Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   The explanation of the saying of the Exalted: قَالَ لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ إِلَى نِعَاجِهِ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْخُلَطَاءِ لَيَبْغِي بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ وَظَنَّ دَاوُدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّاهُ فَاسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُ وَخَرَّ رَاكِعًا وَأَنَابَ ("He said: He has surely wronged you by asking that your ewe be joined to his ewes; and truly, many associates wrong one another, except those who believe and do righteous deeds — and how few they are! And David supposed that We had only tested him; and he asked his Lord for forgiveness and fell down kneeling and turned to Him in repentance") (24).

   The Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says: David said to the disputant who complained about his companion: your companion has surely wronged you by asking that your ewe be joined to his ewes. This belongs to that in which the "hāʾ" (of the verbal noun) has been omitted, so that upon the falling away of that "hāʾ" it was annexed to the direct object. Similar to it is the saying of the Exalted, mighty and exalted is He: لا يَسْأَمُ الإِنْسَانُ مِنْ دُعَاءِ الْخَيْرِ ("Man does not weary of praying for the good"), the meaning of which is: of his praying for the good; when the "hāʾ" of "al-duʿāʾ" was omitted, it was annexed to "al-khayr" and the "bāʾ" of "al-khayr" was omitted. And by "al-naʿja" (the ewe) here the woman is meant; the Arabs do that. To that belongs the saying of al-Aʿshā:

   "I was her scout — and the ewe of a watchful man who, full of dread, guards her heedlessness with his eye" (6)

   By "the ewe" (al-shāt) he means: the wife of a man whom the people regard with suspicion concerning her. He only means: you have surely been wronged by his asking that your single wife be joined to his ninety-nine wives.

   His saying وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْخُلَطَاءِ لَيَبْغِي بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ ("and truly, many associates wrong one another") means: and truly, many associates transgress against one another إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ("except those who believe") in Allah وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ("and do righteous deeds") means: and those who act in obedience to Allah, and abide by His command and His prohibition, and who do not transgress وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ ("and how few they are"). In the word "mā" in his saying وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ there are two possibilities: one is that it is a connective particle (ṣila) with the meaning "and few are they," so that adding it or omitting it does not spoil the meaning of the words; and the other is that it is a noun and that "hum" (they) is a connective particle of it, with the meaning: and few are those whom you find — as one says: "I used to consider you more sensible than you are (mimmā anta)," so that "anta" is a connective particle of "mā," and the meaning is: I used to consider your intellect greater than it is. Then "mā" and the noun together are a verbal noun (maṣdar). Had the verbal noun not been intended, the words would have been formed with "man," for "man" is what applies to people and their like. And it is related from the Arabs: "I used to consider you more sensible than you are (minka)" — something just like it; and: "I used to suppose that it is other than it is (ghayr mā huwa)," with the meaning: I used to see it as other than I saw it.

   And it is related from Ibn ʿAbbās concerning this what ʿAlī related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning his saying وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ , he says: and few are those who are [thus].

   Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning his saying إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ , he said: few are those who do not transgress.

   According to this interpretation, which Ibn ʿAbbās gave to it, the meaning of the words is: except those who believe and do righteous deeds, and few are those who are thus — that is, those who do not wrong one another — and "mā" according to this view is in the meaning of "man" (those who).

   His saying وَظَنَّ دَاوُدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّاهُ ("and David supposed that We had only tested him") means: and David knew that We had only tested him, as:

   Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda وَظَنَّ دَاوُدُ : David knew.

   Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm related to me, saying: Ibn ʿUlayya related to us, on the authority of Abū Rajāʾ, on the authority of al-Ḥasan وَظَنَّ دَاوُدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّاهُ , he said: he knew that he was being tested by it.

   ʿAlī related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās وَظَنَّ دَاوُدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّاهُ , he said: he knew that he was being tested by it.

   ʿAlī related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās وَظَنَّ دَاوُدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّاهُ : We have tested him.

   And the Arabs frequently turn "ẓann" (supposition), when it is made to bear upon a report, toward the meaning of "ʿilm" (knowledge) that is not obtained by seeing with the eye.

   His saying فَاسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُ ("and he asked his Lord for forgiveness") means: and David asked his Lord for forgiveness of his sin وَخَرَّ رَاكِعًا ("and fell down kneeling") means: and he fell down to the ground in prostration (sujūd) before Allah وَأَنَابَ ("and turned to Him in repentance") means: and he returned to the good pleasure of his Lord, and he showed repentance for his fault.

   People differed concerning the cause of the test by which the prophet of Allah, David — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — was tested. Some said: the cause of it was that he remembered what Allah had bestowed upon Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob of good, lasting praise among the people, and he desired something like it. Then it was said to him: they were tested and they patiently endured. Thereupon he requested to be tested as they were tested, and to be granted as they were granted, if he would patiently endure.

   * 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 saying وَهَلْ أَتَاكَ نَبَأُ الْخَصْمِ إِذْ تَسَوَّرُوا الْمِحْرَابَ ("And has the report of the disputants come to you, when they climbed over the wall of the prayer chamber?"), he said: David said: O Lord, You bestowed upon Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob of mention that which I would wish that You bestow upon me the like of. Allah said: I tested them with that with which I have not tested you; if you wish, I will test you with the like of that with which I tested them, and I will grant you as I granted them. He said: yes. He said to him: then act, until I see your test. It then happened as Allah willed that it should happen, and it lasted long for him, so that he almost forgot it. And while he was in his prayer chamber, a golden dove fell upon him, and he wanted to seize it, but it flew to the opening of the prayer chamber. He went to seize it, but it flew away, and he looked out from the opening and saw a woman washing herself. Then the prophet of Allah — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — descended from the prayer chamber and sent someone to her, and she came to him. He asked her about her husband and about her circumstances, and she informed him that her husband was absent. Then he wrote to the commander of that fighting troop that he should put him (the husband) in charge over the troops, so that he would perish. He did that, and so his companions were struck while he escaped — and sometimes they were aided. When Allah, mighty and exalted is He, saw the condition into which David had fallen, He willed to save him. And while David was one day in his prayer chamber, the two disputants climbed over the wall toward him from the front. When he saw them while he was reciting, he was startled and fell silent, and he said: I have become so weak in my kingship that the people even climb over the wall of my prayer chamber to enter upon me. They said to him: لا تَخَفْ خَصْمَانِ بَغَى بَعْضُنَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ ("Fear not; we are two disputants, one of us has wronged the other"), and it was unavoidable for us to come to you, so listen to us. One of them said: إِنَّ هَذَا أَخِي لَهُ تِسْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ نَعْجَةً ("Verily, this, my brother, has ninety-nine ewes"), female ones, وَلِيَ نَعْجَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ فَقَالَ أَكْفِلْنِيهَا ("and I have one ewe, and he said: entrust her to my care") — he wants thereby to complete the [number] hundred and leave me possessing nothing — وَعَزَّنِي فِي الْخِطَابِ ("and he overcame me in argument"); he said: if I utter [a plea] and he utters it, he is more numerous, and if I seize hold and he seizes hold, he is stronger than I. That is his saying وَعَزَّنِي فِي الْخِطَابِ . David said to him: you had more need of your ewe than he لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ إِلَى نِعَاجِهِ ("he has surely wronged you by asking that your ewe be joined to his ewes") … up to his saying وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ ; and he forgot himself — may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Then the two angels looked at each other when he said that, and one smiled at the other, and David saw it and understood that he had been tested فَاسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُ وَخَرَّ رَاكِعًا وَأَنَابَ ("and he asked his Lord for forgiveness and fell down kneeling and turned to Him in repentance") for forty nights, until greenery sprouted from the tears of his eyes; thereafter Allah strengthened his kingship for him.

   Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, concerning his saying وَهَلْ أَتَاكَ نَبَأُ الْخَصْمِ إِذْ تَسَوَّرُوا الْمِحْرَابَ , he said: David had divided his time into three days: a day on which he judged among the people, a day on which he secluded himself for the worship of his Lord, and a day on which he secluded himself for his wives; and he had ninety-nine wives. In the Books that he used to read, he found the excellence of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When he found that in what he read of the Books, he said: O Lord, verily, all good has been taken away by my forefathers who were before me; so grant me the like of what You granted them, and do with me as You did with them. He said: then Allah revealed to him: verily, your forefathers were tested with tests with which you have not been tested. Abraham was tested with the sacrifice of his son, Isaac was tested with the loss of his eyesight, and Jacob was tested with his grief over Joseph, while you have been tested with none of that. He said: O Lord, test me with the like of that with which You tested them, and grant me the like of what You granted them. He said: then it was revealed to him: verily, you will be tested, so be on your guard. He said: he remained thereafter as long as Allah willed that he should remain, when Satan came to him, having adorned himself in the form of a golden dove, until it fell at his feet while he was standing performing the prayer. He stretched out his hand to seize it, but it drew back, and he followed it; it moved away until it fell into a window. He went to seize it, but it flew out of the window, and he looked where it came down in order to send someone after it. He said: then he saw a woman washing herself on a roof, and he saw a woman of the most beautiful of people in form. She turned and saw him, and she let her hair down and covered herself with it. He said: that only increased his desire for her. He said: then he asked about her, and he was informed that she had a husband, and that her husband was absent at such-and-such a frontier post. He said: then he sent to the commander of the frontier post that he should send Uriyya (Uriah) against such-and-such an enemy. He said: then he sent him, and it became a victory for him (Uriah). He said: and he wrote to him about that. He said: then he wrote to him again: send him against such-and-such an enemy, who are fiercer in battle than they. He said: then both were sent, and it again became a victory for him. He said: then he wrote to David about that. He said: then he wrote to him: send him against such-and-such an enemy; then he sent him, and the third time he was killed. He said: and he (David) married his wife.

   He said: when she had entered upon him — he said: she remained with him only a short time — Allah sent two angels in the form of men. They asked to enter upon him, and they found him on the day of his worship. The guards prevented them from entering, and they climbed over the wall of the prayer chamber toward him. He said: he noticed nothing while he was praying until they were sitting before him. He said: then he was startled by them, and they said: لا تَخَفْ ("Fear not"), we are only خَصْمَانِ بَغَى بَعْضُنَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَلا تُشْطِطْ ("two disputants, one of us has wronged the other, so judge between us in truth and do not deviate") — he says: do not do injustice — وَاهْدِنَا إِلَى سَوَاءِ الصِّرَاطِ ("and guide us to the right path"): to the just judgment. He said: then he said: tell me your case. He said: then one of them said: إِنَّ هَذَا أَخِي لَهُ تِسْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ نَعْجَةً وَلِيَ نَعْجَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ ("Verily, this, my brother, has ninety-nine ewes, and I have one ewe"), and he wants to take my ewe and thereby complete his ewes to one hundred. He said: then he said to the other: what do you say? He said: I have ninety-nine ewes, and this brother of mine has one ewe, and I want to take his and thereby complete my ewes to one hundred. He said: while he does not want that? He said: while he does not want that. He said: while he does not want that? He said: then we will not leave you and that alone. He said: you are not able to do that. He said: if you then proceed to that or desire it, we will strike you this and this and this — and Asbāṭ explained: the tip of the nose, and the root of the nose, and the forehead. He said: O David, you are more deserving that this and this and this be struck against you, you who have ninety-nine ewes — wives — while Uriyya had only one wife, and you did not cease to expose him to death until you killed him and married his wife. He said: then he looked, but he saw nothing, and he understood into what he had fallen and with what he had been tested. He said: then he fell down to the ground in prostration. He said: and he wept. He said: he remained forty days weeping in prostration, and he did not raise his head except for a need of his, then he fell down again in prostration, weeping, and then he supplicated, until grass sprouted from the tears of his eyes. He said: then Allah revealed to him after forty days: O David, raise your head, for I have forgiven you. Then he said: O Lord, how do I know that You have forgiven me, while You are a just Judge who does no injustice in judgment, if Uriyya comes to You on the Day of Resurrection, holding his head in his right or his left hand, while the blood gushes from his veins, saying before Your throne: O Lord, ask this one why he killed me? He said: then He revealed to him: when that happens, I will call Uriyya and ask him to grant you to Me, and he will grant you to Me, and I will reward him for that with paradise. He said: O Lord, now I know that You have forgiven me. He said: then he was not able to fill his eyes with looking toward heaven out of shame before his Lord, until he departed — may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

   ʿAlī ibn Sahl related to me, saying: al-Walīd ibn Muslim related to us, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Yazīd ibn Jābir, saying: ʿAṭāʾ al-Khurāsānī related to me, saying: David engraved his fault in his palm so that he would not forget it. He said: and so his hand would tremble and quiver when he saw it.

   And others said: no, that was on account of something that occurred in his soul, namely the thought that he would be able to complete a day in which he would commit no sin; then he was tested with the test by which he was tested, on the day on which he desired in his soul to complete it without committing a sin.

   * Mention of who said that:

   Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Maṭar, on the authority of al-Ḥasan: verily, David had divided his time into four parts: a day for his wives, a day for his worship, a day for judging among the Israelites, and a day for the Israelites on which he exhorted them and they exhorted him, and he brought them to weeping and they brought him to weeping. When it was the day of the Israelites, he said: they brought [it up] and said: does there come for man a day on which he commits no sin? Then David concealed in his soul that he would be able to do that. When it was the day of his worship, he closed his doors and commanded that no one should enter upon him, and he bent over the Torah. While he was reading it, suddenly there was a golden dove in which was every beautiful color, which had fallen down before him. He stretched himself toward it to seize it. He said: then it flew away and did not fall far off, without making him despair of it. He said: he kept following it until he looked out over a woman washing herself, and her form and beauty pleased him. He said: when she saw his shadow on the ground, she wrapped herself with her hair, and that only increased his pleasure in her. He had placed her husband over a part of his armies, and he wrote to him that he should advance to such-and-such a place — a place to which, once one had advanced there, one did not return. He said: he did that, and he was struck; then he asked for her hand and married her. He said: and Qatāda said: it has reached us that she is the mother of Solomon. He said: while he was in the prayer chamber, the two angels climbed over the wall toward him; the disputants used, when they came to him, to come by the gate of the prayer chamber, and so he was startled by them when they climbed over the wall of the prayer chamber. Then they said: لا تَخَفْ خَصْمَانِ بَغَى بَعْضُنَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ ("Fear not; we are two disputants, one of us has wronged the other") … up to where he reaches وَلا تُشْطِطْ ("and do not deviate"): that is, do not incline [toward injustice]; وَاهْدِنَا إِلَى سَوَاءِ الصِّرَاطِ ("and guide us to the right path"): that is, the most just and best of it; إِنَّ هَذَا أَخِي لَهُ تِسْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ نَعْجَةً ("Verily, this, my brother, has ninety-nine ewes") — and David had ninety-nine wives — وَلِيَ نَعْجَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ ("and I have one ewe") — he said: and the man had only one wife — فَقَالَ أَكْفِلْنِيهَا وَعَزَّنِي فِي الْخِطَابِ ("and he said: entrust her to my care, and he overcame me in argument"): that is, he wronged me and overpowered me. Then he said: لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ إِلَى نِعَاجِهِ ("he has surely wronged you by asking that your ewe be joined to his ewes") … up to his saying وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ وَظَنَّ دَاوُدُ ("and how few they are; and David supposed") — David knew that it was aimed at him, that is, that thereby he was meant — وَخَرَّ رَاكِعًا وَأَنَابَ ("and he fell down kneeling and turned to Him in repentance"). He said: and in the narration of Maṭar it was that he prostrated for forty nights, until Allah revealed to him: verily, I have forgiven you. He said: O Lord, and how do You forgive me, while You are a just Judge who does no one injustice? He said: I will judge against you in his (Uriah's) favor, then I will ask him to grant you your blood — or your sin — then I will reward him until he is satisfied. He said: now my soul has come to rest, and I know that You have forgiven me.

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq related to me, on the authority of some scholars, on the authority of Wahb ibn Munabbih al-Yamānī, saying: when the Israelites had gathered around David, Allah sent down upon him the Psalms (Zabūr) and taught him the working of iron, and He made it soft for him, and He commanded the mountains and the birds to glorify [Him] with him when he glorified. And Allah had — as is mentioned — bestowed upon none of His creatures the like of his voice; when he — as is mentioned — recited the Psalms, the wild beasts would draw near to him until he could seize them by their necks, while they listened intently to his voice. And the satans fashioned the flutes, lutes, and cymbals only after the kinds of his voice. He was very diligent and persevering in worship; he dwelt among the Israelites and judged among them according to the command of Allah, as a prophet and appointed viceroy. He was the most diligent of the prophets and abundant in weeping. Thereafter there came of the test with that woman that which befell him. He had a prayer chamber in which he secluded himself for the recitation of the Psalms and for his prayer when he prayed, and lower than that chamber lay a little garden belonging to a man of the Israelites; with that man was the woman with whom David committed that which he committed.

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq, on the authority of some scholars, on the authority of Wahb ibn Munabbih, that David, when he entered his prayer chamber on that day, said: let no one enter my prayer chamber upon me today until evening, and let nothing distract me from that for which I have secluded myself, until it becomes evening. And he entered his prayer chamber and spread out his Psalms to read them. In the prayer chamber was a window that overlooked that little garden. While he was seated reading the Psalms, suddenly a golden dove came flying, until it fell into the window. He raised his head and saw it, and it pleased him. Then he remembered what he had said: that nothing should distract him from that for which he had entered, and he bowed his head and turned to his Psalms. Then the dove — as a test and a trial — descended from the window and fell before him. He seized it with his hand, but it did not draw far back, and he followed it; it rose to the window, and he reached for it in the window, but it descended to the little garden. He followed it with his gaze to see where it would come down, and there was the woman seated, washing herself, in a condition of which Allah knows best as to her beauty, charm, and form. It is claimed that she, when she saw him, undid her hair and covered her body with it before him, and she abducted his heart. He returned to his Psalms and his seat, while she occupied him and the memory of her did not leave his heart. And the test continued in him until he sent her husband on a military campaign, then he commanded his army commander — as the People of the Book claim — to station her husband in the dangerous positions, until there befell him a portion of the destruction that he intended for him. And David had ninety-nine wives; when her husband was struck, David asked for her hand and married her. Then Allah, while he was in his prayer chamber, sent to him two angels who disputed before him — as a parable that He set forth for him and for his companion. David was startled by them, and there they suddenly stood above his head in his prayer chamber. He said: what has brought you in upon me? They said: fear not, we have not entered for evil or suspicion خَصْمَانِ بَغَى بَعْضُنَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ ("two disputants, one of us has wronged the other"), and we have come to you that you may judge between us فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَلا تُشْطِطْ وَاهْدِنَا إِلَى سَوَاءِ الصِّرَاطِ ("so judge between us in truth and do not deviate, and guide us to the right path"): that is, guide us to the right and do not deviate with us from it to anything else. The angel who spoke on behalf of Uriyā ibn Ḥanānyā, the husband of the woman, said: إِنَّ هَذَا أَخِي ("Verily, this, my brother"): that is, in my religion لَهُ تِسْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ نَعْجَةً وَلِيَ نَعْجَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ فَقَالَ أَكْفِلْنِيهَا ("he has ninety-nine ewes, and I have one ewe, and he said: entrust her to my care"): that is, hand her over to me, then عَزَّنِي فِي الْخِطَابِ ("he overcame me in argument"): that is, he overpowered me in argument, and he was stronger and mightier than I, so that he joined my ewe to his ewes and left me possessing nothing. David became angry and looked at his adversary who had not spoken, and he said: if he has told me truthfully what he says, I will strike between your two eyes with the axe! Then David came to his senses and understood that he himself was meant by that which he had done with the wife of Uriyā. Then he fell down in prostration, repentant, turning to Allah, weeping, and he remained kneeling for forty mornings, fasting, in which he neither ate nor drank, until his tears made the greenery sprout beneath his face, and until the prostration left traces in the flesh of his face. Then Allah accepted his repentance and received it from him.

   And it is claimed that he said: O Lord, this — You have forgiven what I committed in the matter of the woman, but what of the blood of the man unjustly killed? It was said to him — as the People of the Book claim: O David, verily, your Lord has not wronged him as to his blood, but He will ask you about it on his behalf (the slain man's), and he will grant him (David) to Him, and He will remove it from you. When David was delivered from that in which he was, he engraved his fault in the palm of his right hand, in the hollow of his hand, and never did he bring food or drink to his mouth but that he wept when he saw it, and never did he stand up to address the people but that he unfolded his palm and directed it toward the people, so that they might see the inscription of his fault in his hand.

   Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm related to me, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us, saying: I heard Layth mention, on the authority of Mujāhid, saying: when David committed the fault, he fell down in prostration before Allah, for forty days, until from the tears of his eyes so much greenery sprouted that it covered his head. Then he called out: O Lord, the forehead is wounded and the eye is dried up, and to David nothing [of pardon] has returned concerning his fault. Then it was called out: are you hungry that you should be fed, or are you sick that you should be healed, or have you been wronged that vengeance should be taken for you? He said: then he gave a sob from which everything that had sprouted leapt up, and at that moment he was forgiven. His fault remained written in his palm, which he read, and when the drinking cup was brought to him to drink, he drank only a third or half of it, and he used to remember his fault and give a sob from which his joints almost came apart from one another; then he did not complete his drink but that he filled the cup with his tears. And it used to be said: verily, one tear of David outweighs the tears of [all] creatures, and one tear of Adam outweighs the tears of David and the tears of [all] creatures. He said: and so he comes on the Day of Resurrection, while his fault is written in his palm, and he says: O Lord, my sin, my sin — let me go forward. He said: then he is pushed forward, but he does not feel safe and says: O Lord, postpone me; then he is postponed, but he does not feel safe.

   Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Lahīʿa informed me, on the authority of Abū Ṣakhr, on the authority of Yazīd al-Raqāshī, on the authority of Anas ibn Mālik — he heard him say: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: "Verily, the prophet David — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — when he looked at the woman and desired [her], gave the Israelites the command [to set out to fight] and charged the commander of the fighting troop, and he said: when the enemy is present, place such-and-such a man before the Ark — and the Ark in that time was that by which victory was sought, and whoever was placed before the Ark did not return unless he was killed or the army was driven back from him. Then the husband of the woman was killed, and the two angels descended upon David to tell him his story, and David understood it and cast himself down in prostration, and he remained kneeling in prostration for forty nights, until the herbage sprouted from his tears upon his head, and the earth consumed his forehead, while he said in his prostration" — and of al-Raqāshī's [report] I memorized only these words: "O Lord, David has stumbled [with a stumble] farther than the distance between the east and the west; if You do not show mercy upon the weakness of David and do not forgive his sin, You will make his sin a topic of talk among the generations after him." Then Gabriel — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — came to him after the forty nights and said: O David, verily, Allah has forgiven you the desire that you desired. Then David said: I know that the Lord is able to forgive me the desire that I desired, and I have understood that Allah is just and not partial — but what of such-and-such a man when he comes on the Day of Resurrection and says: O Lord, my blood that is with David? Then Gabriel — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — said: I have not asked your Lord about that, but if you wish, I will surely do so. He said: yes. Then Gabriel ascended and David bowed down in prostration, and he remained as long as Allah willed; then he (Gabriel) descended and said: I asked your Lord, mighty and exalted is He, O David, about that for which you sent me, and He said: say to David: verily, Allah will bring you both together on the Day of Resurrection and He will say: grant Me your blood that is with David, and he will say: it is for You, O Lord; then He will say: then for you in paradise is what you wish and what you desire, as recompense."

   ʿAlī ibn Sahl related to me, saying: al-Walīd ibn Muslim related to us, saying: Ibn Jābir related to us, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ al-Khurāsānī: that the letter of the commander of the fighting troop came with the death notice of those who had been killed, and when David read the death notice of a man from among them, he passed on; and when he came to the name of the [particular] man, he said: Allah has prescribed death for every soul. He said: when her waiting period (ʿiddah) had come to an end, he asked for her hand.

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   القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : قَالَ لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ إِلَى نِعَاجِهِ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْخُلَطَاءِ لَيَبْغِي بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ وَظَنَّ دَاوُدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّاهُ فَاسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُ وَخَرَّ رَاكِعًا وَأَنَابَ (24) يقول تعالى ذكره: قال داود للخصم المتظلم من صاحبه: لقد ظلمك صاحبك بسؤاله نعجتك إلى نعاجه; وهذا مما حذفت منه الهاء فأضيف بسقوط الهاء منه إلى المفعول به, ومثله قوله عزّ وجلّ: لا يَسْأَمُ الإِنْسَانُ مِنْ دُعَاءِ الْخَيْرِ والمعنى: من دعائه بالخير, فلما ألقيت الهاء من الدعاء أضيف إلى الخير, وألقي من الخير الباء; وإنما كنى بالنعجة ها هنا عن المرأة, والعرب تفعل ذلك; ومنه قول الأعشى: قَــدْ كُـنْتُ رَائِدَهَـا وَشـاةِ مُحَـاذِرٍ حَــذرًا يُقِــلُّ بعَيْنِــهِ إغْفَالَهَــا (6) يعني بالشاة: امرأة رجل يحذر الناس عليها; وإنما يعني: لقد ظلمت بسؤال امرأتك الواحدة إلى التسع والتسعين من نسائه. وقوله ( وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْخُلَطَاءِ لَيَبْغِي بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ ) يقول: وإن كثيرا من الشركاء ليتعدَّى بعضهم على بعض ( إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ) بالله ( وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ) يقول: وعملوا بطاعة الله, وانتهوا إلى أمره ونهيه, ولم يتجاوزوه ( وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ ) وفي" ما " التي في قوله ( وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ ) وجهان: أحدهما أن تكون صلة بمعنى: وقليل هم, فيكون إثباتها وإخراجها من الكلام لا يفسد معنى الكلام: والآخر أن تكون اسما, و " هم " صلة لها, بمعنى: وقليل ما تجدهم, كما يقال: قد كنت أحسبك أعقل مما أنت, فتكون أنت صلة لما, والمعنى: كنت أحسب عقلك أكثر مما هو, فتكون " ما " والاسم مصدرا, ولو لم ترد المصدر لكان الكلام بمن, لأن من التي تكون للناس وأشباههم, ومحكي عن العرب: قد كنت أراك أعقل منك مثل ذلك, وقد كنت أرى أنه غير ما هو, بمعنى: كنت أراه على غير ما رأيت. ورُوي عن ابن عباس في ذلك ما حدثني به عليّ, قال: ثنا أبو صالح, قال: ثني معاوية, عن على, عن ابن عباس, في قوله ( وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ ) يقول: وقليل الذين هم. حدثني يونس, قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب, قال: قال ابن زيد, في قوله ( إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ ) قال: قليل من لا يبغي. فعلى هذا التأويل الذي تأوله ابن عباس معنى الكلام: إلا الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات, وقليل الذين هم كذلك, بمعنى: الذين لا يبغي بعضهم على بعض, و " ما " على هذا القول بمعنى: مَنْ. وقوله ( وَظَنَّ دَاوُدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّاهُ ) يقول: وعلم داود أنما ابتُليناه, كما: حدثنا بشر, قال: ثنا يزيد, قال: ثنا سعيد, عن قتادة ( وَظَنَّ دَاوُدُ ) : علم داود. حدثني يعقوب بن إبراهيم, قال: ثنا ابن عُلَية, عن أبي رجاء, عن الحسن ( وَظَنَّ دَاوُدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّاهُ ) قال: ظن أنما ابتُلي بذاك. حدثني عليّ, قال: ثنا أبو صالح, قال: ثني معاوية, عن عليّ, عن ابن عباس ( وَظَنَّ دَاوُدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّاهُ ) قال: ظن أنما ابتُلي بذاك. حدثني عليّ, قال: ثنا أبو صالح, قال: ثني معاوية, عن عليّ, عن ابن عباس ( وَظَنَّ دَاوُدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّاهُ ) اختبرناه. والعرب توجه الظن إذا أدخلته على الإخبار كثيرا إلى العلم الذي هو من غير وجه العيان. وقوله ( فَاسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُ ) يقول: فسأل داود ربه غفران ذنبه ( وَخَرَّ رَاكِعًا ) يقول: وخر ساجدا لله ( وَأَنَابَ ) يقول: ورجع إلى رضا ربه, وتاب من خطيئته. واختلف في سبب البلاء الذي ابتُلي به نبي الله داود صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم, فقال بعضهم: كان سبب ذلك أنه تذكر ما أعطى الله إبراهيم وإسحاق ويعقوب من حسن الثناء الباقي لهم في الناس, فتمنّى مثله, فقيل له: إنهم امتُحنوا فصبروا, فسأل أن يُبتلى كالذي ابتلوا, ويُعطى كالذي أعطوا إن هو صبر. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثني محمد بن سعد, قال: ثني أبي, قال: ثني عمي, قال: ثني أبي, عن أبيه, عن ابن عباس, قوله وَهَلْ أَتَاكَ نَبَأُ الْخَصْمِ إِذْ تَسَوَّرُوا الْمِحْرَابَ قال: إن داود قال: يا رب قد أعطيت إبراهيم وإسحاق ويعقوب من الذكر ما لوددت أنك أعطيتني مثله, قال الله: إني ابتُليتهم بما لم أبتلك به, فإن شئت ابتُليتك بمثل ما ابتُليتهم به, وأعطيتك كما أعطيتهم, قال: نعم, قال له: فاعمل حتى أرى بلاءك; فكان ما شاء الله أن يكون, وطال ذلك عليه, فكاد أن ينساه; فبينا هو في محرابه, إذ وقعت عليه حمامة من ذهب فأراد أن يأخذها, فطار إلى كوّة المحراب, فذهب ليأخذها, فطارت, فاطلع من الكوّة, فرأى امرأة تغتسل, فنـزل نبي الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم من المحراب, فأرسل إليها فجاءته, فسألها عن زوجها وعن شأنها, فأخبرته أن زوجها غائب, فكتب إلى أمير تلك السَّرية أن يُؤَمِّره على السرايا ليهلك زوجها, ففعل, فكان يُصاب أصحابه وينجو, وربما نُصروا, وإن الله عزّ وجلّ لما رأى الذي وقع فيه داود, أراد أن يستنقذه; فبينما داود ذات يوم في محرابه, إذ تسوّر عليه الخصمان من قبل وجهه; فلما رآهما وهو يقرأ فزع وسكت, وقال: لقد استضعفت في ملكي حتى إن الناس يستوّرون عليّ محرابي, قالا له: لا تَخَفْ خَصْمَانِ بَغَى بَعْضُنَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ ولم يكن لنا بد من أن نأتيك, فاسمع منا; قال أحدهما: إِنَّ هَذَا أَخِي لَهُ تِسْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ نَعْجَةً أنثى وَلِيَ نَعْجَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ فَقَالَ أَكْفِلْنِيهَا يريد أن يتمم بها مئة, ويتركني ليس لي شيء وَعَزَّنِي فِي الْخِطَابِ قال: إن دعوت ودعا كان أكثر, وإن بطشت وبطش كان أشد مني, فذلك قوله وَعَزَّنِي فِي الْخِطَابِ قال له داود: أنت كنت أحوج إلى نعجتك منه ( لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ إِلَى نِعَاجِهِ ) .. إلى قوله ( وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ ) ونسي نفسه صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم, فنظر الملكان أحدهما إلى الآخر حين قال ذلك, فتبسم أحدهما إلى الآخر, فرآه داود وظن أنما فتن ( فَاسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُ وَخَرَّ رَاكِعًا وَأَنَابَ ) أربعين ليلة, حتى نبتت الخُضرة من دموع عينيه, ثم شدّد الله له ملكه. حدثنا محمد بن الحسين, قال: ثنا أحمد بن المفضل, قال: ثنا أسباط, عن السديّ, في قوله وَهَلْ أَتَاكَ نَبَأُ الْخَصْمِ إِذْ تَسَوَّرُوا الْمِحْرَابَ قال: كان داود قد قسم الدهر ثلاثة أيام: يوم يقضي فيه بين الناس, ويوم يخلو فيه لعبادة ربه, ويوم يخلو فيه لنسائه; وكان له تسع وتسعون امرأة, وكان فيما يقرأ من الكتب أنه كان يجد فيه فضل إبراهيم وإسحاق ويعقوب; فلما وجد ذلك فيما يقرأ من الكتب قال: يا رب إن الخير كله قد ذهب به آبائي الذين كانوا قبلي, فأعطني مثل ما أعطيتهم, وافعل بي مثل ما فعلت بهم, قال: فأوحى الله إليه: إن آباءك ابتُلوا ببلايا لم تبتل بها; ابتُلي إبراهيم بذبح ابنه, وابتُلي إسحاق بذهاب بصره, وابتُلي يعقوب بحزنه على يوسف, وإنك لم تبتل من ذلك بشيء, قال: يا رب ابتلني بمثل ما ابتُليتهم به, وأعطني مثل ما أعطيتهم; قال. فأوحي إليه: إنك مبتلى فاحترس; قال: فمكث بعد ذلك ما شاء الله أن يمكث, إذ جاءه الشيطان قد تمثّل في صورة حمامة من ذهب, حتى وقع عند رجليه وهو قائم يصلي, فمد يده ليأخذه, فتنحى فتبعه, فتباعد حتى وقع في كوّة, فذهب ليأخذه, فطار من الكوّة, فنظر أين يقع, فيبعث في أثره. قال: فأبصر امرأة تغتسل على سطح لها, فرأى امرأة من أجمل الناس خَلْقا, فحانت منها التفاتة فأبصرته, فألقت شعرها فاستترت به, قال: فزاده ذلك فيها رغبة, قال: فسأل عنها, فأخبر أن لها زوجا, وأن زوجها غائب بمسلحة كذا وكذا; قال: فبعث إلى صاحب المسلحة أن يبعث أهريا (7) إلى عدوّ كذا وكذا, قال: فبعثه, ففتح له. قال: وكتب إليه بذلك, قال: فكتب إليه أيضا: أن ابعثه إلى عدوّ كذا وكذا, أشد منهم بأسا, قال: فبعثا ففتح له أيضا. قال: فكتب إلى داود بذلك, قال: فكتب إليه أن ابعثه إلى عدوّ كذا وكذا, فبعثه فقتل المرة الثالثة, قال: وتزوج امرأته. قال: فلما دخلت عليه, قال: لم تلبث عنده إلا يسيرا حتى بعث الله مَلَكين في صور إنسيين, فطلبا أن يدخلا عليه, فوجداه في يوم عبادته, فمنعهما الحرس أن يدخلا فتسوّروا عليه المحراب, قالا فما شعر وهو يصلي إذ هو بهما بين يديه جالسين, قال: ففزع منهما, فقالا لا تَخَفْ إنما نحن خَصْمَانِ بَغَى بَعْضُنَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَلا تُشْطِطْ يقول: لا تحف وَاهْدِنَا إِلَى سَوَاءِ الصِّرَاطِ : إلى عدل القضاء. قال: فقال: قصّا عليّ قصّتكما, قال: فقال أحدهما: إِنَّ هَذَا أَخِي لَهُ تِسْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ نَعْجَةً وَلِيَ نَعْجَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ فهو يريد أن يأخذ نعجتي, فيكمل بها نعاجه مئة. قال: فقال للآخر: ما تقول؟ فقال: إن لي تسعا وتسعين نعجة, ولأخي هذا نعجة واحدة, فأنا أريد أن آخذها منه, فأكمل بها نعاجي مئة, قال: وهو كاره؟ قال: وهو كاره, قال: وهو كاره؟ قال: إذن لا ندعك وذاك, قال: ما أنت على ذلك بقادر, قال: فإن ذهبت تروم ذلك أو تريد, ضربنا منك هذا هذا وهذا, وفسر أسباط طرف الأنف, وأصل الأنف والجبهة; قال: يا داود أنت أحق أن يُضرب منك هذا وهذا وهذا, حيث لك تسع وتسعون نعجة امرأة, ولم يكن لأهريا إلا امرأة واحدة, فلم تزل به تعرضه للقتل حتى قتلته, وتزوجت امرأته. قال: فنظر فلم ير شيئا, فعرف ما قد وقع فيه, وما قد ابتُلي به. قال: فخر ساجدا, قال: فبكى. قال: فمكث يبكي ساجدا أربعين يوما لا يرفع رأسه إلا لحاجة منها, ثم يقع ساجدا يبكي, ثم يدعو حتى نبت العشب من دموع عينيه. قال: فأوحى الله إليه بعد أربعين يوما: يا داود ارفع رأسك, فقد غفرت لك, فقال: يا رب كيف أعلم أنك قد غفرت لي وأنت حكم عدل لا تحيف في القضاء, إذا جاءك أهريا يوم القيامة آخذا رأسه بيمينه أو بشماله تشخب أوداجه دما فى قبل عرشك يقول: يا رب سل هذا فيم قتلني؟ قال: فأوحى إليه: إذا كان ذلك دعوت أهريا فأستوهبك منه, فيهبك لي, فأثيبه بذلك الجنة, قال: رب الآن علمت أنك قد غفرت لي, قال: فما استطاع أن يملأ عينيه من السماء حياء من ربه حتى قبض صلى الله عليه وسلم. حدثني عليّ بن سهل, قال: ثنا الوليد بن مسلم عن عبد الرحمن بن يزيد بن جابر, قال: ثني عطاء الخراساني, قال: نقش داود خطيئته في كفه لكيلا ينساها, قال: فكان إذا رآها خفقت يده واضطربت. وقال آخرون: بل كان ذلك لعارض كان عرض في نفسه من ظن أنه يطيق أن يتم يوما لا يصيب فيه حوبة, فابتُلي بالفتنة التي ابتُلي بها في اليوم الذي طمع في نفسه بإتمامه بغير إصابة ذنب. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثنا بشر, قال: ثنا يزيد, قال: ثنا سعيد, عن مطر, عن الحسن: إن داود جَزَّأ الدهر أربعة أجزاء: يوما لنسائه, ويوما لعبادته, ويوما لقضاء بني إسرائيل, ويوما لبني إسرائيل يذاكرهم ويذاكرونه, ويبكيهم ويبكونه; فلما كان يوم بني إسرائيل قال: ذكروا فقالوا: هل يأتي على الإنسان يوم لا يصيب فيه ذنبا؟ فأضمر داود في نفسه أنه سيطيق ذلك; فلما كان يوم عبادته, أغلق أبوابه, وأمر أن لا يدخل عليه أحد, وأكب على التوراة; فبينما هو يقرؤها, فإذا حمامة من ذهب فيها من كل لون حسن, قد وقعت بين يديه, فأهوى إليها ليأخذها, قال: فطارت, فوقعت غير بعيد, من غير أن تُؤيسه من نفسها, قال: فما زال يتبعها حتى أشرف على امرأة تغتسل, فأعجبه خَلْقها وحُسنها; قال: فلما رأت ظله في الأرض, جللت نفسها بشعرها, فزاده ذلك أيضا إعجابا بها, وكان قد بعث زوجها على بعض جيوشه, فكتب إليه أن يسير إلى مكان كذا وكذا, مكان إذا سار إليه لم يرجع, قال: ففعل, فأصيب فخطبها فتزوجها. قال: وقال قتادة: بلغنا إنها أم سليمان, قال: فبينما هو في المحراب, إذ تسور الملكان عليه, وكان الخصمان إذا أتوه يأتونه من بان المحراب, ففزع منهم حين تسوروا المحراب, فقالوا: لا تَخَفْ خَصْمَانِ بَغَى بَعْضُنَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ .. حتى بلغ وَلا تُشْطِطْ : أي لا تمل وَاهْدِنَا إِلَى سَوَاءِ الصِّرَاطِ : أي أعدله وخيره إِنَّ هَذَا أَخِي لَهُ تِسْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ نَعْجَةً وكان لداود تسع وتسعون امرأة وَلِيَ نَعْجَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ قال: وإنما كان للرجل امرأة واحدة فَقَالَ أَكْفِلْنِيهَا وَعَزَّنِي فِي الْخِطَابِ أي: ظلمني وقهرني, فقال: ( لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ إِلَى نِعَاجِهِ ) .. إلى قوله ( وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ وَظَنَّ دَاوُدُ ) فعلم داود أنما صمد له: أي عنى به ذلك ( وَخَرَّ رَاكِعًا وَأَنَابَ ) قال: وكان في حديث مطر, أنه سجد أربعين ليلة, حتى أوحى الله إليه: إني قد غمرت لك, قال: رب وكيف تغفر لي وأنت حكم عدل, لا تظلم أحدا؟ قال: إني أقضيك له, ثم أستوهبه دمك أو ذنبك, ثم أثيبه حتى يرضى, قال: الآن طابت نفسي, وعلمت أنك قد غفرت لي. حدثنا ابن حميد, قال: ثنا سلمة, قال: ثني محمد بن إسحاق, عن بعض أهل العلم, عن وهب بن منبه اليماني, قال: لما اجتمعت بنو إسرائيل, على داود, أنـزل الله عليه الزبور, وعلمه صنعة الحديد, فألانه له, وأمر الجبال والطير أن يسبِّحن معه إذا سبح, ولم يعط الله فيما يذكرون أحدا من خلقه مثل صوته, كان إذا قرأ الزبور فيما يذكرون, تدنو له الوحوش حتى يأخذ بأعناقها, وإنها لمصيخة تسمع لصوته, وما صنعت الشياطين المزامير والبرابط والصنوج, إلا على أصناف صوته, وكان شديد الاجتهاد دائب العبادة, فأقام في بني إسرائيل يحكم فيهم بأمر الله نبيا مستخلفا, وكان شديد الاجتهاد من الأنبياء, كثير البكاء, ثم عرض من فتنة تلك المرأة ما عرض له, وكان له محراب يتوحَّد فيه لتلاوة الزبور, ولصلاته إذا صلى, وكان أسفل منه جنينة لرجل من بني إسرائيل, كان عند ذلك الرجل المرأة التي أصاب داود فيها ما أصابه . حدثنا ابن حميد, قال: ثنا سلمة, عن محمد بن إسحاق, عن بعض أهل العلم, عن وهب بن منبه, أن داود حين دخل محرابه ذلك اليوم, قال: لا يدخلن عليّ محرابي اليوم أحد حتى الليل, ولا يشغلني شيء عما خلوت له حتى أمسي; ودخل محرابه, ونشر زبوره يقرؤه وفي المحراب كوّة تطلعه على تلك الجنينة, فبينا هو جالس يقرأ زبور, إذ أقبلت حمامة من ذهب حتى وقعت في الكوّة, فرفع رأسه فرآها, فأعجبته, ثم ذكر ما كان قال: لا يشغله شيء عما دخل له, فنكَّس رأسه وأقبل على زَبوره, فتصوبت الحمامة للبلاء والاختبار من الكوّة, فوقعت بين يديه, فتناولها بيده, فاستأخرت غير بعيد, فاتبعها, فنهضت إلى الكوّة, فتناولها في الكوّة, فتصوبت إلى الجنينة, فأتبعها بصره أين تقع, فإذا المرأة جالسة تغتسل بهيئة الله أعلم بها في الجمال والحُسن والخَلْق; فيزعمون أنها لما رأته نقضت رأسها فوارت به جسدها منه, واختطفت قلبه, ورجع إلى زَبوره ومجلسه, وهي من شأنه لا يفارق قلبه ذكرها. وتمادى به البلاء حتى أغزى زوجها, ثم أمر صاحب جيشه فيما يزعم أهل الكتاب أن يقدم زوجها للمهالك حتى أصابه بعض ما أراد به من الهلاك, ولداود تسع وتسعون امرأة; فلما أصيب زوجها خطبها داود, فنكحها, فبعث الله إليه وهو في محرابه ملَكين يختصمان إليه, مثلا يضربه له ولصاحبه, فلم يرع داود إلا بهما واقفين على رأسه في محرابه, ففال: ما أدخلكما عليّ؟ قالا لا تخف لم ندخل لبأس ولا لريبة خَصْمَانِ بَغَى بَعْضُنَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ فجئناك لتقضي بيننا فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَلا تُشْطِطْ وَاهْدِنَا إِلَى سَوَاءِ الصِّرَاطِ : أي احملنا على الحقّ, ولا تخالف بنا إلى غيره; قال الملك الذي يتكلم عن أوريا بن حنانيا زوج المرأة: إِنَّ هَذَا أَخِي أي على ديني لَهُ تِسْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ نَعْجَةً وَلِيَ نَعْجَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ فَقَالَ أَكْفِلْنِيهَا أي احملني عليها, ثم عزّني في الخطاب: أي قهرني في الخطاب, وكان أقوى مني هو وأعزّ, فحاز نعجتي إلى نعاجه وتركني لا شيء لي; فغضب داود, فنظر إلى خصمه الذي لم يتكلم, فقال: لئن كان صدقني ما يقول, لأضربن بين عينيك بالفأس! ثم ارعوى داود, فعرف أنه هو الذي يراد بما صنع في امرأة أوريا, فوقع ساجدا تائبا منيبا باكيا, فسجد أربعين صباحا صائما لا يأكل فيها ولا يشرب, حتى أنبت دمعه الخضر تحت وجهه, وحتى أندب السجود في لحم وجهه, فتاب الله عليه وقبل منه. ويزعمون أنه قال: أي رب هذا غفرت ما جنيت في شأن المرأة, فكيف بدم القتيل المظلوم؟ قيل له: يا داود, فيما زعم أهل الكتاب, أما إن ربك لم يظلمه بدمه, ولكنه سيسأله إياك فيعطيه, فيضعه عنك; فلما فرج عن داود ما كان فيه, رسم خطيئته في كفه اليمنى بطن راحته, فما رفع إلى فيه طعاما ولا شرابا قط إلا بكى إذا رآها, وما قام خطيبا في الناس قط إلا نشر راحته, فاستقبل بها الناس ليروا رسم خطيئته في يده. حدثني يعقوب بن إبراهيم, قال: ثنا ابن إدريس, قال: سمعت ليثا يذكر عن مجاهد قال: لما أصاب داود الخطيئة خر لله ساجدا أربعين يوما حتى نبت من دموع عينيه من البقل ما غطَّى رأسه; ثم نادى: رب قرح الجبين, وَجمَدت العين, وداود لم يرجع إليه في خطيئته شيء, فنودي: أجائع فتطعم, أم مريض فتشفى, أم مظلوم فينتصر لك؟ قال: فنحب نحبة هاج كلّ شيء كان نبت, فعند ذلك غفر له. وكانت خطيئته مكتوبة بكفه يقرؤها, وكان يؤتى بالإناء ليشرب فلا يشرب إلا ثلثه أو نصفه, وكان يذكر خطيئته, فينحِب النَّحْبة تكاد مفاصله تزول بعضها من بعض, ثم ما يتم شرابه حتى يملأه من دموعه; وكان يقال: إن دمعة داود, تعدل دمعة الخلائق, ودمعة آدم تعدل دمعة داود ودمعة الخلائق, قال: فهو يجيء يوم القيامة خطيئته مكتوبة بكفه, فيقول: رب ذنبي ذنبي قدّمني, قال: فيقدّم فلا يأمن فيقول: ربّ أخِّرني فيؤخَّر فلا يأمن. حدثني يونس, قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب, قال: أخبرني ابن لَهِيعة, عن أبي صخر, عن يزيد الرقاشي, عن أنس بن مالك سمعه يقول: سمعت رسول الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم يقول: " إنَّ دَاوُدَ النَّبِيّ صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم حِينَ نَظَرَ إلَى المَرْأَةِ فَأَهَمَّ, قَطَعَ عَلَى بَنِي إسْرَائِيلَ, فَأَوْصَى صَاحِبَ البَعْثِ, فَقَالَ: إذَا حَضَرَ العَدُوُّ, فَقَرَّبَ فُلانًا بَيْنَ يَدَيِ التَّابُوتِ, وَكَانَ التَّابُوتُ فِي ذَلِكَ الزَّمانِ يُسْتَنْصَرُ بِهِ, وَمَنْ قُدّمَ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ التَّابُوتِ لَمْ يَرْجِعْ حَتَّى يُقْتَلَ أوْ يُهْزَمَ عَنْهُ الجَيْشُ, فَقُتِلَ زُوْجُ المَرْأَةِ وَنـزلَ المَلَكَانِ عَلى دَاوُدَ يَقُصَّانِ عَلَيْهِ قِصَّتَهُ, فَفَطِنَ دَاوُدُ فَسَجَدَ, فَمَكَثَ أرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً سَاجِدًا حَتَّى نَبَتَ الزَّرْعُ مِنْ دُمُوعِهِ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ, وَأَكَلَتِ الأرْضُ جَبِينَهُ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ فِي سُجُودِهِ" فَلَمْ أُحْصِ مِنَ الرّقاشيِّ إلا هؤلاء الكلمات: " رَبِّ زَلَّ دَاوُدُ أبْعَدُ مَا بَيْنَ المَشْرِقِ وَالمَغْرِبِ, إنْ لَمْ تَرْحَمْ ضَعْفَ دَاوُدَ وَتَغْفِرْ ذَنْبَهُ, جَعَلْتُ ذَنْبَهُ حَدِيثًا فِي الخُلُوفِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ, فَجَاءَهُ جِبْرَائِيلُ صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم مِنْ بَعْدِ الأرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً, قَالَ: يَا دَاوُدُ إنَّ الله قَدْ غَفَرَ لَكَ الهَمَّ الَّذِي هَمَمْتَ بِهِ, فَقَالَ دَاوُدُ: عَلِمْت أن الرب قادر على أن يغفر لي الهم الذي هممت به, وقد عرفت أن الله عدل لا يميل فكيف بفلان إذا جاء يوم القيامة فقال: يا رب دمي الذي عنْدَ دَاوُدَ، فَقالَ جِبْرائيل صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم: ما سألْتُ رَبَّكَ عَنْ ذلكَ, وَلَئنْ شِئْتَ لأفْعَلَنَّ, فقال: نَعَمْ, فَعَرجَ جِبْريلُ وَسَجَدَ دَاوُدُ, فَمَكَثَ ما شاء الله, ثُمَّ نـزلَ فَقَالَ: قَدْ سَأَلت رَبَّكَ عَزَّ وجَلّ َيا دَاوُدُ عَنِ الَّذي أرْسَلْتَنِي فِيهِ, فَقَالَ: قُلْ لِدَاوُدَ: إنَّ الله يَجْمَعُكُما يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ فَيَقُولُ: هَبْ لي دَمَكَ الَّذِي عِنْدَ دَاوُدَ, فَيَقُولُ: هُوَ لَك يا رَبّ, فَيَقُولُ: فإنَّ لَكَ فِي الجَنَّةِ ما شِئْتَ وَما اشْتَهَيْتَ عِوَضًا " حدثنني عليّ بن سهل, قال: ثنا الوليد بن مسلم, قال: ثنا ابن جابر, عن عطاء الخراسانيّ: أن كتاب صاحب البعث جاء ينعي من قُتل, فلما قرأ داود نعي رجل منهم رجع, فلما انتهى إلى اسم الرجل قال: كتب الله على كل نفس الموت, قال: فلما انقضت عِدّتها خطبها. ------------------------ الهوامش: (6) البيت في ديوان الأعشى ميمون بن قيس ( طبعة القاهرة ص 27 ) من لاميته التي مطلعها :" رحلت سمية غدوة أجمالها ..." البيت وفيه :" بت" في مكان" كنت" . والضمير في رائدها : راجع على الأرض التي تزينت بأنواع النبات في البيت السابق . والشاة من الحيوان : يكنى بها عن المرأة . ومحاذر : شديد المحاذرة عليها دائم المراقبة لها ، وهو زوجها . وقوله" شاة" بالجر : معطوف على قوله في بيت سابق :" رب غانية صرمت وصالها" . يقول : رب مصاب سحابة بت رائدها، ورب امرأة لها زوج يحذر عليها ويراقبها مراقبة شديدة ، حتى إذا غفل عنها آخر الليل ، دنوت منها .... الخ . (7) سيأتي في 149 أن اسمه" أوريا" .