Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   And His statement: ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ ) [Cursed are the people of the trench] means: cursed are the people of the trench (al-ukhdūd). Some said: the meaning of His statement ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ ) is a report from Allah about the Fire, namely that it killed them.

   And the people of knowledge differed concerning the people of the trench: who were they? Some said: they were a people belonging to the People of the Book, remnants of the Magians (majūs).

   * Mention of who said that:

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, he said: Yaʿqūb al-Qummī related to us, on the authority of Jaʿfar, on the authority of Ibn Abzā, he said: When the emigrants (muhājirūn) returned from one of their military expeditions, the news of the death of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb — may Allah be pleased with him — reached them. Then some of them said to others: what legal rulings apply to the Magians, since they are not People of the Book and do not belong to the polytheists (mushrikīn) of the Arabs? Then ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib — may Allah be pleased with him — said: they were once People of the Book, and wine was permitted to them. Then one of their kings drank of it until he became drunk, and he seized his sister and had intercourse with her. When the drunkenness left him, he said to her: woe to you, what is the way out of that with which I have been afflicted? She said: deliver a speech to the people and say: O people, indeed Allah has permitted marriage with sisters. Then he stood up to deliver a speech and said: O people, indeed Allah has permitted marriage with sisters. Then the people said: we declare ourselves before Allah free of this statement; no prophet brought it to us, and we do not find it in the Book of Allah. Then he returned to her repentant and said to her: woe to you, indeed the people have refused to acknowledge this. She said: let the whips come down upon them. He did so, and he let the whips come down upon them, but they refused to acknowledge it. Then he returned to her repentant and said: indeed they refused to acknowledge it. She said: deliver a speech to them, and if they refuse, then unsheathe the sword against them. He did so, but the people refused him. Then he said to her: indeed the people have refused me. She said: dig for them a trench (ukhdūd), then present the people of your kingdom to it, and whoever acknowledges — good, and if not, then cast him into the Fire. He did so, and he then presented the people of his kingdom to it, and whoever of them did not acknowledge, he cast into the Fire. Then Allah sent down concerning them: ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ * النَّارِ ذَاتِ الْوَقُودِ ) [Cursed are the people of the trench, of the Fire full of fuel] up to أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ * الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ * إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَتَنُوا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ [than that they believe in Allah, the Almighty, the Praiseworthy, to Whom belongs the dominion over the heavens and the earth, and Allah is Witness over all things. Indeed, those who persecuted the believing men and the believing women] — "they burned them" — ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُوا فَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ الْحَرِيقِ [then did not repent: for them is the punishment of Hell (jahannam), and for them is the punishment of the burning]. And so they continued thereafter to hold marriage with sisters, daughters, and mothers to be permitted.

   Bishr related to us, he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement: ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ ) he said: it was related to us that ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib — may Allah be pleased with him — used to say: they were people in the lowlands of Yemen; their believers and their unbelievers fought one another, and their believers overcame their unbelievers. Then they fought a second time, and their believers overcame their unbelievers. After that they concluded among themselves a covenant and solemn agreements that the one would not betray the other. Then the unbelievers betrayed them and took them captive. Then one of the believing men said to them: do you want something good? You kindle a fire, then present us to it, and whoever follows you in your religion, that is what you desire, and whoever does not, casts himself into the fire, and you are rid of him. He said: then they kindled a fire and they were presented to it, and their heroes began to cast themselves into it. Then there remained among them an old woman who as it were drew back, and a child in her lap said to her: O mother, go forward and do not be hypocritical. Allah has narrated to you their report and their history.

   Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, he said: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement: ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ ) he said: by this are meant the killers who killed them on the day that they killed them.

   Muḥammad ibn Saʿd 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: ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ * النَّارِ ذَاتِ الْوَقُودِ ) he said: they were people of the Children of Israel, who dug a trench in the earth, then kindled a fire in it, and after that lined up men and women at that trench and presented them to it. And it is claimed that it was Dāniyāl (Daniel) and his companions.

   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 statement: ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ ) he said: they were clefts in the earth at Najrān in which they tortured the people.

   It was 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 statement: ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ ) they claim that the people of the trench belonged to the Children of Israel; they seized men and women and dug for them a trench, then kindled the fires in it, and lined up the believers beside it, and said: you renounce the faith or we cast you into the fire.

   Muḥammad ibn Maʿmar related to me, he said: Ḥaramī ibn ʿUmāra related to me, he said: Ḥammād ibn Salama related to us, he said: Thābit al-Bunānī related to us, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Laylā, on the authority of Ṣuhayb, he said: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Among those who were before you was a king, and he had a sorcerer. The sorcerer came to the king and said: my age has grown high and my end is near, so give me a boy whom I may teach sorcery." He said: "Then he gave him a boy whom he would teach sorcery." He said: "And the boy used to go regularly to the sorcerer, and between the sorcerer and the king there was a monk (rāhib)." He said: "And whenever the boy passed by the monk, he would sit down with him and hear his words, and he was delighted by his words. And whenever the boy came to the sorcerer, the latter would beat him and say: what held you up? And whenever he came to his family, he had sat with the monk and listened to his words, and whenever he returned to his family, they would beat him and say: what held you up? Then he complained about that to the monk, and the monk said to him: whenever the sorcerer says to you: what held you up? — then say: my family held me up; and whenever your family says: what held you up? — then say: the sorcerer held me up. While matters were thus with him, he once came upon a road, and there was a tremendous beast on the road that held the people back and would not let them pass. Then the boy said: now I shall know: is the affair of the sorcerer more pleasing to Allah, or the affair of the monk? He said: then he took a stone." He said: and he said: "O Allah, if the affair of the monk is dearer to You than the affair of the sorcerer, then I cast with this stone of mine so that the beast may be killed and the people may pass. He said: then he cast at it and killed it, and the people passed; and that reached the monk." He said: and the boy came to him, and the monk said to the boy: "Indeed, you are better than I, and if you are tried, then do not by any means point to me." He said: "And the boy healed the one born blind and the leper and all the other ailments. And the king had a boon-companion." He said: "Then he became blind." He said: "Then it was said to him: indeed, here is a boy who heals the one born blind and the leper and all the other ailments, why do you not go to him? He said:" "Then he took gifts for him." He said: "Then he came to him and said: O boy, if you heal me, then all these gifts are yours. He said: I am not a physician who heals you, but Allah heals; and if you believe, I shall call upon Allah that He heal you." He said: "Then the blind man believed, and he called upon Allah, and He healed him; and the blind man again sat with the king as he used to sit. Then the king said to him: were you not blind? He said: yes indeed. He said: who then healed you? He said: my Lord. He said: do you have a lord besides me? He said: yes, my Lord and your Lord is Allah." He said: "Then he subjected him to torture and said: you shall surely point me to the one who taught you this." He said: "Then he pointed to the boy, and he called the boy and said: turn away from your religion." He said: "Then the boy refused." He said: "Then he subjected him to torture." He said: "Then he pointed to the monk, and he seized the monk and said: turn away from your religion, but he refused." He said: "Then he placed the saw upon the crown of his head and cleaved him until it reached the ground." He said: "And he seized the blind man and said: you shall surely turn away or I will kill you." He said: "Then the blind man refused, and he placed the saw upon the crown of his head and cleaved him until it reached the ground. Then he said to the boy: you shall surely turn away or I will kill you." He said: "Then he refused." He said: "Then he said: take him away until you reach with him the top of the mountain; if he then turns away from his religion — good, and if not, then cast him down. When they reached with him the top of the mountain, they fell and they all died. And the boy came groping until he entered upon the king, and the latter said: where are your companions? He said: Allah has sufficed me against them. He said: then take him away and carry him on a small ship, and bring him to the middle of the sea; if he then turns away from his religion — good, and if not, then drown him." He said: "Then they took him away, and when they reached with him the middle of the sea, the boy said: O Allah, suffice me against them, and the ship capsized with them. And the boy came groping until he entered upon the king, and the king said: where are your companions? He said: I called upon Allah and He sufficed me against them. He said: I shall surely kill you. He said: you are not my killer until you do what I command you." He said: "Then the boy said to the king: gather the people on one open plain, then crucify me, then take an arrow from my quiver, shoot me and say: in the name of the Lord of the boy — then you shall surely kill me." He said: "Then he gathered the people on one open plain." He said: "And he crucified him, took an arrow from his quiver, placed it on the middle of the bow and then shot, and said: in the name of the Lord of the boy. Then the arrow struck the temple of the boy, and he placed his hand thus upon his temple, and the boy died. Then the people said: we believe in the Lord of the boy. They said to the king: see what you feared, it has come to pass: the people have believed. Then he gave orders concerning the entrances of the streets, and these were cordoned off, and he dug the trench and kindled the fires in it, and he seized them and said: if they turn away — good, and if not, cast them into the fire." He said: "Then they began to cast them into the fire." He said: "Then a woman came with a child of hers." He said: "And when she wished to cast herself into it, she felt the heat of the fire and drew back." He said: "Then her child said to her: O mother, go forward, for you are upon the truth. Then she cast herself into the fire."

   And others said: no, those whom the fire burned were rather the unbelievers who had persecuted the believers.

   * Mention of who said that:

   It was related to me on the authority of ʿAmmār, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Jaʿfar, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ ibn Anas, he said: the people of the trench were a believing people who had set themselves apart from the people during the interval (al-fatra, the era without a prophet). And indeed, a tyrant among the idolaters sent to them and offered them to enter into his religion, but they refused. Then he dug a trench and kindled in it a fire, and then he let them choose between entering into his religion and being cast into the fire. They preferred being cast into the fire over turning away from their religion, and they were cast into the fire. Then Allah saved the believers who had been cast into the fire from burning, in that He took their souls before the fire touched them, and the fire lashed out toward the unbelievers who were at the edge of the trench and burned them. That is the statement of Allah: فَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ [for them is the punishment of Hell] in the Hereafter, وَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ الْحَرِيقِ [and for them is the punishment of the burning] in this worldly life.

   And there was disagreement concerning the place of the answer to the oath in His statement ( وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الْبُرُوجِ ) [By the heaven with the constellations]. Some said: the answer to it is: إِنَّ بَطْشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ [Indeed, the grip of your Lord is severe].

   * Mention of who said that:

   Bishr related to us, he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, he said: the oath here falls upon إِنَّ بَطْشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ [Indeed, the grip of your Lord is severe]. And some grammarians of Baṣra said: the place of its oath — and Allah knows best — falls upon ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ ), with the lām (of the answer) omitted, as He said: وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا ... قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا [By the sun and its morning brightness ... already successful is he who purifies it (the soul)] — by which is meant: if Allah wills, surely successful is he who purifies it, and the lām was omitted. And if you wish, you may apply it to the preposing (taqdīm), as if He said: cursed are the people of the trench, by the heaven with the constellations.

   And some grammarians of Kūfa said: it is said in the explanation that the answer to the oath lies in His statement ( قُتِلَ ), just as the oath وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا [By the sun and its morning brightness] (found its answer) in His statement قَدْ أَفْلَحَ [already successful is] — this according to the explanation. They said: and we have not found that the Arabs leave the oath unanswered without a lām by which it is received, or "lā," or "in," or "mā." And if that is so, then it is as though it is something in which the answer is omitted, and then the place of the answer was resumed anew with the statement, as is said: "yā ayyuhā al-insān" [O man] in much speech.

   And the most fitting judgment concerning this is, in my view, the statement of the one who said: the answer to the oath in it is omitted, and the statement was resumed anew; for the Arabs do not omit the marker of the answer to the oath from speech when they answer it.

   And the most fitting of the two interpretations of His statement ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ ) is: cursed are the people of the trench, who cast the believing men and the believing women into the trench.

   And I have said that this is the most fitting of the two interpretations, because of the reason we have mentioned from al-Rabīʿ, namely that Allah reported that for them is the punishment of the burning alongside the punishment of Hell. And had they (the believers) not been burned in this worldly life, His statement وَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ الْحَرِيقِ [and for them is the punishment of the burning] would have no intelligible meaning alongside His report that for them is the punishment of Hell; for the punishment of Hell is the punishment of the burning alongside the other kinds of its punishment in the Hereafter. And the trench (al-ukhdūd) is the pit that is dug in the earth.

   Show original Arabic

   وقوله: ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ ) يقول: لعن أصحاب الأخدود. وكان بعضهم يقول: معنى قوله: ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ ) خبر من الله عن النار أنها قتلتهم. وقد اختلف أهل العلم في أصحاب الأخدود؛ من هم؟ فقال بعضهم: قوم كانوا أهل كتاب من بقايا المجوس. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا يعقوب القمي، عن جعفر عن ابن أبزى، قال: لما رجع المهاجرون من بعض غزواتهم، بلغهم نعي عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه، فقال بعضهم لبعض: أيّ الأحكام تجري في المجوس، وإنهم ليسوا بأهل كتاب، وليسوا من مشركي العرب، فقال عليّ بن أبي طالب رضى الله عنه: قد كانوا أهل كتاب، وقد كانت الخمر أُحلَّت لهم، فشربها ملك من ملوكهم حتى ثمل منها، فتناول أخته فوقع عليها، فلما ذهب عنه السكر قال لها: ويحك، فما المخرج مما ابتليتُ به؟ فقالت: اخطب الناس، فقل: يا أُّيها الناس إن الله قد أحلّ نكاح الأخوات، فقام خطيبًا، فقال: يا أيُّها الناس إن الله قد أحلّ نكاح الأخوات، فقال الناس: إنا نبرأ إلى الله من هذا القول، ما أتانا به نبيٌّ، ولا وجدناه في كتاب الله، فرجع إليها نادمًا، فقال لها: ويحك، إن الناس قد أبوا عليّ أن يقرّوا بذلك، فقالت: ابسط عليهم السِّياط، ففعل، فبسط عليهم السياط، فأبَوا أن يقرّوا، فرجع إليها نادمًا، فقال: إنهم أبوا أن يقرّوا، فقالت: اخطبهم، فإن أبوا فجرّد فيهم السيف، ففعل، فأبى عليه الناس، فقال لها: قد أبى عليّ الناس، فقالت: خدّ لهم الأخدود، ثم اعرض عليها أهل مملكتك، فمن أقرّ، وإلا فاقذفه في النار، ففعل، ثم عرض عليها أهل مملكته، فمن لم يقرّ منهم قذفه في النار، فأنـزل الله فيهم: ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ * النَّارِ ذَاتِ الْوَقُودِ ) إلى أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ * الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ * إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَتَنُوا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ حرّقوهم ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُوا فَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ الْحَرِيقِ فلم يزالوا منذ ذلك يستحلون نكاح الأخوات والبنات والأمهات. حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، قوله: ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ ) قال: حُدِّثنا أنّ عليّ بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه كان يقول: هم ناس بمذارع اليمن، اقتتل مؤمنوها وكفارها، فظهر مؤمنوها على كفارها، ثم اقتتلوا الثانية، فظهر مؤمنوها على كفارها ثم أخذ بعضهم على بعض عهدًا ومواثيق أن لا يغدر بعضهم ببعض، فغدر بهم الكفار فأخذوهم أخذًا، ثم إن رجلا من المؤمنين قال لهم: هل لكم إلى خير، توقدون نارًا ثم تعرضوننا عليها، فمن تابعكم على دينكم فذلك الذي تشتهون، ومن لا اقتحم النار، فاسترحتم منه، قال: فأجَّجوا نارًا وعُرِضوا عليها، فجعلوا يقتحمونها صناديدهم، ثم بقيت منهم عجوز كأنها نكصت، فقال لها طفل في حجرها: يا أماه امضي ولا تنافقي. قصّ الله عليكم نبأهم وحديثهم. حدثنا ابن عبد الأعلى، قال: ثنا ابن ثور، عن معمر، عن قتادة، في قوله: ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ ) قال: يعني القاتلين الذين قتلوهم يوم قتلوا. حدثني محمد بن سعد، قال: ثني أبي، قال: ثني عمي، قال: ثني أبي، عن أبيه، عن ابن عباس: ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ * النَّارِ ذَاتِ الْوَقُودِ ) قال: هم ناس من بني إسرائيل خدّوا أخدودًا في الأرض، ثم أوقدوا فيها نارًا، ثم أقاموا على ذلك الأخدود رجالا ونساء، فعُرِضوا عليها، وزعموا أنه دانيال وأصحابه. حدثني محمد بن عمرو، قال: ثنا أبو عاصم، قال: ثنا عيسى؛ وحدثني الحارث، قال: ثنا الحسن قال: ثنا ورقاء جميعًا، عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد، قوله: ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ ) قال: كان شقوق في الأرض بنَجْرَان كانوا يعذّبون فيها الناس. حُدثت عن الحسين، قال: سمعت أبا معاذ يقول: ثنا عبيد، قال: سمعت الضحاك يقول في قوله: ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ ) يزعمون أن أصحاب الأخدود من بني إسرائيل، أخذوا رجالا ونساء، فخدّوا لهم أخدودًا، ثم أوقدوا فيها النيران، فأقاموا المؤمنين عليها، فقالوا: تكفرون أو نقذفكم في النار. حدثني محمد بن معمر، قال: ثني حرمي بن عمارة، قال: ثنا حماد بن سلمة، قال: ثنا ثابت البُنانيّ، عن عبد الرحمن بن أبي ليلى، عن صهيب، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: " كان فِيمَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ مَلِكٌ، وَكَانَ لَهُ ساحِرٌ، فَأَتَى السَّاحِرُ الْمَلِكَ فَقَالَ: قَدْ كَبِرَتْ سِنِّي، وَدَنَا أجَلِي، فَادْفَعْ لِي غُلامًا أُعَلِّمْهُ السِّحْرَ " ، قال: " فَدَفَعَ إلَيْهِ غُلامًا يُعَلِّمُهُ السِّحْرَ " ، قَالَ: " فَكَانَ الغُلامُ يَخْتَلِفُ إلى السَّاحِرِ، وكَانَ بَيْنَ السَّاحِرِ وَبَيْنَ المَلِكِ رَاهِبٌ " ، قال: " فَكَانَ الغُلامُ إذَا مَرَّ بالرَّاهِبِ قَعَدَ إلَيْهِ فَسَمِعَ مِنْ كَلامِهِ، فَأُعْجِبَ بِكَلامِهِ، فَكَانَ الغُلامُ إذَا أَتَى السَّاحِرَ ضَرَبَهُ وَقَالَ: مَا حَبَسَكَ؟ وَإذَا أَتَى أَهْلَهُ قَعَدَ عِنْدَ الرَّاهِبِ يَسْمَعُ كَلامَهُ، فَإذَا رَجَعَ إلى أَهْلِهِ ضَرَبُوهُ وَقَالُوا: مَا حَبَسَكَ؟ فَشَكَا ذَلِكَ إلَى الرَّاهِبِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الرَّاهِبُ: إذَا قَالَ لَكَ السَّاحِرُ: مَا حَبَسَكَ؟ قُلْ حَبَسَنِي أَهْلِي، وَإذَا قَالَ أَهْلُكَ: مَا حَبَسَكَ؟ فَقُلْ حَبَسَنِي السَّاحِرُ . فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ كَذَلِكَ إذْ مَرَّ في طَرِيقٍ وَإذَا دَابَّةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ فِي الطَّرِيقِ قَدْ حَبَسَتِ النَّاسَ لا تَدَعُهُمْ يَجُوزُونَ، فَقَالَ الْغُلامُ: الآنَ أَعْلَمُ: أَمْرُ السَّاحِرِ أَرْضَى عِنْدَ اللهِ أَمْ أَمْرُ الرَّاهِبِ؟ قَالَ: فَأَخَذَ حَجَرًا " ، قَالَ: فَقَالَ: " اللَّهُمْ إنْ كَانَ أمْرُ الرَّاهِبِ أحَبَّ إلَيْكَ مِنْ أَمْرِ السَّاحِرِ، فَإنِّي أَرْمِي بِحَجَرِي هَذَا فَيَقْتُلَهُ وَيَمُرُّ النَّاسُ، قَالَ: فَرَمَاهَا فَقَتَلَهَا، وَجَازَ النَّاسُ؛ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ الرَّاهِبَ " ، قَالَ: وَأَتَاهُ الْغُلامُ فَقَالَ الرَّاهِبُ لِلْغُلامِ: إنَّكَ خَيْرٌ مِنِّي، وَإنِ ابْتُلِيتَ فَلا تَدُلَّنَّ عَلَيَّ " ؛ قَالَ: " وَكَانَ الْغُلامُ يُبْرِئُ الأكْمَهَ وَالأبْرَصَ وَسَائِرَ الأدوَاءِ، وَكَانَ لِلْمَلِكِ جَلِيسٌ، قَالَ: فَعَمِيَ، قَالَ: فَقِيلَ لَهُ: إنَّ هَاهُنَا غُلامًا يُبْرِئُ الأكْمَهَ وَالأبْرَصَ وَسَائِرَ الأدْوَاءِ فَلَوْ أَتَيْتَهُ؟ قَالَ: " فَاتَّخَذَ لَهُ هَدَايا " ؛ قَالَ: " ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ فَقَالَ: يَا غُلامُ، إنْ أَبْرَأْتَنِي فَهَذِهِ الهَدَايَا كُلُّهَا لَكَ، فَقَالَ: مَا أَنَا بِطَبِيبٍ يشْفِيكَ، وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ يَشْفِي، فَإذَا آمَنْتَ دَعَوْتُ اللهَ أَنْ يَشْفِيَكَ " ، قَالَ: " فَآمَنَ &; 24-340 &; الأعْمَى، فَدَعَا اللهَ فَشَفَاهُ، فَقَعَدَ الأعْمَى إلى الْمَلِكِ كَمَا كَانَ يَقْعُدُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ المَلِكُ: أَلَيْسَ كُنْتَ أَعْمَى؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: فَمَنْ شَفَاكَ؟ قَالَ: رَبِّي، قَالَ: وَلَكَ رَبٌّ غَيرِي؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكَ اللهُ " ، قَالَ: " فَأَخَدَهُ بِالْعَذَابِ فَقَالَ: لَتَدُلَّنِي عَلَى مَنْ عَلَّمَكَ هَذَا " ، قَالَ: " فَدَلَّ عَلَى الغلامِ، فَدَعَا الغُلامَ فَقَالَ: ارْجِعْ عَنْ دِينِكَ " ، قَالَ: " فَأَبَى الْغُلامُ " ؛ قَالَ: فَأَخَذَهُ بِالْعَذَابِ " ، قَالَ: " فَدَلَّ عَلَى الرَّاهِبِ، فَأَخَذَ الرَّاهِبَ فَقَالَ: ارْجِعْ عَنْ دِينِكِ فَأَبَى " ، قَالَ: " فَوَضَعَ المِنْشَارَ عَلَى هَامَتِهِ فَشَقَّهُ حَتّى بَلَغَ الأرْضَ " ، قَالَ: " وَأَخَذَ الأعْمَى فَقَالَ: لَتَرْجِعَنَّ أوْ لأقْتُلَنَّكَ " ، قَالَ: " فَأَبَى الأعْمَى، فَوَضَعَ المِنْشَارَ عَلَى هَامَتِهِ فَشَقَّهُ حَتّى بَلَغَ الأرْضَ ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلْغُلامِ: لَتَرْجِعَنَّ أوْ لأقْتُلَنَّكَ " ، قال: " فَأَبَى " ، قَالَ: " فَقَالَ: اذْهَبُوا بِهِ حَتَّى تَبْلُغُوا بِهِ ذِرْوَةَ الْجَبَلِ، فَإنْ رَجَعَ عَنْ دِينِهِ، وَإلا فَدَهْدِهُوهُ، فَلَمَّا بَلَغُوا بِه ذِرْوَةَ الْجَبَلِ فَوَقَعُوا فَمَاتُوا كُلُّهُمْ. وَجَاءَ الغُلامُ يَتَلَمَّسُ حَتّى دَخَلَ عَلَى الْمَلِكِ، فَقَالَ: أَيْنَ أصْحَابُكَ؟ قَالَ: كَفَانِيهمُ اللهُ. قَالَ: فَاذْهَبُوا بِهِ فَاحْمِلُوهُ فِي قُرْقُورٍ فَتَوَسَّطُوا بِهِ البَحْرَ، فَإنْ رَجَعَ عَنْ دِينِهِ وَإلا فَغَرِّقُوهُ " قال: " فَذَهَبُوا بِهِ، فَلَمَّا تَوَسَّطُوا بِهِ الْبَحْرَ قَالَ الْغُلامُ: اللَّهُمَّ اكْفِنِيهِمْ، فَانْكَفَأَتْ بِهِمُ السَّفِينَةُ. وَجَاءَ الغُلامُ يَتَلَمَّسُ حَتّى دَخَلَ عَلَى الْمَلِكِ، فَقَالَ المَلِكُ: أَيْنَ أصْحَابُكَ؟ قَالَ: دَعَوْتُ اللهَ فَكَفَانِِيهمْ، قَالَ: لأقْتُلَنَّكَ، قَالَ: مَا أَنْتَ بِقَاتِلِي حَتّى تَصْنَعَ مَا آمُرُكَ " ، قَالَ: " فَقَالَ الْغُلامُ لِلْمَلِكِ: اجْمَعِ النَّاسَ فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ، ثُمَّ اصْلُبْنِي، ثُمَّ خُذْ سَهْمًا مِنْ كِنَانَتِي فَارْمِنِي وَقُلْ: باسْمِ رَبِّ الْغُلامِ فَإِنَّكَ سَتَقْتُلُنِي " ، قَالَ: " فَجَمَعَ النَّاسَ فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ " ، قَالَ: " وَصَلَبَهُ وَأَخَذَ سَهْمًا مِنْ كِنَانَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهُ فِي كَبِدِ الْقَوْسِ ثُمَّ رَمَى، فَقَالَ: باسْمِ رَبِّ الغُلامِ، فَوَقَعَ السَّهْمُ فِي صُدْغِ الْغُلامِ، فَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ هَكَذَا عَلَى صُدْغِهِ وَمَاتَ الْغُلامُ، فَقَالَ النَّاسُ: آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْغُلامِ، فَقَالُوا للْمَلِكِ: مَا صَنَعْتَ، الَّذي كُنْتَ تَحْذَرُ قَدْ وَقَعَ، قَدْ آمَنَ النَّاسُ، فَأَمَرَ بِأَفْوَاهِ السِّكَكِ فَأُخِذَتْ، وَخَدَّ الأخْدُودَ وضَرَّمَ فِيهِ النِّيرَانَ، وَأَخَذَهُمْ وَقَالَ: إنْ رَجَعُوا وَإلا فَأَلْقُوهُمْ فِي النَّارِ " ، قَالَ: " فَكَانُوا يُلْقُونَهُمْ فِي النَّارِ " ، قَالَ: " فَجَاءتِ امْرأةٌ مَعَها صَبِيٌّ لَهَا " ، قَالَ: " فَلَمَّا ذَهَبَتْ تَقْتَحِمُ وَجَدَتْ حَرَّ النَّارِ، فَنَكَصَتْ " ، قَالَ: " فَقَالَ لَهَا صَبِيُّهَا يا أُمَّاهُ امْضِي فَإنَّكِ عَلَى الْحَقِّ، فَاقْتَحَمَتْ فِي النَّارِ". وقال آخرون: بل الذين أحرقتهم النار هم الكفار الذين فتنوا المؤمنين. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حُدثت عن عمار، عن عبد الله بن أبي جعفر، عن أبيه، عن الربيع بن أنس، قال: كان أصحاب الأخدود قومًا مؤمنين اعتزلوا الناس في الفترة، وإن جبارًا من عَبَدَة الأوثان أرسل إليهم، فعرض عليهم الدخول في دينه، فأبوا، فخدّ أخدودًا، وأوقد فيه نارًا، ثم خيرهم بين الدخول في دينه، وبين إلقائهم في النار، فاختاروا إلقاءهم في النار، على الرجوع عن دينهم، فألقوا في النار، فنجَّى الله المؤمنين الذين ألقوا في النار من الحريق، بأن قبض أرواحهم قبل أن تمسهم النار، وخرجت النار إلى من على شفير الأخدود من الكفار فأحرقتهم، فذلك قول الله: فَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ في الآخرة وَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ الْحَرِيقِ في الدنيا. واختُلف في موضع جواب القسم بقوله: ( وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الْبُرُوجِ ) فقال بعضهم: جوابه: إِنَّ بَطْشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، قال: وقع القسم هاهنا إِنَّ بَطْشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ . وقال بعض نحويي البصرة: موضع قسمها - والله أعلم - على ( قتل أصحاب الأخدود ) ، أضمر اللام كما قال: وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا ... قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا يريد: إن شاء الله لقد أفلح من زكَّاها، فألقى اللام، وإن شئت قلت على التقديم، كأنه قال: قتل أصحاب الأخدود، والسماء ذات البروج. وقال بعض نحويي الكوفة: يقال في التفسير: إن جواب القسم في قوله: ( قُتِلَ ) كما كان قسم وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا في قوله: قَدْ أَفْلَحَ هذا في التفسير، قالوا: ولم نجد العرب تدع القسم بغير لام يستقبل بها أو " لا " أو " إن " أو " ما "، فإن يكن ذلك كذلك، فكأنه مما ترك فيه الجواب، ثم استؤنف موضع الجواب بالخبر، كما قيل: " يا أَيُّهَا الإنسان " في كثير من الكلام. وأولى الأقوال في ذلك عندي بالصواب قول من قال: جواب القسم في ذلك متروك، والخبر مستأنف؛ لأن علامة جواب القسم لا تحذفها العرب من الكلام إذا أجابته. وأولي التأويلين بقوله: ( قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الأخْدُودِ ) : لُعِنَ أصحاب الأخدود الذين ألقوا المؤمنين والمؤمنات في الأخدود. وإنما قلت: ذلك أولى التأويلين بالصواب؛ للذي ذكرنا عن الربيع من العلة، وهو أن الله أخبر أن لهم عذاب الحريق مع عذاب جهنم، ولو لم يكونوا أحرقوا في الدنيا، لم يكن لقوله: وَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ الْحَرِيقِ معنى مفهوم، مع إخباره أن لهم عذاب جهنم؛ لأن عذاب جهنم هو عذاب الحريق مع سائر أنواع عذابها في الآخرة، والأخدود: الحفرة تحفر في الأرض.