Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   The explanation of the words of the Exalted: "Only a conveyance from Allah and His messages. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, for him is indeed the fire of Hell (jahannam), wherein they will abide forever, eternally."

   The Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says to His prophet Muḥammad ﷺ: say to the polytheists (mushrikīn) of the Arabs: "I possess for you no power over harm nor over right guidance" — "only a conveyance from Allah and His messages" — He says: except that I convey to you from Allah what He has commanded me to convey to you, and except His messages with which He has sent me to you. As for right guidance and forsaking: that is in the hand of Allah; He is the possessor of it and none other of His creatures; He guides whom He wills and forsakes whom He chooses.

   In accordance with what we have said about this, the people of interpretation spoke.

   * 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: "only a conveyance from Allah and His messages" — that is what I possess: a conveyance from Allah and His messages.

   It may also have another meaning, namely that "illā" is two particles, and that "lā" is detached from "inna" (instead of being the exceptive particle "illā"), so that the meaning of the statement becomes: say: no one could protect me against Allah if I did not convey His messages. The accusative of "al-balāgh" (the conveyance) then arises from an unexpressed verb of conditional nature, as when one says: "if not standing, then sitting," and "if not giving, then refusing in a courteous manner" — in the meaning: if you do not perform the giving, then refuse in a courteous manner.

   And His words: "And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, for him is indeed the fire of Hell (jahannam)" — the Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says: and whoever disobeys Allah in what He has commanded him and forbidden him, and denies Him and His Messenger and thus rejects His messages, for him is indeed the fire of Hell wherein he will burn — "wherein they will abide forever, eternally" — He says: abiding therein forever, unto infinity.

   Show original Arabic

   القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : إِلا بَلاغًا مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِسَالاتِهِ وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَإِنَّ لَهُ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا) يقول تعالى ذكره لنبيه محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم : قل لمشركي العرب: ( إني لا أملك لكم ضرّا ولا رشدا ) (إِلا بَلاغًا مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِسَالاتِهِ ) يقول: إلا أن أبلغكم من الله ما أمرني بتبليغكم إياه، وإلا رسالاته التي أرسلني بها إليكم؛ فأما الرشد والخذلان، فبيد الله، هو مالكه دون سائر خلقه يهدي من يشاء ويخذل من أراد. وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، قوله: (إِلا بَلاغًا مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِسَالاتِهِ ) فذلك الذي أملك بلاغًا من الله ورسالاته. وقد يحتمل ذلك معنى آخر، وهو أن تكون " إلا " حرفين، وتكون " لا " منقطعة من " إن " فيكون معنى الكلام: قل إني لن يجيرني من الله أحد إن لم أبلغ رسالاته؛ ويكون نصب البلاغ من إضمار فعل من الجزاء كقول القائل: إن لا قياما فقعودا، وإن لا إعطاء فردّا جميلا بمعنى: إن لا تفعل الإعطاء فردّا جميلا. وقوله: (وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَإِنَّ لَهُ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ ) يقول تعالى ذكره: ومن يعص الله فيما أمره ونهاه، ويكذّب به ورسوله، فجحد رسالاته، فإن له نار جهنم يصلاها(خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ) يقول: ماكثين فيها أبدًا إلى غير نهاية.