3: 448. وفي المطبوعة"بالأيدي" بالياء في آخره ، وهو خطأ. والأيد: الشدة والقوة. (42) الأثر: 6561 - هو بقية الآثار التي آخرها: 6560. (43) انظر فهارس اللغة فيما سلف"كفر" و"أبى". (44) في المخطوطة: "يعني عن معنى قوله" ، والصواب ما في المطبوعة. (45) في المطبوعة والمخطوطة: "أنه معنى به الفصل عن الذي هو حجة..." ، وقوله: "عن" زائدة بلا ريب في الكلام من عجلة الناسخ ، فلذلك أسقطتها. والسياق بعد يدل على صواب ذلك. (46) الأثر: 6564- هو من بقية الآثار التي آخرها رقم: 6561. (47) مكان هذه النقط ما سقط من تتمة الخبر رقم: 6565 ، والأخبار بعده ، إن كانت بعده أخبار. وهكذا هو المطبوعة وسائر المخطوطات التي بين أيدينا.