Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   Discussion of the explanation of His word, the Exalted: ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الأَوَّلِينَ ("A large company from the first generations") (39)

   Allah, exalted is His mention, says: those to whom this honor belongs, whose condition He has described in these verses, are two companies — that is, two groups, two communities, two parties: ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الأوَّلِينَ ("a large company from the first generations"), by which is meant: a group from those who passed away before the community of Muḥammad ﷺ. وَثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الآخِرِينَ ("and a large company from the later generations"), He says: and a group from the community of Muḥammad ﷺ. Thus also have the scholars of explanation said.

   * Mention of the narration concerning that:

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān; al-Ḥasan said: ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الأوَّلِينَ ("a large company from the first generations") from the communities, وَثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الآخِرِينَ ("and a large company from the later generations"): the community of Muḥammad ﷺ.

   Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to us, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both of them — on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His word: ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الأوَّلِينَ ("a large company from the first generations"), he said: a community.

   Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, saying: Qatāda related to us, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, on the authority of the narration of ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd, who said: "We were conversing one night with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ until we grew late in the conversation; then we returned to our families. When we reached the morning, we went early to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'This night the prophets were shown to me, with their followers from their communities. There was a prophet who came with a large company from his community, a prophet with a troop from his community, a prophet with a small group from his community, a prophet with one man from his community, and a prophet who had no one from his community of his people with him — until Mūsā ibn ʿImrān passed by me in a dense throng from the Children of Israel. When I saw them, they pleased me, and I said: O Lord, who are these? He said: This is your brother Mūsā ibn ʿImrān and those with him from the Children of Israel. I said: Lord, where then is my community? It was said: Look to your right — and behold, the hills of Mecca were blocked by the faces of men. I said: Who are these? It was said: These are your community. It was said: Are you content? I said: Lord, I am content, Lord, I am content. It was said: Look to your left — and behold, the horizon was blocked by the faces of men. I said: Lord, who are these? It was said: These are your community. It was said: Are you content? I said: I am content, Lord, I am content. Then it was said: Indeed, with these are seventy thousand from your community who will enter the Garden without any reckoning being taken of them.' Then ʿUkkāsha ibn Miḥṣan stood up, a man from the Banū Asad ibn Khuzayma, and said: O Prophet of Allah, beseech your Lord that He reckon me among them. He said: 'O Allah, make him one of them.' Then another man stood up and said: O Prophet of Allah, beseech your Lord that He reckon me among them. He said: 'ʿUkkāsha has preceded you in that.' And the Prophet of Allah ﷺ said: 'My father and my mother be ransom for you! If you are able to be among the seventy thousand, then be among them; and if you cannot and fall short, then be among the people of the hills; and if you cannot and fall short, then be among the people of the horizon, for I saw there people swarming in great numbers' — or he said: 'mingling together.' He said: Then the believers consulted — or he said: then we consulted — concerning those seventy thousand, and it came down to them saying: We regard them as people who were born into Islam and continued acting by it until they died upon it. This conversation of theirs reached the Prophet of Allah ﷺ, and he said: 'It is not so, but they are those who do not seek healing by incantations, do not have themselves branded with fire, do not draw omens from birds, and put their trust in their Lord.' — It is reported that the Prophet of Allah ﷺ said that day: 'Indeed, I hope that whoever of my community follows me will make up a quarter of the inhabitants of the Garden.' Then we cried 'Allāhu akbar'. Then he said: 'Indeed, I hope that you will be the half.' Then we cried 'Allāhu akbar'. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited this verse: ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الأوَّلِينَ * وَثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الآخِرِينَ ("A large company from the first generations and a large company from the later generations")."

   Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: al-Ḥasan ibn Bishr al-Bajalī related to us, on the authority of al-Ḥakam ibn ʿAbd al-Malik, on the authority of Qatāda, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, on the authority of ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd, who said: "We conversed one night with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ until we grew late" — or: "conversed much". Then he mentioned something similar, except that he said: "and behold, the hills, the hills of Mecca, were blocked by the faces of men", and he also said: "for I saw there people swarming in great numbers". He said: Then we said: Who are these seventy thousand? And our opinion agreed that they were a people who are born into Islam and die upon it. He said: Then we mentioned that to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he said: "No, but they are a people who do not have themselves branded with fire." And he also said: Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Indeed, I hope that you will be a quarter of the inhabitants of the Garden." Then his Companions cried 'Allāhu akbar'. Then he said: "Indeed, I hope that you will be a third of the inhabitants of the Garden." Then his Companions cried 'Allāhu akbar'. Then he said: "Indeed, I hope that you will be half of the inhabitants of the Garden." Then he recited: ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الأوَّلِينَ * وَثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الآخِرِينَ ("A large company from the first generations and a large company from the later generations").

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of ʿAwf, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Ḥārith, who said: they are all in the Garden.

   Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, that it reached him that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Are you content to be a quarter of the inhabitants of the Garden? They said: Yes. He said: Are you content to be a third of the inhabitants of the Garden? They said: Yes. He said: By Him in Whose hand is my soul, indeed I hope that you will be half of the inhabitants of the Garden." Then he recited this verse: ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الأوَّلِينَ * وَثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الآخِرِينَ ("A large company from the first generations and a large company from the later generations").

   Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Budayl ibn Kaʿb, that he said: the inhabitants of the Garden are one hundred and twenty rows, of which eighty rows are from this community.

   ---------------------

   Footnotes:

   (8) Thus it is in the original. In (al-Nihāya: h-r-sh) it has "yatahārashūna", as some have transmitted it, and he explained it as fighting one another. In the Musnad of Aḥmad it is with the wāw in place of the rāʾ, and al-tahāwush means: mingling. End of citation. (And he said under h-w-sh): And in the narration of the Night Journey: "and behold, many people swarming together", al-hawsh: mingling, that is: one merging into the other.

   Show original Arabic

   القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الأَوَّلِينَ (39) يقول تعالى ذكره: الذين لهم هذه الكرامة التي وصف صفتها في هذه الآيات ثُلَّتان، وهي جماعتان وأمتان وفرقتان: (ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الأوَّلِينَ ) ، يعني جماعة من الذين مضوا قبل أمة محمد صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم.(وَثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الآخِرِينَ ) ، يقول: وجماعة من أمة محمد صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم ، وقال به أهل التأويل. * ذكر الرواية بذلك: حدثنا ابن حُمَيد، قال: ثنا مهران، عن سفيان، قال الحسن: (ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الأوَّلِينَ ) من الأمم (وَثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الآخِرِينَ ) : أمة محمد صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم . حدثنا محمد بن عمرو، قال: ثنا أبو عاصم، قال: ثنا عيسى؛ وحدثني الحارث، قال: ثنا الحسن، قال: ثنا ورقاء جميعا، عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد، في قوله: (ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الأوَّلِينَ ) قال: أمة. حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، قال ثنا قتادة، قال: ثنا الحسن عن حديث عمران بن حصين، عن عبد الله بن مسعود قال: " تحدثنا عند رسول الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم ذات ليلة حتى أكرينا في الحديث، ثم رجعنا إلى أهلينا، فلما أصبحنا غدونا على رسول الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم فقال رسول الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم: عُرِضَتْ عَلىَّ الأنْبِياءُ اللَّيْلَةَ بأتْباعها مِنْ أُمَمِها، فَكانَ النَّبِيُّ يَجِيءُ مَعَهَ الثُّلَّةُ مِنْ أُمَّتِهِ، والنَّبِيُّ مَعَهُ العِصَابَةُ مِنَ أُمَّتِهِ؛ والنَّبِيُّ مَعَهُ النَّفَرُ مِن أُمَّتِهِ، والنَّبِيُّ مَعَهَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ أُمَّتِهِ، والنَّبِيُّ ما مَعَهُ مِنْ أُمَّتِهِ أحَد مِنْ قَوْمِهِ، حتى أتى عَليَّ مُوسَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ في كَبْكَبَةٍ مِنْ بني إسْرائيلَ؛ فَلَمَّا رأيْتُهُمْ أعْجَبُونِي، فَقُلْتُ أيْ رَبّ مَنْ هَؤُلاء؟ قال: هَذاَ أخُوك مُوسَى بنُ عِمْرَانَ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ مِنْ بني إسْرائِيلَ فقُلْتُ رَبّ، فأيْنَ أُمَّتِي؟ فَقِيلَ: انْظُرْ عَنْ يَمِينكَ، فإذَا ظرَابُ مَكَّةَ قَدْ سُدَّتْ بِوُجُوهِ الرّجِالِ فَقُلْتُ: مَنْ هَؤُلاء؟ قِيلَ: هَؤُلاء أُمَّتُكَ، فَقِيل: أرَضِيتَ؟ فَقُلْتُ: رَبِّ رَضيتُ رَب رَضِيتُ قِيلَ: انْظُر عَنْ يَسارِكَ، فَإذَا الأفقُ قَدْ سُدَّ بِوُجُوهِ الرّجِالِ، فَقُلْتُ: رَبَّ مَنْ هَؤُلاء؟ قِيلَ: هَؤُلاء أُمَّتُكَ، فَقيلَ: أرَضِيتَ؟ فَقُلْتُ رَضيتُ، رَبَّ رَضِيتُ؛ فَقِيلَ إنَّ مَعَ هَؤُلاءِ سَبْعينَ ألْفا مِنْ أُمَّتِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الجَنَّةَ لا حسابَ عَلَيْهمْ؛ قال: فأنشأ عُكَّاشة بن محصن، رجل من بني أسد بن خُزيمة، فقال: يا نبيّ الله ادعُ ربك أن يجعلني منهم، قال: اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ مِنْهُمْ، ثم أنشأ رجل آخر فقال: يا نبيّ الله ادع ربك أن يجعلني منهم، قال: سَبَقَك بها عُكَّاشَةُ، فقال نبيّ الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم: فَدًى لَكُمْ أبي وأمِّي إن اسْتطَعْتُمْ أنْ تَكُونوا مِنَ السَبْعينَ فَكُونُوا، فإنْ عَجَزْتُمْ وَقَصَّرْتُمْ فَكُونُوا مِنْ أهْل الظِّرَاب، فإنْ عَجَزْتُمْ وَقَصَّرْتُمْ فَكُونُوا مِنْ أهْل الأفُقِ، فإنّي رأيْتُ ثمَّ أناسا يَتَهَرَّشُونَ (8) كَثيرًا، أو قال يَتَهَوَّشُونَ؛ قال: فتراجع المؤمنون، أو قال فتراجعنا على هؤلاء السبعين، فصار من أمرهم أن قالوا: نراهم ناسا وُلدوا في الإسلام، فلم يزالوا يعلمون به حتى ماتوا عليه، فنمى حديثهم ذاك إلى نبي الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم ، فقال: لَيْس كَذاكَ، وَلَكِنَّهُمُ الَّذينِ لا يَسْترْقُونَ، وَلا يَكْثَوونَ، وَلا يَتَطَيَّرُونَ، وَعَلى رَبَّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ - ذُكر أن نبيّ الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم قال يومئذ: " إنّي لأرَجْو أنْ يَكُونَ مِنْ تَبِعَنِي مِنْ أمَّتِي رُبْعَ أهْلِ الجَنَّة، فكبرنا، ثم قال: إنّي لأرَجْو أنْ تكُونُوا الشَّطْرَ، فكبرنا، ثم تلا رسول الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم هذه الآية: (ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الأوَّلِينَ * وَثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الآخِرِينَ ) . حدثنا أبو كُرَيب، قال: ثنا الحسن بن بشر البجَليُّ، عن الحكم بن عبد الملك عن قتادة، عن الحسن عن عمران بن حصين، عن عبد الله بن مسعود، قال: " تحدّثنا لَيْلَةً عند رسول الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم ، حتى أكرينا أو أكثرنا، ثم ذكر نحوه، إلا أنه قال: فإذَا الظِّرَابُ ظِرابُ مَكَّةَ مَسْدُودَةٌ بَوُجُوهِ الرّجالِ وقال أيضا: فإني رأيْتُ عبده أناسا يَتَهاوَشُونَ كَثِيرا؛ قال: فقلنا: من هؤلاء السبعون ألفا فاتفق رأينا على أنهم قوم وُلدوا في الإسلام ويموتون عليه قال: فذكرنا ذلك لرسول الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم فقال: لا وَلَكِنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لا يَكْتَوُونَ وقال أيضا: ثم قال رسول الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم: إني لأرَجو أنْ تكُونُوا رُبْعَ أهـْل الجَنَّةِ، فكبر أصحابه ثم قال: إنيّ لأرَجوا أنْ تكُونُوا ثُلثَ أهـْلِ الجَنَّةِ، فكبر أصحابه; ثم قال: إنيّ لأرَجو أنْ تَكُونُوا شَطْرَ أهـْلِ الجَنَّةِ، ثم قرأ (ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الأوَّلِينَ * وَثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الآخِرِينَ ) " . حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا مهران، عن سفيان، عن عوف، عن عبد الله بن الحارث قال: كلهم في الجنة. حدثنا ابن عبد الأعلى، قال: ثنا ابن ثور، عن معمر، عن قتادة، أنه بلغه أن النبي صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم قال: " أتَرْضَوْنَ أنْ تكُونُوا رُبُعَ أهـْل الجَنَّة؟ قالوا: نعم، قال: أتَرْضَوْنَ أنْ تكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أهـْل الجَنَّة؟ قالوا: نعم، قال وَالَّذي نَفْسي بَيَده إنيّ لآرَجو أنْ تَكُونُوا شَطْرَ أهـْل الجَنَّةِ، ثم تلا هذه الآية (ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الأوَّلِينَ * وَثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الآخِرِينَ ) " . حدثنا ابن عبد الأعلى، قال: ثنا ابن ثور، عن معمر، عن بُديَل بن كعب أنه قال: أهل الجنة عشرون ومئة صفّ، ثمانون صفا منها من هذه الأمة. --------------------- الهوامش : (8) كذا في الأصل . وفي (النهاية: هرش ) يتهارشون، هكذا رواه بعضهم، وفسره بالتقاتل. وهو في مسند أحمد بالواو بدل الراء، والتهاوش: الاختلاط . ا هـ. ( وقال في هوش ) : وفي حديث الإسراء: فإذا بشر كثير يتهاوشون، الهوش: الاختلاط، أي يدخل بعضهم في بعض.