Tarikh (al-Tabari) 146
The story of Abraham the Friend (peace and blessings be upon him)
قَالُوا يَا شُعَيْبُ أَصَلَاتُكَ تَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ نَتْرُكَ مَا يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا أَوْ أَنْ نَفْعَلَ فِي أَمْوَالِنَا مَا نَشَاءُ إِنَّكَ لَأَنْتَ الْحَلِيمُ الرَّشِيدُ. يَقُولُونَ هَذَا عَلَى سَبِيلِ الِاسْتِهْزَاءِ وَالتَّنَقُّصِ وَالتَّهَكُّمِ: أَصَلَوَاتُكَ هَذِهِ الَّتِي تُصَلِّيهَا هِيَ الْآمِرَةُ لَكَ بِأَنْ تَحْجُرَ عَلَيْنَا فَلَا نَعْبُدُ إِلَّا إِلَهَكَ، وَنَتْرُكَ مَا يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا الْأَقْدَمُونَ وَأَسْلَافُنَا الْأَوَّلُونَ، أَوْ أَنَّا لَا نَتَعَامَلُ إِلَّا عَلَى الْوَجْهِ الَّذِي تَرْتَضِيهِ أَنْتَ، وَنَتْرُكُ الْمُعَامَلَاتِ الَّتِي تَأْبَاهَا وَإِنْ كُنَّا نَحْنُ نَرْضَاهَا إِنَّكَ لَأَنْتَ الْحَلِيمُ الرَّشِيدُ. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، وَمَيْمُونُ بْنُ مِهْرَانَ، وَابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، وَزَيْدُ بْنُ أَسْلَمَ، وَ ابْنُ جَرِيرٍ: يَقُولُونَ ذَلِكَ - أَعْدَاءُ اللَّهِ - عَلَى سَبِيلِ الِاسْتِهْزَاءِ. قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّي وَرَزَقَنِي مِنْهُ رِزْقًا حَسَنًا وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَى مَا أَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا الْإِصْلَاحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ. هَذَا تَلَطُّفٌ مَعَهُمْ فِي الْعِبَارَةِ، وَدَعْوَةٌ لَهُمْ إِلَى الْحَقِّ بِأَبْيَنِ إِشَارَةٍ يَقُولُ لَهُمْ: أَرَأَيْتُمْ أَيُّهَا الْمُكَذِّبُونَ إِنْ كُنْتُ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّي أَيْ عَلَى أَمْرٍ بَيِّنٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى أَنَّهُ أَرْسَلَنِي إِلَيْكُمْ وَرَزَقَنِي مِنْهُ رِزْقًا حَسَنًا. يَعْنِي النُّبُوَّةَ وَالرِّسَالَةَ يَعْنِي، وَعَمَّى عَلَيْكُمْ مَعْرِفَتَهَا فَأَيُّ حِيلَةٍ لِي بِكُمْ ؟ وَهَذَا كَمَا تَقَدَّمَ عَنْ نُوحٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ سَوَاءً. وَقَوْلُهُ: وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَى مَا أَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ. أَيْ لَسْتُ آمُرُكُمْ بِالْأَمْرِ إِلَّا وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ فَاعِلٍ لَهُ، وَإِذَا نَهَيْتُكُمْ عَنِ الشَّيْءِ فَأَنَا أَوَّلُ مَنْ يَتْرُكُهُ، وَهَذِهِ هِيَ الصِّفَةُ الْمَحْمُودَةُ الْعَظِيمَةُ وَضِدُّهَا هِيَ الْمَرْدُودَةُ الذَّمِيمَةُ، كَمَا تَلَبَّسَ بِهَا عُلَمَاءُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي آخِرِ زَمَانِهِمْ، وَخُطَبَاؤُهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنْسَوْنَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ [ الْبَقَرَةِ: 44 ]. وَذَكَرْنَا عِنْدَهَا فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: يُؤْتَى بِالرَّجُلِ فَيُلْقَى فِي النَّارِ فَتَنْدَلِقُ أَقْتَابُ بَطْنِهِ. أَيْ تَخْرُجُ أَمْعَاؤُهُ مِنْ بَطْنِهِ فَيَدُورُ بِهَا، كَمَا يَدُورُ الْحِمَارُ بِرَحَاهُ فَيَجْتَمِعُ إِلَيْهِ أَهْلُ النَّارِ فَيَقُولُونَ: يَا فُلَانُ مَالَكَ أَلَمْ تَكُنْ تَأْمُرُ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ، وَتَنْهَى عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ ؟ فَيَقُولُ: بَلَى كُنْتُ آمُرُ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَلَا آتِيهِ، وَأَنْهَى عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَآتِيهِ. وَهَذِهِ صِفَةُ مُخَالِفِي الْأَنْبِيَاءِ مِنَ الْفُجَّارِ وَالْأَشْقِيَاءِ، فَأَمَّا السَّادَةُ مِنَ النُّجَبَاءِ وَالْأَلِبَّاءِ مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَيْبِ فَحَالُهُمْ كَمَا قَالَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ شُعَيْبٌ: وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَى مَا أَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا الْإِصْلَاحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ. أَيْ مَا أُرِيدُ فِي جَمِيعِ أَمْرِي إِلَّا الْإِصْلَاحَ فِي الْفِعَالِ وَالْمَقَالِ بِجُهْدِي وَطَاقَتِي وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي أَيْ فِي جَمِيعِ أَحْوَالِي إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ. أَيْ عَلَيْهِ أَتَوَكَّلُ فِي سَائِرِ الْأُمُورِ وَإِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعِي وَمَصِيرِي فِي كُلِّ أَمْرِي، وَهَذَا مَقَامُ تَرْغِيبٍ، ثُمَّ انْتَقَلَ إِلَى نَوْعٍ مِنَ التَّرْهِيبِ فَقَالَ: وَيَا قَوْمِ لَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شِقَاقِي أَنْ يُصِيبَكُمْ مِثْلُ مَا أَصَابَ قَوْمَ نُوحٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ هُودٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ صَالِحٍ وَمَا قَوْمُ لُوطٍ مِنْكُمْ بِبَعِيدٍ. أَيْ لَا تَحْمِلَنَّكُمْ مُخَالَفَتِي وَبُغْضُكُمْ مَا جِئْتُكُمْ بِهِ عَلَى الِاسْتِمْرَارِ عَلَى ضَلَالِكُمْ وَجَهْلِكُمْ وَمُخَالَفَتِكُمْ فَيُحِلَّ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ وَالنَّكَالِ نَظِيرَ مَا أَحَلَّهُ بِنُظَرَائِكُمْ وَأَشْبَاهِكُمْ مِنْ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ، وَقَوْمِ هُودٍ، وَقَوْمِ صَالِحٍ مِنَ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ الْمُخَالِفِينَ. وَقَوْلُهُ: وَمَا قَوْمُ لُوطٍ مِنْكُمْ بِبَعِيدٍ. قِيلَ: مَعْنَاهُ فِي الزَّمَانِ أَيْ مَا بِالْعَهْدِ مِنْ قِدَمٍ مِمَّا قَدْ بَلَغَكُمْ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ بِهِمْ عَلَى كُفْرِهِمْ، وَعُتُوِّهِمْ. وَقِيلَ: مَعْنَاهُ وَمَا هُمْ مِنْكُمْ بِبَعِيدٍ فِي الْمَحَلَّةِ وَالْمَكَانِ. وَقِيلَ: فِي الصِّفَاتِ وَالْأَفْعَالِ الْمُسْتَقْبَحَاتِ مِنْ قَطْعِ الطَّرِيقِ، وَأَخْذِ أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ جَهْرَةً، وَخُفْيَةً بِأَنْوَاعِ الْحِيَلِ وَالشُّبُهَاتِ. وَالْجَمْعُ بَيْنَ هَذِهِ الْأَقْوَالِ مُمْكِنٌ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَكُونُوا بَعِيدِينَ مِنْهُمْ لَا زَمَانًا وَلَا مَكَانًا وَلَا صِفَاتٍ. ثُمَّ مَزَجَ التَّرْهِيبَ بِالتَّرْغِيبِ فَقَالَ: وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ إِنَّ رَبِّي رَحِيمٌ وَدُودٌ. أَيْ أَقْلِعُوا عَمَّا أَنْتُمْ فِيهِ، وَتُوبُوا إِلَى رَبِّكُمُ الرَّحِيمِ الْوَدُودِ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ تَابَ إِلَيْهِ تَابَ عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّهُ رَحِيمٌ بِعِبَادِهِ، أَرْحَمُ بِهِمْ مِنَ الْوَالِدَةِ بِوَلَدِهَا وَدُودٌ وَهُوَ الْحَبِيبُ، وَلَوْ بَعْدَ التَّوْبَةِ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ، وَلَوْ مِنَ الْمُوبِقَاتِ الْعِظَامِ . قَالُوا يَا شُعَيْبُ مَا نَفْقَهُ كَثِيرًا مِمَّا تَقُولُ وَإِنَّا لَنَرَاكَ فِينَا ضَعِيفًا. رُوِيَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، وَسَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، وَالثَّوْرِيِّ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا: كَانَ ضَرِيرَ الْبَصَرِ. وَقَدْ رُوِيَ فِي حَدِيثٍ مَرْفُوعٍ أَنَّهُ بَكَى مِنْ حُبِّ اللَّهِ حَتَّى عَمِيَ فَرَدَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ بَصَرَهُ. وَقَالَ: يَا شُعَيْبُ أَتَبْكِي خَوْفًا مِنَ النَّارِ أَوْ مِنْ شَوْقِكَ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ ؟ فَقَالَ: بَلْ مِنْ مَحَبَّتِكَ فَإِذَا نَظَرْتُ إِلَيْكَ فَلَا أُبَالِي مَاذَا يُصْنَعُ بِي. فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ: هَنِيئًا لَكَ يَا شُعَيْبُ لِقَائِي فَلِذَلِكَ أَخَدَمْتُكَ مُوسَى بْنَ عِمْرَانَ كَلِيمِي. وَلَوْلَا رَهْطُكَ لَرَجَمْنَاكَ وَمَا أَنْتَ عَلَيْنَا بِعَزِيزٍ. وَهَذَا مِنْ كُفْرِهِمُ الْبَلِيغِ وَعِنَادِهِمُ الشَّنِيعِ حَيْثُ قَالُوا: مَا نَفْقَهُ كَثِيرًا مِمَّا تَقُولُ. أَيْ مَا نَفْهَمُهُ وَلَا نَتَعَقَّلُهُ لِأَنَّا لَا نُحِبُّهُ وَلَا نُرِيدُهُ، وَلَيْسَ لَنَا هِمَّةٌ إِلَيْهِ وَلَا إِقْبَالٌ عَلَيْهِ، وَهُوَ كَمَا قَالَ كُفَّارُ قُرَيْشٍ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَقَالُوا قُلُوبُنَا فِي أَكِنَّةٍ مِمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ وَفِي آذَانِنَا وَقْرٌ وَمِنْ بَيْنِنَا وَبَيْنِكَ حِجَابٌ فَاعْمَلْ إِنَّنَا عَامِلُونَ [ فُصِّلَتْ: 5 ]. وَقَوْلُهُمْ: وَإِنَّا لَنَرَاكَ فِينَا ضَعِيفًا. أَيْ مُضْطَهَدًا مَهْجُورًا وَلَوْلَا رَهْطُكَ أَيْ: قَبِيلَتُكَ وَعَشِيرَتُكَ فِينَا لَرَجَمْنَاكَ وَمَا أَنْتَ عَلَيْنَا بِعَزِيزٍ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَرَهْطِي أَعَزُّ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ. أَيْ تَخَافُونَ قَبِيلَتِي وَعَشِيرَتِي وَتُرَاعُونِي بِسَبَبِهِمْ، وَلَا تَخَافُونَ جَنَبَةَ اللَّهِ، وَلَا تَرْعَوْنِي لِأَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فَصَارَ رَهْطِي أَعَزَّ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَاتَّخَذْتُمُوهُ وَرَاءَكُمْ ظِهْرِيًّا. أَيْ جَعَلْتُمْ جَانِبَ اللَّهِ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِكُمْ إِنَّ رَبِّي بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ. أَيْ هُوَ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَهُ وَمَا تَصْنَعُونَهُ مُحِيطٌ بِذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ، وَسَيَجْزِيكُمْ عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ تُرْجَعُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَيَا قَوْمِ اعْمَلُوا عَلَى مَكَانَتِكُمْ إِنِّي عَامِلٌ سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌ يُخْزِيهِ وَمَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ وَارْتَقِبُوا إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ رَقِيبٌ. وَهَذَا أَمْرُ تَهْدِيدٍ شَدِيدٍ وَوَعِيدٍ أَكِيدٍ بِأَنْ يَسْتَمِرُّوا عَلَى طَرِيقَتِهِمْ وَمَنْهَجِهِمْ وَشَاكِلَتِهِمْ فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ تَكُونُ لَهُ عَاقِبَةُ الدَّارِ، وَمَنْ يَحِلُّ عَلَيْهِ الْهَلَاكُ وَالْبَوَارُ مَنْ يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌ يُخْزِيهِ. أَيْ فِي هَذِهِ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَحِلُّ عَلَيْهِ عَذَابٌ مُقِيمٌ. أَيْ فِي الْأُخْرَى وَمَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ. أَيْ مِنِّي وَمِنْكُمْ فِيمَا أَخْبَرَ وَبَشَّرَ وَحَذَّرَ وَارْتَقِبُوا إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ رَقِيبٌ. وَهَذَا كَقَوْلِهِ: وَإِنْ كَانَ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْكُمْ آمَنُوا بِالَّذِي أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ وَطَائِفَةٌ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا فَاصْبِرُوا حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللَّهُ بَيْنَنَا وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الْحَاكِمِينَ قَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ لَنُخْرِجَنَّكَ يَا شُعَيْبُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَكَ مِنْ قَرْيَتِنَا أَوْ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِي مِلَّتِنَا قَالَ أَوَلَوْ كُنَّا كَارِهِينَ قَدِ افْتَرَيْنَا عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا إِنْ عُدْنَا فِي مِلَّتِكُمْ بَعْدَ إِذْ نَجَّانَا اللَّهِ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَا أَنْ نَعُودَ فِيهَا إِلا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهِ رَبُّنَا وَسِعَ رَبُّنَا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا رَبُّنَا افْتَحْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْفَاتِحِينَ. طَلَبُوا بِزَعْمِهِمْ أَنْ يَرُدُّوا مَنْ آمَنُ مِنْهُمْ إِلَى مِلَّتِهِمْ فَانْتَصَبَ شُعَيْبٌ لِلْمُحَاجَّةِ عَنْ قَوْمِهِ، فَقَالَ: أَوَلَوْ كُنَّا كَارِهِينَ. أَيْ هَؤُلَاءِ لَا يَعُودُونَ إِلَيْكُمُ اخْتِيَارًا، وَإِنَّمَا يَعُودُونَ إِلَيْهِ إِنْ عَادُوا اضْطِرَارًا مُكْرَهِينَ، وَذَلِكَ لِأَنَّ الْإِيمَانَ إِذَا خَالَطَتْ بَشَاشَتُهُ الْقُلُوبَ لَا يَسْخَطُهُ أَحَدٌ، وَلَا يُرِيدُ أَحَدٌ أَنْ يَزُولَ عَنْهُ، وَلَا مَحِيدَ لِأَحَدٍ مِنْهُ. وَلِهَذَا قَالَ: قَدِ افْتَرَيْنَا عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا إِنْ عُدْنَا فِي مِلَّتِكُمْ بَعْدَ إِذْ نَجَّانَا اللَّهُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَا أَنْ نَعُودَ فِيهَا إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّنَا وَسِعَ رَبُّنَا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا. أَيْ فَهُوَ كَافِينَا وَهُوَ الْعَاصِمُ لَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ مَلْجَؤُنَا فِي جَمِيعِ أَمْرِنَا
Translation
✧ They said, “O Shuʿayb, does your prayer command you that we should abandon what our fathers worshipped, or that we should cease doing what we want with our wealth? Indeed, you are the forbearing, the right-minded!” They say this by way of mockery, belittlement, and derision: “Does this prayer of yours, which you perform, command you to restrict us so that we worship only your God and abandon what our ancient fathers and early forebears worshipped, or that we should not deal except in the manner you approve, and abandon the dealings you reject even if we are satisfied with them? Indeed, you are the forbearing, the right-minded.” Ibn ʿAbbās, Maymūn b. Mihrān, Ibn Jurayj, Zayd b. Aslam, and Ibn Jarīr said: They—the enemies of God—say this by way of mockery. He said, “O my people, have you considered: if I am upon a clear proof from my Lord and He has provided me with a good provision from Him? And I do not intend to differ from you in what I forbid you; I intend only reform as much as I am able. And my success is only through God; upon Him I rely and to Him I turn.” This is gentleness with them in expression and a call for them to the truth by the clearest indication. He says to them: “Have you considered, O deniers, if I am upon a clear proof from my Lord”—that is, upon a clear matter from God Almighty that He has sent me to you—“and He has provided me with a good provision from Him,” meaning prophethood and messengerhood, and its knowledge is concealed from you, then what means do I have with you? This is like what was mentioned earlier from Noah ﷺ, that he said to his people similarly. And His saying: “And I do not intend to differ from you in what I forbid you.” That is, I do not command you with a matter unless I am the first to do it, and when I forbid you from something, I am the first to leave it. This is the praiseworthy, great quality, and its opposite is the rejected, blameworthy one, as the scholars of the Children of Israel in their later times and their ignorant preachers were stained by. God Almighty said: “Do you command people to righteousness and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture? Will you not understand?” [Al-Baqarah: 44]. And we mentioned there in the Ṣaḥīḥ from the Messenger of God ﷺ that he said: “A man will be brought and thrown into the Fire, and the intestines of his belly will spill out”—that is, his entrails will come out of his belly—“and he will go around with them as a donkey goes around a millstone. The people of the Fire will gather around him and say, ‘O so-and-so, what is wrong with you? Did you not used to command good and forbid evil?’ He will say, ‘Yes, I used to command good and not do it, and forbid evil and do it.’” This is the quality of those who oppose the prophets among the wicked and the wretched. As for the noble leaders and the intelligent among the scholars who fear their Lord in the unseen, their state is as God’s prophet Shuʿayb said: “And I do not intend to differ from you in what I forbid you; I intend only reform as much as I am able.” That is, I intend in all my affair only reform in deeds and words with my effort and capacity. “And my success is only through God”—that is, in all my states—“upon Him I rely and to Him I turn.” That is, upon Him I rely in all matters, and to Him is my return and my final end in every affair. This is a station of encouragement. Then he moved to a kind of intimidation and said: “And O my people, let not your dissension with me cause you to be struck by the like of what struck the people of Noah or the people of Hūd or the people of Ṣāliḥ, and the people of Lot are not far from you.” That is, do not let your opposition to me and your hatred of what I have brought to you cause you to persist in your error, ignorance, and opposition, so that God sends upon you punishment and exemplary retribution like what He sent upon your counterparts and likes among the people of Noah, the people of Hūd, and the people of Ṣāliḥ, who were deniers and opponents. And His saying: “And the people of Lot are not far from you.” It is said: its meaning is in time, that is, it is not long ago that news reached you of what God sent upon them for their disbelief and arrogance. It is also said: its meaning is that they are not far from you in place and location. It is also said: in qualities and reprehensible deeds such as cutting off the road and seizing people’s wealth openly and secretly by various tricks and ambiguities. Combining these statements is possible, for they were not far from them in time, place, or qualities. Then he mixed intimidation with encouragement and said: “And seek forgiveness from your Lord, then turn to Him. Indeed, my Lord is Merciful, Loving.” That is, desist from what you are upon and turn to your Lord, the Merciful, the Loving, for whoever turns to Him, He turns to him. Indeed, He is Merciful to His servants, more merciful to them than a mother to her child, and Loving—He is the Beloved—even after repentance of His servant, even from grave destructive sins. They said, “O Shuʿayb, we do not understand much of what you say, and indeed we see you among us as weak.” It is narrated from Ibn ʿAbbās, Saʿīd b. Jubayr, and al-Thawrī that they said: “He was blind.” It has been narrated in a marfūʿ hadith that he wept out of love for God until he became blind, and God restored his sight to him. And He said: “O Shuʿayb, do you weep out of fear of the Fire or out of longing for Paradise?” He said: “Rather, out of love for You, for when I look at You, I do not care what is done with me.” Then God revealed to him: “Rejoice, O Shuʿayb, at meeting Me; for that I have given you Moses son of ʿImrān, My interlocutor, as a servant.” “And were it not for your clan, we would have stoned you, for you are not mighty against us.” This is from their profound disbelief and their heinous obstinacy, where they said: “We do not understand much of what you say.” That is, we do not comprehend it or grasp it, because we do not love it or desire it, and we have no inclination toward it or acceptance of it. It is like what the disbelievers of Quraysh said to the Messenger of God ﷺ: “And they said, ‘Our hearts are veiled from what you call us to, and in our ears is deafness, and between us and you is a screen, so act; indeed, we are acting’” [Fuṣṣilat: 5]. And their saying: “And indeed we see you among us as weak.” That is, oppressed and forsaken. “And were it not for your clan”—that is, your tribe and kinsfolk among us—“we would have stoned you, for you are not mighty against us.” He said, “O my people, is my clan mightier to you than God?” That is, you fear my tribe and kinsfolk and show regard for me because of them, but you do not fear God’s side and do not show regard for me because I am God’s messenger. So my clan has become mightier to you than God. “And you have taken Him behind your backs as a thing cast aside.” That is, you have put God’s side behind your backs. “Indeed, my Lord encompasses what you do.” That is, He is knowing of what you do and what you commit, encompassing all of that, and He will repay you for it on the day you return to Him. “And O my people, act according to your position; indeed, I am acting. Soon you will know who receives a punishment that disgraces him and who is a liar. And watch; indeed, I am with you a watcher.” This is a severe threat and a firm warning that they should persist in their way, their path, and their manner, and soon you will know who will have the final outcome of the abode, and upon whom destruction and ruin will descend. “Who receives a punishment that disgraces him”—that is, in this worldly life—“and upon whom descends a lasting punishment”—that is, in the Hereafter—“and who is a liar”—that is, from me and from you in what he reported, gave glad tidings, and warned. “And watch; indeed, I am with you a watcher.” This is like His saying: “And if a group of you believe in what I have been sent with and a group does not believe, then be patient until God judges between us, and He is the best of judges.” The chiefs who were arrogant from his people said, “We will surely expel you, O Shuʿayb, and those who believe with you from our town, or you must return to our religion.” He said, “Even if we were unwilling? We would have invented against God a lie if we returned to your religion after God has saved us from it. And it is not for us to return to it unless God, our Lord, wills. Our Lord has encompassed all things in knowledge. Upon God we have relied. Our Lord, decide between us and our people in truth, and You are the best of deciders.” They claimed to demand that those among them who believed return to their religion, so Shuʿayb stood up to argue on behalf of his people and said: “Even if we were unwilling?” That is, these will not return to you willingly; they would only return if they returned under compulsion and coercion. That is because when faith’s sweetness mixes with hearts, no one dislikes it, and no one wants to depart from it, and no one can turn away from it. For this reason he said: “We would have invented against God a lie if we returned to your religion after God has saved us from it. And it is not for us to return to it unless God, our Lord, wills. Our Lord has encompassed all things in knowledge. Upon God we have relied.” That is, He is sufficient for us and He is our protector, and to Him is our refuge in all our affair.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.