Tarikh (al-Tabari) 130
The story of Abraham the Friend (peace and blessings be upon him)
ثَنَاءِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ الْكَرِيمِ عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَخَلِيلِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: وَإِذِ ابْتَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ رَبُّهُ بِكَلِمَاتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ قَالَ إِنِّي جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا قَالَ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِي الظَّالِمِينَ [ الْبَقَرَةِ: 124 ]. لَمَّا وَفَّى مَا أَمَرَهُ رَبُّهُ بِهِ مِنَ التَّكَالِيفِ الْعَظِيمَةِ جَعَلَهُ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا يَقْتَدُونَ بِهِ. وَيَأْتَمُّونَ بِهَدْيِهِ، وَسَأَلَ اللَّهَ أَنْ تَكُونَ هَذِهِ الْإِمَامَةُ مُتَّصِلَةً بِسَبَبِهِ وَبَاقِيَةً فِي نَسَبِهِ وَخَالِدَةً فِي عَقِبِهِ، فَأُجِيبَ إِلَى مَا سَأَلَ وَرَامَ وَسُلِّمَتْ إِلَيْهِ الْإِمَامَةُ بِزِمَامٍ، وَاسْتُثْنِيَ مِنْ نَيْلِهَا الظَّالِمُونَ، وَاخْتُصَّ بِهَا مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ الْعَامِلُونَ، كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَجَعَلْنَا فِي ذُرِّيَّتِهِ النُّبُوَّةَ وَالْكِتَابَ وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَجْرَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِنَّهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ [ الْعَنْكَبُوتِ: 27 ]. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ كُلًّا هَدَيْنَا وَنُوحًا هَدَيْنَا مِنْ قَبْلُ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ دَاوُدَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُوسُفَ وَمُوسَى وَهَارُونَ وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ وَزَكَرِيَّا وَيَحْيَى وَعِيسَى وَإِلْيَاسَ كُلٌّ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَيُونُسَ وَلُوطًا وَكُلًّا فَضَّلْنَا عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ وَمِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ وَإِخْوَانِهِمْ وَاجْتَبَيْنَاهُمْ وَهَدَيْنَاهُمْ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ [ الْأَنْعَامِ: 84 - 87 ]. فَالضَّمِيرُ فِي قَوْلِهِ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ عَائِدٌ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَى الْمَشْهُورِ وَلُوطٌ، وَإِنْ كَانَ ابْنَ أَخِيهِ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ فِي الذُّرِّيَّةِ تَغْلِيبًا، وَهَذَا هُوَ الْحَامِلُ لِلْقَائِلِ الْآخَرِ أَنَّ الضَّمِيرَ عَلَى نُوحٍ، كَمَا قَدَّمْنَا فِي قِصَّتِهِ، وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ وَجَعَلْنَا فِي ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا النُّبُوَّةَ وَالْكِتَابَ [ الْحَدِيدِ: 26 ]. الْآيَةَ. فَكُلُّ كِتَابٍ أُنْزِلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ عَلَى نَبِيٍّ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ بَعْدَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْخَلِيلِ فَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ وَشِيعَتِهِ، وَهَذِهِ خِلْعَةٌ سَنِيَّةٌ لَا تُضَاهَى، وَمَرْتَبَةٌ عَلِيَّةٌ لَا تُبَاهَى، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ وُلِدَ لَهُ لِصُلْبِهِ وَلَدَانِ ذَكَرَانِ عَظِيمَانِ؛ إِسْمَاعِيلُ مِنْ هَاجَرَ، ثُمَّ إِسْحَاقُ مِنْ سَارَةَ، وَوُلِدَ لِهَذَا يَعْقُوبُ وَهُوَ إِسْرَائِيلُ الَّذِي يَنْتَسِبُ إِلَيْهِ سَائِرُ أَسْبَاطِهِمْ فَكَانَتْ فِيهِمُ النُّبُوَّةُ، وَكَثُرُوا جِدًّا بِحَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُ عَدَدَهُمْ إِلَّا الَّذِي بَعَثَهُمْ، وَاخْتَصَّهُمْ بِالرِّسَالَةِ وَالنُّبُوَّةِ حَتَّى خُتِمُوا بِعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ. وَأَمَّا إِسْمَاعِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَكَانَتْ مِنْهُ الْعَرَبُ عَلَى اخْتِلَافِ قَبَائِلِهَا، وَلَمْ يُوجَدْ مِنْ سُلَالَتِهِ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ سِوَى خَاتَمِهِمْ عَلَى الْإِطْلَاقِ وَسَيِّدِهِمْ، وَفَخْرِ بَنِي آدَمَ فِي الدُّنْيَا، وَالْآخِرَةِ؛ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ الْقُرَشِيِّ الْهَاشِمِيِّ الْمَكِّيِّ ثُمَّ الْمَدَنِيِّ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ وَسَلَامُهُ عَلَيْهِ، فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ مِنْ هَذَا الْفَرْعِ الشَّرِيفِ وَالْغُصْنِ الْمُنِيفِ سِوَى هَذِهِ الْجَوْهَرَةِ الْبَاهِرَةِ، وَالدُّرَّةِ الزَّاهِرَةِ، وَوَاسِطَةِ الْعِقْدِ الْفَاخِرَةِ، وَهُوَ السَّيِّدُ الَّذِي يَفْتَخِرُ بِهِ أَهْلُ الْجَمْعِ، وَيَغْبِطُهُ الْأَوَّلُونَ وَالْآخِرُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ. وَقَدْ ثَبَتَ عَنْهُ فِي صَحِيحِ مُسْلِمٍ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ: سَأَقُومُ مَقَامًا يَرْغَبُ إِلَيَّ الْخَلْقُ كُلُّهُمْ حَتَّى إِبْرَاهِيمُ. فَمَدَحَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ أَبَاهُ مِدْحَةً عَظِيمَةً فِي هَذَا السِّيَاقِ، وَدَلَّ كَلَامُهُ عَلَى أَنَّهُ أَفْضَلُ الْخَلَائِقِ بَعْدَهُ عِنْدَ الْخَلَّاقِ فِي هَذِهِ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَنْ سَاقٍ. وَقَالَ الْبُخَارِيُّ بسنده عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُعَوِّذُ الْحَسَنَ وَالْحُسَيْنَ، وَيَقُولُ: إِنَّ أَبَاكُمَا كَانَ يُعَوِّذُ بِهِمَا إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ: أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لَامَّةٍ. وَرَوَاهُ أَهْلُ السُّنَنِ مِنْ حَدِيثِ مَنْصُورٍ بِهِ. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّ أَرِنِي كَيْفَ تُحْيِ الْمَوْتَى قَالَ أَوَلَمْ تُؤْمِنْ قَالَ بَلَى وَلَكِنْ لِيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِي قَالَ فَخُذْ أَرْبَعَةً مِنَ الطَّيْرِ فَصُرْهُنَّ إِلَيْكَ ثُمَّ اجْعَلْ عَلَى كُلِّ جَبَلٍ مِنْهُنَّ جُزْءًا ثُمَّ ادْعُهُنَّ يَأْتِينَكَ سَعْيًا وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ [ الْبَقَرَةِ: 260 ]. ذَكَرَ الْمُفَسِّرُونَ لِهَذَا السُّؤَالِ أَسْبَابًا، عَلَى أَرْبَعَةِ أَقْوَالٍ: أَحَدُهَا: أَنَّهُ رَأَى مَيْتَةً تُمَزِّقُهَا الْهَوَامُّ وَالسِّبَاعُ، فَسَأَلَ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: مَرَّ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بِرَجُلٍ مَيِّتٍ عَلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ فَرَأَى دَوَابَّ الْبَحْرِ وَسِبَاعَ الْأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ، وَقَالَ قَتَادَةُ: مَرَّ عَلَى دَابَّةٍ مَيِّتَةٍ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ: مَرَّ عَلَى جِيفَةِ حِمَارٍ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ يَزِيدَ: مَرَّ عَلَى حُوتٍ مَيِّتَةٍ. وَالثَّانِي: أَنَّهُ لَمَّا بُشِّرَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى قَدِ اتَّخَذَهُ خَلِيلًا سَأَلَ ذَلِكَ لِيَعْلَمَ بِإِجَابَتِهِ صِحَّةَ الْبِشَارَةِ. رَوَاهُ السُّدِّيُّ عَنْ أَشْيَاخِهِ. وَالثَّالِثُ: أَنَّهُ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُزِيلَ عَوَارِضَ الْوَسَاوِسِ. وَهُوَ مَذْهَبُ عَطَاءِ بْنِ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ. وَالرَّابِعُ: أَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَالَ: رَبِّي الَّذِي يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَرَى مَا أَخْبَرَ بِهِ عَنْ رَبِّهِ. ذَكَرَهُ ابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ. وَزَعَمَ مُقَاتِلُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ أَنَّ هَذِهِ الْقِصَّةَ جَرَتْ لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ بِالشَّامِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ، وَقَبْلَ نُزُولِ الصُّحُفِ عَلَيْهِ، وَهُوَ ابْنُ خَمْسٍ وَسَبْعِينَ سَنَةً. وَالْحَاصِلُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَجَابَهُ إِلَى مَا سَأَلَ فَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَعْمِدَ إِلَى أَرْبَعَةٍ مِنَ الطُّيُورِ، وَاخْتَلَفُوا فِي تَعْيِينِهَا عَلَى أَقْوَالٍ، وَالْمَقْصُودُ حَاصِلٌ عَلَى كُلِّ تَقْدِيرٍ، فَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يُمَزِّقَ لُحُومَهُنَّ وَرِيشَهُنَّ، وَيَخْلِطَ ذَلِكَ بَعْضَهُ فِي بَعْضٍ، ثُمَّ يُقَسِّمُهُ قِسَمًا، وَيَجْعَلَ عَلَى كُلِّ جَبَلٍ مِنْهُنَّ جُزْءًا فَفَعَلَ مَا أُمِرَ بِهِ، ثُمَّ أُمِرَ أَنْ يَدْعُوَهُنَّ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِنَّ، فَلَمَّا دَعَاهُنَّ جَعَلَ كُلُّ عُضْوٍ يَطِيرُ إِلَى صَاحِبِهِ، وَكُلُّ رِيشَةٍ تَأْتِي إِلَى أُخْتِهَا حَتَّى اجْتَمَعَ بَدَنُ كُلِّ طَائِرٍ عَلَى مَا كَانَ عَلَيْهِ، وَهُوَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُدْرَةِ الَّذِي يَقُولُ لِلشَّيْءِ: كُنْ فَيَكُونُ فَأَتَيْنَ إِلَيْهِ سَعْيًا لِيَكُونَ أَبْيَنَ لَهُ وَأَوْضَحَ لِمُشَاهَدَتِهِ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْتِينَ طَيَرَانًا. وَيُقَالُ: إِنَّهُ أُمِرَ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ رُءُوسَهُنَّ فِي يَدِهِ فَجَعَلَ كُلُّ طَائِرٍ يَأْتِي فَتَلْقَاهُ رَأْسُهُ فَيَتَرَكَّبُ عَلَى جُثَّتِهِ كَمَا كَانَ، فَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ. وَقَدْ كَانَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ يَعْلَمُ قُدْرَةَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَى إِحْيَاءِ الْمَوْتَى عِلْمًا يَقِينًا لَا يَحْتَمِلُ النَّقِيضَ، وَلَكِنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُشَاهِدَ ذَلِكَ عِيَانًا، وَيَتَرَقَّى مِنْ عِلْمِ الْيَقِينِ إِلَى عَيْنِ الْيَقِينِ فَأَجَابَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَى سُؤَالِهِ، وَأَعْطَاهُ غَايَةَ مَأْمُولِهِ وَقَدْ ذَكَرَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي الْقُرْآنِ كَثِيرًا فِي غَيْرِ مَا مَوْضِعٍ بِالثَّنَاءِ عَلَيْهِ وَالْمَدْحِ لَهُ، فَقِيلَ: إِنَّهُ مَذْكُورٌ فِي خَمْسَةٍ وَثَلَاثِينَ مَوْضِعًا، مِنْهَا خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ فِي الْبَقَرَةِ وَحْدَهَا.
Translation
✧ THE PRAISE OF ALLAH AND HIS NOBLE MESSENGER FOR ALLAH'S SERVANT AND FRIEND IBRAHIM Allah, exalted is He, said: "And when his Lord tested Ibrahim with words, and he fulfilled them, He said: 'I am making you a leader for mankind.' He said: 'And from my descendants?' He said: 'My covenant does not reach the wrongdoers'" [Al-Baqarah: 124]. When he fulfilled what his Lord commanded him of the great duties, He made him a leader for mankind whom they follow and whose guidance they emulate. He asked Allah that this leadership be connected to his line, remain in his lineage, and endure in his offspring. He was granted what he asked and sought, and the leadership was handed to him in its reins. The wrongdoers were excluded from attaining it, and it was reserved for the learned, practicing ones among his descendants, as Allah, exalted is He, said: "And We gave him Ishaq and Ya'qub, and We placed prophethood and the Book among his descendants, and We gave him his reward in this world, and indeed in the Hereafter he is among the righteous" [Al-'Ankabut: 27]. And Allah, exalted is He, said: "And We gave him Ishaq and Ya'qub, each We guided; and Nuh We guided before, and from his descendants Dawud, Sulayman, Ayyub, Yusuf, Musa, and Harun—and thus We reward the doers of good—and Zakariyya, Yahya, 'Isa, and Ilyas, each of the righteous, and Isma'il, Al-Yasa', Yunus, and Lut—and each We favored over all the worlds, and of their fathers, descendants, and brothers—and We chose them and guided them to a straight path" [Al-An'am: 84-87]. The pronoun in "and from his descendants" refers to Ibrahim according to the well-known view; and Lut, although he was his brother's son, is included among the descendants by predominance. This is what led the other view that the pronoun refers to Nuh, as we mentioned earlier in his story; and Allah knows best. And Allah, exalted is He, said: "And We sent Nuh and Ibrahim, and We placed prophethood and the Book among their descendants" [Al-Hadid: 26]—the verse. Every Book sent down from heaven upon any prophet after Ibrahim the Friend is from his descendants and his followers. This is a sublime robe unmatched, and an exalted rank unbested. That is because from his own loins were born two great male children: Isma'il from Hajar, then Ishaq from Sarah. To the latter was born Ya'qub, who is Isra'il, to whom all their tribes trace their lineage. Among them prophethood was found, and they multiplied greatly, so that none knows their number except the One who sent them, and He distinguished them with messengerhood and prophethood until they were sealed with 'Isa son of Maryam from the Children of Isra'il. As for Isma'il ﷺ, from him came the Arabs, with their various tribes. From his posterity no prophets appeared except their absolute seal and their master, the pride of the children of Adam in this world and the Hereafter: Muhammad b. 'Abd Allah b. 'Abd al-Muttalib b. Hashim, the Qurashi, the Hashimi, the Makkan, then the Madinan, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him. From this noble branch and lofty twig appeared only this dazzling jewel, this radiant pearl, this central gem of the resplendent necklace. He is the master in whom the people of the gathering will boast, and whom the first and the last will envy on the Day of Resurrection. It is established from him in Sahih Muslim that he said: "I will stand in a station for which all creation will long for me, even Ibrahim." Thus he praised Ibrahim, his father, with great praise in this context, and his words indicate that he is the best of creation after him with the Creator in this worldly life and on the day when the shin is uncovered. Al-Bukhari said, with his chain from Ibn 'Abbas, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to seek protection for Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn, and he said: "Your father used to seek protection for Isma'il and Ishaq with these words: I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from every devil, and poisonous creature, and from every evil eye." And the authors of the Sunan narrated it from the hadith of Mansur with it. And Allah, exalted is He, said: "And when Ibrahim said: 'My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead.' He said: 'Do you not believe?' He said: 'Yes, but that my heart may be assured.' He said: 'Take four birds and make them incline to you, then place a part of them on every mountain, then call them; they will come to you in haste. And know that Allah is Mighty, Wise'" [Al-Baqarah: 260]. The commentators mentioned reasons for this question, in four views: One: that he saw a carcass being torn apart by insects and beasts, and he asked about that. Ibn 'Abbas said: Ibrahim passed by a dead man on the seashore and saw sea creatures and land beasts eating from it. Qatadah said: He passed by a dead animal. Ibn Jurayj said: He passed by the carcass of a donkey. Ibn Yazid said: He passed by a dead fish. The second: that when he was given the glad tidings that Allah, exalted is He, had taken him as a friend, he asked that in order to know, by its answer, the truth of the glad tidings. Al-Suddi narrated it from his teachers. The third: that he loved to remove the intrusions of whispers, and this is the view of 'Ata' b. Abi Rabah. The fourth: that when he said: "My Lord is the One who gives life and causes death," he loved to see what he had reported about his Lord. Ibn Ishaq mentioned it. Muqatil b. Sulayman claimed that this story happened to Ibrahim in Syria before he had any child and before the scriptures were sent down to him, when he was seventy-five years old. The upshot is that Allah, Mighty and Glorious is He, answered him to what he asked. He commanded him to take four birds, and they differed over which birds, in various views, but the intent is achieved in any case. He commanded him to tear their flesh and feathers, mix them together, then divide them into portions and place a part of them on every mountain. He did what he was commanded, then he was commanded to call them by the permission of their Lord. When he called them, every limb flew to its companion, and every feather came to its sister, until the body of each bird was reassembled as it had been, while he watched the power of the One who says to a thing: "Be," and it is. They came to him in haste, so that it would be clearer and more evident to him to witness than if they came flying. It is said that he was commanded to take their heads in his hand, and each bird came and its head met it and fitted onto its body as before—so there is no god but Allah. Ibrahim ﷺ knew Allah's power over giving life to the dead with certain knowledge that admits no opposite, but he loved to witness it with his own eyes and to ascend from the knowledge of certainty to the eye of certainty. So Allah answered his request and gave him the utmost of his hope. Allah, exalted is He, mentioned him in the Qur'an in many places with praise and commendation. It is said that he is mentioned in thirty-five places, of which fifteen are in Al-Baqarah alone.
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