Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   Explanation of His word: وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا الْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَكِنْ شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ ("And because of their saying: 'We killed the Messiah, ʿĪsā the son of Maryam, the Messenger of Allah' — yet they did not kill him and they did not crucify him, but it was made to appear so to them." (4:157))

   Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted in praise means thereby: and because of their saying: "We killed the Messiah, ʿĪsā the son of Maryam, the Messenger of Allah." Then Allah belied them in their claim and said: "yet they did not kill him and they did not crucify him, but it was made to appear so to them," that is to say: they did not kill ʿĪsā and they did not crucify him, but it was made to appear so to them.

   The people of interpretation (taʾwīl) differed concerning the nature of the resemblance that was made to appear to the Jews in the matter of ʿĪsā.

   Some said: when the Jews besieged him and his companions, they surrounded them while being unable to establish the recognition of ʿĪsā in his own person, because they were all transformed into the likeness of ʿĪsā. As a result, those who wanted to kill ʿĪsā were thrown into confusion as to which of them was ʿĪsā and which was not, and one of those who were in the house with ʿĪsā went out to them, and they killed him supposing that he was ʿĪsā.

   Mention of who said that:

   10779 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, he said: Yaʿqūb al-Qummī related to us, on the authority of Hārūn ibn ʿAntara, on the authority of Wahb ibn Munabbih, who said: ʿĪsā was approached while there were seventeen of the disciples with him in a house, and they surrounded them. When they entered upon them, Allah transformed them all into the likeness of ʿĪsā, and they said to them: "You have bewitched us! Bring out ʿĪsā to us, or we will kill you all!" Then ʿĪsā said to his companions: "Who among you will sell himself today in exchange for Paradise?" A man of them said: "I!" And he went out to them and said: "I am ʿĪsā" — and Allah had transformed him into the likeness of ʿĪsā —, and they seized him, killed him and crucified him. From that moment it was made to appear so to them and they supposed that they had killed ʿĪsā, and the Christians likewise supposed that he was ʿĪsā. And Allah raised ʿĪsā up on that day.

   And there is related from Wahb ibn Munabbih another account differing from this, and it is what follows:

   10780 — Al-Muthannā related it to me, he said: Isḥāq related to us, he said: Ismāʿīl ibn ʿAbd al-Karīm related to us, he said: ʿAbd al-Ṣamad ibn Maʿqil related to me that he heard Wahb say: When Allah informed ʿĪsā the son of Maryam, peace be upon him, that he would depart from this world, he became fearful of death and it weighed heavily upon him. He called the disciples and prepared a meal for them and said: "Be present with me this night, for I have need of something with you." When they gathered with him that night, he gave them supper and rose to serve them. When they had finished the meal, he began to wash their hands and to perform the ritual ablution for them with his hand, and to dry their hands with his garments. That weighed heavily upon them and they found it repugnant, but he said: "Whoever rejects anything from me of what I do this night does not belong to me, and I do not belong to him!" Then they let him proceed, until, when he had finished with that, he said: "As for what I have done for you this night, in that I served you at the meal and washed your hands with my hand — let this be an example to you of me, for you see that I am the best of you. Let none of you then exalt himself above another, and let each give himself for the other, just as I have given myself for you. And as for my need for which I have asked your help: call upon Allah for me and exert yourselves in supplication, that He may defer my appointed term." But when they set themselves to supplication and wished to exert themselves, sleep overcame them, so that they were unable to pray. He began to wake them and said: "Glory be to Allah! Can you not have patience for me for one night and help me in it!" They said: "By Allah, we do not know what is the matter with us! We used to stay awake long in the night and talk much, but this night we are unable to stay awake, and every time we want to pray, a barrier is placed between us and the prayer!" Then he said: "The shepherd is led away and the sheep are scattered!" And he continued uttering words of this import by which he announced his own death. Then he said: "Truly, one of you will deny me before the cock crows three times, and one of you will sell me for a paltry number of dirhams and will eat my price!" Then they went out and dispersed. The Jews sought him, and they seized Shamʿūn, one of the disciples, and said: "This one is among his companions!" But he denied and said: "I am not his companion!" Then they let him go. Afterward others seized him, and he denied likewise. Then he heard the sound of a cock, whereupon he wept and was grieved. When morning came, one of the disciples came to the Jews and said: "What will you give me if I point out the Messiah to you?" They fixed thirty dirhams for him, and he took them and showed them the way to him. And it had already been made to appear so to them beforehand. They seized him, secured him, bound him with the rope and began to drag him along and to say to him: "You used to raise the dead, drive away the devil and heal the possessed — can you not save yourself from this rope?!" And they spat upon him and cast thorns upon him, until they brought him to the beam upon which they wished to crucify him. Then Allah raised him up to Himself, and they crucified what had been made to appear to them, and it remained so for seven days.

   Then his mother and the woman whom ʿĪsā used to treat and whom Allah had healed of madness came weeping to the place where the crucified one was. Then ʿĪsā came to the two of them and said: "Over what are you weeping?" They said: "Over you!" He said: "Truly, Allah has raised me up to Himself and nothing but good has befallen me, and this is something that was made to appear to them. Command then the disciples to meet me at such-and-such a place." They met him at that place, his eleven. And he missed the one who had sold him and pointed him out to the Jews, and he asked his companions about him. They said: "Truly, he repented of what he had done, and he strangled himself and killed himself." He said: "Had he repented, Allah would have accepted his repentance!" Then he asked them about a youth who used to follow them, named Yuḥannā, and said: "He is with you. Set out then, for truly, every man of you will in the morning speak in the language of a people; let him then warn them and invite them."

   And others said: no, ʿĪsā asked the one who was with him in the house to cast his likeness upon one of them, and a man offered himself for that, and his likeness was cast upon him, and that man was killed, and ʿĪsā the son of Maryam, peace be upon him, was raised up.

   Mention of who said that:

   10781 — Bishr ibn Muʿādh related to us, he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word: "We killed the Messiah, ʿĪsā the son of Maryam, the Messenger of Allah, yet they did not kill him and they did not crucify him" up to His word: "And Allah is Almighty, All-Wise." These are the enemies of Allah, the Jews; they plotted the killing of ʿĪsā the son of Maryam, the Messenger of Allah, and claimed that they had killed him and crucified him. And it was related to us that the Prophet of Allah, ʿĪsā the son of Maryam, said to his companions: "Who among you will have my likeness cast upon him, for he will be killed?" A man of his companions said: "I, O Prophet of Allah!" And that man was killed, and Allah preserved His Prophet and raised him up to Himself.

   10782 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, he said: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, he said: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word: "yet they did not kill him and they did not crucify him, but it was made to appear so to them," he said: his likeness was cast upon a man of the disciples, and he was killed. And ʿĪsā the son of Maryam had put that to them and said: "Who among you will have my likeness cast upon him, and for him is Paradise?" A man said: "Upon me."

   10783 — Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, he said: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, he said: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: that the Children of Israel besieged ʿĪsā and nineteen men of the disciples in a house, and ʿĪsā said to his companions: "Who will take on my form, so that he be killed and for him is Paradise?" A man of them took it on, and ʿĪsā was raised up to heaven. When the disciples went out, the Jews saw them as nineteen, and they informed them that ʿĪsā, peace be upon him, had been raised up to heaven. They began to count the people and found them one man short of the number, and they saw the form of ʿĪsā among them, by which they fell into doubt about it. Despite that they killed the man supposing that he was ʿĪsā, and they crucified him. That is the word of Allah, blessed and exalted is He: "yet they did not kill him and they did not crucify him, but it was made to appear so to them," up to His word: "And Allah is Almighty, All-Wise."

   10784 — Al-Muthannā related to us, he said: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, he said: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of al-Qāsim ibn Abī Bazza: that ʿĪsā the son of Maryam said: "Who among you will have my likeness cast upon him, so that he be killed in my place?" A man of his companions said: "I, O Messenger of Allah!" And his likeness was cast upon him, and they killed him. That is His word: "yet they did not kill him and they did not crucify him, but it was made to appear so to them."

   10785 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, he said: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq, who said: The name of the king of the Children of Israel who was sent against ʿĪsā to kill him was a man of them named Dāwūd. When they resolved upon that, there was — according to what was related to me — no servant of the servants of Allah who found death as abhorrent as he found it abhorrent, nor any who shrank from it as much as he shrank from it, nor any who called upon Allah as much to avert it from him as he called upon Him, until he — according to what they claim — said: "O Allah, if You avert this cup from anyone of Your creatures, then avert it from me!", and until his skin sweated blood from the distress of it. He entered the place where they had resolved to come upon him to kill him and his companions, while they were thirteen, ʿĪsā included. When he was certain that they would come upon him, he said to his companions of the disciples — and they were twelve men: Faṭrus (Peter), Yaʿqūb ibn Zabdī (James the son of Zebedee), Yuḥannas the brother of Yaʿqūb (John), Andrāyīs (Andrew), Fīlibbus (Philip), Abarthalmā (Bartholomew), Mattā (Matthew), Tūmās (Thomas), Yaʿqūb ibn Ḥalfiyā (James the son of Alphaeus), Tadāwsīs (Thaddaeus), Qanāniyā (Simon the Cananaean) and Yūdas Zakariyā Yūṭā (Judas Iscariot).

   Ibn Ḥumayd said: Salama said: Ibn Isḥāq said: And among them was, according to what was related to me, a man named Sarjis, so that they were thirteen men besides ʿĪsā. The Christians have denied him, and that is because he was the one who was made to appear for the Jews in the place of ʿĪsā. He said: I do not know who he is — was he among these twelve, or was he the thirteenth? They denied him when they acknowledged before the Jews the crucifixion of ʿĪsā and did not believe in what Muḥammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, brought of report concerning him. If they were thirteen, then they entered the place when they went in while they were, with ʿĪsā, fourteen; and if they were twelve, then they entered the place when they went in while they were, with ʿĪsā, thirteen.

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, he said: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq, who said: A man who had been a Christian and then embraced Islam related to me: that ʿĪsā, when there came to him from Allah: "Truly, I am raising you up to Myself," said: "O company of the disciples, who among you loves to be my companion in Paradise, on condition that he be made to appear before the people in my form, so that they kill him in my place?" Then Sarjis said: "I, O Spirit of Allah!" He said: "Then sit upon my seat." And he sat upon it, and ʿĪsā, the blessings of Allah be upon him, was raised up. They came upon him, seized him and crucified him; and he was the one whom they crucified and in whose person it was made to appear to them. Their number, when they had come in with ʿĪsā, was known; they had seen them and counted their number. When they came upon him to seize him, they found — according to what they supposed they saw — ʿĪsā and his companions, and they missed one man of the number. He is the one over whom they differed. And they did not know ʿĪsā, until they promised Yūdas Zakariyā Yūṭā thirty dirhams, on condition that he show them the way to him and make him known to them. He said to them: "When you come upon him, I will kiss him, and the one whom I kiss is he; seize him then." When they came upon him, while ʿĪsā had already been raised up, he saw Sarjis in the form of ʿĪsā, and he did not doubt that it was ʿĪsā. He threw himself upon him and kissed him, whereupon they seized him and crucified him. Then Yūdas Zakariyā Yūṭā repented of what he had done, and he strangled himself with a rope until he killed himself. And he is cursed among the Christians, and he was among those counted of his companions. Some Christians claim that Yūdas Zakariyā Yūṭā is the one who was made to appear to them, and that they crucified him while he was saying: "Truly, I am not your companion! I am the one who pointed you to him!" And Allah knows best which of these it was.

   10786 — Al-Qāsim related to us, he said: al-Ḥusayn related to us, he said: Ḥajjāj related to me, he said: Ibn Jurayj said: It reached us that ʿĪsā the son of Maryam said to his companions: "Who among you offers himself, so that my likeness be cast upon him and he be killed?" A man of his companions said: "I, O Prophet of Allah." And his likeness was cast upon him, and he was killed, and Allah raised His Prophet up to Himself.

   10787 — Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to us, he said: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, he said: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His word: "it was made to appear so to them," he said: they crucified a man other than ʿĪsā, supposing that he was him.

   10788 — Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, he said: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: "but it was made to appear so to them," and he mentioned something similar.

   10789 — Al-Qāsim related to us, he said: al-Ḥusayn related to us, he said: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid, who said: they crucified a man whom they had confused in likeness with ʿĪsā, supposing that he was him, and Allah raised ʿĪsā up to Himself alive.

   Abū Jaʿfar said: And the most correct of these statements is one of the two statements that we have mentioned from Wahb ibn Munabbih: that the likeness of ʿĪsā was cast upon all who were with ʿĪsā in the house, when he and they were surrounded, without ʿĪsā having asked them for that — but in order that Allah might thereby humiliate the Jews, thereby save His Prophet, peace be upon him, from the abhorrent killing that they wished to inflict upon him, and thereby test whom He willed of His servants in his statement concerning ʿĪsā and in holding true the report concerning his affair. Or: the statement that ʿAbd al-Ṣamad related from him.

   And we have only said that this is the most correct of the two statements because the disciples who beheld ʿĪsā — had they been present at the moment ʿĪsā was raised up and his likeness was cast upon the one upon whom it was cast — would have beheld him as he was raised up from among them, and they would have established upon whom his likeness was cast, and they would have beheld him in his presence as he was transformed into that one's form, after the form of his own person that he had. Then that affair of ʿĪsā and the affair of the one upon whom his likeness was cast would not have remained hidden from them, given their beholding all of that, and it would not have been unclear or confused to them — even though it was unclear to others among their enemies of the Jews that the one killed and crucified was other than ʿĪsā and that ʿĪsā had been raised up alive from among them.

   And how could it have been unclear to them, when they had heard from ʿĪsā his statement: "Who will have my likeness cast upon him and be my companion in Paradise?" — if he had said that to them — and they had heard the answer of the one who answered among them: "I," and they had beheld the transformation of the one who answered into the form of ʿĪsā immediately after his answer? But that came to pass — if Allah wills — in the manner that Wahb ibn Munabbih described: either that the people who were with ʿĪsā in the house from which he was raised up, of his disciples, were all transformed by Allah into the form of ʿĪsā when Allah willed to raise him up, so that they could not distinguish ʿĪsā with certainty from another because of the resemblance of all their forms. As a result the Jews killed of them whom they killed, while they saw him in the form of ʿĪsā and supposed that he was him, because they had known him beforehand. And those who were with ʿĪsā in the house supposed the same as what the Jews supposed, because they could not distinguish the person of ʿĪsā from the person of another, because of the resemblance of his person and the person of another who was with him in the house. Therefore they all — that is to say: the Jews and the Christians — agreed for that reason that the one killed was ʿĪsā, while he was not, but it was made to appear to them, as Allah, exalted is His praise, said: "yet they did not kill him and they did not crucify him, but it was made to appear so to them."

   Or the affair therein was in the manner that ʿAbd al-Ṣamad ibn Maʿqil related from Wahb ibn Munabbih: that the people who were with ʿĪsā in the house dispersed from him before the Jews came upon him, and that ʿĪsā remained and his likeness was cast upon one of his companions who were with him in the house, after the people had dispersed — none other than ʿĪsā and the one upon whom his likeness was cast. And ʿĪsā was raised up, and the one who was transformed into the form of ʿĪsā, of his companions, was killed; and his companions and the Jews supposed that the one who was killed and crucified was ʿĪsā, because of what they saw of resemblance to him and because of the affair of ʿĪsā remaining hidden from them. For his raising up and the transformation of the one killed into his form came to pass after his companions had dispersed from him, and they had heard ʿĪsā in the night announce his own death and grieve over what he supposed would befall him of death. Thus they related what was true with them, while the affair with Allah was in reality other than what they related. Therefore those who related that, of his disciples, did not deserve to be liars, since they related what was outwardly true with them, even though the affair with Allah was in reality other than what they related.

   Explanation of His word: وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِنْهُ مَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلا اتِّبَاعَ الظَّنِّ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًا (157) ("And truly, those who differed concerning him are in doubt about him. They have no knowledge of it, except the following of conjecture; and with certainty they did not kill him." (4:157))

   Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted in praise means by His word "And truly, those who differed concerning him": the Jews who surrounded ʿĪsā and his companions when they wished to kill him. That is because they — according to what was related — had known the number of those who were in the house before they entered. When they came in upon them, they missed one of them, by which the affair of ʿĪsā became unclear to them through the missing of one of the number that they had counted, and they killed whom they killed in doubt about the affair of ʿĪsā.

   And this interpretation rests upon the statement of him who said: the disciples did not separate from ʿĪsā until he was raised up and the Jews came in upon them.

   And as for its interpretation according to the statement of him who said: they dispersed from him in the night — then it is: "And truly, those who differed" concerning ʿĪsā: whether he was the one who had remained of them in the house after the going out of whoever of them went out, of the number that was in it, or not — "are in doubt about him," that is to say: about his killing, because they had counted, of the number when they entered the house, more than had gone out and than was found in it. As a result they doubted about the one whom they had killed: was it ʿĪsā or not? — because of the missing of whom they missed of the number that they had counted. But they said: "We killed ʿĪsā," because of the resemblance of the one killed to ʿĪsā in form. Allah, exalted is His praise, says: "They have no knowledge of it," that is to say: that they killed whom they killed in doubt about it and in disagreement: was it ʿĪsā or another? — without having knowledge about the one whom they killed, who he was: was it ʿĪsā or another? "Except the following of conjecture," the Exalted in praise means: they had no knowledge about the one whom they killed, but they followed their conjecture and killed him, supposing that he was ʿĪsā and that he was the one whom they wished to kill, while he was not. "And with certainty they did not kill him," He says: and they did not — these who followed conjecture concerning the one killed whom they killed supposing that he was ʿĪsā — kill with certainty, in the sense that he was ʿĪsā or that he was another; but they were concerning him in conjecture and doubt.

   And this is like the word of a man to a man: "You did not kill this matter with knowledge, and you did not kill it with certainty," when he speaks about it on the basis of conjecture without certain knowledge. So the "hāʾ" in His word "and they did not kill him" refers back to "conjecture."

   And in accordance with what we have said concerning that, the people of interpretation have spoken.

   Mention of who said that:

   10790 — Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṣāliḥ related to us, he said: Muʿāwiya ibn Ṣāliḥ related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭalḥa, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word: "and with certainty they did not kill him," he said: that is to say: they did not kill their conjecture with certainty.

   10791 — Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: Isḥāq related to us, he said: Yaʿlā ibn ʿUbayd related to us, on the authority of Juwaybir, concerning His word: "and with certainty they did not kill him," he said: they did not kill their conjecture with certainty.

   And al-Suddī said concerning that what follows:

   10792 — Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, he said: Aḥmad ibn Mufaḍḍal related to us, he said: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: "and with certainty they did not kill him," and they did not kill his affair with certainty, in the sense that the man was ʿĪsā, بَلْ رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ ("nay, Allah raised him up to Himself").

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   القول في تأويل قوله : وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا الْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَكِنْ شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ قال أبو جعفر: يعني بذلك جل ثناؤه: وبقولهم إنا قتلنا المسيح عيسى ابن مريم رسول الله. ثم كذبهم الله في قيلهم، فقال: " وما قتلوه وما صلبوه ولكن شبه لهم "، يعني: وما قتلوا عيسى وما صلبوه ولكن شبه لهم. * * * واختلف أهل التأويل في صفة التشبيه الذي شبه لليهود في أمر عيسى. فقال بعضهم: لما أحاطت اليهود به وبأصحابه، أحاطوا بهم وهم لا يثبتون معرفة عيسى بعينه، وذلك أنهم جميعًا حُوِّلوا في صورة عيسى، فأشكل على الذين كانوا يريدون قتل عيسى، عيسى من غيره منهم، وخرج إليهم بعض من كان في البيت مع عيسى، فقتلوه وهم يحسبونه عيسى. *ذكر من قال ذلك: 10779- حدثنا ابن حميد قال، حدثنا يعقوب القمي، عن هارون بن عنترة، عن وهب بن منبه قال: أُتِي عيسى ومعه سبعة عشر من الحواريين في بيت، وأحاطوا بهم. فلما دخلوا عليهم صوَّرهم الله كلهم على صورة عيسى، فقالوا لهم: سحرتمونا! لتبرزنّ لنا عيسى أو لنقتلنكم جميعًا! فقال عيسى لأصحابه: من يشتري نفسه منكم اليوم بالجنة؟ فقال رجل منهم: أنا! فخرج إليهم، فقال: أنا عيسى= وقد صوّره الله على صورة عيسى، فأخذوه فقتلوه وصلبوه. فمن ثَمَّ شُبِّه لهم، وظنوا أنهم قد قتلوا عيسى، وظنت النصارى مثل ذلك أنه عيسى، ورفع الله عيسى من يومه ذلك. * * * وقد روي عن وهب بن منبه غير هذا القول، وهو ما:- 10780- حدثني به المثنى قال، حدثنا إسحاق قال، حدثنا إسماعيل بن عبد الكريم قال، حدثني عبد الصمد بن معقل: أنه سمع وهبًا يقول: إن عيسى ابن مريم عليه السلام لما أعلمه الله أنه خارج من الدنيا، جزع من الموت وشقَّ عليه، فدعا الحواريِّين فصنع لهم طعامًا، (12) فقال: احضروني الليلة، فإن لي إليكم حاجة. فلما اجتمعوا إليه من الليل، عشَّاهم وقام يخدمهم. فلما فرغوا من الطعام أخذ يغسل أيديهم ويوضِّئهم بيده، ويمسح أيديهم بثيابه، فتعاظموا ذلك وتكارهوه، فقال: ألا مَن ردَّ علي شيئًا الليلة مما أصنع، فليس مني ولا أنا منه! فأقرُّوه، حتى إذا فرغ من ذلك قال: أمَّا ما صنعت بكم الليلة، مما خدمتكم على الطعام وغسلت أيديكم بيدي، فليكن لكم بي أسوة، فإنكم ترون أنّي خيركم، فلا يتعظَّم بعضكم على بعض، وليبذل بعضكم لبعض نفسه، كما بذلت نفسي لكم. وأما حاجتي التي استعنتكم عليها، فتدعون لي الله وتجتهدون في الدعاء: أن يؤخِّر أجلي. فلما نَصَبوا أنفسهم للدعاء وأرادوا أن يجتهدوا، أخذهم النوم حتى &; 9-369 &; لم يستطيعوا دعاءً. فجعل يوقظهم ويقول: سبحان الله! ما تصبرون لي ليلة واحدة تعينوني فيها! (13) قالوا: والله ما ندري ما لنا! لقد كنا نسمر فنكثر السَّمَر، وما نطيق الليلة سمرًا، وما نريد دعاء إلا حيل بيننا وبينه! فقال: يُذْهَب بالراعي وتتفرق الغنم! وجعل يأتي بكلام نحو هذا ينعَى به نفسه. ثم قال: الحقَّ، ليكفرنَّ بي أحدكم قبل أن يصيح الديك ثلاث مرات، وليبيعنِّي أحدكم بدراهم يسيرة، وليأكلن ثمني! فخرجوا فتفرقوا، (14) وكانت اليهود تطلبه، فأخذوا شمعون أحد الحواريين، فقالوا: هذا من أصحابه! فجحد وقال: ما أنا بصاحبه! فتركوه، ثم أخذه آخرون فجحد كذلك. ثم سمع صوت ديك فبكى وأحزنه، فلما أصبح أتى أحدُ الحواريين إلى اليهود فقال: ما تجعلون لي إن دللتكم على المسيح؟ فجعلوا له ثلاثين درهمًا، فأخذها ودلَّهم عليه. وكان شبِّه عليهم قبل ذلك، فأخذوه فاستوثقوا منه، وربطوه بالحبل، فجعلوا يقودونه ويقولون له: أنت كنت تحيي الموتى، وتنتهر الشيطان، وتبرئ المجنون، أفلا تنجّي نفسك من هذا الحبل؟! ويبصقون عليه، ويلقون عليه الشوك، حتى أتوا به الخشبة التي أرادوا أن يصلبوه عليها، فرفعه الله إليه، وصلبوا ما شبِّه لهم، فمكث سبعًا. = ثم إنّ أمَّه والمرأة التي كان يداويها عيسى فأبرأها الله من الجنون، جاءتا تبكيان حيث المصلوب، (15) فجاءهما عيسى فقال: علام تبكيان؟ قالتا: عليك! فقال: إني قد رفعني الله إليه، ولم يصبني إلا خير، وإن هذا شيء شبِّه لهم، &; 9-370 &; فأْمُرَا الحواريين أن يلقوني إلى مكان كذا وكذا. فلقوه إلى ذلك المكان أحد عشر. وفقَد الذي كان باعه ودلَّ عليه اليهود، (16) فسأل عنه أصحابه، فقالوا: إنه ندم على ما صنع، فاختنق وقتل نفسه. فقال: لو تابَ لتابَ الله عليه! ثم سألهم عن غلام يتبعهم يقال له: يُحَنَّى (17) فقال: هو معكم، فانطلقوا، فإنه سيصبح كلّ إنسان منكم يحدِّث بلغة قوم، فلينذِرْهم وَلْيدعهم. (18) * * * وقال آخرون: بل سأل عيسى من كان معه في البيت أن يلقى على بعضهم شَبهه، فانتدب لذلك رجل، فألقي عليه شبهه، فقتل ذلك الرجل، ورفع عيسى ابن مريم عليه السلام. *ذكر من قال ذلك: 10781- حدثنا بشر بن معاذ قال، حدثنا يزيد قال، حدثنا سعيد، عن قتادة قوله: " إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا الْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ" إلى قوله: وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا ، أولئك أعداء الله اليهود ائتمروا بقتل عيسى ابن مريم رسول الله، (19) وزعموا أنهم قتلوه وصلبوه. وذكر لنا أن نبي الله عيسى ابن مريم قال لأصحابه: أيكم يُقْذف عليه شبهي، فإنه مقتول؟ فقال رجل من أصحابه: أنا، يا نبي الله! فقتل ذلك الرجل، ومنع الله نبيه ورفعه إليه. 10782- حدثنا الحسن بن يحيى قال، أخبرنا عبد الرزاق قال، أخبرنا معمر، عن قتادة في قوله: " وما قتلوه وما صلبوه ولكن شبه لهم "، قال: ألقي شبهه على رجل من الحواريين فقتل. وكان عيسى ابن مريم عرض ذلك عليهم، فقال: أيكم ألقي شبهي عليه، وله الجنة؟ فقال رجل: عليَّ. 10783- حدثنا محمد بن الحسين قال، حدثنا أحمد بن المفضل قال، حدثنا أسباط، عن السدي: أن بني إسرائيل حَصروا عيسى وتسعةَ عشر رجلا من الحواريين في بيت، فقال عيسى لأصحابه: من يأخذ صورتي فيقتل وله الجنة؟ فأخذها رجل منهم، وصُعِد بعيسى إلى السماء. فلما خرج الحواريون أبصروهم تسعة عشر، فأخبروهم أن عيسى عليه السلام قد صُعِد به إلى السماء، فجعلوا يعدّون القوم فيجدونهم ينقصون رجلا من العدَة، ويرون صورة عيسى فيهم، فشكّوا فيه. وعلى ذلك قتلوا الرجل وهم يرون أنه عيسى وصلبوه. فذلك قول الله تبارك وتعالى: " وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَكِنْ شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ"، إلى قوله: وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا . 10784- حدثنا المثنى قال، حدثنا أبو حذيفة قال، حدثنا شبل، عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن القاسم بن أبي بزة: أن عيسى ابن مريم قال: أيكم يلقى عليه شبهي فيقتل مكاني؟ فقال رجل من أصحابه: أنا، يا رسول الله! فألقي عليه شبهه فقتلوه. فذلك قوله: " وما قتلوه وما صلبوه ولكن شبه لهم ". 10785- حدثنا ابن حميد قال، حدثنا سلمة، عن ابن إسحاق قال: كان اسم ملك بني إسرائيل الذي بعث إلى عيسى ليقتله، رجلا منهم يقال له داود. فلما أجمعوا لذلك منه، لم يَفْظَعْ عبدٌ من عباد الله بالموت= فيما ذكر لي= فظَعَه، (20) ولم يجزع منه جزعه، ولم يدع الله في صرفه عنه دعاءَه، حتى إنه ليقول، فيما يزعمون: " اللهم إن كنت صارفًا هذه الكأس عن أحد من خلقك فاصرفها عني!"، وحتى إن جلده من كَرْب ذلك ليتفصَّد دمًا. فدخل المدخل الذي أجمعوا أن يدخلوا عليه فيه ليقتلوه هو وأصحابه، وهم ثلاثة عشر بعيسى. فلما أيقن أنهم داخلون عليه، قال لأصحابه من الحواريين (21) = وكانوا اثني عشر رجلا &; 9-372 &; فطرس، (22) ويعقوب بن زبدي، ويحنس أخو يعقوب، وأندراييس، (23) وفيلبس، وأبرثلما، ومتى، وتوماس، ويعقوب بن حلفيا، (24) وتداوسيس، وقنانيا، (25) ويودس زكريا يوطا. (26) = قال ابن حميد، قال سلمة، قال ابن إسحاق: وكان فيهم، فيما ذكر لي، رجل اسمه سرجس، فكانوا ثلاثة عشر رجلا سوى عيسى، جحدتْه النصارى، وذلك أنه هو الذي شبِّه لليهود مكان عيسى. قال: فلا أدري ما هو؟ من هؤلاء الاثني عشر، أم كان ثالث عشر، فجحدوه حين أقرُّوا لليهود بصلب عيسى، وكفروا بما جاء به محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم من الخبر عنه. فإن كانوا ثلاثة عشر فإنهم دخلوا المدخل حين دخلوا وهم بعيسى أربعة عشر، وإن كانوا اثني عشر، فإنهم دخلوا المدخل حين دخلوا وهم بعيسى ثلاثة عشر. = حدثنا ابن حميد قال، حدثنا سلمة، عن ابن إسحاق قال، حدثني رجل كان نصرانيًّا فأسلم: أن عيسى حين جاءَه من الله: " إني رافعك إليَّ" قال: يا معشر الحواريين، أيُّكم يحبّ أن يكون رفيقي في الجنة، على أن يشبه للقوم في صورتي فيقتلوه مكاني؟ (27) فقال سرجس: أنا، يا روح الله! قال: فاجلس في مجلسي. &; 9-373 &; فجلس فيه، ورُفع عيسى صلوات الله عليه. فدخلوا عليه فأخذوه فصلبوه، فكان هو الذي صلبوه وشُبِّه لهم به. وكانت عِدّتهم حين دخلوا مع عيسى معلومة، قد رأوهم وأحصوا عدّتهم. (28) فلما دخلوا عليه ليأخذوه، وجدوا عيسى فيما يُرَوْن وأصحابه، وفقدوا رجلا من العدة، فهو الذي اختلفوا فيه، وكانوا لا يعرفون عيسى، حتى جعلوا ليودس زكريا يوطا ثلاثين درهمًا على أن يدلَّهم عليه ويعرِّفهم إياه، فقال لهم: إذا دخلتم عليه، فإني سأقبله، وهو الذي أقبِّل، فخذوه. فلما دخلوا عليه وقد رُفع عيسى، رأى سرجس في صورة عيسى، فلم يشكِّك أنه هو عيسى، (29) فأكبَّ عليه فقبَّله، فأخذوه فصلبوه. ثم إن يودس زكريا يوطا ندم على ما صنع، فاختنق بحبل حتى قتل نفسه. وهو ملعون في النصارى، وقد كان أحد المعدودين من أصحابه. وبعض النصارى يزعم أن يودس زكريا يوطا هو الذي شبه لهم، فصلبوه وهو يقول: " إني لست بصاحبكم! أنا الذي دللتكم عليه "! والله أعلم أيُّ ذلك كان. 10786- حدثنا القاسم قال، حدثنا الحسين قال، حدثني حجاج قال، قال ابن جريج: بلغنا أن عيسى ابن مريم قال لأصحابه: أيُّكم ينتدب فيُلقَى عليه شبهي فيقتل؟ فقال رجل من أصحابه: أنا، يا نبي الله. فألقي عليه شبهه فقتل، ورفع الله نبيّه إليه. 10787- حدثنا محمد بن عمرو قال، حدثنا أبو عاصم قال، حدثنا عيسى، عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد في قوله: " شبه لهم "، قال: صلبوا رجلا غير عيسى، يحسبونه إيّاه. 10788- حدثني المثنى قال، حدثنا أبو حذيفة قال، حدثنا شبل، عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد: " ولكن شبه لهم "، فذكر نحوه. (30) 10789- حدثنا القاسم قال، حدثنا الحسين قال، حدثني حجاج، عن ابن جريج، عن مجاهد قال: صلبوا رجلا شبَّهوه بعيسى، يحسبونه إياه، ورفع الله إليه عيسى حيًّا. * * * قال أبو جعفر: وأولى هذه الأقوال بالصواب، أحدُ القولين اللذين ذكرناهما عن وهب بن منبه: (31) من أن شَبَه عيسى ألقي على جميع من كان في البيت مع عيسى حين أحيط به وبهم، من غير مسألة عيسى إياهم ذلك. ولكن ليخزي الله بذلك اليهود، وينقذ به نبيه عليه السلام من مكروهِ ما أرادوا به من القتل، ويبتلي به من أراد ابتلاءه من عباده في قِيله في عيسى، وصدق الخبر عن أمره. = أو: القول الذي رواه عبد الصمد عنه. (32) وإنما قلنا ذلك أولى القولين بالصواب، لأن الذين شهدوا عيسى من الحواريين، لو كانوا في حال ما رُفع عيسى وأُلقي شبهه على من ألقي عليه شَبَهه، كانوا قد عاينوا وهو يرفع من بينهم، (33) وأثبتوا الذي ألقي عليه شبهه، وعاينوه متحوِّلا في صورته بعد الذي كان به من صورة نفسه بمحضَرٍ منهم، لم يخفَ ذلك من أمر عيسى وأمر من ألقي عليه شبهه عليهم، مع معاينتهم ذلك كله، ولم يلتبس ولم يشكل عليهم، وإن أشكل على غيرهم من أعدائهم من اليهود أن المقتول والمصلوب كان غير عيسى، وأن عيسى رفع من بينهم حيًّا. وكيف يجوز أن يكون كان أشكل ذلك عليهم، وقد سمعوا من عيسى مقالته: " من يلقى عليه شبهي، ويكون رفيقي في الجنة "، إن كان قال لهم ذلك، وسمعوا &; 9-375 &; جواب مُجيبه منهم: " أنا "، وعاينوا تحوُّل المجيب في صورة عيسى بعقب جوابه؟ ولكن ذلك كان= إن شاء الله= على نحو ما وصف وهب بن منبه: إما أن يكون القوم الذين كانوا مع عيسى في البيت الذي رفع منه من حواريه، حوَّلهم الله جميعًا في صورة عيسى حين أراد الله رفعه، فلم يثبتوا عيسى معرفةً بعينه من غيره لتشابه صور جميعهم، فقتلت اليهود منهم من قتلت وهم يُرَونه بصورة عيسى، ويحسبونه إياه، لأنهم كانوا به عارفين قبل ذلك. وظنّ الذين كانوا في البيت مع عيسى مثل الذي ظنت اليهود، لأنهم لم يميِّزوا شخصَ عيسى من شخص غيره، لتشابه شخصه وشخص غيره ممن كان معه في البيت. فاتفقوا جميعهم= يعني: اليهود والنصارى (34) = من أجل ذلك على أن المقتول كان عيسى، ولم يكن به، ولكنه شُبِّه لهم، كما قال الله جل ثناؤه: " وما قتلوه وما صلبوه ولكن شبه لهم ". = أو يكون الأمر في ذلك كان على نحو ما روى عبد الصمد بن معقل، عن وهب بن منبه: أن القوم الذين كانوا مع عيسى في البيت، تفرقوا عنه قبل أن يدخل عليه اليهود، وبقي عيسى، وألقي شبهه على بعض أصحابه الذين كانوا معه في البيت بعد ما تفرق القوم غيرَ عيسى، وغيرَ الذي ألقي عليه شَبهه. ورفع عيسى، فقتل الذي تحوّل في صورة عيسى من أصحابه، وظن أصحابُه واليهود أن الذي قتل وصلب هو عيسى، لما رأوا من شبهه به، وخفاء أمر عيسى عليهم. لأن رفعه وتحوّل المقتول في صورته، كان بعد تفرق أصحابه عنه، وقد كانوا سمعوا عيسى من الليل ينعَى نفسه، ويحزن لما قد ظنَّ أنه نازل به من الموت، فحكوا ما كان عندهم حقًّا، والأمر عند الله في الحقيقة بخلاف ما حكوا. فلم يستحق الذين حكوا ذلك من حواريّيه أن يكونوا كذبة، إذ حكوا ما كان حقًّا عندهم في الظاهر، (35) وإن كان الأمر كان عند الله في الحقيقة بخلاف الذي حكوا. (36) * * * القول في تأويل قوله : وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِنْهُ مَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلا اتِّبَاعَ الظَّنِّ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًا (157) قال أبو جعفر: يعني جل ثناؤه بقوله: " وإنّ الذين اختلفوا فيه "، اليهودَ الذين أحاطوا بعيسى وأصحابه حين أرادوا قتله. وذلك أنهم كانوا قد عرفوا عدة من في البيت قبل دخولهم، فيما ذكر. فلما دخلوا عليهم، فقدوا واحدًا منهم، فالتبس أمرُ عيسى عليهم بفقدهم واحدًا من العدَّة التي كانوا قد أحصوها، وقتلوا من قتلوا على شك منهم في أمر عيسى. وهذا التأويل على قول من قال: لم يفارق الحواريون عيسى حتى رفع ودخل عليهم اليهود. * * * وأما تأويله على قول من قال: تفرَّقوا عنه من الليل، فإنه: " وإن الذين اختلفوا "، في عيسى، هل هو الذي بقي في البيت منهم بعد خروج من خرج منهم من العدَّة التي كانت فيه، أم لا؟=" لفي شك منه "، يعني: من قتله، لأنهم كانوا أحصوا من العدّة حين دخلوا البيت أكثر ممن خرج منه ومن وجد فيه، فشكوا في الذي قتلوه: هل هو عيسى أم لا؟ من أجل فقدهم من فقدوا من العدد الذي كانوا أحصوه، ولكنهم قالوا: " قتلنا عيسى "، لمشابهة المقتول عيسى في الصورة. يقول الله جل ثناؤه: " ما لهم به من علم "، يعني: أنهم قتلوا من قتلوه على شك منهم فيه واختلافٍ، هل هو عيسى أم هو غيره؟ من غير أن يكون لهم &; 9-377 &; بمن قتلوه علم، من هو؟ هو عيسى أم هو غيره؟ =" إلا اتباع الظن "، يعني جل ثناؤه: ما كان لهم بمن قتلوه من علم، ولكنهم اتبعوا ظنهم فقتلوه، ظنًّا منهم أنه عيسى، وأنه الذي يريدون قتله، ولم يكن به=" وما قتلوه يقينًا "، يقول: وما قتلوا -هذا الذي اتبعوه في المقتول الذي قتلوه وهم يحسبونه عيسى- يقينًا أنه عيسى ولا أنه غيره، ولكنهم كانوا منه على ظنّ وشبهةٍ. * * * وهذا كقول الرجل للرجل: " ما قتلت هذا الأمر علمًا، وما قتلته يقينًا "، إذا تكلَّم فيه بالظن على غير يقين علم. فـ" الهاء " في قوله: " وما قتلوه "، عائدة على " الظن ". (37) * * * وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل. ذكر من قال ذلك. 10790- حدثني المثنى قال، حدثنا عبد الله بن صالح قال، حدثني معاوية بن صالح، عن علي بن أبي طلحة، عن ابن عباس قوله: " وما قتلوه يقينًا "، قال: يعني لم يقتلوا ظنَّهم يقينًا. 10791- حدثني المثنى قال، حدثنا إسحاق قال، حدثنا يعلى بن عبيد، عن جويبر في قوله: " وما قتلوه يقينًا "، قال: ما قتلوا ظنهم يقينًا. * * * وقال السدي في ذلك ما:- 10792- حدثنا محمد بن الحسين قال، حدثنا أحمد بن مفضل قال، حدثنا أسباط، عن السدي: " وما قتلوه يقينًا "، وما قتلوا أمره يقينًا أن الرجل هو عيسى، بَلْ رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ . ---------------------- الهوامش : (12) في المطبوعة: "وصنع" بالواو ، وأثبت ما في المخطوطة ، وتاريخ الطبري. (13) في المطبوعة: "أما تصبرون" ، وأثبت ما في التاريخ والمخطوطة. (14) في المطبوعة: "وتفرقوا" بالواو ، وأثبت ما في التاريخ والمخطوطة. (15) في المطبوعة"حيث كان المصلوب" ، وفي التاريخ: "عند المصلوب" ، وفي المخطوطة "حيث" غير منقوطة ، وعليها حرف (ط) ، كأن الناسخ عدها خطأ ، لقلة إضافة"حيث" إلى الاسم المفرد ، لأنها تضاف إلى الجملة الفعلية والجملة الإسمية ، ولكن لإضافتها إلى المفرد شواهد كثيرة ، منها قول الشاعر: وَنَحْـنُ سَـقَيْنَا المَـوْتَ بِالسَّيْفِ مَعْقِلا وقَـدْ كـانَ مِنْهُـمْ حَـيْثُ لـيُّ العَمَائِمِ (16) "فقده" و"افتقده": لم يجده ، فسأل عنه. (17) في التاريخ: "يقال له يحيى". (18) الأثر: 10780 - رواه أبو جعفر في التاريخ 2 : 22 ، 23. (19) في المطبوعة: "اشتهروا بقتل عيسى" ، ولا معنى لها هنا ، وهي في المخطوطة غير بينة الحروف ، وصواب قراءتها ما أثبت. (20) "فظع بالأمر يفظع فظعًا (مثل فرح ، يفرح ، فرحا): كرهه واستبشعه ورآه فظيعًا. (21) قول المسيح لأصحابه من الحواريين ، سيأتي في الفقرة التي تلي الفقرة الآتية ، وذلك قوله: "يا معشر الحواريين ، أيكم يحب أن يكون رفيقي في الجنة". وما بين الكلامين ، فصل فيه ذكر عدة الحواريين. (22) في المطبوعة: "بطرس" ، وأثبت ما في المخطوطة. (23) في المطبوعة: "أندراوس" ، وأثبت ما في المخطوطة. (24) في المطبوعة: "حلقيا" ، وفي المخطوطة بالفاء. (25) في المطبوعة: "فتاتيا" ، والمخطوطة أشبه بأن تكون كما نقطتها. (26) سأذكر هذه الأسماء ، كما هي في كتب القوم ، من الإصحاح العاشر من إنجيل متى ، على تتابعها هنا ، وهي كما يلي: (بطرس) ، و(يعقوب بن زبدي) ، و(يوحنَّا) أخو يعقوب ، و(أندارَاوس) - أخو بطرس - ، و(فيلبس) ، و(برثولماوس) ، و(متى) ، و(توما) ، و(يعقوب بن حلفي) و(لباوس) ، الملقب (تدَّاوس) ، و (سمعان القانوي) ، و(يهوذا الأسخريوطي). (27) في المطبوعة: "حتى يشبه للقوم" ، وأثبت ما في المخطوطة. (28) في المطبوعة: "فأحصوا" بالفاء ، وأثبت ما في المخطوطة. (29) في المطبوعة: "فلم يشك" ، وأثبت ما في المخطوطة. (30) في المطبوعة: "فذكر مثله". (31) هو الأثر رقم: 10779. (32) هو الأثر رقم: 10780 ، وكان في المخطوطة"الذي رواه عبد العزيز عنه" ، وليس في الرواة عن ابن منبه فيما سلف"عبد العزيز" بل"عبد الصمد بن معقل" ، وكأنه سهو من الناسخ ، وعجلة أخذته. (33) في المطبوعة: "عاينوا عيسى وهو يرفع" بالزيادة ، وأثبت ما في المخطوطة ، فهو مستقيم. (34) في المطبوعة: "أعني" ، وأثبت ما في المخطوطة. (35) في المطبوعة: "أو حكوا" ، وفي المخطوطة: "إذا حكوا" ، والصواب ما أثبت. (36) في المخطوطة: "وإن كان الأمر عند الله" ، حذف"كان" الثانية ، وقد أثبتها ناسخ المخطوطة في هامش النسخة. (37) انظر معاني القرآن للفراء 1 : 294.