Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   The statement concerning the explanation of His saying, the Exalted: إِنَّهُ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ (١٨) فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ (١٩) ثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ (٢٠) ثُمَّ نَظَرَ (٢١) ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ (٢٢) ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ (٢٣) فَقَالَ إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ (٢٤) إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا قَوْلُ الْبَشَرِ (٢٥) (Indeed, he reflected and he devised (18). Cursed be he, how he devised! (19). Again: cursed be he, how he devised! (20). Then he looked (21). Then he frowned and scowled (22). Then he turned away and was arrogant (23). And he said: 'This is nothing but sorcery transmitted [from others] (24). This is nothing but the word of a human being' (25)).

   The Exalted, whose praise is sublime, says: Indeed, this one whom I alone created, he reflected upon that which was sent down to My servant Muḥammad ﷺ from the Qurʾān, and he devised what he would say about it. (فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ) (Cursed be he, how he devised) — He says: then he was cursed, how he devised concerning what was sent down about him! (ثُمَّ نَظَرَ) (Then he looked) — He says: then he considered that carefully. (ثُمَّ عَبَسَ) (Then he frowned) — He says: then he drew together the area between his eyes. (وَبَسَرَ) (and scowled) — He says: his face became grim and gloomy. Of this is also the saying of Tawba ibn al-Ḥumayyir:

   Verily, there disturbed me concerning her a rejection that I perceived ... and her turning away from my need and her grimly scowling face (1).

   And in accordance with what we have said about this, the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken, and the reports concerning the Solitary one (al-Waḥīd) have been transmitted that he did this.

   Mention of the narration concerning that:

   Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, he said: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of ʿAbbād ibn Manṣūr, on the authority of ʿIkrima, that al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīra came to the Prophet ﷺ, and he recited the Qurʾān to him, and it was as though he was softened by it. That reached Abū Jahl, who said: 'O uncle, indeed, your people wish to collect money for you.' He said: 'Why?' He said: 'They wish to give it to you because you went to Muḥammad to obtain what he has.' He said: 'Quraysh surely knows that I possess the most wealth among them.' He said: 'Then say something about him from which your people will understand that you reject what he says and that you abhor it.' He said: 'And what should I say about him? By Allah, there is not among you a man who knows poetry better than I, nor who knows the rajaz verses better than I, nor the qaṣīda, nor the poetry of the jinn. By Allah, what he says resembles none of this. By Allah, indeed his word has a sweetness, and it crushes what is beneath it, and it rises high and is not surpassed.' He said: 'By Allah, your people will not be satisfied until you say something about him.' He said: 'Then leave me, until I think about it.' And when he had thought about it, he said: 'This is sorcery that he transmits from another.' Then there was revealed: (ذَرْنِي وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيدًا) (Leave Me with whom I created alone). Qatāda said: he came alone from the belly of his mother. And thus this verse was sent down until He reached the nineteenth.

   Muḥammad ibn Saʿīd 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, concerning His saying: (إِنَّهُ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ ...) (Indeed, he reflected and he devised …) to (ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ) (Then he frowned and scowled). He said: al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīra went in to Abū Bakr ibn Abī Quḥāfa, may Allah be pleased with him, to ask him about the Qurʾān. When he had informed him, he went out to Quraysh and said: 'O wonder, at what Ibn Abī Kabsha says! By Allah, it is neither poetry, nor sorcery, nor the raving of madness; verily, his word belongs to the words of Allah.' When that group of Quraysh heard this, they consulted together and said: 'By Allah, if al-Walīd apostatizes, all of Quraysh will apostatize.' When Abū Jahl heard this, he said: 'I, by Allah, will handle his affair for you.' He set out until he entered his house, and he said to al-Walīd: 'Have you not seen that your people have collected charity for you?' He said: 'Am I not the one among them with the most wealth and children?' Then Abū Jahl said to him: 'They say that you only go in to Ibn Abī Quḥāfa to get some of his food.' Al-Walīd said: 'Did my tribe say that? Well then, he will not fall short of the rest of the Banū Quṣayy: I will not approach Abū Bakr, nor ʿUmar, nor Ibn Abī Kabsha, and his word is nothing but transmitted sorcery.' Then Allah sent down to His Prophet ﷺ: (ذَرْنِي وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيدًا ...) (Leave Me with whom I created alone …) to (لَا تُبْقِي وَلَا تَذَرُ) (It leaves nothing and spares nothing).

   Bishr related to us, he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His saying: (إِنَّهُ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ) (Indeed, he reflected and he devised). They claimed that he said: 'By Allah, I have indeed considered what this man says, and behold, it is not poetry for him, and verily, it has a sweetness, and verily, there lies a luster upon it, and verily, it rises high and is not surpassed, and I do not doubt that it is sorcery.' Then Allah sent down concerning him: (فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ ...) (Cursed be he, how he devised …), the verse. (ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ) (Then he frowned and scowled): he drew together the area between his eyes and became grim of face.

   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 saying: (فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ) (he reflected and he devised). He said: it was al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīra on the day of Dār al-Nadwa (the Council House).

   It was related to me on the authority of al-Ḥusayn, he said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd informed us, he said: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning His saying: (ذَرْنِي وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيدًا) (Leave Me with whom I created alone), by which is meant al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīra: the Prophet of Allah ﷺ called him to Islam, and he said: 'Until I think about it', and he reflected upon it. (ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ فَقَالَ إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ) (Then he frowned and scowled, then he turned away and was arrogant, and he said: 'This is nothing but transmitted sorcery'). Therefore Allah destined for him Saqar (the Hellfire).

   Yūnus related to me, he said: Ibn Wahb informed us, he said: Ibn Zayd said concerning His saying: (ذَرْنِي وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيدًا وَجَعَلْتُ لَهُ مَالًا مَمْدُودًا ...) (Leave Me with whom I created alone and to whom I gave extended wealth …) up to His saying: (إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ) (This is nothing but transmitted sorcery). He said: this was al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīra. He said: 'Tonight I will investigate this man for you.' And he came to the Prophet ﷺ and found him standing performing the prayer and reciting. And he came to them and they said: 'Well?' He said: 'I have heard a sweet, fresh, fruit-bearing word that grips the hearts.' They said: 'It is poetry.' He said: 'No, by Allah, it is not poetry; there is no one who knows poetry better than I. Have not the poets presented their poetry to me — Nābigha and so-and-so and so-and-so?' They said: 'Then he is a soothsayer.' He said: 'No, by Allah, he is not a soothsayer; soothsaying has been presented to me.' They said: 'Then this is sorcery of the ancients which he has had written down.' He said: 'I do not know; if it is anything, then perhaps it is transmitted sorcery.' And he recited: (فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ ثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ) (Cursed be he, how he devised; again: cursed be he, how he devised). He said: 'Cursed be he, how he devised', when he said: 'It is not poetry'; 'again: cursed be he, how he devised', when he said: 'It is not soothsaying.'

   And His saying: (ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ) (Then he turned away and was arrogant) — the Exalted, whose praise is sublime, says: then he turned away from faith and from affirming the truth.

   Show original Arabic

   القول في تأويل قوله تعالى: ﴿إِنَّهُ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ (١٨) فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ (١٩) ثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ (٢٠) ثُمَّ نَظَرَ (٢١) ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ (٢٢) ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ (٢٣) فَقَالَ إِنْ هَذَا إِلا سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ (٢٤) إِنْ هَذَا إِلا قَوْلُ الْبَشَرِ (٢٥)﴾ . يقول تعالى ذكره: إن هذا الذي خلقته وحيدا، فكَّر فيما أنزل على عبده محمد ﷺ من القرآن، وقدّر فيما يقول فيه (فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ) يقول: ثم لعن كيف قدّر النازل فيه (ثُمَّ نَظَرَ) يقول: ثم روّى في ذلك (ثُمَّ عَبَسَ) يقول: ثم قبض ما بين عينيه (وَبَسَرَ) يقول: كلح وجهه؛ ومنه قول توبة بن الحُمَيِّر: وَقَدْ رَابَنِي مِنْها صُدُودٌ رأيتُهُ ... وإعْراضُها عَنْ حاجَتِي وبُسُورُها (١) وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل، وجاءت الأخبار عن الوحيد أنه فعل. ذكر الرواية بذلك: حدثنا ابن عبد الأعلى، قال: ثنا ابن ثور، عن معمر عن عباد بن منصور، عن عكرِمة، أن الوليد بن المُغيرة جاء إلى النبي ﷺ، فقرأ عليه القرآن، فكأنه رقّ له، فبلغ ذلك أبا جهل، فقال: أي عمّ إن قومك يريدون أن يجمعوا لك مالا قال: لِمَ؟ قال: يعطونكه فإنك أتيت محمدا تتعرّض لما قِبَله، قال: قد علمت قريش أني أكثرها مالا قال: فقل فيه قولا يعلم قومك أنَّك مُنكر لما قال، وأنك كاره له؛ قال: فما أقول فيه، فوالله ما منكم رجل أعلم بالأشعار مني، ولا أعلم برجزه مني، ولا بقصيده، ولا بأشعار الجنّ، والله ما يشبه الذي يقول شيئا من هذا، ووالله إن لقوله لحلاوة، وإنه ليحطم ما تحته، وإنه ليعلو ولا يعلى، قال: والله لا يرضى قومك حتى تقول فيه، قال: فدعني حتى أفكر فيه؛ فلما فكَّر قال: هذا سحر يأثره عن غيره، فنزلت (ذَرْنِي وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيدًا) قال قتادة: خرج من بطن أمه وحيدا، فنزلت هذه الآية حتى بلغ تسعة عشر. حدثني محمد بن سعيد، قال: ثني أبي، قال: ثني عمي، قال: ثني أبي، عن أبيه، عن ابن عباس، قوله: (إِنَّهُ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ ...) إلى (ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ) قال: دخل الوليد بن المغيرة على أبي بكر بن أبي قُحافة ﵁، يسأله عن القرآن، فلما أخبره خرج على قريش فقال: يا عجبا لما يقول ابن أبي كبشة، فو الله ما هو بشعر، ولا بسحر، ولا بهذي من الجنون، وإن قوله لمن كلام الله، فلما سمع بذلك النفر من قريش ائتمروا وقالوا: والله لئن صبأ الوليد لتصبأنّ قريش، فلما سمع بذلك أبو جهل قال: أنا والله أكفيكم شأنه، فانطلق حتى دخل عليه بيته، فقال للوليد: ألم تر قومك قد جمعوا لك الصدقة قال: ألستُ أكثرهم مالا وولدا؟ فقال له أبو جهل: يتحدّثون أنك إنما تدخل على ابن أبي قُحافة لتصيب من طعامه، قال الوليد: أقد تحدثت به عشيرتي، فلا يقصر عن سائر بني قُصيّ، لا أقرب أبا بكر ولا عمر ولا ابن أبي كبشة، وما قوله إلا سحر يؤثر، فأنزل الله على نبيه ﷺ: (ذَرْنِي وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيدًا ...) إلى (لا تُبْقِي وَلا تَذَرُ) . حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، قوله: (إِنَّهُ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ)، زعموا أنه قال: والله لقد نظرت فيما قال هذا الرجل، فإذا هو ليس له بشعر، وإن له لحلاوة، وإن عليه لطلاوة، وإنه ليعلو وَما يعلى، وما أشكّ أنه سحر، فأنزل الله فيه: (فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ ...) الآية (ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ): قبض ما بين عينيه وكلح. 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: (فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ) قال: الوليد بن المغيرة يوم دار الندوة. حُدثت عن الحسين، قال: سمعت أبا معاذ يقول: أخبرنا عبيد، قال: سمعت الضحاك يقول في قوله: (ذَرْنِي وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيدًا) يعني الوليد بن المغيرة، دعاه نبي الله ﷺ إلى الإسلام، فقال: حتى أنظر، ففكر (ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ فَقَالَ إِنْ هَذَا إِلا سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ) فجعل الله له سقر. حدثني يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال: قال ابن زيد في قوله: (ذَرْنِي وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيدًا وَجَعَلْتُ لَهُ مَالا مَمْدُودًا ...) إلى قوله: (إِنْ هَذَا إِلا سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ) قال: هذا الوليد بن المغيرة قال: سأبتار لكم هذا الرجل الليلة، فأتى النبيّ ﷺ، فوجده قائما يصلي ويقترئ، وأتاهم فقالوا: مه، قال: سمعت قولا حلوا أخضر مثمرا يأخذ بالقلوب، فقالوا: هو شعر، فقال: لا والله ما هو بالشعر، ليس أحد أعلم بالشعر مني، أليس قد عَرضت عليّ الشعراء شعرهم نابغة وفلان وفلان؟ قالوا: فهو كاهن، فقال: لا والله ما هو بكاهن، قد عرضت عليّ الكهانة، قالوا: فهذا سحر الأوّلين اكتتبه، قال: لا أدري إن كان شيئا فعسى هو إذا سحر يؤثر، فقرأ: (فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ ثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ) قال: قتل كيف قدّر حين قال: ليس بشعر، ثم قتل كيف قدّر حين قال: ليس بكهانة. وقوله: (ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ) يقول تعالى ذكره: ثم ولى عن الإيمان والتصديق