Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   And His statement: (وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا) "And that when the servant of Allah stood up to call upon Him, they almost came upon him in throngs." He says: and when Muḥammad, the Messenger of Allah — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — stood up to call upon Allah, saying "there is no god but Allah," (كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا) he says: they almost came upon Muḥammad in groups, one above the other. Its singular is "libda." Two dialectal forms exist therein: breaking the lām (kasra): "libda," and whoever pronounces it with kasra forms the plural "libad"; and contracting the lām (ḍamma): "lubda," and whoever pronounces it with ḍamma forms the plural "lubad" with ḍamma on the lām, or "lābid"; and whoever makes "lābid" into a plural says "lubbadan," like "rākiʿ" and "rukkaʿan." The reciters of the cities read it with kasra of the lām in "libad," except Ibn Muḥayṣin, for he used to pronounce it with ḍamma; and both have the same meaning, except that the reading which the reciters of the cities maintain is dearer to me. The Arabs call the numerous locusts that crawl over one another a "lubda"; and of this is the statement of ʿAbd Manāf ibn Ribʿī al-Hudhalī:

   "They attacked them with six houses and four, until it was as though over them lay a swarm of locusts (jābiyan lubadā)." (2)

   And "al-jābī" is the locust that devours everything it eats.

   The interpreters differed concerning who was meant by His statement: (كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا). Some said: by this the jinn are meant, that they almost climbed on top of the Messenger of Allah — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — when they heard the Qurʾān.

   * Mention of who said that:

   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 statement: (وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا) he says: when they heard the Prophet — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — reciting the Qurʾān, they drew near to him, and he did not notice until the messenger (the angel) came to him, and he began to have him recite: قُلْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ أَنَّهُ اسْتَمَعَ نَفَرٌ مِنَ الْجِنِّ ("Say: it has been revealed to me that a group of jinn listened").

   It was related to me on the authority of al-Ḥusayn, he said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd related to us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning His statement: (كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا): they almost climbed on top of him, out of eagerness for what they had heard from him of the Qurʾān.

   Abū Jaʿfar said: and whoever holds this opinion makes His statement: (وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ) belong to what was revealed to the Prophet — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — so that its meaning is: "say: it has been revealed to me that a group of jinn listened, and that, when the servant of Allah stood up to call upon Him…".

   And others said: rather this belongs to the statement of the group of jinn, when they returned to their people and informed them about the obedience they had seen from the companions of the Messenger of Allah — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — toward him, and about their following him in the bowing (rukūʿ) and the prostration (sujūd).

   * Mention of who said that:

   Muḥammad ibn Maʿmar related to me, saying: Abū Muslim related to us, on the authority of Abū ʿAwāna, on the authority of Abū Bishr, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, he said: it is the statement of the jinn to their people: (لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا). He said: when they saw him praying, and his companions bowing with his bowing and prostrating with his prostration, he said: they were amazed at the obedience of his companions toward him. He said: so he said to his people: "when the servant of Allah stood up to call upon Him, they almost came upon him in throngs."

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Mughīra, on the authority of Ziyād, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, concerning His statement: (وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا) he said: the companions of the Prophet of Allah — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — followed him, and bowed with his bowing and prostrated with his prostration. And whoever holds this opinion which we have mentioned from Ibn ʿAbbās and Saʿīd read the alif of His statement "wa-annahu" with the fatḥa, joining it to His statement: وَأَنَّهُ تَعَالَى جَدُّ رَبِّنَا with the fatḥa; and it was also permissible for him to read it with the kasra on the basis of the beginning of a new sentence.

   And others said: rather this belongs to the report of Allah, which He revealed to His Prophet — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — because of His knowledge that mankind and the jinn conspired against him to nullify the truth which he brought them, but Allah refused [anything] other than to complete it.

   * 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 statement: (وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا) he said: mankind and the jinn pressed together against this matter to extinguish it, but Allah refused [anything] other than to make it prevail, to bring it to completion, and to make it triumph over whoever opposed it.

   Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement: (لِبَدًا) he said: when the Prophet — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — stood up, the jinn and mankind pressed together, and they were intent on extinguishing this light which Allah had sent down.

   Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His statement: (كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا) he said: they conspired against him, one against the other; they conspired against the Messenger of Allah — may Allah bless him and grant him peace. And whoever holds this opinion read the alif of His statement "wa-annahu" with the fatḥa.

   And the opinion concerning this that is closest to the correct is the statement of him who said: that is a report from Allah that His Messenger Muḥammad — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — when he stood up to call upon Him, the Arabs almost rose up against him collectively to extinguish Allah's light.

   We have said that this, of the interpretations, is closest to the correct, because His statement: (وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ) follows His statement: (وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ), and that belongs to the report of Allah; and so too is His statement: (وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ). And another [argument] is that the Exalted, whose mention is exalted, caused to follow it His statement: (فَلا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًا) "So do not call upon anyone alongside Allah." It is known that what follows that report is the report about what the one who was commanded not to call upon anyone alongside Allah endured therein — not the report about the multitude of those who were called upon and their swiftness in responding.

   Muḥammad ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Hawdha related to us, saying: ʿAwf related to us, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, concerning His statement: (وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ) he said: when the Messenger of Allah — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — stood up, saying "there is no god but Allah" and calling the people to their Lord, the Arabs almost rose up against him collectively.

   Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Yaḥyā related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Abī Khālid, on the authority of a man, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, concerning His statement: (كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا) he said: they pressed against him over one another.

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr: (كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا) he said: one above the other.

   ʿAlī related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His statement: (كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا) he says: helpers.

   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 statement: (كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا) he said: collectively.

   Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said: (كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا) he said: collectively.

   Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said: (كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا), and "al-libad" is that of which one part lies above the other.

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   Footnotes:

   (2) The verse is found in (Dīwān al-Hudhaliyyīn 2:40) in the poetry of ʿAbd Manāf ibn Rabʿ al-Hudhalī, in which he mentions the day of Anf ʿĀdh. In (Lisān: ṣāb): and the statement of the Hudhalī "ṣābū…" the verse: "ṣābū bihim" means: they struck down upon them. And "al-jābī" (with the yāʾ) is the locust, and "al-lubad" (with ḍamma on the lām) the numerous. And in (jabaʾa) it states: "al-jābiʾ" is the locust, with or without hamza; and "jabaʾa al-jarād" means: the locusts invaded the land. The Hudhalī said: "ṣābū… jābiʾan lubadā" with hamza on "jābiʾ." He said: and everything that suddenly appears is "jābiʾ." And in (libad) it states: "māl libad" (with ḍamma): numerous wealth whose depletion one does not fear, as though one part of it has packed itself upon the other. And in the exalted Book: (يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالاً لُبَداً) ("he says: I have squandered abundant wealth"), that is to say: plentiful. Al-Farrāʾ said: "al-libad" is the numerous. And some said: its singular is "libda," and "libad" is a collective noun. He said: and some posited it, on the pattern of "qutham" and "ḥuṭam," as a singular; and it is, in both views [in any case]: the numerous. End of quotation.

   Show original Arabic

   وقوله: ( وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا ) يقول: وأنه لما قام محمد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يدعو الله يقول: " لا إله إلا الله "( كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا ) يقول: كادوا يكونون على محمد جماعات بعضها فوق بعض، واحدها لبدة، وفيها لغتان: كسر اللام لِبدة، ومن كسرها جمعها لِبَد؛ وضم اللام لُبدة، ومن ضمها جمعها لُبَد بضم اللام، أو لابِد؛ ومن جمع لابد قال: لُبَّدًا، مثل راكع وركعا، وقراء الأمصار على كسر اللام من لِبَد، غير ابن مُحَيْصِن فإنه كان يضمها، وهما بمعنى واحد، غير أن القراءة التي عليها قرّاء الأمصار أحبّ إليّ، والعرب تدعو الجراد الكثير الذي قد ركب بعضه بعضًا لُبْدَةً؛ ومنه قول عبد مناف بن ربعيّ الهذلي: صَــابُوا بسِــتَّةِ أبْيــاتٍ وأرْبَعَـةٍ حـتى كـأنَّ عليهِـمْ جابِيًـا لُبَـدَا (2) والجابي: الجراد الذي يجبي كل شيء يأكله. واختلف أهل التأويل في الذين عنوا بقوله: ( كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا ) فقال بعضهم: عني بذلك الجنّ أنهم كادوا يركبون رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لما سمعوا القرآن. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثني محمد بن سعد، قال: ثني أبي، قال: ثني عمي، قال: ثني أبي، عن أبيه، عن ابن عباس، قوله: ( وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا ) يقول: لما سمعوا النبيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يتلو القرآن، ودنوا منه فلم يعلم حتى أتاه الرسول، فجعل يقرئه: قُلْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ أَنَّهُ اسْتَمَعَ نَفَرٌ مِنَ الْجِنِّ . حُدثت عن الحسين، قال: سمعت أبا معاذ يقول: ثنا عبيد، قال: سمعت الضحاك يقول في قوله: ( كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا ) كادوا يركبونه حرصا على ما سمعوا منه من القرآن. قال أبو جعفر: ومن قال هذا القول جعل قوله: ( وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ ) مما أوحي إلى النبيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فيكون معناه: قل أوحي إليّ أنه استمع نفر من الجنّ، وأنه لما قام عبد الله يدعوه. وقال آخرون: بل هذا من قول النفر من الجن لمّا رجعوا إلى قومهم أخبروهم بما رأوا من طاعة أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم له، وائتمامهم به في الركوع والسجود. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثني محمد بن معمر، قال: ثنا أبو مسلم، عن أبي عوانة، عن أبي بشر، عن سعيد بن جبير، عن ابن عباس، قال: قول الجنّ لقومهم: ( لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا ) قال: لما رأوه يصلي وأصحابه يركعون بركوعه ويسجدون بسجوده، قال: عجبوا من طواعية أصحابه له؛ قال: فقال لقومهم لما قام عبد الله يدعوه ( كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا ). حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا جرير، عن مغيرة، عن زياد، عن سعيد بن جبير، في قوله: ( وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا ) قال: كان أصحاب نبيّ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يأتمون به، فيركعون بركوعه، ويسجدون بسجوده ، ومن قال هذا القول الذي ذكرناه عن ابن عباس وسعيد فتح الألف من قوله: " وأنه " عطف بها على قوله: وَأَنَّهُ تَعَالَى جَدُّ رَبِّنَا مفتوحة، وجاز له كسرها على الابتداء. وقال آخرون: بل ذلك من خبر الله الذي أوحاه إلى نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم لعلمه أن الإنس والجنّ تظاهروا عليه، ليُبطلوا الحقّ الذي جاءهم به، فأبى الله إلا إتمامه. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، قوله: ( وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا ) قال: تلبدت الإنس والجنّ على هذا الأمر ليطفئوه، فأبى الله إلا أن ينصره ويمضيه، ويظهره على من ناوأه. حدثنا ابن عبد الأعلى، قال: ثنا ابن ثور، عن معمر، عن قتادة، في قوله: ( لِبَدًا ) قال: لما قام النبيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم تلبَّدت الجنّ والإنس، فحرصوا على أن يطفئوا هذا النور الذي أنـزله الله. حدثني يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال، قال ابن زيد في قوله: ( كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا ) قال: تظاهروا عليه بعضهم على بعض، تظاهروا على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ومن قال هذا القول فتح الألف من قوله " وأنه ". وأولى الأقوال بالصواب في ذلك قول من قال: ذلك خبر من الله عن أن رسوله محمدا صلى الله عليه وسلم لما قام يدعوه كادت العرب تكون عليه جميعا في إطفاء نور الله. وإنما قلنا ذلك أولى التأويلات بالصواب لأن قوله: ( وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ ) عقيب قوله: ( وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ ) وذلك من خبر الله فكذلك قوله: ( وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ ) وأخرى أنه تعالى ذكره أتبع ذلك قوله: ( فَلا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًا ) فمعلوم أن الذي يتبع ذلك الخبر عما لقي المأمور بأن لا يدعو مع الله أحدا في ذلك، لا الخبر عن كثرة إجابة المدعوين وسرعتهم إلى الإجابة. حدثنا محمد بن بشار، قال: ثنا هوذة، قال: ثنا عوف، عن الحسن، في قوله: ( وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ ) قال: لما قام رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول " لا إله إلا الله " ويدعو الناس إلى ربهم كادت العرب تكون عليه جميعا. حدثنا ابن بشار، قال: ثنا يحيى، قال: ثنا سفيان، عن إسماعيل بن أبي خالد، عن رجل، عن سعيد بن جُبير في قوله: ( كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا ) قال: تراكبوا عليه. حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا مهران، عن سفيان، عن سعيد بن جبير ( كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا ) قال: بعضهم على بعض. حدثني عليّ، قال: ثنا أبو صالح، قال: ثني معاوية، عن عليّ، عن ابن عباس، قوله: ( كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا ) يقول: أعوانا. 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: ( كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا ) قال: جميعًا. حدثني يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال، قال ابن زيد ( كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا ) قال: جميعا. حدثني يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال، قال ابن زيد ( كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا ) واللبد: الشيء الذي بعضه فوق بعض. ------------------------ الهوامش: (2) البيت في (ديوان الهذليين 2 : 40) في شعر عبد مناف بن ربع الهذلي، يذكر يوم أنف عاذ. وفي (اللسان: صاب) وقول الهذلي: "صابوا. ." البيت. صابوا بهم: أوقعوا بهم. والجابي (بالياء) الجراد واللبد (بضم اللام) الكثير. وقال في (جبأ) "والجابئ الجراد، يهمز ولا يهمز. وجبأ الجراد: هجم على البلد. قال الهذلي: صابوا.. جابئا لبدا" بهمز جابئ. قال : وكل طالع فجأة جابئ. وقال في (لبد) ومال لبد (بالضم): كثير لا يخاف فناؤه، كأنه التبد بعضه على بعض . وفي التنزيل: ( يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالاً لُبَداً) أي : جما. قال الفراء: اللبد: الكثير. وقال بعضهم: واحدته: لبدة، ولبد: جماع. قال: وجعله بعضهم على جهة قثم وحطم، واحدا، وهو في الوجهين جميعا: الكثير . ا هـ .