Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   The explanation of the words of Allah: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَتَّخِذُوا الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا دِينَكُمْ هُزُوًا وَلَعِبًا مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَالْكُفَّارَ أَوْلِيَاءَ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ (5:57) ("O you who believe, do not take as allies those who have taken your religion as mockery and sport from among those who were given the Book before you, nor the disbelievers, and fear Allah if you are believers").

   Abū Jaʿfar said: Allah, exalted is His mention, says to those who believe in Him and in His Messenger Muḥammad, the blessing and peace of Allah be upon him: "O you who believe", that is: those who held Allah and His Messenger to be true — "do not take as allies those who have taken your religion as mockery and sport from among those who were given the Book before you", meaning the Jews and the Christians to whom the messengers and the prophets came and to whom the books were sent down before the mission of our Prophet, the blessing and peace of Allah be upon him, and before the descent of our Book — "as allies", He says: do not take them, O believers, as helpers or brothers or confederates, for they will not fail to crumble corruption upon you, even though they display affection and friendship to you.

   * * *

   The taking of the religion as mockery and sport by these Jews, concerning whom Allah informed the believers that they took their religion as mockery and sport — in accordance with the description that our Lord, exalted is His mention, gave of them — consisted in this: that one of them would feign faith (īmān) to the believers while persisting in his disbelief, and then after a short while would return to disbelief by displaying that as an utterance with his tongue, after he had uttered faith with his tongue as an utterance while concealing disbelief — out of mockery of the religion and derision of it, as Allah, exalted is His mention, has informed of the conduct of some of them in that with His word: وَإِذَا لَقُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْا إِلَى شَيَاطِينِهِمْ قَالُوا إِنَّا مَعَكُمْ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُسْتَهْزِئُونَ * اللَّهُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِهِمْ وَيَمُدُّهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ (Surah Al-Baqarah: 14, 15) ("And when they meet those who believe, they say: We believe; and when they are alone with their devils, they say: We are with you, we only mock. Allah mocks them and lets them go on in their excess, blindly wandering").

   * * *

   And in the sense of what we have said concerning that, the report has been transmitted on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās.

   12216 - Hannād ibn al-Sarī and Abū Kurayb related to us, both of them saying: Yūnus ibn Bukayr related to us, saying: Ibn Isḥāq related to me, saying: Muḥammad ibn Abī Muḥammad, the freedman of Zayd ibn Thābit, related to me, saying: Saʿīd ibn Jubayr or ʿIkrima related to me, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: Rifāʿa ibn Zayd ibn al-Tābūt and Suwayd ibn al-Ḥārith had feigned Islam and thereafter practiced hypocrisy, and men of the Muslims were affectionate toward them, whereupon Allah sent down concerning the two of them: "O you who believe, do not take as allies those who have taken your religion as mockery and sport from among those who were given the Book before you, nor the disbelievers", up to His word: وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْتُمُونَ ("and Allah knows best what they used to conceal").

   * * *

   This report has thus made clear the correctness of what we have said, namely that the taking of Allah's religion as mockery and sport by those who took Allah's religion as mockery and sport from among the People of the Book, whom Allah mentioned in this verse, occurred only through their hypocrisy, their feigning of faith to the believers, their concealing of disbelief, and their saying to their devils among the Jews when they were alone with them: "We are with you." Allah therefore forbade affection for them and friendship with them, clinging to their covenant, and relying upon them as allies — and He let them know that they would not fail to crumble corruption upon them and to besmirch and belittle their religion.

   * * *

   As for "the disbelievers" (al-kuffār) whom Allah, exalted is His mention, mentioned in His word: "from among those who were given the Book before you, nor the disbelievers, as allies", they are the polytheists of the idolaters. Allah forbade the believers from taking allies from among the People of the Book, the idolaters, and the rest of the people of disbelief, to the exclusion of the believers.

   * * *

   And Ibn Masʿūd read, as is shown by what:

   12217 - Aḥmad ibn Yūsuf related to me concerning that, saying: al-Qāsim ibn Sallām related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to us, on the authority of Hārūn, on the authority of Ibn Masʿūd — who read: (مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا) ("from among those who were given the Book before you, and from among those who associated partners").

   * * *

   Herein lies the confirmation of the correctness of the explanation we have given of it.

   * * *

   The reciters differed concerning the reading of it.

   A group of the people of the Ḥijāz, Basra, and Kufa read it: (وَالْكُفَّارِ أَوْلِيَاءَ) with kasra on "al-kuffār", in the meaning: O you who believe, do not take as allies those who have taken your religion as mockery and sport from among those who were given the Book before you, and from among the disbelievers.

   * * *

   And likewise it is in the reading of Ubayy ibn Kaʿb, as has reached us: (from among those who were given the Book before you and from among the disbelievers, as allies).

   * * *

   Most of the reciters of the people of Medina and Kufa read it: (وَالْكُفَّارَ أَوْلِيَاءَ) with naṣb (fatḥa), in the meaning: O you who believe, do not take as allies those who have taken your religion as mockery and sport, nor the disbelievers — whereby "al-kuffār" is joined to "those who have taken".

   * * *

   Abū Jaʿfar said: The correct opinion concerning this is that one says: they are two readings that agree in meaning and are sound in origin; according to each of them scholars among the reciters have read, so with whichever of the two the reciter reads, he has hit upon what is correct. For the prohibition of taking an ally from among the disbelievers is a prohibition of taking all of them as allies, and the prohibition of taking all of them as allies is a prohibition of taking some of them as an ally. That is because it is not unclear to anyone of the adherents of Islam that Allah, exalted is His mention, when He forbade to the believers the taking of an ally from among the polytheists (mushrikīn), did not thereby permit them the taking of all of them as allies — nor, when He forbade the taking of all of them as allies, did He exceptionally permit the taking of some of them as an ally. Therefore, because of the lack of unclarity of this for them, it is required to seek the proof for which of the two readings therein is the correct one. And since that is so, it makes no difference whether the reciter reads with the khafḍ (kasra) or with the naṣb, for the reason we have mentioned.

   * * *

   As for His word: "and fear Allah if you are believers", that means: and fear Allah, O believers, with respect to these who have taken your religion as mockery and sport from among those who were given the Book and from among the disbelievers, that you should take them as allies and helpers, and dread His punishment for doing that if you were to do it after He has previously conveyed to you the prohibition of it — if you believe in Allah and hold Him to be true in His threat against disobedience to Him.

   Show original Arabic

   القول في تأويل قوله : يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَتَّخِذُوا الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا دِينَكُمْ هُزُوًا وَلَعِبًا مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَالْكُفَّارَ أَوْلِيَاءَ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ (57) قال أبو جعفر: يقول تعالى ذكره للمؤمنين به وبرسوله محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم: " يا أيها الذين آمنوا "، أي: صدقوا الله ورسوله=" لا تتخذوا الذين اتخذوا دينكم هُزوًا ولعبًا من الذين أوتوا الكتاب من قبلكم "، يعني اليهود والنصارى الذين جاءتهم الرسل والأنبياء، وأنـزلت عليهم الكتب من قبل بَعْث نبينا صلى الله عليه وسلم، ومن قبل نـزول كتابنا=" أولياء "، يقول: لا تتخذوهم، أيها المؤمنون، أنصارًا أو إخوانًا أو حُلفاء، (84) فإنهم لا يألونكم خَبَالا وإن أظهروا لكم مودّة وصداقة. * * * وكان اتخاذ هؤلاء اليهود الذين أخبر الله عنهم المؤمنين أنهم اتخذوا دينهم هُزُوًا ولعبًا بالدين على ما وصفهم به ربنا تعالى ذكره، (85) أن أحدهم كان يظهر للمؤمنين الإيمان وهو على كفره مقيم، ثم يراجع الكفر بعد يسير من المدة بإظهار ذلك بلسانه قولا بعد أن كان يُبدي بلسانه الإيمان قولا وهو للكفر مستبطن تلعبًا بالدين واستهزاءً به، كما أخبر تعالى ذكره عن فعل بعضهم ذلك بقوله: وَإِذَا لَقُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْا إِلَى شَيَاطِينِهِمْ قَالُوا إِنَّا مَعَكُمْ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُسْتَهْزِئُونَ * اللَّهُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِهِمْ وَيَمُدُّهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ [سورة البقرة: 14، 15]. * * * وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك جاء الخبر عن ابن عباس. 12216 - حدثنا هناد بن السري وأبو كريب قالا حدثنا يونس بن بكير قال، حدثني ابن إسحاق قال، حدثني محمد بن أبي محمد مولى زيد بن ثابت قال، حدثني سعيد بن جبير أو عكرمة، عن ابن عباس قال: كان رفاعة بن زيد بن التابوت وسويد بن الحارث قد أظهرا الإسلام ثم نافقا، وكان رجال من المسلمين يوادُّونهما، فأنـزل الله فيهما: " يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا الذين اتخذوا دينكم &; 10-430 &; هزوًا ولعبًا من الذين أوتوا الكتاب من قبلكم والكفار أولياء " إلى قوله: وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْتُمُونَ . (86) * * * = فقد أبان هذا الخبر عن صحة ما قلنا، من أنّ اتخاذ من اتخذ دين الله هزوًا ولعبًا من أهل الكتاب الذين ذكرهم الله في هذه الآية، إنما كان بالنفاق منهم، وإظهارهم للمؤمنين الإيمان، واستبطانهم الكفر، وقيلهم لشياطينهم من اليهود إذا خلوا بهم: " إنا معكم "، فنهى الله عن موادَّتهم ومُخَالّتهم، (87) والتمسك بحلفهم، والاعتداد بهم أولياء= وأعلمهم أنهم لا يألونهم خبالا وفي دينهم طعنًا، وعليه إزراء. * * * وأمّا " الكفار " الذين ذكرهم الله تعالى ذكره في قوله: " من الذين أوتوا الكتاب من قبلكم والكفار أولياء "، فإنهم المشركون من عبدة الأوثان. نهى الله المؤمنين أن يتخذوا من أهل الكتاب ومن عبدة الأوثان وسائر أهل الكفر، أولياءَ دون المؤمنين. * * * وكان ابن مسعود فيما:- 12217 - حدثني به أحمد بن يوسف قال، حدثنا القاسم بن سلام قال، حدثنا حجاج، عن هارون، عن ابن مسعود= يقرأ: ( مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا ). * * * = ففي هذا بيان صحة التأويل الذي تأوَّلناه في ذلك. * * * واختلفت القرأة في قراءة ذلك. فقرأته جماعة من أهل الحجاز والبصرة والكوفة: ( وَالْكُفَّارِ أَوْلِيَاءَ ) بخفض " الكفار "، بمعنى: يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا الذين اتخذوا دينكم هزوًا ولعبًا من الذين أوتوا الكتاب من قبلكم، ومن الكفارِ، أولياءَ. * * * وكذلك ذلك في قراءة أبيّ بن كعب فيما بلغنا: ( من الذين أوتوا الكتاب من قبلكم ومن الكفار أولياء ). * * * وقرأ ذلك عامة قرأة أهل المدينة والكوفة: ( وَالْكُفَّارَ أَوْلِيَاءَ ) بالنصب، بمعنى: يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا الذين اتخذوا دينكم هزوًا ولعبًا والكفارَ= عطفًا بـ" الكفار " على " الذين اتخذوا ". * * * قال أبو جعفر: والصواب من القول في ذلك أن يقال: إنهما قراءتان متفقتا المعنى، صحيحتا المخرج، قد قرأ بكل واحدة منهما علماء من القرأة، فبأي ذلك قرأ القارئ فقد أصاب. لأن النهيَ عن اتخاذ ولي من الكفار، نهيٌ عن اتخاذ جميعهم أولياء. والنهي عن اتخاذ جميعهم أولياء، نهيٌ عن اتخاذ بعضهم وليًّا. وذلك أنه غير مشكل على أحدٍ من أهل الإسلام أنّ الله تعالى ذكره إذا حرّم اتخاذ وليّ من المشركين على المؤمنين، أنه لم يبح لهم اتخاذ جميعهم أولياء= ولا إذا حرَّم اتخاذ جميعهم أولياء، أنه لم يخصص إباحة اتخاذ بعضهم وليًّا، فيجب من أجل إشكال ذلك عليهم، طلبُ الدليل على أولى القراءتين في ذلك بالصواب. وإذ كان ذلك كذلك، فسواء قرأ القارئ بالخفض أو بالنصب، لما ذكرنا من العلة. * * * وأما قوله: " واتقوا الله إن كنتم مؤمنين "، فإنه يعني: وخافوا الله، أيها المؤمنون، &; 10-432 &; في هؤلاء الذين اتخذوا دينكم هزوًا ولعبًا من الذين أوتوا الكتاب ومن الكفار، أن تتخذوهم أولياء ونصراء، وارهبوا عقوبته في فعل ذلك إن فعلتموه بعد تقدُّمه إليكم بالنهي عنه، إن كنتم تؤمنون بالله وتصدِّقونه على وعيده على معصيته. (88) * * * --------------- الهوامش : (84) في المطبوعة: "أنصار وإخوانا وحلفاء" ، وفي المخطوطة: "أنصارًا أو إخوانًا وحلفاء" ، وأجريتها جميعا بأو ، كما ترى. (85) في المطبوعة: "ولعبًا الدين على ما وصفهم" ، وهو غير مستقيم ، وفي المخطوطة: "ولعبا الذين على ما وصفهم" ، وهو أشد التواء ، والصواب ما أثبت ، كما سيأتي بعد"تلعبًا بالدين واستهزاء به". (86) الأثر: 12216- سيرة ابن هشام 2: 217 ، 218. (87) في المطبوعة: "ومحالفتهم" ، لم يحسن قراءة المخطوطة إذ كانت غير منقوطة ، وصواب قراءتها ما أثبت. (88) انظر تفسير"كفار" و"أولياء" و"اتقى" فيما سلف من فهارس اللغة ، (كفر) و(ولى) و(وقى).