Tarikh (al-Tabari) 206
The story of Moses the one who spoke with Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
فلما رأى السَّحَرَةُ مَا هَالَهُمْ وَحَيَّرَهُمْ فِي أَمْرِهِمْ، وَاطَّلَعُوا عَلَى أَمْرٍ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي خَلَدِهِمْ وَلَا بَالِهِمْ، وَلَا يَدْخُلُ تَحْتَ صِنَاعَاتِهِمْ وَأَشْغَالِهِمْ، فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ وَهُنَالِكَ تَحَقَّقُوا بِمَا عِنْدَهُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ أَنَّ هَذَا لَيْسَ بِسِحْرٍ، وَلَا شَعْبَذَةٍ، وَلَا مِحَالٍ وَلَا خَيَالٍ وَلَا زُورٍ وَلَا بُهْتَانٍ وَلَا ضَلَالٍ، بَلْ حَقٌّ لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا الْحَقُّ الَّذِي ابْتَعَثَ هَذَا الْمُؤَيَّدَ بِهِ بِالْحَقِّ، وَكَشَفَ اللَّهُ عَنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ غِشَاوَةَ الْغَفْلَةِ، وَأَنَارَهَا بِمَا خَلَقَ فِيهَا مِنَ الْهُدَى وَأَزَاحَ عَنْهَا الْقَسْوَةَ، وَأَنَابُوا إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ، وَخَرُّوا لَهُ سَاجِدِينَ، وَقَالُوا جَهْرَةً لِلْحَاضِرِينَ، وَلَمْ يَخْشَوْا عُقُوبَةً وَلَا بَلْوَى: آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ. فَوَاعَدَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ بِالْقَتْلِ، فَقَالُوا: فَاقْضِ مَا أَنْتَ قَاضٍ [20: 72]. فَرَجَعَ مَغْلُوبًا، وَأَبَى إِلَّا التَّمَادِيَ فِي الْكُفْرِ. كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: فَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سُجَّدًا قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَارُونَ وَمُوسَى قَالَ آمَنْتُمْ لَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ آذَنَ لَكُمْ إِنَّهُ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ الَّذِي عَلَّمَكُمُ السِّحْرَ فَلَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ مِنْ خِلَافٍ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ فِي جُذُوعِ النَّخْلِ وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ أَيُّنَا أَشَدُّ عَذَابًا وَأَبْقَى قَالُوا لَنْ نُؤْثِرَكَ عَلَى مَا جَاءَنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالَّذِي فَطَرَنَا فَاقْضِ مَا أَنْتَ قَاضٍ إِنَّمَا تَقْضِي هَذِهِ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا إِنَّا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّنَا لِيَغْفِرَ لَنَا خَطَايَانَا وَمَا أَكْرَهْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ السِّحْرِ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى إِنَّهُ مَنْ يَأْتِ رَبَّهُ مُجْرِمًا فَإِنَّ لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَى وَمَنْ يَأْتِهِ مُؤْمِنًا قَدْ عَمِلَ الصَّالِحَاتِ فَأُولَئِكَ لَهُمُ الدَّرَجَاتُ الْعُلَى جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَذَلِكَ جَزَاءُ مَنْ تَزَكَّى قَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ، وَعِكْرِمَةُ، وَالْقَاسِمُ بْنُ أَبِي بَزَّةَ وَالْأَوْزَاعِيُّ، وَغَيْرُهُمْ: لَمَّا سَجَدَ السَّحَرَةُ، رَأَوْا مَنَازِلَهُمْ وَقُصُورَهُمْ فِي الْجَنَّةِ تُهَيَّأُ لَهُمْ، وَتُزَخْرَفُ لِقُدُومِهِمْ، وَلِهَذَا لَمْ يَلْتَفِتُوا إِلَى تَهْوِيلِ فِرْعَوْنَ، وَتَهْدِيدِهِ وَوَعِيدِهِ. وَذَلِكَ لِأَنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ لَمَّا رَأَى هَؤُلَاءِ السَّحَرَةَ قَدْ أَسْلَمُوا وَأَشْهَرُوا ذِكْرَ مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ فِي النَّاسِ عَلَى هَذِهِ الصِّفَةِ الْجَمِيلَةِ، أَفْزَعَهُ ذَلِكَ، وَرَأَى أَمْرًا بَهَرَهُ، وَأَعْمَى بَصِيرَتَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ، وَكَانَ فِيهِ كَيْدٌ وَمَكْرٌ وَخِدَاعٌ، وَصَنْعَةٌ بَلِيغَةٌ فِي الصَّدِّ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ، فَقَالَ مُخَاطِبًا لِلسَّحَرَةِ بِحَضْرَةِ النَّاسِ: آمَنْتُمْ لَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ آذَنَ لَكُمْ أَيْ; هَلَّا شَاوَرْتُمُونِي فِيمَا صَنَعْتُمْ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ الْفَظِيعِ بِحَضْرَةِ رَعِيَّتِي. ثُمَّ تَهَدَّدَ وَتَوَعَّدَ، وَأَبْرَقَ وَأَرْعَدَ، وَكَذَبَ فَأَبْعَدَ، قَائِلًا: إِنَّهُ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ الَّذِي عَلَّمَكُمُ السِّحْرَ وَقَالَ فِي الْآيَةِ الْأُخْرَى: إِنَّ هَذَا لَمَكْرٌ مَكَرْتُمُوهُ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ لِتُخْرِجُوا مِنْهَا أَهْلَهَا فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ [ الْأَعْرَافِ: 123 ]. وَهَذَا الَّذِي قَالَهُ مِنَ الْبُهْتَانِ الَّذِي يَعْلَمُ كُلُّ فَرْدٍ عَاقِلٍ مَا فِيهِ مِنَ الْكُفْرِ وَالْكَذِبِ وَالْهَذَيَانِ، بَلْ لَا يَرُوجُ مَثَلَهُ عَلَى الصِّبْيَانِ فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ كُلَّهُمْ، مِنْ أَهْلِ دَوْلَتِهِ وَغَيْرِهِمْ، يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ مُوسَى لَمْ يَرَهُ هَؤُلَاءِ يَوْمًا مِنَ الدَّهْرِ، فَكَيْفَ يَكُونُ كَبِيرَهُمُ الَّذِي عَلَّمَهُمُ السِّحْرَ؟! ثُمَّ هُوَ لَمْ يَجْمَعْهُمْ وَلَا عِلْمَ بِاجْتِمَاعِهِمْ، حَتَّى كَانَ فِرْعَوْنُ هُوَ الَّذِي اسْتَدْعَاهُمْ وَاجْتَبَاهُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ وَوَادٍ سَحِيقٍ، وَمِنْ حَوَاضِرِ بِلَادِ مِصْرَ وَالْأَطْرَافِ، وَمِنَ الْمُدُنِ وَالْأَرْيَافِ. وَالْمَقْصُودُ أَنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ كَذَّبَ وَافْتَرَى، وَكَفَرَ غَايَةَ الْكُفْرِ فِي قَوْلِهِ: إِنَّهُ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ الَّذِي عَلَّمَكُمُ السِّحْرَ وَأَتَى بِبُهْتَانٍ يَعْلَمُهُ الْعَالِمُونَ، بَلِ الْعَالَمُونَ فِي قَوْلِهِ: إِنَّ هَذَا لَمَكْرٌ مَكَرْتُمُوهُ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ لِتُخْرِجُوا مِنْهَا أَهْلَهَا فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ وَقَوْلُهُ: لَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ مِنْ خِلَافٍ يَعْنِي: يَقْطَعُ الْيَدَ الْيُمْنَى وَالرِّجْلَ الْيُسْرَى وَعَكْسَهُ، وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ أَيْ; لَيَجْعَلُهُمْ مَثُلَةً وَنَكَالًا; لِئَلَّا يَقْتَدِيَ بِهِمْ أَحَدٌ مِنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ وَأَهْلِ مِلَّتِهِ، وَلِهَذَا قَالَ: وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ فِي جُذُوعِ النَّخْلِ أَيْ; عَلَى جُذُوعِ النَّخْلِ; لِأَنَّهَا أَعْلَى وَأَشْهَرُ وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ أَيُّنَا أَشَدُّ عَذَابًا وَأَبْقَى يَعْنِي: فِي الدُّنْيَا قَالُوا لَنْ نُؤْثِرَكَ عَلَى مَا جَاءَنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ أَيْ; لَنْ نُطِيعَكَ وَنَتْرُكَ مَا وَقَرَ فِي قُلُوبِنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ، وَالدَّلَائِلِ الْقَاطِعَاتِ، وَالَّذِي فَطَرَنَا قِيلَ: مَعْطُوفٌ. وَقِيلَ: قَسَمٌ فَاقْضِ مَا أَنْتَ قَاضٍ أَيْ; فَافْعَلْ مَا قَدَرْتَ عَلَيْهِ إِنَّمَا تَقْضِي هَذِهِ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا أَيْ; إِنَّمَا حُكْمُكَ عَلَيْنَا فِي هَذِهِ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا، فَإِذَا انْتَقَلْنَا مِنْهَا إِلَى الدَّارِ الْآخِرَةِ، صِرْنَا إِلَى حُكْمِ الَّذِي أَسْلَمْنَا لَهُ وَاتَّبَعْنَا رُسُلَهُ إِنَّا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّنَا لِيَغْفِرَ لَنَا خَطَايَانَا وَمَا أَكْرَهْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ السِّحْرِ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى [ طه: 73 ]. أَيْ; وَثَوَابُهُ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا وَعَدَتْنَا بِهِ مِنَ التَّقْرِيبِ وَالتَّرْغِيبِ، وَأَبْقَى أَيْ; وَأَدْوَمُ مِنْ هَذِهِ الدَّارِ الْفَانِيَةِ. وَفِي الْآيَةِ الْأُخْرَى: قَالُوا لَا ضَيْرَ إِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا مُنْقَلِبُونَ إِنَّا نَطْمَعُ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ لَنَا رَبُّنَا خَطَايَانَا أَيْ; مَا اجْتَرَمْنَاهُ مِنَ الْمَآثِمِ وَالْمَحَارِمِ أَنْ كُنَّا أَوَّلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَيْ; مِنَ الْقِبْطِ، بِمُوسَى وَهَارُونَ، عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ. وَقَالُوا لَهُ أَيْضًا: وَمَا تَنْقِمُ مِنَّا إِلَّا أَنْ آمَنَّا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّنَا لَمَّا جَاءَتْنَا أَيْ لَيْسَ لَنَا عِنْدَكَ ذَنْبٌ إِلَّا إِيمَانُنَا بِمَا جَاءَنَا بِهِ رَسُولُنَا، وَاتِّبَاعُنَا آيَاتِ رَبِّنَا لَمَّا جَاءَتْنَا، رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا أَيْ; ثَبِّتْنَا عَلَى مَا ابْتُلِينَا بِهِ مِنْ عُقُوبَةِ هَذَا الْجَبَّارِ الْعَنِيدِ، وَالسُّلْطَانِ الشَّدِيدِ، بَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ الْمَرِيدِ، وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ وَقَالُوا أَيْضًا يَعِظُونَهُ وَيُخَوِّفُونَهُ بِأْسَ رَبِّهِ الْعَظِيمِ: إِنَّهُ مَنْ يَأْتِ رَبَّهُ مُجْرِمًا فَإِنَّ لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَا يَقُولُونَ لَهُ: فَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنْهُمْ فَكَانَ مِنْهُمْ. وَمَنْ يَأْتِهِ مُؤْمِنًا قَدْ عَمِلَ الصَّالِحَاتِ فَأُولَئِكَ لَهُمُ الدَّرَجَاتُ الْعُلَا أَيِ; الْمَنَازِلُ الْعَالِيَةُ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَذَلِكَ جَزَاءُ مَنْ تَزَكَّى فَاحْرِصْ أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنْهُمْ. فَحَالَتْ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ ذَلِكَ الْأَقْدَارُ الَّتِي لَا تُغَالَبُ، وَلَا تُمَانَعُ وَحُكْمُ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ بِأَنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ، لَعَنَهُ اللَّهُ، مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَحِيمِ، لِيُبَاشِرَ الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ، يَصُبُّ مِنْ فَوْقِ رَأْسِهِ الْحَمِيمُ. وَيُقَالُ لَهُ، عَلَى وَجْهِ التَّقْرِيعِ وَالتَّوْبِيخِ، وَهُوَ الْمَقْبُوحُ الْمَنْبُوحُ، الذَّمِيمُ اللَّئِيمُ: ذُقْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْكَرِيمُ. [ الدُّخَانِ: 49 ]. وَالظَّاهِرُ مِنْ هَذِهِ السِّيَاقَاتِ أَنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ، لَعَنَهُ اللَّهُ، صَلَبَهُمْ وَعَذَّبَهُمْ، ؓ. قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، وَعُبَيْدُ بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ: كَانُوا مِنْ أَوَّلِ النَّهَارِ سَحَرَةً، فَصَارُوا مِنْ آخِرِهِ شُهَدَاءَ بَرَرَةً. وَيُؤَيِّدُ هَذَا قَوْلُهُمْ: رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ.
Translation
✧ When the sorcerers saw what terrified and bewildered them in their affair, and they beheld a matter that had not been in their minds or thoughts, nor fell under their crafts and occupations, then they realized, through the knowledge they possessed, that this was not sorcery, nor sleight of hand, nor deceit, nor illusion, nor falsehood, nor calumny, nor error, but rather a truth that none could accomplish except the Truth, who sent this one supported by Him with truth. And Allah removed from their hearts the veil of heedlessness, and enlightened them with the guidance He created in them, and removed hardness from them, and they turned to their Lord, and fell down prostrating to Him, and said openly in the presence of those attending, without fearing punishment or trial: "We believe in the Lord of Moses and Aaron." Then Pharaoh threatened them with death, but they said: "Then decree what you will decree" [20:72]. So he returned defeated, yet refused anything but persisting in disbelief. As Allah Almighty said: "And the sorcerers were cast down prostrate. They said, 'We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses.' He said, 'Do you believe in him before I give you permission? Indeed, he is your chief who taught you magic. I will surely cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and I will surely crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will surely know which of us is more severe in punishment and more lasting.' They said, 'We will never prefer you over what has come to us of clear proofs, and over He who created us. So decree whatever you are to decree. You only decree for this worldly life. Indeed, we have believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and that magic to which you compelled us. And Allah is better and more lasting. Indeed, whoever comes to his Lord as a criminal, then for him is Hell; he will neither die therein nor live. But whoever comes to Him as a believer having done righteous deeds, for them are the highest degrees—Gardens of Eden, beneath which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein. And that is the reward of one who purifies himself.'" Saʿīd b. Jubayr, ʿIkrimah, al-Qāsim b. Abī Bazzah, al-Awzāʿī, and others said: When the sorcerers prostrated, they saw their dwellings and palaces in Paradise being prepared and adorned for their arrival. For this reason they paid no heed to Pharaoh's intimidation, threats, and warnings. That is because when Pharaoh saw that these sorcerers had submitted and publicly proclaimed the mention of Moses and Aaron among the people in this beautiful manner, that frightened him, and he saw a matter that dazzled him and blinded his insight and sight. He had cunning, scheming, deception, and a persuasive craft in blocking the path of Allah. So he said, addressing the sorcerers in the presence of the people: "Do you believe in him before I give you permission?"—that is, 'Why did you not consult me about this terrible deed you committed in the presence of my subjects?' Then he threatened and warned, flashed lightning and thundered, lied and went far astray, saying: "Indeed, he is your chief who taught you magic." And in another verse he said: "Indeed, this is a plot you have plotted in the city to drive out its people. But you will soon know" [7:123]. This he said was slander of which every rational individual knows the disbelief, lying, and delirium it contains. Indeed, such a thing would not even deceive children, for all people, from his own state and others, know that Moses had never been seen by them on any single day of time. How then could he be their chief who taught them magic? Moreover, he had not gathered them nor had any knowledge of their gathering, until Pharaoh himself summoned them and collected them from every deep road and distant valley, and from the cities of Egypt and the outlying regions, and from the towns and rural areas. The point is that Pharaoh lied and fabricated, and disbelieved with the utmost disbelief in his saying: "Indeed, he is your chief who taught you magic," and he uttered a slander known to all men. Indeed, all men know his saying: "Indeed, this is a plot you have plotted in the city to drive out its people. But you will soon know," and his saying: "I will surely cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides," meaning he would cut off the right hand and the left foot, or the reverse, "and I will surely crucify you all," meaning he would make them an example and a punishment, so that no one among his subjects or people of his religion would follow them. For this reason he said: "and I will surely crucify you on the trunks of palm trees," that is, upon the trunks of palm trees, because they are higher and more visible. "And you will surely know which of us is more severe in punishment and more lasting," meaning in this world. They said: "We will never prefer you over what has come to us of clear proofs," meaning, 'We will never obey you and abandon what has settled in our hearts of clear proofs and decisive evidences.' "And [over] He who created us"—it is said to be connected [by conjunction]; and it is said to be an oath. "So decree whatever you are to decree," meaning, 'Do whatever you are able.' "You only decree for this worldly life," meaning, 'Your judgment over us is only in this worldly life. When we depart from it to the Hereafter, we will come under the judgment of the One to whom we have submitted and whose messengers we have followed.' "Indeed, we have believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and that magic to which you compelled us. And Allah is better and more lasting" [20:73], meaning, 'His reward is better than what you promised us of nearness and encouragement, and more lasting,' meaning, 'and more enduring than this perishable abode.' In another verse: "They said, 'No harm. Indeed, to our Lord we will return. Indeed, we hope that our Lord will forgive us our sins because we were the first of the believers'" [26:50-51], meaning, 'the sins and forbidden things we committed, because we were the first of the believers,' meaning, 'from among the Copts, in Moses and Aaron, peace be upon them.' They also said to him: "And you do not resent us except that we believed in the signs of our Lord when they came to us" [7:126], meaning, 'We have no fault in your view except our belief in what our messenger brought us, and our following the signs of our Lord when they came to us. Our Lord, pour upon us patience,' meaning, 'Make us steadfast in what we have been tested with of the punishment of this obstinate tyrant, the severe sovereign—rather, the rebellious devil—and cause us to die as Muslims.' They also said, admonishing him and warning him of the might of his great Lord: "Indeed, whoever comes to his Lord as a criminal, then for him is Hell; he will neither die therein nor live," saying to him: 'Beware lest you be among them,' yet he was among them. "But whoever comes to Him as a believer having done righteous deeds, for them are the highest degrees," that is, the elevated stations, "Gardens of Eden, beneath which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein. And that is the reward of one who purifies himself," so strive to be among them. But between him and that stood the decrees that cannot be overcome or resisted, and the judgment of the Most High, the Almighty, that Pharaoh, may Allah curse him, was among the people of Hellfire, to directly taste the painful chastisement, with scalding water poured from above his head, and it will be said to him, by way of rebuke and reproach, while he is the ugly, reviled, blameworthy, base one: "Taste! Indeed, you are the mighty, the noble!" [44:49]. The apparent meaning of these contexts is that Pharaoh, may Allah curse him, crucified them and tortured them, ؓ. ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbbās and ʿUbayd b. ʿUmayr said: They were sorcerers at the beginning of the day, and by its end they were righteous martyrs. This is supported by their saying: "Our Lord, pour upon us patience and cause us to die as Muslims."
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