Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   And His word: ( except those who believe and do righteous deeds ) — The exegetes (ahl al-taʾwīl) differed concerning the meaning of this exception. Some of them said: it is a valid exception from His word ( then We returned him to the lowest of the low ). They said: it was only permissible to except "those who believe and do righteous deeds" — which is a plural — from the hāʾ in His word ( then We returned him ), which refers to "the human being" (al-insān), even though "the human being" is a singular expression, because "the human being," although singular in wording, is plural in meaning, for it carries the meaning of the kind (al-jins), as has been said: By time * truly, the human being is in loss. They said: and so too it was permissible to say: ( then We returned him to the lowest of the low ), such that "afʿal" (the superlative) is attached to a plural. And they said: were one particular individual intended by it, that would not be permissible, just as one does not say: "this is the most excellent of standing ones," but one says: "this is the most excellent standing one."

   * Mention of who said that:

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥukkām related to us, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Sābiq, on the authority of ʿĀṣim al-Aḥwal, on the authority of ʿIkrima, who said: whoever recites the Qurʾān is not returned to the most contemptible old age; then he recited: ( Truly, We have created the human being in the finest form * then We returned him to the lowest of the low * except those who believe and do righteous deeds ). He said: that only happens when he knows nothing after knowledge. According to this interpretation, His word ( then We returned him to the lowest of the low ) applies to a particular group of people, to whom those who believe and do righteous deeds do not belong, because they are excepted from them.

   And others said: no, those who believe and do righteous deeds may indeed belong to those who are returned to the lowest of the low, for both the believer and the unbeliever (kāfir) may be returned to the most contemptible old age. They said: He only excepted His word ( except those who believe and do righteous deeds ) from an implicit meaning in His word ( then We returned him to the lowest of the low ). They said: and its meaning is: then We returned him to the lowest of the low, so that their intellect departed, they became senile, and their deeds ceased, and no righteous deed was recorded for them thereafter — ( except those who believe and do righteous deeds ), for the good that they did in the state of sound intellect and sound bodies continues to be recorded for them after their old age and senility.

   And it is possible that His word ( except those who believe and do righteous deeds ) is a disconnected exception (istithnāʾ munqaṭiʿ), for it is fitting to say: then We returned him to the lowest of the low — except those who believe and do righteous deeds; for them there is an undiminished reward, after he has been returned to the lowest of the low.

   * Mention of who proclaimed the meaning of this statement:

   Ibn al-Muthannā related to us, saying: Ibn Abī ʿAdī related to us, on the authority of Dāwūd, on the authority of ʿIkrima, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: ( except those who believe and do righteous deeds; for them there is an undiminished reward ) — he said: whatever man performed a righteous deed when he was strong and young, and was thereafter no longer able to do so, for him the reward of that deed continues until he dies.

   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: ( except those who believe and do righteous deeds; for them there is an undiminished reward ) — he says: when someone acted throughout his youth in obedience to Allah, and thereafter grew old until his intellect departed, there is recorded for him the like of the righteous deed that he performed in his youth, and he is not called to account for anything of what he did in his old age and upon the departure of his intellect — because he is a believer, and obeyed Allah in his youth.

   Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Muʾammal related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Ḥammād, on the authority of Ibrāhīm, concerning His word: ( then We returned him to the lowest of the low ) — he said: to the most contemptible old age; and when the believer reaches the most contemptible old age, there is recorded for him the best of what he used to do in his youth and health, and that is His word: ( for them there is an undiminished reward ).

   Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Ḥammād, on the authority of Ibrāhīm: ( then We returned him to the lowest of the low * except those who believe and do righteous deeds ) — for there is recorded for him as reward the like of what he used to do in health.

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ḥammād ibn Abī Sulaymān, on the authority of Ibrāhīm, the like of it.

   Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Wakīʿ related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ḥammād, on the authority of Ibrāhīm: ( except those who believe and do righteous deeds ) — he said: when someone has grown so old that he is no longer able to act, there is recorded for him what he used to do.

   And others said: no, its meaning is: ( except those who believe and do righteous deeds ), for their righteous deeds are recorded for them and their evil deeds are overlooked.

   * Mention of who said that:

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥukkām related to us, on the authority of ʿAmr, on the authority of ʿĀṣim, on the authority of Abū Razīn, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: ( then We returned him to the lowest of the low * except those who believe and do righteous deeds ) — he said: they are those whom old age has overtaken; they are not called to account for a deed they performed in their old age, while they are senile and no longer comprehend.

   Yaʿqūb related to me, saying: Ibn ʿUlayya related to us, on the authority of Abū Rajāʾ, who said: ʿIkrima was asked about His word: ( except those who believe and do righteous deeds; for them there is an undiminished reward ) — he said: Allah gives him his reward or his deed in full, and does not call him to account when he is returned to the most contemptible old age.

   Yaʿqūb related to me, saying: al-Muʿtamir ibn Sulaymān related to us, saying: I heard al-Ḥakam relate, on the authority of ʿIkrima: ( then We returned him to the lowest of the low * except those who believe and do righteous deeds ) — he said: the senile old man, his old age does not harm him, if Allah seals for him with the best of what he used to do.

   Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda: ( except those who believe and do righteous deeds ) — he said: whoever was overtaken by old age, while he used to perform righteous deeds, for him there is the like of his reward as when he was still working.

   And others said: no, its meaning is: then We returned him to the lowest of the low in Hell (jahannam), except those who believe and do righteous deeds, for them there is an undiminished reward. According to this interpretation, "those who believe and do righteous deeds" are excepted from the hāʾ in His word ( then We returned him ), and their exception from it was permissible because it was a reference to "the human being," and this carries the meaning of plural, as He said: truly, the human being is in loss * except those who believe and do righteous deeds.

   * Mention of who said that:

   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: Waraqāʾ related to us, both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: ( then We returned him to the lowest of the low * except those who believe ) — that is: except whoever believed.

   Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, who said: al-Ḥasan said concerning His word: ( then We returned him to the lowest of the low ): in the Fire ( except those who believe and do righteous deeds ) — al-Ḥasan said: this is like His word: By time * truly, the human being is in loss * except those who believe and do righteous deeds.

   And the most correct of the statements concerning this, according to us, is the statement of the one who said: its meaning is: then We returned him to the most contemptible old age, except those who believed and did righteous deeds in the state of their health and youth; for them there is, after their senility, an undiminished reward, in the same form as what they received of it for their works in the state in which they worked and were strong to work.

   And we said that only because it is more correct, on account of what we described of the indication for the soundness of the statement that the interpretation of His word ( then We returned him to the lowest of the low ) is "to the most contemptible old age."

   They differed over the interpretation of His word ( undiminished / ghayru mamnūn ). Some of them said: its meaning is: for them there is an uncurtailed reward.

   * Mention of who said that:

   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 word: ( for them there is an undiminished reward ) — he says: uncurtailed.

   And others said: no, its meaning is: uncounted (ghayr maḥsūb).

   * Mention of who said that:

   Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Wakīʿ related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid: ( for them there is an undiminished reward ): uncounted.

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, the like of it.

   Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Muʾammal related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: ( for them there is an undiminished reward ) — he said: uncounted.

   He said: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Ḥammād, on the authority of Ibrāhīm: ( for them there is an undiminished reward ) — he said: uncounted.

   And it has been said: that its meaning is: for them there is an uninterrupted reward.

   And the most correct of the statements concerning this is the statement of the one who said: for them there is an uncurtailed reward, as it was for him in the days of his health and youth. And that, according to me, is derived from their expression: "a weak mountain (jabal manīn)," when it is weak; and to that belongs the saying of the poet:

   They gave a hundred camels, driven on by eight [drivers],

   in their giving there is no curtailment (mann) nor excess.

   That is: that there is in it no diminution, nor error.

   Show original Arabic

   وقوله: ( إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ) اختلف أهل التأويل في معنى هذا الاستثناء، فقال بعضهم: هو استثناء صحيح من قوله ( ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ ) قالوا: وإنما جاز استثناء الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات، وهم جمع، من الهاء في قوله ( ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ ) وهي كناية الإنسان، والإنسان في لفظ واحد، لأن الإنسان وإن كان في لفظ واحد، فإنه في معنى الجمع، لأنه بمعنى الجنس، كما قيل: وَالْعَصْرِ * إِنَّ الإِنْسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ قالوا: وكذلك جاز أن يقال: ( ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ ) فيضاف أفعل إلى جماعة، وقالوا: ولو كان مقصودا به قصد واحد بعينه، لم يجز ذلك، كما لا يُقال: هذا أفضل قائمين، ولكن يقال: هذا أفضل قائم * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا حكام، عن سعيد بن سابق، عن عاصم الأحول، &; 24-511 &; عن عكرِمة، قال: من قرأ القرآن لم يرد إلى أرذل العمر، ثم قرأ: (لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الإِنْسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ * ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ * إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ) قال: لا يكون حتى لا يعلم من بعد علم شيئا، فعلى هذا التأويل قوله: ( ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ ) لخاصّ من الناس، غير داخل فيهم الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات، لأنه مستثنى منهم. وقال آخرون: بل الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات قد يدخلون في الذين ردّوا إلى أسفل سافلين، لأن أرذل العمر قد يردّ إليه المؤمن والكافر. قالوا: وإنما استثنى قوله: ( إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ) من معنى مضمر في قوله: ( ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ ) قالوا: ومعناه: ثم رددناه أسفل سافلين، فذهبت عقولهم وخرفوا، وانقطعت أعمالهم، فلم تثبت لهم بعد ذلك حسنة ( إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ) فإن الذي كانوا يعملونه من الخير، في حال صحة عقولهم، وسلامة أبدانهم، جار لهم بعد هرمهم وخَرَفهَم. وقد يُحتمل أن يكون قوله: ( إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ) استثناء منقطعا، لأنه يحسن أن يقال: ثم رددناه أسفل سافلين، إلا الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات، لهم أجر غير ممنون، بعد أن يردّ أسفل سافلين. * ذكر من قال معنى هذا القول: حدثنا ابن المثنى، قال: ثنا ابن أبي عديّ، عن داود، عن عكرِمة، عن ابن عباس ( إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ ) قال: فأيما رجل كان يعمل عملا صالحا وهو قوي شاب، فعجز عنه، جرى له أجر ذلك العمل حتى يموت. حدثني محمد بن سعد، قال: ثنى أبي، قال: ثني عمى، قال: ثني أبي، عن أبيه، عن ابن عباس: ( إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ ) يقول: إذا كان يعمل بطاعة الله في شبيبته كلها، ثم كبر حتى ذهب عقله، كُتب له مثل عمله الصالح، الذي كان يعمل في شبيبته، ولم يُؤاخذ بشيء مما عمل في كبره، وذهاب عقله، من أجل أنه مؤمن، وكان يطيع الله في شبيبته. حدثنا ابن بشار، قال: ثنا مؤمل، قال: ثنا سفيان، عن حماد، عن إبراهيم، في قوله: ( ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ ) قال: إلى أرذل العمر، فإذا بلغ المؤمن إلى أرذل العمر، كُتِبَ له كأحسن ما كان يعمل في شبابه وصحته، فهو قوله: ( فَلَهُمْ &; 24-512 &; أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ ) . حدثنا ابن بشار، قال: ثنا عبد الرحمن، قال: ثنا سفيان، عن حماد، عن إبراهيم (ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ * إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ) فإنه يكتب له من الأجر، مثل ما كان يعمل في الصحة. حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا مهران، عن سفيان، عن حماد بن أبي سليمان، عن إبراهيم، مثله. حدثنا أبو كُرَيب، قال: ثنا وكيع، عن سفيان، عن حماد، عن إبراهيم ( إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ) قال: إذا بلغ من الكبر ما يعجز عن العمل، كُتِب له ما كان يعمل. وقال آخرون: بل معنى ذلك: ( إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ) فإنه يُكتب لهم حسناتهم ويُتجاوز لهم عن سيئاتهم. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا حكام، عن عمرو، عن عاصم، عن أبي رَزين عن ابن عباس (ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ * إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ) قال: هم الذين أدركهم الكبر، لا يؤاخذون بعمل عملوه في كبرهم، وهم هَرْمَى لا يعقلون. حدثني يعقوب، قال: ثنا ابن عُلَية، عن أبي رجاء، قال: سُئل عكرمة، عن قوله: ( إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ ) قال: يوفيه الله أجره أو عمله، ولا يؤاخذه إذا رُدّ إلى أرذل العمر. حدثني يعقوب، قال: ثنا المعتمر بن سليمان، قال: سمعت الحكم يحدّث، عن عكرِمة (ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ * إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ) قال: الشيخ الهرم لم يضرّه كبره إن ختم الله له بأحسن ما كان يعمل. حدثنا ابن عبد الأعلى، قال: ثنا ابن ثور، عن معمر، عن قتادة ( إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ) قال: من أدركه الهرم، وكان يعمل صالحا، كان له مثل أجره إذا كان يعمل. وقال آخرون: بل معنى ذلك: ثم رددناه أسفل سافلين في جهنم، إلا الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات، فلهم أجر غير ممنون، فعلى هذا التأويل: إلا الذين آمنوا &; 24-513 &; وعملوا الصالحات مستثنون من الهاء في قوله: ( ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ ) ، وجاز استثناؤهم منها إذ كانت كناية للإنسان، وهو بمعنى الجمع، كما قال: إِنَّ الإِنْسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ * إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ . * ذكر من قال ذلك: 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 (ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ * إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا) : إلا من آمن. حدثنا ابن عبد الأعلى، قال: ثنا ابن ثور، عن معمر، قال: قال الحسن، في قوله: ( ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ ) : في النار ( إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ) قال الحسن: هي كقوله: وَالْعَصْرِ * إِنَّ الإِنْسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ * إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ . وأولى الأقوال في ذلك عندنا بالصحة، قول من قال: معناه: ثم رددناه إلى أرذل العمر، إلا الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات في حال صحتهم وشبابهم، فلهم أجر غير ممنون بعد هرمهم، كهيئة ما كان لهم من ذلك على أعمالهم، في حال ما كانوا يعملون وهم أقوياء على العمل. وإنما قلنا ذلك أولى بالصحة لما وصفنا من الدلالة على صحة القول بأن تأويل قوله: ( ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ ) إلى أرذل العمر. اختلفوا في تأويل قوله: ( غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ ) فقال بعضهم: معناه: لهم أجر غير منقوص. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثني عليّ، قال: ثنا أبو صالح، قال: ثني معاوية، عن عليّ، عن ابن عباس، في قوله: ( فَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ ) يقول: غير منقوص. وقال آخرون: بل معناه: غير محسوب. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثنا أبو كُرَيب، قال: ثنا وكيع، عن سفيان، عن ابن جُرَيج، عن مجاهد ( فَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ ) : غير محسوب. حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا مهران، عن سفيان، عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد مثله. دثنا ابن بشار، قال: ثنا مؤمل، قال: ثنا سفيان، عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد ( فَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ ) قال: غير محسوب. قال: ثنا سفيان، عن حماد، عن إبراهيم ( فَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ ) قال: غير محسوب. وقد قيل: إن معنى ذلك: فلهم أجر غير مقطوع. وأولى الأقوال في ذلك بالصواب: قول من قال: فلهم أجر غير منقوص، كما كان له أيام صحته وشبابه، وهو عندي من قولهم: جبل مَنِين: إذا كان ضعيفا؛ ومنه قول الشاعر: أعْطَــوْا هُنَيْــدَة يَحْدُوهـا ثَمَانِيَـة مـا فِـي عَطـائِهمُ مَـنٌّ وَلا سَـرَف (2) يعني: أنه ليس فيه نقص، ولا خطأ.