Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   The explanation of His word, the Exalted: And if you could see when they are terrified, then there is no escape, and they are seized from a near place. (51)

   He, exalted is His remembrance, says to His Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ: And if you could see, O Muḥammad, when they are terrified.

   The scholars of explanation differed concerning who is meant by this āyah. Some of them said: what is meant by it are these polytheists (mushrikīn) whom He, exalted is His remembrance, described with His word And when Our clear signs are recited to them, they say: "This is nothing but a man who wishes to turn you away from what your fathers worshipped." He said: and by His word (when they are terrified, then there is no escape, and they are seized from a near place) is meant: at the time of the descent of Allah's vengeance upon them in this world.

   * Mention of who said that:

   Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, he said: my father related to me, he said: my uncle related to me, he said: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word (And if you could see when they are terrified, then there is no escape…) — to the end of the āyah —, he said: this belongs to the punishment of this world.

   It was related to me on the authority of al-Ḥusayn, he said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd informed us, he said: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning His word (and they are seized from a near place), he said: this is the punishment of this world.

   Yūnus related to me, he said: Ibn Wahb informed us, he said: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word (And if you could see when they are terrified, then there is no escape…) — to the end of the sūra —, he said: these are the slain among the polytheists of the people of Badr; concerning them this āyah was sent down. He said: and they are those who exchanged the favor of Allah for unbelief and who caused their people to descend into the abode of perdition, hell (jahannam): the people of Badr among the polytheists.

   And others said: rather, what is meant by it is an army that is swallowed up in a desert plain of the earth.

   * Mention of who said that:

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, he said: Yaʿqūb related to us, on the authority of Jaʿfar, on the authority of Saʿīd, concerning His word (And if you could see when they are terrified, then there is no escape), he said: they are the army that is swallowed up in the desert plain; of them one man remains who informs the people of what befell his companions.

   ʿIṣām ibn Rawwād ibn al-Jarrāḥ related to us, he said: my father related to us, he said: Sufyān ibn Saʿīd related to us, he said: Manṣūr ibn al-Muʿtamir related to me, on the authority of Ribʿī ibn Ḥirāsh, he said: I heard Ḥudhayfa ibn al-Yamān say: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said — and he mentioned a tribulation (fitna) that would take place between the people of the East and the West —, he said: while they are in that state, the Sufyānī suddenly comes upon them from the dry valley in the severity thereof, until he alights at Damascus. Then he sends out two armies: an army to the East and an army to Medina, until they alight in the land of Babel in the accursed city and the evil place. There they kill more than three thousand, and they rip open there more than a hundred women, and they kill there three hundred notables of the Banū al-ʿAbbās. Then they descend to Kūfa and destroy what lies around it. After that they set out, heading for Syria. Then the banner of this [deliverer] sets out from Kūfa and overtakes that army of his, at the two groups, and they kill them, so that none of them escapes to report it; and they free what was in their hands of captives (sabī) and booty (ghanīmah). And his rearmost army he leaves behind at Medina, and they plunder it three days and their nights. After that they set out, heading for Mecca, until, when they are in the desert plain (al-Baydāʾ), they [are terrified]; then Allah sends Jibrīl, and He says: "O Jibrīl, go and destroy them," whereupon he strikes it with his foot a blow by which Allah causes them to be swallowed up. That is His word in sūrat Sabaʾ: (And if you could see when they are terrified, then there is no escape…) — the āyah. And of them only two men escape: one a bringer of good news and the other a warner, and they both belong to Juhayna. Therefore the saying arose:

   … … … … … …

   And with Juhayna is the certain report.

   Muḥammad ibn Khalaf al-ʿAsqalānī related to us, he said: I asked Rawwād ibn al-Jarrāḥ about the report related on his authority, on the authority of Sufyān al-Thawrī, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Ribʿī, on the authority of Ḥudhayfa, on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ, concerning a history he mentioned about the tribulations (al-fitan). He said: I said to him: inform me about this report — did you hear it from Sufyān al-Thawrī? He said: no. I said: did you then read it to him? He said: no. I said: was it then read to him while you were present? He said: no. I said: what then is its history, what then is its report? He said: people came to me who said: "We have with us a wondrous report," or words to this effect, "which we read and which you hear." I said to them: bring it here. Then they read it to me, after which they went away and related it on my authority — or words to this effect.

   Abū Jaʿfar said: and a part of this report Muḥammad ibn Khalaf related to me, he said: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Abān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān al-Thawrī, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Ribʿī, on the authority of Ḥudhayfa, on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ, a long report; he said: I saw it in the book of al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī al-Ṣudāʾī, on the authority of a shaykh, on the authority of Rawwād, on the authority of Sufyān, in its full length.

   And others said: rather, what is meant by it are the polytheists when they are terrified at their rising from their graves.

   * Mention of who said that:

   Bishr related to me, he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, concerning His word (And if you could see when they are terrified), he said: they are terrified on the Day of Resurrection when they rise from their graves.

   And Qatāda said: (And if you could see when they are terrified, then there is no escape, and they are seized from a near place): when they behold the punishment of Allah with their own eyes.

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, he said: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, on the authority of Ibn Maʿqil, (And if you could see when they are terrified, then there is no escape), he said: He struck them with terror on the Day of Resurrection, so that they did not escape.

   And that which is most in agreement with the truth in the explanation of this, and most resembling that to which the outward meaning of the revelation points, is the statement of the one who said: it is the threat of Allah to the polytheists who denied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ among his people. For the āyāt before this āyah come with the report about them and about their affairs, and with Allah's threat to them concerning their end; and this āyah stands within the context of those āyāt. That it is therefore a report about their condition is more likely than that it would be a report about something of which no mention has been made at all. And if that is so, then the explanation of the words is: And if you could see, O Muḥammad, these polytheists among your people, and you could behold them with your own eyes when they are terrified at their beholding the punishment of Allah — (then there is no escape) — he says: there is then no possibility that they should escape with themselves, or that they should flee from Us and withdraw themselves from Our punishment.

   As ʿAlī related to me, he said: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, he said: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word (And if you could see when they are terrified, then there is no escape), he says: there is then no deliverance.

   ʿAmr ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd related to us, he said: Marwān related to us, on the authority of Juwaybir, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk, concerning His word (And if you could see when they are terrified, then there is no escape, and they are seized from a near place), he said: there is no fleeing.

   And His word (and they are seized from a near place) — he says: and Allah seizes them with His punishment from a near place, for wherever they are, they are near to Allah and are not far removed from Him.

   Show original Arabic

   القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ فَزِعُوا فَلا فَوْتَ وَأُخِذُوا مِنْ مَكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ (51) يقول تعالى ذكره لنبيه محمد صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم: ولو ترى يا محمد إذ فزعوا. واختلف أهل التأويل في المعنيين بهذه الآية؛ فقال بعضهم: عُنِي بها هؤلاء المشركون الذين وصفهم تعالى ذكره بقوله وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالُوا مَا هَذَا إِلا رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَصُدَّكُمْ عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُكُمْ قال: وعُنِي بقوله ( إِذْ فَزِعُوا فَلا فَوْتَ وَأُخِذُوا مِنْ مَكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ ) عند نـزول نقمة الله بهم في الدنيا. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثني محمد بن سعد، قال: ثني أبي، قال: ثني عمي، قال: ثني أبي، عن أبيه، عن ابن عباس قوله (وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ فَزِعُوا فَلا فَوْتَ ...) الى آخر الآية، قال: هذا من عذاب الدنيا. حُدثت عن الحسين، قال: سمعت أبا معاذ يقول: أخبرنا عبيد، قال: سمعت الضحاك يقول في قوله (وَأُخِذُوا مِنْ مَكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ) قال: هذا عذاب الدنيا. حدثني يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال: قال ابن زيد، في قوله (وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ فُزِعُوا فَلا فَوْتَ ...) إلى آخر السورة، قال: هؤلاء قتلى المشركين من أهل بدر، نـزلت فيهم هذه الآية، قال: وهم الذين بدلوا نعمة الله كفرًا وأحلوا قومهم دار البوار جهنم، أهل بدر من المشركين. &; 20-422 &; وقال آخرون: عنى بذلك جيش يخسف بهم ببيداء من الأرض. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثنا ابن حميد قال: ثنا يعقوب عن جعفر عن سعيد في قوله ( وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ فَزِعُوا فَلا فَوْتَ ) قال: هم الجيش الذي يخسف بهم بالبيداء، يبقى منهم رجل يخبر الناس بما لقي أصحابه. حدثنا عصام بن روَّاد بن الجراح قال: ثنا أَبي قال: ثنا سفيان بن سعيد قال: ثني منصور بن المعتمرِ عن رِبْعيِّ بن حِراش قال: سمعت حذيفة بن اليمان يقول: قال رسول الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم ، وذكر فتنة تكون بين أهل المشرق والمغرب، قال: فبينما هم كذلك إذ خرج عليهم السفياني من الوادي اليابس في فورة ذلك، حتى ينـزل دمشق، فيبعث جيشين؛ جيشًا إلى المشرق، وجيشًا إلى المدينة، حتى ينـزلوا بأرض بابل في المدينة الملعونة والبقعة الخبيثة، فيقتلون أكثر من ثلاثة آلاف، ويبقرون بها أكثر من مائة امرأة، ويقتلون بها ثلاثمائة كبش من بني العباس، ثم ينحدرون إلى الكوفة فيخربون ما حولها، ثم يخرجون متوجهين إلى الشأم، فتخرج راية هذا من الكوفة، فتلحق ذلك الجيش منها على الفئتين، فيقتلونهم لا يفلت منهم مخبر، ويستنقذون ما في أيديهم من السبي والغنائم ، ويخلي جيشه التالي بالمدينة، فينهبونها ثلاثة أيام ولياليها، ثم يخرجون متوجهين إلى مكة، حتى إذا كانوا بالبيداء، بعث الله جبريل، فيقول: يا جبرائيل اذهب فأبدهم، فيضربها برجله ضربة يخسف الله بهم، فذلك قوله في سورة سبأ (وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ فُزِعُوا فَلا فَوْتَ ...) الآية، ولا ينفلت منهم إلا رجلان؛ أحدهما بشير والآخر نذير، وهما من جهينة، فلذلك جاء القول: ... ... ... ... ... ... وَعِنْــدَ جُهَينَــةَ الْخَــبَرُ اليَقِيــنُ (1) حدثنا محمد بن خلف العسقلاني قال: سألت رواد بن الجراح، عن الحديث الذي حدث به عنه، عن سفيان الثوري، عن منصور، عن ربعى عن حذيفة، عن النبي صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم، عن قصة ذكرها في الفتن، قال: فقلت له: أخبرني عن هذا الحديث سمعته من سفيان الثوري؟ قال: لا قلت: فقرأته عليه؟ قال: لا قلت: فقرئ عليه وأنت حاضر؟ قال: لا قلت: فما قصته فما خبره؟ قال: جاءني قوم فقالوا: معنا حديث عجيب، أو كلام هذا معناه، نقرؤه وتسمعه، قلت لهم: هاتوه، فقرءوه عليَّ ، ثم ذهبوا فحدثوا به عني، أو كلام هذا معناه. قال أَبو جعفر: وقد حدثني ببعض هذا الحديث محمد بن خلف، قال: ثنا عبد العزيز بن أبان، عن سفيان الثوري، عن منصور عن ربعى عن حذيفة عن النبي صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم، حديثا طويلا قال: رأيته في كتاب الحسين بن علي الصدائي، عن شيخ عن رواد عن سفيان بطوله. وقال آخرون: بل عني بذلك المشركون إذا فزعوا عند خروجهم من قبورهم. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثني بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة عن الحسن قوله &; 20-424 &; (وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ فُزِعُوا) قال: فزعوا يوم القيامة حين خرجوا من قبورهم. وقال قتادة: ( وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ فَزِعُوا فَلا فَوْتَ وَأُخِذُوا مِنْ مَكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ ) حين عاينوا عذاب الله. حدثنا ابن حميد قال: ثنا جرير عن عطاء عن ابن معقل ( وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ فَزِعُوا فَلا فَوْتَ ) قال: أفزعهم يوم القيامة فلم يفوتوا. والذي هو أولى بالصواب في تأويل ذلك، وأشبه بما دل عليه ظاهر التنـزيل قول من قال: وعيد الله المشركين الذين كذبوا رسول الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم من قومه، لأن الآيات قبل هذه الآية جاءت بالإخبار عنهم وعن أسبابهم، وبوعيد الله إياهم مغبته، وهذه الآية في سياق تلك الآيات، فلأن يكون ذلك خبرًا عن حالهم أشبه منه بأن يكون خبرًا لما لم يجر له ذكر. وإذا كان ذلك كذلك، فتأويل الكلام: ولو ترى يا محمد هؤلاء المشركين من قومك، فتعاينهم حين فزعوا من معاينتهم عذاب الله (فَلا فَوتَ) يقول: فلا سبيل حينئذٍ أن يفوتوا بأنفسهم، أو يعجزونا هربًا، وينجوا من عذابنا. كما حدثني علي قال: ثنا أَبو صالح قال: ثني معاوية عن علي عن ابن عباس قوله ( وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ فَزِعُوا فَلا فَوْتَ ) يقول: فلا نجاة. حدثنا عمرو بن عبد الحميد قال: ثنا مروان عن جويبر عن الضحاك في قوله ( وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ فَزِعُوا فَلا فَوْتَ وَأُخِذُوا مِنْ مَكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ ) قال: لا هرب. وقوله (وَأُخِذُوا مِنْ مَكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ) يقول: وأخذهم الله بعذابه من موضع قريب، لأنهم حيث كانوا من الله قريب لا يبعدون عنه.