Tarikh (al-Tabari) 220
The story of Moses the one who spoke with Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
[ذَهَابُ السَّبْعِينَ إِلَى الطُّورِ يَعْتَذِرُونَ مِنْ عِبَادَةِ الْعِجْلِ] ثُمَّ إِنَّ مُوسَى اخْتَارَ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَخْيَارِهِمْ، وَقَالَ لَهُمُ: انْطَلِقُوا مَعِي إِلَى اللَّهِ فَتُوبُوا مِمَّا صَنَعْتُمْ، وَخَرَجَ بِهِمْ إِلَى طُورِ سِينَا لِلْمِيقَاتِ الَّذِي وَقَّتَهُ اللَّهُ لَهُ وذَكَرَ السُّدِّيُّ، وَابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، وَغَيْرُهُمَا، أَنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ السَّبْعِينَ كَانُوا عُلَمَاءَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَمَعَهُمْ مُوسَى، وَهَارُونُ، وَيُوشَعُ، وَنَادَابُ، وَأَبِيهُو، ذَهَبُوا مَعَ مُوسَى، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، لِيَعْتَذِرُوا عَنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي عِبَادَةِ مَنْ عَبَدَ مِنْهُمُ الْعِجْلَ، وَكَانُوا قَدْ أُمِرُوا أَنْ يَتَطَيَّبُوا وَيَتَطَهَّرُوا وَيَغْتَسِلُوا، فَلَمَّا ذَهَبُوا مَعَهُ، وَاقْتَرَبُوا مِنَ الْجَبَلِ، وَعَلَيْهِ الْغَمَامُ، وَعَمُودُ النُّورِ سَاطِعٌ، وَصَعِدَ مُوسَى الْجَبَلَ، فَذَكَرَ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنَّهُمْ سَمِعُوا كَلَامَ اللَّهِ، وَهَذَا قَدْ وَافَقَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ طَائِفَةٌ مِنَ الْمُفَسِّرِينَ، وَحَمَلُوا عَلَيْهِ قَوْلَهُ تَعَالَى: وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ [ الْبَقَرَةِ: 57 ]. وَلَيْسَ هَذَا بِلَازِمٍ; لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ أَيْ; مُبَلَّغًا، وَهَكَذَا هَؤُلَاءِ سَمِعُوهُ مُبَلَّغًا مِنْ مُوسَى، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ. وَزَعَمُوا أَيْضًا أَنَّ السَّبْعِينَ رَأَوُا اللَّهَ، وَهَذَا غَلَطٌ مِنْهُمْ; لِأَنَّهُمْ لَمَّا سَأَلُوا الرُّؤْيَةَ أَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ; كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَا مُوسَى لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّى نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْكُمُ الصَّاعِقَةُ وَأَنْتُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَاكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوْتِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ [ الْبَقَرَةِ: 55، 56 ]. قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ: اخْتَارَ مُوسَى مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًا، الْخَيِّرَ فَالْخَيِّرَ وَقَالَ: انْطَلَقُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ، فَتُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ مِمَّا صَنَعْتُمْ، وَسَلُوهُ التَّوْبَةَ عَلَى مَنْ تَرَكْتُمْ وَرَاءَكُمْ مِنْ قَوْمِكُمْ، صُومُوا وَتَطَهَّرُوا، وَطَهِّرُوا ثِيَابَكُمْ. فَخَرَجَ بِهِمْ إِلَى طُورِ سَيْنَاءَ لِمِيقَاتٍ وَقَّتَهُ لَهُ رَبَّهُ، وَكَانَ لَا يَأْتِيهِ إِلَّا بِإِذْنٍ مِنْهُ وَعِلْمٍ، فَطَلَبَ مِنْهُ السَّبْعُونَ أَنْ يَسْمَعُوا كَلَامَ اللَّهِ، فَقَالَ: أَفْعَلُ. فَلَمَّا دَنَا مُوسَى مِنَ الْجَبَلِ وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِ عَمُودُ الْغَمَامِ حَتَّى تَغَشَّى الْجَبَلَ كُلَّهُ، وَدَنَا مُوسَى فَدَخَلَ فِي الْغَمَامِ، وَقَالَ لِلْقَوْمِ: ادْنُوا. وَكَانَ مُوسَى إِذَا كَلَّمَهُ اللَّهُ وَقَعَ عَلَى جَبْهَتِهِ نُورٌ سَاطِعٌ، لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَحَدٌ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ أَنْ يَنْظُرَ إِلَيْهِ، فَضَرَبَ دُونَهُ بِالْحِجَابِ، وَدَنَا الْقَوْمُ، حَتَّى إِذَا دَخَلُوا فِي الْغَمَامِ، وَقَعُوا سُجُودًا، فَسَمِعُوهُ وَهُوَ يُكَلِّمُ مُوسَى، يَأْمُرُ وَيَنْهَاهُ; افْعَلْ. وَلَا تَفْعَلْ. فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ اللَّهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ، وَانْكَشَفَ عَنْ مُوسَى الْغَمَامَ أَقْبَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ قَالُوا لِمُوسَى: لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّى نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ - وَهِيَ الصَّاعِقَةُ - فَافْتَلَتَتْ أَرْوَاحُهُمْ، فَمَاتُوا جَمِيعًا فَقَامَ مُوسَى يُنَاشِدُ رَبَّهُ، وَيَدْعُوهُ، وَيَرْغَبُ إِلَيْهِ، وَيَقُولُ: رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَإِيَّايَ أَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَّا أَيْ; لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَاءُ الَّذِينَ عَبَدُوا الْعِجْلَ مِنَّا، فَإِنَّا بُرَآءُ مِمَّا عَمِلُوا. وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، وَمُجَاهِدٌ، وَقَتَادَةُ، وَابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ: إِنَّمَا أَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ لِأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَنْهَوْا قَوْمَهُمْ عَنْ عِبَادَةِ الْعِجْلِ. وَقَوْلُهُ: إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا فِتْنَتُكَ أَيِ; اخْتِبَارُكَ، وَابْتِلَاؤُكَ، وَامْتِحَانُكَ. قَالَهُ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، وَسَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ، وَأَبُو الْعَالِيَةِ، وَالرَّبِيعُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ، وَغَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ عُلَمَاءِ السَّلَفِ وَالْخَلْفِ. يَعْنِي: أَنْتَ الَّذِي قَدَّرْتَ هَذَا، وَخَلَقْتَ مَا كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِ الْعِجْلِ، اخْتِبَارًا تَخْتَبِرُهُمْ بِهِ، كَمَا قَالَ لَهُمْ هَارُونُ مِنْ قَبْلُ: يَا قَوْمِ إِنَّمَا فُتِنْتُمْ بِهِ أَيِ ; اخْتُبِرْتُمْ بِهِ، وَلِهَذَا قَالَ: تُضِلُّ بِهَا مَنْ تَشَاءُ وَتَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ أَيْ ; مَنْ شِئْتَ أَضْلَلْتَهُ بِاخْتِبَارِكَ إِيَّاهُ، وَمَنْ شِئْتَ هَدَيْتَهُ، لَكَ الْحُكْمُ وَالْمَشِيئَةُ، فَلَا مَانِعَ وَلَا رَادَّ لِمَا حَكَمْتَ وَقَضَيْتَ. أَنْتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْغَافِرِينَ. وَاكْتُبْ لَنَا فِي هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَا إِلَيْكَ أَيْ; تُبْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَرَجَعْنَا وَأَنَبْنَا. قَالَ عَذَابِي أُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ أَشَاءُ وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَيْ; أَنَا أُعَذِّبُ مَنْ شِئْتُ بِمَا أَشَاءُ مِنَ الْأُمُورِ، الَّتِي أَخْلُقُهَا وَأُقَدِّرُهَا، وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ كَمًّا ثَبَتَ فِي " الصَّحِيحَيْنِ " عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، كَتَبَ كِتَابًا، فَهُوَ مَوْضُوعٌ عِنْدَهُ فَوْقَ الْعَرْشِ: إِنَّ رَحْمَتِي تَغْلِبُ غَضَبِي فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ بِآيَاتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ أَيْ; فَسَأُوجِبُهَا حَتْمًا لِمَنْ يَتَّصِفُ بِهَذِهِ الصِّفَاتِ.
Translation
✧ [The Departure of the Seventy to the Mount to Apologize for Worshipping the Calf] Then Moses chose from his people seventy men from among their best, and said to them: “Go with me to Allah and repent from what you have done.” And he went out with them to Mount Sinai for the appointed time that Allah had set for him. Al-Suddī, Ibn ʿAbbās, and others mentioned that these seventy were the scholars of the Children of Israel, and with them were Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Nadab, and Abihu. They went with Moses ﷺ to apologize on behalf of the Children of Israel for the worship of the calf by those among them who had worshipped it. They had been commanded to perfume themselves, purify themselves, and perform the major ablution. When they went with him and drew near the mountain, upon which was the cloud and a shining pillar of light, and Moses ascended the mountain, the Children of Israel mentioned that they heard the speech of Allah. A group of the commentators agreed with them on this and applied to it His saying, Exalted be He: “And there had already been a party of them who heard the speech of Allah and then distorted it after they had understood it, while they knew” [Al-Baqarah: 75]. But this is not necessarily the case, because of His saying, Exalted be He: “Then grant him protection until he hears the speech of Allah,” meaning conveyed to him. Likewise, these heard it conveyed from Moses ﷺ. They also claimed that the seventy saw Allah, but this is a mistake on their part, because when they asked for the vision, the earthquake seized them, as He, Exalted be He, said: “And when you said, ‘O Moses, we will never believe you until we see Allah outright,’ so the thunderbolt seized you while you were looking. Then We raised you after your death so that you might be grateful” [Al-Baqarah: 55–56]. Muḥammad b. Isḥāq said: Moses chose from the Children of Israel seventy men, the best of the best, and said: “Go to Allah and repent to Him for what you have done, and ask Him for repentance on behalf of those you left behind from your people. Fast, purify yourselves, and purify your garments.” He went out with them to Mount Sinai for an appointed time that his Lord had set for him, and he would not come to it except with His permission and knowledge. The seventy asked him to let them hear the speech of Allah, and he said: “I will do so.” When Moses drew near the mountain, the pillar of cloud descended upon it until it covered the entire mountain. Moses drew near and entered the cloud and said to the people: “Draw near.” When Allah spoke to Moses, a shining light fell upon his forehead that no one among the children of Adam could look at, so a veil was placed between him and them. The people drew near until they entered the cloud and fell down prostrate, and they heard Him while He was speaking to Moses, commanding and forbidding him: “Do,” and “Do not do.” When Allah finished His command and the cloud lifted from Moses, he turned to them. They said to Moses: “We will never believe you until we see Allah outright.” Then the earthquake—which is the thunderbolt—seized them, and their souls were snatched away, and they all died. Moses stood up imploring his Lord, calling upon Him and beseeching Him, saying: “My Lord, if You had willed, You could have destroyed them and me before. Would You destroy us for what the foolish among us have done?” That is, do not take us to task for what the foolish ones among us did, those who worshipped the calf, for we are innocent of what they did. Ibn ʿAbbās, Mujāhid, Qatādah, and Ibn Jurayj said: The earthquake seized them only because they did not forbid their people from worshipping the calf. And his saying: “It is only Your trial,” meaning Your test, Your trial, Your examination. This was said by Ibn ʿAbbās, Saʿīd b. Jubayr, Abū al-ʿĀliyah, al-Rabīʿ b. Anas, and more than one of the scholars of the early and later generations. That is, You are the One who decreed this and created what happened regarding the calf as a trial by which You test them, just as Aaron said to them before: “O my people, you are only being tested by it,” that is, “You are being tried by it.” For this reason he said: “You send astray with it whom You will and guide whom You will,” that is, whomever You will You lead astray by Your testing him, and whomever You will You guide. Yours is the judgment and the will; there is no preventer or repeller of what You have decreed and determined. “You are our protector, so forgive us and have mercy on us, and You are the best of forgivers.” “And ordain for us good in this world and in the Hereafter; indeed we have turned to You,” meaning, we have repented to You, returned, and come back. He said: “My punishment—I afflict with it whom I will, but My mercy encompasses all things,” that is, I punish whomever I will with whatever I will of the matters that I create and decree, and My mercy encompasses all things. As it is established in the two Ṣaḥīḥs from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that he said: “When Allah finished creating the heavens and the earth, He wrote a book that is placed with Him above the Throne: ‘Indeed My mercy prevails over My wrath.’” “So I will ordain it for those who fear Me and give the zakāh and those who believe in Our signs,” that is, I will make it binding and certain for those who possess these attributes.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.