Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   And His word ( O you who believe, be helpers of Allah ). The reciters differed over the reading of this. The general reciters of Medina and Basra recited it ( kūnū anṣāran li-llāhi ) with nunation of "al-anṣār." And the general reciters of Kūfa recited it with the annexation of "al-anṣār" to "Allah" (as a construct: anṣāra-llāhi).

   The correct judgment concerning this, in my view, is that they are two well-known readings, both of which are correct in meaning. With whichever of the two the reciter recites, he is correct. The meaning of the words is: O you who have held Allah and His Messenger to be true, be helpers of Allah, just as ʿĪsā the son of Maryam said to the disciples: ( Who are my helpers for the sake of Allah? ), that is to say: which of you are my helpers in aiding Allah on my behalf.

   Qatāda used to say concerning this what Bishr related to me, he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda ( O you who believe, be helpers of Allah, just as ʿĪsā the son of Maryam said to the disciples: Who are my helpers for the sake of Allah? The disciples said: We are the helpers of Allah ). He said: "Allah has had from this community helpers who fought for His Book and His right." And it has been related to us that on the night of al-ʿAqaba seventy-two men of the Anṣār pledged allegiance to him. It has been related to us that some of them said: Do you know for what you are pledging allegiance to this man? You are pledging to fight all the Arabs, or else they become Muslim. It has been related to us that a man said: O Prophet of Allah, stipulate for your Lord and for yourself whatever conditions you wish. He said: "I stipulate on behalf of my Lord that you worship Him and associate nothing with Him (shirk), and I stipulate on behalf of myself that you protect me from that against which you protect yourselves and your children." They said: And if we do that, what is there for us, O Prophet of Allah? He said: "For you is victory in this world and the Garden (janna) in the Hereafter." Then they did it, and Allah did it.

   Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, he said: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, he said: Qatāda recited ( Be helpers of Allah, just as ʿĪsā the son of Maryam said to the disciples: Who are my helpers for the sake of Allah? ). He said: That has come to pass, praise be to Allah: seventy men came to him and pledged allegiance to him at al-ʿAqaba, and they helped him and gave him shelter until Allah made His religion appear. They said: And no tribe has been named from heaven with a name that they did not have before that, except them.

   Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, he said: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda: The disciples were all from the Quraysh: Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿAlī, Ḥamza, Jaʿfar, Abū ʿUbayda, ʿUthmān ibn Maẓʿūn, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf, Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ, ʿUthmān, Ṭalḥa ibn ʿUbayd Allāh, and al-Zubayr ibn al-ʿAwwām.

   Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, he said: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, he said: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, he said: al-Ḥasan related to us, he said: Warqāʾ related to us, both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning the word of Allah: ( Who are my helpers for the sake of Allah? ) He said: Who will follow me to Allah?

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, he said: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Maysara, on the authority of al-Minhāl ibn ʿAmr, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, he said: Ibn ʿAbbās was asked about the disciples (al-ḥawāriyyūn). He said: They were so named because of the whiteness of their garments; they were fishermen.

   It has been related to me on the authority of al-Ḥusayn, he said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd related to us, he said: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning His word, the disciples: They are the washers (launderers) in Nabataean; a washer is called "ḥawārī." And our exposition of the meaning of "al-ḥawārī," with the testimonies for it and the difference of opinion of those who differ concerning it, has already passed in what preceded, which makes it unnecessary to repeat.

   And His word ( The disciples said: We are the helpers of Allah ). He says: They said: We are the helpers of Allah for the sake of the truth with which He sent His prophets. And His word ( Then a group of the Children of Israel believed and a group disbelieved ). He, exalted be His praise, says: Then a group of the Children of Israel believed in ʿĪsā, and a group of them disbelieved in him.

   And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the scholars of interpretation have spoken.

   * Mention of who said that:

   Abū al-Sāʾib related to me, he said: Abū Muʿāwiya related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of al-Minhāl, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, he said: "When Allah wished to raise ʿĪsā to heaven, he went out to his companions, while they were in a house, twelve men, and his hair was dripping with water from a spring in the house. He said: Among you is one who will deny me twelve times after he has believed in me. Then he said: Which of you will have my likeness cast upon him, so that he is killed in my place and will be with me in my rank? A young man, the youngest of them, stood up and said: I will. He said to him: Sit down. Then he repeated it to them, and the young man stood up and said: I will. He said: Yes, you are the one. Then the likeness of ʿĪsā was cast upon him, and ʿĪsā was raised up to heaven through a skylight in the house. The seekers from the Jews came and seized his likeness, killed him, and crucified him. And some of them denied him twelve times after they had believed in him. They split into three groups. One group said: Allah was in us as long as He willed, then He ascended to heaven — these are the Jacobites. And a group said: The son of Allah was in us as long as Allah willed, then He raised him to Himself — these are the Nestorians. And a group said: The servant of Allah and His Messenger was in us as long as Allah willed, then Allah raised him to Himself — these are the Muslims. Then the two disbelieving groups gained the upper hand over the Muslim group and killed it. And Islam remained effaced until Allah sent Muḥammad ﷺ. Then a group of the Children of Israel believed and a group disbelieved" — that is to say: the group from the Children of Israel that disbelieved in the time of ʿĪsā, and the group that believed in the time of ʿĪsā. Then We strengthened those who believed against their enemy, so that they gained the upper hand through the manifestation of Muḥammad over their religion, the religion of the disbelievers, so that they gained the upper hand. And His word ( Then We strengthened those who believed against their enemy ). He says: Then We strengthened those who believed from the two groups of the Children of Israel against their enemy, namely those of them who disbelieved in Muḥammad ﷺ, by His confirming for them that ʿĪsā is the servant of Allah and His Messenger, and by His declaring a liar the one who said that he is a god, and the one who said that he is the son of Allah, exalted be His mention. Thus they gained the upper hand; thus the believing group became the one that gained the upper hand over their enemy, the disbelievers among them.

   And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the scholars of interpretation have spoken.

   * Mention of who said that:

   Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Hilālī related to me, he said: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, on the authority of ʿĪsā, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid ( Then We strengthened those who believed against their enemy ) he said: We made them strong.

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, he said: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Mughīra, on the authority of Simāk, on the authority of Ibrāhīm ( Then a group of the Children of Israel believed and a group disbelieved ) he said: When Allah sent Muḥammad and the confirmation descended of whoever believed in ʿĪsā, the proof of whoever believed in him became manifest.

   He said: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Mughīra, on the authority of Simāk, on the authority of Ibrāhīm, concerning His word: ( Then We strengthened those who believed against their enemy, so that they gained the upper hand ) he said: They were strengthened by Muḥammad ﷺ, who confirmed them and made their proof known.

   Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm related to me, he said: Hushaym related to us, on the authority of Mughīra, on the authority of Ibrāhīm, concerning His word: ( so that they gained the upper hand ) he said: The proof of whoever believed in ʿĪsā became manifest through the confirmation by Muḥammad ﷺ of the word of Allah and His spirit.

   Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, he said: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, he said: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, he said: al-Ḥasan related to us, he said: Warqāʾ related to us, both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His word: ( so that they gained the upper hand ) whoever believed with ʿĪsā ﷺ.

   Show original Arabic

   وقوله: ( يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا أَنْصَارَ اللَّهِ ) اختلفت القرّاء في قراءة ذلك، فقرأته عامة قرّاء المدينة والبصرة ( كُونُواْ أَنْصَارَ اللهِ ) بتنوين الأنصار. وقرأ ذلك عامة قرّاء الكوفة بإضافة الأنصار إلى الله. والصواب من القول في ذلك عندي أنهما قراءتان معروفتان صحيحتا المعنى، فبأيتهما قرأ القارئ فمصيب، ومعنى الكلام: يا أيها الذين صدّقوا الله ورسوله، كونوا أنصار الله، كما قال عيسى ابن مريم للحواريين: ( مَنْ أَنْصَارِي إِلَى اللَّهِ) يعني من أنصاري منكم إلى نصرة الله لي. وكان قتادة يقول في ذلك ما حدثني به بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة ( يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا أَنْصَارَ اللَّهِ كَمَا قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ لِلْحَوَارِيِّينَ مَنْ أَنْصَارِي إِلَى اللَّهِ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنْصَارُ اللَّهِ ) قال: " قد كانت لله أنصار من هذه الأمة تجاهد على كتابه وحقه ". وذُكر لنا أنه بايعه ليلة العقبة اثنان وسبعون رجلا من الأنصار، ذُكر لنا أن بعضهم قال: هل تدرون علام تبايعون هذا الرجل؟ إنكم تبايعون على محاربة العرب كلها أو يُسلموا. ذُكر لنا أن رجلا قال: يا نبيّ الله اشترط لربك ولنفسك ما شئت، قال: أشترط لربي أن تعبدوه، ولا تشركوا به شيئًا، وأشترط لنفسي أن تمنعوني مما منعتم منه أنفسكم وأبناءكم " قالوا: فإذا فعلنا ذلك فما لنا يا نبيّ الله؟ قال: " لكم النصر في الدنيا، والجنة في الآخرة "، ففعلوا، ففعل الله ". حدثنا ابن عبد الأعلى، قال: ثنا ابن ثور، عن معمر، قال: تلا قتادة ( كُونُوا أَنْصَارَ اللَّهِ كَمَا قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ لِلْحَوَارِيِّينَ مَنْ أَنْصَارِي إِلَى اللَّهِ ) قال: قد كان ذلك بحمد الله، جاءه سبعون رجلا فبايعوه عند العقبة، فنصروه وآوَوْه حتى أظهر الله دينه؛ قالوا: ولم يسمّ حيّ من السماء اسمًا لم يكن لهم قبل ذلك غيرهم. حدثنا ابن عبد الأعلى، قال: ثنا ابن ثور، عن معمر، عن قتادة: إن الحواريين كلهم من قريش: أَبو بكر، وعمر، وعلي، وحمزة، وجعفر، وأبو عُبيدة، وعثمان بن مظعون، وعبد الرحمن بن عوف، وسعد بن أَبي وقاص، وعثمان، وطلحة بن عبيد الله، والزبير بن العوّام. حدثني محمد بن عمرو، قال: ثنا أَبو عاصم، قال: قال: ثنا عيسى؛ وحدثني الحارث، قال: ثنا الحسن، قال: ثنا ورقاء، جميعًا عن ابن أَبي نجيح، عن مجاهد، في قول الله: ( مَنْ أَنْصَارِي إِلَى اللَّهِ ) قال: من يتبعني إلى الله ؟. حدثنا ابن حُمَيد، قال: ثنا مهران، عن سفيان، عن ميسرة، عن المنهال بن عمرو، عن سعيد بن جُبيْر، قال: سئل ابن عباس عن الحواريين، قال: سُمُّوا لبياض ثيابهم كانوا صيادي السمك. حُدثت عن الحسين، قال: سمعت أبا معاذ يقول: ثنا عبيد، قال: سمعت الضحاك يقول في قوله، الحواريون: هم الغسالون بالنبطية؛ يقال للغسال: حواري، وقد تقدم بياننا في معنى الحواري بشواهده واختلاف المختلفين فيه قبل فيما مضى، فأغنى عن إعادته. وقوله: ( قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنْصَارُ اللَّهِ ) يقول: قالوا: نحن أنصار الله على ما بعث به أنبياءه من الحقّ. وقوله: ( فَآمَنَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَكَفَرَتْ طَائِفَةٌ ) يقول جلّ ثناؤه: فآمنت طائفة من بني إسرائيل بعيسى، وكفرت طائفة منهم به. وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثني أَبو السائب، قال: ثنا أَبو معاوية، عن الأعمش، عن المنهال، عن سعيد بن جُبير، عن ابن عباس، قال: " لما أراد الله أن يرفع عيسى إلى السماء خرج إلي أصحابه وهم في بيت اثنا عشر رجلا من عين في البيت ورأسه يقطر ماء؛ قال: فقال: إن منكم من سيكفر بي اثنتي عشرة مرّة بعد أن آمن بي؛ قال: ثم قال: أيكم يلقى عليه شبهي فيقتل مكاني، ويكون معي في درجتي؟ قال: فقام شاب من أحدثهم سنًا، قال: فقال أنا، فقال له: اجلس؛ ثم أعاد عليهم ، فقام الشاب، فقال أنا؛ قال: نعم أنت ذاك؛ فألقى عليه شبه عيسى، ورُفع عيسى من رَوْزَنَة في البيت إلى السماء؛ قال: وجاء الطلب من اليهود، وأخذوا شبهه. فقتلوه وصلبوه، وكفر به بعضهم اثنتي عشرة مرّة بعد أن آمن به، فتفرّقوا ثلاث فرق، فقالت فرقة: كان الله فينا ما شاء، ثم صعد إلى السماء، وهؤلاء اليعقوبية. وقالت فرقة: كان فينا ابن الله ما شاء الله، ثم رفعه إليه، وهؤلاء النسطورية. وقالت فرقة: كان فينا عبد الله ورسوله ما شاء الله، ثم رفعه الله إليه، وهؤلاء المسلمون، فتظاهرت الطائفتان الكافرتان على المسلمة، فقتلوها، فلم يزل الإسلام طامسًا حتى بعث الله محمدًا صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم، فآمنت طائفة من بني إسرائيل، وكفرت طائفة، يعني الطائفة التي كفرت من بني إسرائيل في زمن عيسى، والطائفة التي آمنت في زمن عيسى، فأيدنا الذين آمنوا على عدّوهم، فأصبحوا ظاهرين في إظهار محمد على دينهم دين الكفار، فأصبحوا ظاهرين، وقوله: ( فَأَيَّدْنَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَى عَدُوِّهِمْ ) يقول: فقوينا الذين آمنوا من الطائفتين من بني إسرائيل على عدوهم، الذي كفروا منهم بمحمد صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم بتصديقه إياهم، أن عيسى عبد الله ورسوله، وتكذيبه من قال هو إله، ومن قال: هو ابن الله تعالى ذكره، فأصبحوا ظاهرين، فأصبحت الطائفة المؤمنون ظاهرين على عدّوهم الكافرين منهم. وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل. * ذكر من قال ذلك : حدثني محمد بن عبد الله الهلالي، قال: ثنا أَبو عاصم، عن عيسى، عن ابن أَبي نجيح، عن مجاهد ( فَأَيَّدْنَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَى عَدُوِّهِمْ ) قال: قوّينا. حدثنا ابن حُمَيد، قال: ثنا جرير، عن مغيرة، عن سماك، عن إبراهيم ( فَآمَنَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَكَفَرَتْ طَائِفَةٌ ) قال: لما بعث الله محمدًا، ونـزل تصديق من آمن بعيسى، أصبحت حجة من آمن به ظاهرة. قال: ثنا جرير، عن مغيرة، عن سماك، عن إبراهيم، في قوله: ( فَأَيَّدْنَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَى عَدُوِّهِمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا ظَاهِرِينَ ) قال: أيدوا بمحمد صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم، فصدّقهم، وأخبر بحجتهم. حدثني يعقوب بن إبراهيم، قال: ثنا هشيم، عن مغيرة، عن إبراهيم، في قوله: ( فَأَصْبَحُوا ظَاهِرِينَ ) قال: أصبحت حجة من آمن بعيسى ظاهرة بتصديق محمد صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم كلمة الله وروحه. حدثني محمد بن عمرو، قال: ثنا أَبو عاصم، قال: ثنا عيسى؛ وحدثني الحارث، قال : ثنا الحسن قال: ثنا ورقاء، جميعًا عن ابن أَبي نجيح، عن مجاهد، في قوله: ( فَأَصْبَحُوا ظَاهِرِينَ ) من آمن مع عيسى صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم.