Tarikh (al-Tabari) 188
Chapter mentioning nations destroyed en masse
قِصَّةُ أَصْحَابِ الرَّسِّ جَاءَ ذِكْرُ أَصْحَابِ الرَّسِّ فِي الْقُرْآنِ الْكَرِيمِ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: وَعَادًا وَثَمُودَ وَأَصْحَابَ الرَّسِّ وَقُرُونًا بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ كَثِيرًا [الْفَرْقَانِ: 38]، وَفِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَأَصْحَابُ الرَّسِّ وَثَمُودُ [ق: 12]. وَقَدِ اخْتَلَفَ الْمُؤَرِّخُونَ فِي أَصْحَابِ الرَّسِّ مَنْ يَكُونُونَ فَمَال بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْأُخْدُودِ، وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ قَرْيَةٍ مِنْ قُرَى ثَمُودَ، وَقِيلَ: بِئْرُ بِأَذْرَبِيجَانَ، وَقِيلَ: بِئْرُ رَسُوًّا فِيهَا نَبِيُّهُمْ أَيْ دَفَنُوهُ فِيهَا، وَقِيلَ: هُمْ أَصْحَابُ يَاسِينَ. وَقَدْ ذَكَرَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ النَّقَّاشُ، أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ الرَّسِّ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ بِئْرٌ تَرْوِيهِمْ، وَتَكْفِي أَرْضَهُمْ جَمِيعَهَا، وَكَانَ لَهُمْ مَلِكٌ عَادِلٌ حَسَنُ السِّيرَةِ، فَلَمَّا مَاتَ وَجَدُوا عَلَيْهِ وَجْدًا عَظِيمًا، فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدَ أَيَّامٍ تَصَوَّرَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ فِي صُورَتِهِ، وَقَالَ: إِنِّي لَمْ أَمُتْ، وَلَكِنْ تَغَيَّبْتُ عَنْكُمْ حَتَّى أَرَى صَنِيعَكُمْ. فَفَرِحُوا أَشَدَّ الْفَرَحِ، وَأَمَرَ بِضَرْبِ حِجَابٍ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَهُ، وَأَخْبَرَهُمْ أَنَّهُ لَا يَمُوتُ أَبَدًا، فَصَدَّقَ بِهِ أَكْثَرُهُمْ، وَافْتَتَنُوا بِهِ، وَعَبَدُوهُ، فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ نَبِيًّا، وَأَخْبَرَهُمْ أَنَّ هَذَا شَيْطَانٌ يُخَاطِبُهُمْ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْحِجَابِ، وَنَهَاهُمْ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِعِبَادَةِ اللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ. قَالَ السُّهَيْلِيُّ: وَكَانَ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فِي النَّوْمِ، وَكَانَ اسْمُهُ حَنْظَلَةَ بْنَ صَفْوَانَ، فَعَدَوْا عَلَيْهِ فَقَتَلُوهُ، وَأَلْقَوْهُ فِي الْبِئْرِ، فَغَارَ مَاؤُهَا، وَعَطِشُوا بَعْدَ رَيِّهِمْ وَيَبِسَتْ أَشْجَارُهُمْ، وَانْقَطَعَتْ ثِمَارُهُمْ، وَخَرِبَتْ دِيَارُهُمْ، وَتَبَدَّلُوا بَعْدَ الْأُنْسِ بِالْوَحْشَةِ، وَبَعْدَ الِاجْتِمَاعِ بِالْفُرْقَةِ، وَهَلَكُوا عَنْ آخِرِهِمْ، وَسَكَنَ فِي مَسَاكِنِهِمُ الْجِنُّ وَالْوُحُوشُ، فَلَا يُسْمَعُ بِبِقَاعِهِمْ إِلَّا عَزِيفُ الْجِنِّ، وَزَئِيرُ الْأُسْدِ، وَصَوْتُ الضِّبَاعِ. أَصْحَابُ يَاسِينَ جَاءَ ذِكْرُ قَوْمِ يَاسِينَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ فِي سُورَةِ يس فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: وَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ مَثَلا أَصْحَابَ الْقَرْيَةِ إِذْ جَاءَهَا الْمُرْسَلُونَ إِذْ أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمُ اثْنَيْنِ فَكَذَّبُوهُمَا فَعَزَّزْنَا بِثَالِثٍ فَقَالُوا إِنَّا إِلَيْكُمْ مُرْسَلُونَ قَالُوا مَا أَنْتُمْ إِلا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُنَا وَمَا أَنْزَلَ الرَّحْمَنُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إِنْ أَنْتُمْ إِلا تَكْذِبُونَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا يَعْلَمُ إِنَّا إِلَيْكُمْ لَمُرْسَلُونَ وَمَا عَلَيْنَا إِلا الْبَلاغُ الْمُبِينُ قَالُوا إِنَّا تَطَيَّرْنَا بِكُمْ لَئِنْ لَمْ تَنْتَهُوا لَنَرْجُمَنَّكُمْ وَلَيَمَسَّنَّكُمْ مِنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ قَالُوا طَائِرُكُمْ مَعَكُمْ أَإِنْ ذُكِّرْتُمْ بَلْ أَنْتُمْ قَوْمٌ مُسْرِفُونَ وَجَاءَ مِنْ أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ رَجُلٌ يَسْعَى قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اتَّبِعُوا الْمُرْسَلِينَ اتَّبِعُوا مَنْ لا يَسْأَلُكُمْ أَجْرًا وَهُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ وَمَا لِيَ لا أَعْبُدُ الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ أَأَتَّخِذُ مِنْ دُونِهِ آلِهَةً إِنْ يُرِدْنِ الرَّحْمَنُ بِضُرٍّ لا تُغْنِ عَنِّي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا وَلا يُنْقِذُونِ إِنِّي إِذًا لَفِي ضَلالٍ مُبِينٍ إِنِّي آمَنْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَاسْمَعُونِ قِيلَ ادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ يَا لَيْتَ قَوْمِي يَعْلَمُونَ بِمَا غَفَرَ لِي رَبِّي وَجَعَلَنِي مِنَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْمَسِيحَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَرْسَلَ اثْنَيْنِ مِنْ حَوَارِيِّهِ إِلَى هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ، -يُقَالُ هِيَ أَنْطَاكِيَةُ-، فَكَذَّبَهُمَا أَهْلُهَا فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ شَمْعُونُ أَحَدُ كِبَارِ الْحَوَارِيِّينَ، وَقَدِ اخْتَلَفَتْ الرِّوَايَةُ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ قَالَ إِنَّهُ دَخَلَ مُتَخَفِّيًا وَاخْتَلَطَ بِأَهْلِ الْقَرْيَةِ وَحَاشِيَةِ الْمَلِكِ حَتَّى أَدْنَاهُ الْمَلِكُ وَأَصْبَحَ مِنْ خَوَاصِّهِ فَدَعَاهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَإِلَى أَنْ يَسْمَعَ مِنَ الْحَوَارِيِّينَ الَّذِينَ أَرْسَلَهُمَا الْمَسِيحُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَسَمِعَ وَرَأَى مِنَ الْآيَاتِ الْبَاهِرَاتِ مِنْ شِفَاءِ الْمَرْضَى وَإِحْيَاءِ، فَأَسْلَمَ وَآمَنَ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ مَعَهُ، وَثَمَّةَ رِوَايَةٌ أُخْرَى تَقُولُ: بِأَنَّ الْمَلِكَ لَمْ يُسْلِمْ بَلْ قَتَلَ الرُّسُلَ وَذَلِكَ حِينَمَا دَعَوْهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ، وَقَدْ وَافَقَ ذَلِكَ بِأَنْ مُنِعُوا الْمَطَرَ فَتَشَاءَمَ الْقَوْمُ وَهَمُّوا بِهِمْ فَجَاءَ مِنْ أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ رَجُلٌ يَسْعَى كَانَ قَدْ آمَنَ بِهِمْ لِمَا رَأَى مِنَ الْآيَاتِ الْبَاهِرَاتِ مِنْ شِفَاءِ الْمَرْضَى وَالْخَيْرِ وَالْبَرَكَةِ، وَيُقَالُ: إِنَّ اسْمَهُ حَبِيبٌ النَّجَّارُ، فَدَعَّى النَّاسَ إِلَى الْإِيمَانِ بِالرُّسُلِ فَقَتَلُوهُ، فَأَدْخَلَهُ اللَّهُ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَالَ: يَا لَيْتَ قَوْمِي يَعْلَمُونَ بِمَا غَفَرَ لِي رَبِّي وَجَعَلَنِي مِنَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ
Translation
✧ The Story of the People of al-Rass The People of al-Rass are mentioned in the Noble Qur'an in the words of the Most High: "And ʿĀd and Thamūd and the People of al-Rass and many generations between them" [al-Furqān: 38], and in the words of the Most High: "The people of Nūḥ denied before them, and the People of al-Rass, and Thamūd" [Qāf: 12]. The historians have differed concerning who the People of al-Rass were. Some inclined to the view that they were the People of the Ukhdūd, while others said that they were the people of a village among the villages of Thamūd. It was also said: a well in Adharbayjān, and it was said: a well into which they lowered their prophet, meaning they buried him in it. And it was said: they are the People of Yāsīn. Abū Bakr Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan al-Naqqāsh mentioned that the People of al-Rass had a well that watered them and sufficed all their land. They had a just king of good conduct. When he died, they grieved for him greatly. Then after some days, Satan took his form for them and said: "I did not die, but I hid myself from you to see how you would act." They rejoiced immensely, and he ordered a veil to be struck between them and him, and he informed them that he would never die. Most of them believed in him and were tempted by him and worshipped him. Then Allah sent a prophet among them and informed them that this was a devil speaking to them from behind the veil, and he forbade them from worshipping him and commanded them to worship Allah alone with no partner. Al-Suhaylī said: Revelation came to him in sleep, and his name was Ḥanẓalah b. Ṣafwān. They transgressed against him and killed him and cast him into the well. Its water sank away, and they thirsted after being watered, their trees dried up, their fruits ceased, their homes fell into ruin, and they exchanged intimacy for desolation and togetherness for separation, and they perished to the last one. Jinn and wild beasts dwelt in their dwellings, so nothing is heard in their regions but the humming of jinn, the roaring of lions, and the cry of hyenas. The People of Yāsīn The mention of the people of Yāsīn comes in the Qur'an in Sūrat Yā Sīn in the words of the Most High: "And strike for them a parable: the People of the Town when the messengers came to it. When We sent to them two, and they denied them, so We strengthened with a third, and they said: 'We are messengers to you.' They said: 'You are only human beings like us, and the Merciful has sent down nothing. You are only lying.' They said: 'Our Lord knows that we are messengers to you, and upon us is only the clear delivery.' They said: 'We augur ill from you. If you do not desist, we will stone you, and a painful punishment from us will touch you.' They said: 'Your augury is with you. Is it because you are reminded? Rather, you are a people given to excess.' And from the farthest end of the city there came a man running. He said: 'O my people, follow the messengers. Follow those who ask no reward of you and who are guided. And why should I not worship Him who created me and to whom you will be returned? Should I take gods besides Him? If the Merciful intends harm for me, their intercession will avail me nothing, nor will they save me. Indeed, I would then be in manifest error. I have believed in your Lord, so hear me.' It was said: 'Enter the Garden.' He said: 'Would that my people knew how my Lord has forgiven me and made me one of the honoured.'" That is because the Messiah ﷺ sent two of his disciples to this town—it is said it was Anṭākiyah—and its people denied them, so Shamʿūn, one of the senior disciples, was sent to them. The reports have differed: some said that he entered in disguise and mixed with the people of the town and the king's entourage until the king drew him near and he became one of his close companions. He called the king to Allah and to listen to the two disciples whom the Messiah ﷺ had sent. He listened and witnessed dazzling signs of healing the sick and reviving, and he submitted, and a group of his people believed with him. Another report says that the king did not submit but rather killed the messengers when they called him to Allah, glory be to Him. This coincided with rain being withheld from them, so the people took it as an evil omen and resolved against them. Then from the farthest end of the city there came a man running who had believed in them because of the dazzling signs he saw of healing the sick, goodness, and blessing. It is said his name was Ḥabīb the Carpenter. He called the people to faith in the messengers, but they killed him, and Allah admitted him to the Garden, and he said: "Would that my people knew how my Lord has forgiven me and made me one of the honoured."
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.