Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   The correct reading according to us is the opening of the yāʾ, with the meaning: the people do not ask one another about his condition — on account of the soundness of that meaning and on account of the unanimity of the authoritative reciters (qurrāʾ) concerning it.

   Exposition of the interpretation of His, the Exalted's, words: يَوَدُّ الْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِي مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍ بِبَنِيهِ (١١) وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَأَخِيهِ (١٢) وَفَصِيلَتِهِ الَّتِي تُؤْوِيهِ (١٣) وَمَنْ فِي الأرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يُنْجِيهِ (١٤) (The criminal would wish that he could ransom himself from the punishment of that Day with his sons (70:11), and his wife and his brother (70:12), and his nearest kin who sheltered him (70:13), and with all who are on the earth, so that it might save him (70:14)).

   He, exalted is His mention, says: the unbeliever would wish and desire on that Day that he could ransom himself from Allah's punishment of him on that Day with his sons, and his wife (ṣāḥiba) — that is his spouse —, and his brother, and his nearest kin, who are his clan (ʿashīra) that shelter him, that is, who take him into his dwelling-place and with whom his wife resides, on account of the close kinship that exists between him and them; and with all who are on the earth, of the whole of creation — so that it might save him from Allah's punishment of him on that Day. He, exalted is His praise, began with mentioning the sons, then the wife, then the brother, to make known to His servants that the unbeliever, on account of the immensity of the trial that befalls him on that Day, would ransom himself — were he to find a way to do so — with the most beloved of people whom he had in this world, and with the people closest to him in lineage.

   In accordance with what we have said concerning this, the exegetes (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken.

   * Mention of who said that:

   Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His words: (The criminal would wish that he could ransom himself from the punishment of that Day with his sons and his wife and his brother and his nearest kin who sheltered him): the most beloved and then the next most beloved, and the nearest and then the next nearest of his family and his clansmen, on account of the terrors of that Day.

   Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, 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 on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His words: (and his nearest kin who sheltered him), he said: his tribe (qabīla).

   Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said, concerning His words: (and his wife), he said: the wife (al-ṣāḥiba) is the spouse; (and his nearest kin who sheltered him), he said: his nearest kin (faṣīla): his clan (ʿashīra).

   Exposition of the interpretation of His, the Exalted's, words: كَلا إِنَّهَا لَظَى (١٥) نزاعَةً لِلشَّوَى (١٦) تَدْعُو مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّى (١٧) وَجَمَعَ فَأَوْعَى (١٨) (Nay! It is Laẓā (15), which strips away the limbs (16), which calls whoever turned away and went off (17), and who gathered and hoarded (18)).

   He, exalted is His mention, says: Nay! It is not so; nothing shall save him from Allah's punishment. Then He, exalted is His praise, began the report about what He has prepared there for him, and said: (It is Laẓā). And Laẓā is one of the names of Hell (jahannam), and that is why it is not declined (left indeclinable).

   The grammarians of Arabic differed concerning its case-position. Some grammarians of Basra said: its position is accusative (naṣb) as a substitute (badal) for the [pronominal] hāʾ, and the predicate (khabar) of inna is (nazzāʿatan); he said: and if you wish, you may place Laẓā in the nominative (rafʿ) as the predicate of inna, and place (nazzāʿatun) in the nominative as a subject (ibtidāʾ). And some who rejected that said: it is not fitting that the manifest [noun] should follow the concealed [pronoun], except in exceptional cases; he said: and the preferred [reading] is (It is Laẓā which strips away the limbs): Laẓā is the predicate, and nazzāʿa is a circumstantial qualifier (ḥāl); he said: and whoever places it in the nominative begins a new sentence, because it is praise or blame; he said: and it is only a subject in that manner.

   The correct view concerning this according to us is that (Laẓā) is the predicate and (nazzāʿa) is the subject, and that is therefore nominative. And the accusative is not permissible in the reading, on account of the unanimity of the reciters of the cities concerning its nominative, and no reciter has read it with the accusative — even though the accusative has a valid basis in Arabic. And it is possible that the hāʾ in His words "innahā" is a supporting pronoun (ʿimād), and that Laẓā is in the nominative by virtue of nazzāʿa and nazzāʿa by virtue of Laẓā, as one says: "innahā Hind qāʾima" and "innahu Hind qāʾima," where the hāʾ in both cases is a supporting pronoun.

   And His words: (which strips away the limbs), He, exalted is His mention, says, reporting about Laẓā: it strips away the scalp and the extremities of the body. And al-shawā is the plural of shawāt; and that is, of the limbs of man, that which is not fatal. One says "ramā fa-ashwā" when he does not strike a fatal spot. Sometimes the describer denotes thereby the scalp, as al-Aʿshā said:

   Qutayla said: what is the matter with him, his shawāt have become covered with grayness (1)

   And sometimes thereby the shank is denoted, as one says in the description of the horse:

   stout of shawā, mighty of build (2)

   by which his legs are meant. And the origin of all this is what I have described.

   In accordance with what we have said concerning this, the exegetes have spoken.

   * Mention of who said that:

   Sulaymān ibn ʿAbd al-Jabbār related to me, saying: Muḥammad ibn al-Ṣalt related to us, saying: Abū Kudayna related to us, on the authority of Qābūs, on the authority of his father, who said: I asked Ibn ʿAbbās about: (which strips away the limbs); he said: it strips away the crown of the head (umm al-raʾs).

   Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm al-Ṣawwāf related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn ibn al-Ḥasan al-Ashqar related to us, saying: Yaḥyā ibn Muhallab Abū Kudayna related to us, on the authority of Qābūs, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His words: (which strips away the limbs), he said: it strips away the head.

   Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His words: (which strips away the limbs): he means the skins and the skulls (al-hām).

   Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, 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 on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His words: (which strips away the limbs), he said: the scalps.

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ibrāhīm ibn al-Muhājir, who said: I asked Saʿīd ibn Jubayr about His words: (which strips away the limbs), but he gave no decisive answer; then I asked Mujāhid about it and said: the flesh without the bone? He said: yes.

   He said: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Abī Khālid, on the authority of Abū Ṣāliḥ: (which strips away the limbs), he said: the flesh of the shank.

   Muḥammad ibn ʿUmāra al-Asadī related to me, saying: Qabīṣa ibn ʿUqba al-Suwāʾī related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Ismāʿīl, on the authority of Abū Ṣāliḥ, concerning His words: (which strips away the limbs), he said: stripping away the flesh of the two shanks.

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Khārija, on the authority of Qurra ibn Khālid, on the authority of al-Ḥasan: (which strips away the limbs), he said: for the skull; it burns away everything of him, while his heart remains cooked.

   Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Abū ʿĀmir related to us, saying: Qurra related to us, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, concerning His words: (which strips away the limbs), and he then mentioned something similar.

   Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His words: (which strips away the limbs): that is, stripping away his skull and the noble parts of his bodily frame and his extremities.

   It was related to me on the authority of al-Ḥusayn, who said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd informed us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning His words: (which strips away the limbs): it separates the flesh and the skin from the bone, until it leaves nothing of it.

   Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said, concerning His words: (which strips away the limbs), he said: al-shawā: the great limbs (al-ārāb), they are the shawā.

   And concerning His words: (which strips away), he said: it cuts off their bones as you see, then their creation is renewed and their skins are replaced.

   And His words: (which calls whoever turned away and went off), He says: Laẓā calls to itself whoever in this world turned away from obedience to Allah, and went off from belief in His Book and His messengers.

   In accordance with what we have said concerning this, the exegetes have spoken.

   * Mention of who said that:

   Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His words: (which calls whoever turned away and went off), he said: from obedience to Allah; (and went off), he said: from the Book of Allah and from His right.

   Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, 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 on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His words: (which calls whoever turned away and went off), he said: from the truth.

   Show original Arabic

   والصواب من القراءة عندنا فتح الياء، بمعنى: لا يسأل الناس بعضهم بعضا عن شأنه، لصحة معنى ذلك، ولإجماع الحجة من القرّاء عليه. القول في تأويل قوله تعالى: ﴿يَوَدُّ الْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِي مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍ بِبَنِيهِ (١١) وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَأَخِيهِ (١٢) وَفَصِيلَتِهِ الَّتِي تُؤْوِيهِ (١٣) وَمَنْ فِي الأرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يُنْجِيهِ (١٤)﴾ يقول تعالى ذكره: يودّ الكافر يومئذ ويتمنى أنه يفتدي من عذاب الله إياه ذلك اليوم ببنيه وصاحبته، وهي زوجته، وأخيه وفصيلته، وهم عشيرته التي تؤويه، يعني التي تضمه إلى رحله، وتنزل فيه امرأته، لقربة ما بينها وبينه، وبمن في الأرض جميعا من الخلق، ثم ينجيه ذلك من عذاب الله إياه ذلك اليوم، وبدأ جلّ ثناؤه بذكر البنين، ثم الصاحبة، ثم الأخ، إعلاما منه عباده أن الكافر من عظيم ما ينزل به يومئذ من البلاء يفتدي نفسه، لو وجد إلى ذلك سبيل بأحب الناس إليه، كان في الدنيا، وأقربهم إليه نسبا. وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، قوله: (يَوَدُّ الْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِي مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍ بِبَنِيهِ وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَأَخِيهِ وَفَصِيلَتِهِ الَّتِي تُؤْوِيهِ) الأحبّ فالأحبّ، والأقرب فالأقرب من أهله وعشيرته لشدائد ذلك اليوم. حدثني 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، قوله: (وَفَصِيلَتِهِ الَّتِي تُؤْوِيهِ) قال: قبيلته. حدثني يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال، قال ابن زيد، في قوله: (وَصَاحِبَتِهِ) قال: الصاحبة الزوجة، (وَفَصِيلَتِهِ الَّتِي تُؤْوِيهِ) قال: فصيلته: عشيرته. القول في تأويل قوله تعالى: ﴿كَلا إِنَّهَا لَظَى (١٥) نزاعَةً لِلشَّوَى (١٦) تَدْعُو مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّى (١٧) وَجَمَعَ فَأَوْعَى (١٨)﴾ يقول تعالى ذكره: كلا ليس ذلك كذلك، ليس ينجيه من عذاب الله شيء. ثم ابتدأ الخبر عما أعدّه له هنالك جلّ ثناؤه، فقال: (إِنَّهَا لَظَى) ولظى: اسم من أسماء جهنم، ولذلك لم يجر. واختلف أهل العربية في موضعها، فقال بعض نحويي البصرة: موضعها نصب على البدل من الهاء، وخبر إن: (نزاعَةً)؛ قال: وان شئت جعلت لظَى رفعا على خبر إن، ورفعت (نزاعَةً) على الابتداء، وقال بعض من أنكر ذلك: لا ينبغي أن يتبع الظاهر المكنى إلا في الشذوذ؛ قال: والاختيار (إِنَّهَا لَظَى نزاعَةً لِلشَّوَى) لظى الخبر، ونزاعة حال، قال: ومن رفع استأنف، لأنه مدح أو ذمّ، قال: ولا تكون ابتداء إلا كذلك. والصواب من القول في ذلك عندنا، أن (لَظَى) الخبر، و(نزاعَةً) ابتداء، فذلك رفع، ولا يجوز النصب في القراءة لإجماع قرّاء الأمصار على رفعها، ولا قارئ قرأ كذلك بالنصب؛ وإن كان للنصب في العربية وجه؛ وقد يجوز أن تكون الهاء من قوله: "إنها" عمادا، ولظى مرفوعة بنزاعة، ونزاعة بلظَى، كما يقال: إنها هند قائمة، وإنه هند قائمة، والهاء عماد في الوجهين. وقوله: (نزاعَةً لِلشَّوَى) يقول تعالى ذكره مخبرا عن لظَى: إنها تنزع جلدة الرأس وأطراف البدن، والشَّوَى: جمع شواة، وهي من جوارح الإنسان ما لم يكن مقتلا يقال: رمى فأشوى إذا لم يصب مَقْتلا فربما وصف الواصف بذلك جلدة الرأس كما قال الأعشى: قالَتْ قُتَيْلَةُ ما لَهُ قَدْ جُلِّلَتْ شَيْبا شَوَاتُهُ (١) وربما وصف بذلك الساق كقولهم في صفة الفرس: عبْلُ الشَّوَى نَهْدُ الجُزَارَة (٢) يعني بذلك: قوائمه، وأصل ذلك كله ما وصفت. وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثني سليمان بن عبد الحبار، قال: ثنا محمد بن الصلت، قال: ثنا أبو كدينة، عن قابوس، عن أبيه، قال: سألت ابن عباس عن: (نزاعَةً لِلشَّوَى): قال: تنزع أمّ الرأس. حدثنا إسحاق بن إبراهيم الصواف، قال: ثنا الحسين بن الحسن الأشقر، قال: ثنا يحيى بن مهلب أبو كدينة، عن قابوس، عن أبيه، عن ابن عباس، في قوله: (نزاعَةً لِلشَّوَى) قال: تنزع الرأس. حدثني محمد بن سعد، قال: ثني أبي، قال: ثني عمي، قال: ثني أبي، عن أبيه، عن ابن عباس، قوله: (نزاعَةً لِلشَّوَى): يعني الجلود والهام. حدثني 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، قوله: (نزاعَةً لِلشَّوَى) قال: لجلود الرأس. حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا مهران، عن سفيان، عن إبراهيم بن المهاجر، قال: سألت سعيد بن جبير عن قوله: (نزاعَةً لِلشَّوَى) فلم يخبر، فسألت عنها مجاهدًا، فقلت: اللحم دون العظم؟ فقال: نعم. قال: ثنا مهران، عن سفيان، عن إسماعيل بن أبي خالد، عن أبي صالح (نزاعَةً لِلشَّوَى) قال: لحم الساق. حدثني محمد بن عُمارة الأسديّ، قال: ثنا قبيصة بن عقبة السُّوائّي، قال: ثنا سفيان، عن إسماعيل، عن أبي صالح في قوله: (نزاعَةً لِلشَّوَى) قال: نزاعة للحم الساقين. حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا مهران، عن خارجة، عن قرة بن خالد، عن الحسن (نزاعَةً لِلشَّوَى) قال: للهام تحرق كلّ شيء منه، ويبقى فؤاده نضيجا. حدثنا ابن بشار، قال: ثنا أبو عامر، قال: ثنا قرة، عن الحسن، في قوله: (نزاعَةً لِلشَّوَى) ثم ذكر نحوه. حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، قوله: (نزاعَةً لِلشَّوَى): أي نزاعة لهامته ومكارم خَلْقِهِ وأطرافه. حُدثت عن الحسين، قال: سمعت أبا معاذ يقول: أخبرنا عبيد، قال: سمعت الضحاك يقول في قوله: (نزاعَةً لِلشَّوَى): تبري اللحم والجلد عن العظم حتى لا تترك منه شيئا. حدثني يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال، قال ابن زيد، في قوله: (نزاعَةً لِلشَّوَى) قال: الشوى: الآراب العظام، ذاك الشوى. وقوله: (نزاعَةً) قال: تقطع عظامهم كما ترى، ثم يجدّد خلقهم، وتبدّل جلودهم. وقوله: (تَدْعُوا مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّى) يقول: تدعو لظى إلى نفسها من أدبر في الدنيا عن طاعة الله، وتولى عن الإيمان بكتابه ورسله. وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، قوله: (تَدْعُوا مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّى) قال: عن طاعة الله، (وَتَوَلَّى) قال: عن كتاب الله، وعن حقه. حدثني 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، قوله: (تَدْعُوا مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّى) قال: عن الحق.