Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   The discourse on the explanation of His statement: وَجَعَلُوا لِلَّهِ شُرَكَاءَ الْجِنَّ وَخَلَقَهُمْ وَخَرَقُوا لَهُ بَنِينَ وَبَنَاتٍ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ (And they have assigned to Allah associates: the jinn, while He created them. And they have falsely attributed to Him sons and daughters without knowledge.)

   Abū Jaʿfar said: He, whose praise is exalted, means thereby: And these, who deviate from their Lord by assigning gods and equals to Allah, have assigned to Allah the jinn as associates, just as He, whose praise is exalted, has said: وَجَعَلُوا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْجِنَّةِ نَسَبًا [Sūrah al-Ṣāffāt: 158] (And they have established a kinship between Him and the jinn).

   * * *

   And in the word "al-jinn" (the jinn) there are two possibilities of the naṣb declension.

   The one: that it is an explanation (tafsīr) of "the associates."

   And the other: that the meaning of the word is: And they have assigned the jinn to Allah as associates, while He is their Creator.

   * * *

   And they differed concerning the reading of His statement "and He created them" (wa-khalaqahum).

   The reciters of the regions read it: (wa-khalaqahum), in the meaning that Allah created them, created by Him alone.

   * * *

   And there is related from Yaḥyā ibn Yaʿmar what follows:

   13680 - Aḥmad ibn Yūsuf related it to me, he said: Al-Qāsim ibn Sallām related to us, he said: Ḥajjāj related to us, on the authority of Hārūn, on the authority of Wāṣil, the freedman of Abū ʿUyayna, on the authority of Yaḥyā ibn ʿAqīl, on the authority of Yaḥyā ibn Yaʿmar: that he said: "Shurakāʾa al-jinni wa-khalqahum" — with sukūn (jazm) on the "lām," in the meaning that they said: that the jinn are associates of Allah in His creation of us.

   * * *

   Abū Jaʿfar said: And the more correct of the two readings is the reading of him who read it: (wa-khalaqahum), because of the agreement of the authoritative reciters upon it.

   * * *

   And as for His statement: (and they have falsely attributed to Him sons and daughters without knowledge), He means by His statement (kharaqū) (they have fabricated): they have invented.

   * * *

   One says: "so-and-so fabricated (ikhtalaqa) a lie against so-and-so" and "ikhtaraqahu," when he made it up and invented it.

   * * *

   And in accordance with what we have said about this, the exegetes have spoken.

   * Mention of those who said that:

   13681 - Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, he said: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭalḥa, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, his statement: and they have assigned to Allah the jinn as associates, while Allah created them — "and they have falsely attributed to Him sons and daughters" — it means that they have surmised and fabricated.

   13682 - Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, he said: my father related to me, he said: my uncle related to me, he said: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, his statement: "and they have falsely attributed to Him sons and daughters without knowledge" — he said: they have assigned to Him sons and daughters without knowledge.

   13683 - Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, 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: "and they have falsely attributed to Him sons and daughters without knowledge" — he said: they have lied.

   13684 - 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, the same.

   13685 - Bishr related to us, he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, his statement: "and they have assigned to Allah the jinn as associates" — they have lied — سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ (Glorified is He and exalted above what they describe), above what they fabricate. As for the Arabs: they assigned to Him the daughters, while for themselves was what they desired of boys. And as for the Jews: they established a kinship between Him and the jinn, while the jinn have indeed known that they shall be brought forth.

   13686 - Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, he said: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda: "and they have falsely attributed to Him sons and daughters without knowledge" — he said: they have assigned to Him sons and daughters by surmise.

   13687 - Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to me, he said: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, he said: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: "and they have falsely attributed to Him sons and daughters without knowledge" — he says: they have allotted (qaṭaʿū) to Him sons and daughters. The Arabs said: the angels are the daughters of Allah. And the Jews and the Christians said: the Messiah and ʿUzayr are the sons of Allah.

   13688 - Yūnus related to me, he said: Ibn Wahb informed us, he said: Ibn Zayd said concerning his statement: "and they have falsely attributed to Him sons and daughters without knowledge" — he said: "kharaqū," they have lied; Allah had neither sons nor daughters. The Christians said: the Messiah is the son of Allah. And the polytheists (mushrikīn) said: the angels are the daughters of Allah. So each of them fabricated the lie — "wa-kharaqū," they have invented.

   13689 - Al-Qāsim related to us, he said: Al-Ḥusayn related to us, he said: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, his statement: "and they have assigned to Allah the jinn as associates" — he said: the statement of the zindīqs (heretics) — "and they have fabricated for Him" — Ibn Jurayj said, Mujāhid said: "kharaqū," they have lied.

   13690 - Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: Abū Usāma related to us, on the authority of Juwaybir, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk: "and they have falsely attributed to Him sons and daughters" — he said: they have described Him.

   13691 - ʿImrān ibn Mūsā related to us, he said: ʿAbd al-Wārith related to us, on the authority of Abū ʿAmr: "and they have falsely attributed to Him sons and daughters" — he said: its explanation is: and they have lied.

   * * *

   Abū Jaʿfar said: The explanation of the word is therefore: And they have assigned the jinn to Allah as associates in their worship of Him, while He alone created them, without associate, nor helper, nor supporter — "and they have fabricated for Him sons and daughters" — he says: and they have surmised lies against Allah, and they have invented for Him sons and daughters without there being with them knowledge of the reality of what they say, but out of ignorance concerning Allah and concerning His greatness, and concerning the fact that it does not befit one who is a god that he should have sons and daughters and a consort, nor that an associate should be His associate in His creation.

   * * *

   The discourse on the explanation of His statement: سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ (100) (Glorified is He and exalted above what they describe) (6:100)

   Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says: Allah is far exalted, and He is high and exalted above that wherewith these ignorant ones of His creatures describe Him, in their claim that He has associates of the jinn, and their fabricating for Him sons and daughters; and that does not befit being among His attributes, for that belongs to the attribute of His creatures, among whom sexual intercourse takes place from which children come into being, and who, through their weakness, are compelled by the desires to take a consort in order to satisfy the lusts. And Allah, whose mention is exalted, is not the Powerless, that anything should compel Him to anything, nor the Weak and Needy, that His need for women should bring Him to take a consort in order to satisfy a lust.

   * * *

   And His statement "taʿālā" (exalted) is a "tafāʿul" form derived from "al-ʿuluww" (the highness) and the exaltedness.

   * * *

   And there is related from Qatāda concerning the explanation of His statement "ʿammā yaṣifūn" (above what they describe), that it means: they lie.

   13692 - Bishr related to us, he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: "Glorified is He and exalted above what they describe" — above what they fabricate.

   * * *

   And I suppose that Qatāda intended by this explanation this: that they lie in their describing Allah with that wherewith they used to describe Him, namely their assigning to Him sons and daughters — not that he turned the explanation of "describing" toward "lying."

   Show original Arabic

   القول في تأويل قوله : وَجَعَلُوا لِلَّهِ شُرَكَاءَ الْجِنَّ وَخَلَقَهُمْ وَخَرَقُوا لَهُ بَنِينَ وَبَنَاتٍ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ قال أبو جعفر: يعني بذلك جل ثناؤه: وجعل هؤلاء العادلون بربهم الآلهةَ والأندادَ لله شركاء، الجن، كما قال جل ثناؤه: وَجَعَلُوا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْجِنَّةِ نَسَبًا [سورة الصافات: 158] . * * * وفي الجن وجهان من النصب. أحدهما: أن يكون تفسيرًا للشركاء. (52) . والآخر: أن يكون معنى الكلام: وجعلوا لله الجن شركاء، وهو خالقهم . * * * واختلفوا في قراءة قوله: " وخلقهم ". فقرأته قراء الأمصار: (وَخَلَقَهُمْ)، على معنى أن الله خلقهم، منفردًا بخلقه إياهم . (53) . * * * وذكر عن يحيى بن يعمر ما:- 13680 - حدثني به أحمد بن يوسف قال، حدثنا القاسم بن سلام قال، حدثنا حجاج, عن هارون, عن واصل مولى أبي عيينة, عن يحيى بن عقيل, عن يحيى بن يعمر: أنه قال: " شُرَكَاءَ الْجِنَّ وَخَلَقَهُمْ ". بجزم " اللام " بمعنى أنهم قالوا: إنّ الجنّ شركاء لله في خلقه إيّانا . * * * قال أبو جعفر: وأولى القراءتين بالصواب، قراءة من قرأ ذلك: (وَخَلَقَهُمْ)، لإجماع الحجة من القرأة عليها . * * * وأما قوله: (وخرقوا له بنين وبنات بغير علم)، فإنه يعني بقوله: (خرقوا) اختلقوا. * * * يقال: " اختلق فلان على فلان كذبًا " و " اخترقه "، إذا افتعله وافتراه . (54) * * * وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل . * ذكر من قال ذلك : 13681 - حدثني المثنى قال، حدثنا أبو صالح قال، حدثني معاوية, عن علي بن أبي طلحة, عن ابن عباس قوله: وجعلوا لله شركاء الجن والله خلقهم=" وخرقوا له بنين وبنات "، يعني أنهم تخرَّصوا . 13682- حدثني محمد بن سعد قال، حدثني أبي قال، حدثني عمي قال، حدثني أبي, عن أبيه, عن ابن عباس قوله: " وخرقوا له بنين وبنات بغير علم "، قال: جعلوا له بنين وبنات بغير علم . 13683- حدثني محمد بن عمرو قال: حدثنا أبو عاصم قال، حدثنا عيسى, عن ابن أبي نجيح, عن مجاهد: " وخرقوا له بنين وبنات بغير علم "، قال: كذبوا . 13684 -حدثني المثنى قال، حدثنا أبو حذيفة قال، حدثنا شبل, عن ابن أبي نجيح, عن مجاهد, مثله . 13685- حدثنا بشر قال، حدثنا يزيد قال، حدثنا سعيد, عن قتادة قوله: " وجعلوا لله شركاء الجن " كذبوا= سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ ، عما يكذبون . أما العرب فجعلوا له البنات، ولهم ما يشتهون من الغلمان= وأما اليهود فجعلوا بينه وبين الجنة نسبًا ولقد علمت الجنة أنهم لمحضرُون . (55) 13686- حدثنا محمد بن عبد الأعلى قال، حدثنا محمد بن ثور, عن معمر, عن قتادة: " وخرقوا له بنين وبنات بغير علم " قال: خرصوا له بنين وبنات . 13687- حدثني محمد بن الحسين قال، حدثنا أحمد بن المفضل قال، حدثنا أسباط, عن السدي: " وخرقوا له بنين وبنات بغير علم "، يقول: قطعوا له بنين وبنات. (56) قالت العرب: الملائكة بنات الله= وقالت اليهود والنصارى: المسيح وعزير ابنا الله . 13688- حدثني يونس قال، أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال، قال ابن زيد في قوله: " وخرقوا له بنين وبنات بغير علم "، قال: " خرقوا "، كذبوا، لم يكن لله بنون ولا بنات= قالت النصارى: المسيح ابن الله= وقال المشركون: الملائكة بنات الله= فكلٌّ خرقوا الكذب،" وخرقوا "، اخترقوا . 13689- حدثنا القاسم قال، حدثنا الحسين قال، حدثني حجاج, عن ابن جريج قوله: " وجعلوا لله شركاء الجن "، قال: قول: الزنادقة=" وخرقوا له "، قال ابن جريج، قال مجاهد: " خرقوا "، كذبوا . 13690- حدثنا ابن وكيع قال، حدثنا أبو أسامة, عن جويبر, عن الضحاك: " وخرقوا له بنين وبنات "، قال: وصفوا له . 13691- حدثنا عمران بن موسى قال، حدثنا عبد الوارث, عن أبي عمرو: " وخرقوا له بنين وبنات "، قال: تفسيرها: وكذبوا . * * * قال أبو جعفر: فتأويل الكلام إذًا: وجعلوا لله الجنَّ شركاءَ في عبادتهم إياه, وهو المنفرد بخلقهم بغير شريك ولا معين ولا ظهير=" وخرقوا له بنين وبنات "، يقول: وتخرَّصوا لله كذبًا, فافتعلوا له بنين وبنات بغير علم منهم بحقيقة ما يقولون, ولكن جهلا بالله وبعظمته، وأنه لا ينبعي لمن كان إلهًا أن يكون له بنون وبنات ولا صاحبة, ولا أن يشركه في خلقه شريك . * * * القول في تأويل قوله : سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ (100) قال أبو جعفر: يقول تعالى ذكره: تنـزه الله، (57) وعلا فارتفع عن الذي يصفه به هؤلاء الجهلة من خلقه، في ادّعائهم له شركاء من الجن، واختراقهم له بنين وبنات، وذلك لا ينبغي أن يكون من صفته، لأن ذلك من صفة خلقه الذين يكون منهم الجماع الذي يحدث عنه الأولاد, والذين تضطرّهم لضعفهم الشهواتُ إلى اتخاذ الصاحبة لقضاء اللذات, وليس الله تعالى ذكره بالعاجز فيضطره شيء إلى شيء, و لا بالضعيف المحتاج فتدعوه حاجته إلى النساء إلى اتخاذ صاحبة لقضاء لذة . * * * وقوله: " تعالى "،" تفاعل " من " العلوّ"، والارتفاع . (58) * * * وروي عن قتادة في تأويل قوله: " عما يصفون "، أنه: يكذبون . 13692- حدثنا بشر قال، حدثنا يزيد قال، حدثنا سعيد, عن قتادة: " سبحانه وتعالى عما يصفون "، عما يكذبون . * * * وأحسب أن قتادة عنى بتأويله ذلك كذلك, أنهم يكذبون في وصفهم الله بما كانوا يصفونه به، من ادعائهم له بنين وبنات= لا أنه وجه تأويل " الوصف " إلى الكذب . -------------------------- الهوامش : (52) - (( التفسير )) ، هو البدل (53) انظر معاني القرآن للفراء 1 : 348 . (54) انظر معاني القرآن للفراء 1 : 348 ، ومجاز القرآن أبي عبيدة 1 : 203 . (55) اقرأ آية سورة الصافات : 158 . (56) هكذا جاء في المخطوطة والمطبوعة : (( قطعوا )) بمعنى : اختلقوا وادعوا ونسبوا ، ولم أجد هذا المجاز في شيء من كتب اللغة ، فإن صح ، وهو عندي قريب الصحة ، فهو بالمعنى الذي ذكرت . إلا أن يكون محرفًا عن شيء لم أتبينه. (57) انظر تفسير (( سبحان )) فيما سلف 11 : 237 ، تعليق : 2 ، والمراجع هناك . (58) انظر تفسير (( العلو )) فيما سلف 5 : 405 .