Tarikh (al-Tabari) 231
The story of Moses the one who spoke with Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
بِنَاءِ قُبَّةِ الزَّمَانِ قَالَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ: وَقَدْ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ مُوسَى، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، بِعَمَلِ قُبَّةٍ مِنْ خَشَبِ الشَّمْشَارِ، وَجُلُودِ الْأَنْعَامِ، وَشَعْرِ الْأَغْنَامِ، وَأَمَرَ بِزِينَتِهَا بِالْحَرِيرِ الْمُصَبَّغِ، وَالذَّهَبِ، وَالْفِضَّةِ، عَلَى كَيْفِيَّاتٍ مُفَصَّلَةٍ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ، وَلَهَا عَشْرُ سُرَادِقَاتٍ، طُولُ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ ثَمَانِيَةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ ذِرَاعًا، وَعَرْضُهُ أَرْبَعَةُ أَذْرُعٍ، وَلَهَا أَرْبَعَةُ أَبْوَابٍ، وَأَطْنَابٌ مِنْ حَرِيرٍ، وَدِمَقْسٍ مُصَبَّغٍ، وَفِيهَا رُفُوفٌ وَصَفَائِحُ، مِنْ ذَهَبٍ وَفِضَّةٍ، وَلِكُلِّ زَاوِيَةٍ بَابَانِ، وَأَبْوَابٌ أُخَرُ كَبِيرَةٌ، وَسُتُورٌ مِنْ حَرِيرٍ مُصَبَّغٍ، وَغَيْرُ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا يَطُولُ ذِكْرُهُ، وَبِعَمَلِ تَابُوتٍ مِنْ خَشَبِ الشَّمْشَارِ، يَكُونُ طُولُهُ ذِرَاعَيْنِ وَنِصْفًا، وَعَرْضُهُ ذِرَاعَيْنِ، وَارْتِفَاعُهُ ذِرَاعًا وَنِصْفًا، وَيَكُونُ مُضَبَّبًا بِذَهَبٍ خَالِصٍ مِنْ دَاخِلِهِ وَخَارِجِهِ، وَلَهُ أَرْبَعُ حِلَقٍ، فِي أَرْبَعِ زَوَايَاهُ، وَيَكُونُ عَلَى حَافَّتَيْهِ كَرُوبِيَّانِ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، يَعْنُونَ صِفَةَ مَلِكَيْنِ بِأَجْنِحَةٍ، وَهُمَا مُتَقَابِلَانِ صَنَعَهُ رَجُلٌ اسْمُهُ بَصْلِيَالُ. وَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ مَائِدَةً مِنْ خَشَبِ الشَّمْشَارِ، طُولُهَا ذِرَاعَانِ، وَعَرْضُهَا ذِرَاعٌ وَنَصِفٌ، لَهَا ضِبَابُ ذَهَبٍ، وَإِكْلِيلُ ذَهَبٍ بِشَفَةٍ مُرْتَفِعَةٍ، بِإِكْلِيلٍ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، وَأَرْبَعِ حِلَقٍ مِنْ نَوَاحِيهَا مِنْ ذَهَبٍ; خَرَزُهُ مِثْلِ الرُّمَّانِ مِنْ خَشَبٍ مُلَبَّسٍ ذَهَبًا، وَاعْمَلْ صِحَافًا وَمَصَافِيَ وَقِصَاعًا عَلَى الْمَائِدَةِ، وَاصْنَعْ مَنَارَةً مِنْ ذَهَبٍ دُلِيَّ فِيهَا سِتُّ قَصَبَاتٍ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، مِنْ كُلِّ جَانِبٍ ثَلَاثٌ، عَلَى كُلِّ قَصَبَةٍ ثَلَاثُ سُرُجٍ، وَلْيَكُنْ فِي الْمَنَارَةِ أَرْبَعُ قَنَادِيلَ، وَلْتَكُنْ هِيَ وَجَمِيعُ هَذِهِ الْآنِيَةِ مِنْ قِنْطَارٍ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، صَنَعَ ذَلِكَ بَصْلِيَالُ أَيْضًا، وَهُوَ الَّذِي عَمِلَ الْمَذْبَحَ أَيْضًا، وَنَصَبَ هَذِهِ الْقُبَّةَ أَوَّلَ يَوْمٍ مِنْ سَنَتِهِمْ، وَهُوَ أَوَّلُ يَوْمٍ مِنَ الرَّبِيعِ وَنَصَبَ تَابُوتَ الشَّهَادَةِ، وَهُوَ - وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ - الْمَذْكُورُ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: إِنَّ آيَةَ مُلْكِهِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَكُمُ التَّابُوتُ فِيهِ سَكِينَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَبَقِيَّةٌ مِمَّا تَرَكَ آلُ مُوسَى وَآلُ هَارُونَ تَحْمِلُهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَةً لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ. [ الْبَقَرَةِ: 248 ]. وَقَدْ بُسِطَ هَذَا الْفَصْلُ فِي كِتَابِهِمْ مُطَوَّلًا جِدًّا، وَفِيهِ شَرَائِعُ لَهُمْ وَأَحْكَامٌ، وَصِفَةُ قُرْبَانِهِمْ، وَكَيْفِيَّتُهُ، وَفِيهِ أَنَّ قُبَّةَ الزَّمَانِ كَانَتْ مَوْجُودَةً قَبْلَ عِبَادَتِهِمُ الْعِجْلَ، الَّذِي هُوَ مُتَقَدِّمٌ عَلَى مَجِيئِهِمْ بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ، وَأَنَّهَا كَانَتْ لَهُمْ كَالْكَعْبَةِ يُصَلُّونَ فِيهَا وَإِلَيْهَا، وَيَتَقَرَّبُونَ عِنْدَهَا، وَأَنَّ مُوسَى، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، كَانَ إِذَا دَخَلَهَا يَقِفُونَ عِنْدَهَا، وَيُنْزِلُ عَمُودَ الْغَمَامِ عَلَى بَابِهَا فَيَخِرُّونَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ سُجَّدًا لِلَّهِ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَيُكَلِّمُ اللَّهُ مُوسَى، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْعَمُودِ الْغَمَامِ، الَّذِي هُوَ نُورٌ وَيُخَاطِبُهُ، وَيُنَاجِيهِ، وَيَأْمُرُهُ، وَيَنْهَاهُ، وَهُوَ وَاقِفٌ عِنْدَ التَّابُوتِ صَامِدٌ إِلَى مَا بَيْنَ الْكَرُوبِيِّيْنِ، فَإِذَا فُصِلَ الْخِطَابُ، يُخْبِرُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ بِمَا أَوْحَاهُ اللَّهُ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الْأَوَامِرِ وَالنَّوَاهِي، وَإِذَا تَحَاكَمُوا إِلَيْهِ فِي شَيْءٍ، لَيْسَ عِنْدَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ فِيهِ شَيْءٌ، يَجِيءُ إِلَى قُبَّةِ الزَّمَانِ، وَيَقِفُ عِنْدَ التَّابُوتِ، وَيَصْمُدُ لِمَا بَيْنَ ذَيْنِكَ الْكَرُوبِيِّيْنِ، فَيَأْتِيهِ الْخِطَابُ بِمَا فِيهِ فَصْلُ تِلْكَ الْحُكُومَةِ، وَقَدْ كَانَ هَذَا مَشْرُوعًا لَهُمْ فِي زَمَانِهِمْ، أَعْنِي اسْتِعْمَالَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْحَرِيرِ الْمُصَبَّغِ، وَاللَّآلِيءِ فِي مَعْبَدِهِمْ، وَعِنْدَ مُصَلَّاهُمْ، زخرفة المساجد فَأَمَّا فِي شَرِيعَتِنَا فَلَا، بَلْ قَدْ نُهِينَا عَنْ زَخْرَفَةِ الْمَسَاجِدِ وَتَزْيِينِهَا; لِئَلَّا تَشْغَلَ الْمُصَلِّينَ، كَمَا قَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ، ؓ، لَمَّا وَسَّعَ فِي مَسْجِدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ لِلَّذِي وَكَّلَهُ عَلَى عِمَارَتِهِ: ابْنِ لِلنَّاسِ مَا يُكِنُّهُمْ وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تُحَمِّرَ أَوْ تُصَفِّرَ فَتَفْتِنَ النَّاسَ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: لَتُزَخْرِفُنَّهَا كَمَا زَخْرَفَتِ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى كَنَائِسَهُمْ. وَهَذَا مِنْ بَابِ التَّشْرِيفِ وَالتَّكْرِيمِ وَالتَّنْزِيهِ، فَهَذِهِ الْأُمَّةُ غَيْرُ مُشَابِهَةٍ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَهُمْ مِنَ الْأُمَمِ; إِذْ جَمَعَ اللَّهُ هَمَّهُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ عَلَى التَّوَجُّهِ إِلَيْهِ، وَالْإِقْبَالِ عَلَيْهِ، وَصَانَ أَبْصَارَهُمْ وَخَوَاطِرَهُمْ عَنِ الِاشْتِغَالِ وَالتَّفَكُّرِ فِي غَيْرِ مَا هُمْ بِصَدَدِهِ مِنَ الْعِبَادَةِ الْعَظِيمَةِ، فَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ وَالْمِنَّةُ. وَقَدْ كَانَتْ قُبَّةُ الزَّمَانِ هَذِهِ مَعَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي التِّيهِ، يُصَلُّونَ إِلَيْهَا، وَهِيَ قِبْلَتُهُمْ وَكَعْبَتُهُمْ، وَإِمَامُهُمْ كَلِيمُ اللَّهِ مُوسَى، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، وَمُقَدِّمُ الْقُرْبَانِ أَخُوهُ هَارُونُ، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ. فَلَمَّا مَاتَ هَارُونُ، ثُمَّ مُوسَى، عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ، اسْتَمَرَّتْ بَنُو هَارُونَ فِي الَّذِي كَانَ يَلِيهِ أَبُوهُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِ الْقُرْبَانِ، وَهُوَ فِيهِمْ إِلَى الْآنَ، وَقَامَ بِأَعْبَاءِ النُّبُوَّةِ بَعْدَ مُوسَى وَتَدْبِيرِ الْأَمْرِ بَعْدَهُ، فَتَاهَ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، وَهُوَ الَّذِي دَخَلَ بِهِمْ بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ;. وَالْمَقْصُودُ هُنَا أَنَّهُ لَمَّا اسْتَقَرَّتْ يَدُهُ عَلَى الْبَيْتِ الْمُقَدَّسِ، نَصَبَ هَذِهِ الْقُبَّةَ عَلَى صَخْرَةِ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ، فَكَانُوا يُصَلُّونَ إِلَيْهَا، فَلَمَّا بَادَتْ صَلَّوْا إِلَى مَحِلَّتِهَا، وَهِيَ الصَّخْرَةُ، فَلِهَذَا كَانَتْ قِبْلَةَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ بَعْدَهُ إِلَى زَمَانِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ.
Translation
✧ The Building of the Tent of Time The People of the Book said: Allah commanded Moses ﷺ to make a tent of boxwood, cattle hides, and sheep's wool, and He commanded it be adorned with dyed silk, gold, and silver, according to detailed specifications known to the People of the Book. It had ten curtains, each twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide, and it had four doors, and cords of silk and dyed damask, and in it were shelves and plates of gold and silver. Each corner had two doors, and there were other large doors, and veils of dyed silk, and other things too lengthy to mention. And [He commanded] the making of an ark of boxwood, its length two and a half cubits, its width two cubits, and its height one and a half cubits, overlaid with pure gold inside and out, and it had four rings at its four corners, and on its two edges were two cherubim of gold—meaning the form of two angels with wings—facing each other. A man named Bezalel made it. And He commanded him to make a table of boxwood, its length two cubits and its width one and a half cubits, having gold plating and a gold crown with a raised rim, with a gold crown, and four rings of gold at its sides; its studs like pomegranates of wood overlaid with gold. And make dishes, strainers, and bowls on the table, and make a lampstand of pure gold with six branches of gold going out from it, three from each side, and on each branch three lamps, and let the lampstand have four lamps, and let it and all these vessels be of a talent of gold. Bezalel also made that, and he also made the altar. He set up this tent on the first day of their year, which is the first day of spring, and he set up the ark of the testimony, and it—Allah knows best—is what is mentioned in His saying, Exalted be He: "Indeed, a sign of his kingship is that the ark will come to you, in it is tranquility from your Lord and a remnant of what the family of Moses and the family of Aaron left, carried by the angels. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers." [Al-Baqarah: 248]. This chapter has been expounded in their book at great length, and in it are laws for them and rulings, and the description of their offerings and their manner. And in it is that the Tent of Time existed before their worship of the calf, which preceded their coming to Jerusalem, and that it was to them like the Kaʿbah—they prayed in it and toward it, and offered sacrifices at it. And that Moses ﷺ, when he entered it, they would stand at it, and the pillar of cloud would descend upon its door, and they would fall down prostrating to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and Allah would speak to Moses ﷺ from that pillar of cloud, which is light, and address him and converse with him and command him and forbid him, while he stood at the ark, facing toward between the two cherubim. When the speech was finished, he would inform the Children of Israel of what Allah, Mighty and Majestic, had revealed to him of commands and prohibitions. And if they brought a dispute to him about something for which he had nothing from Allah, he would come to the Tent of Time and stand at the ark and face between those two cherubim, and the address would come to him with the resolution of that judgment. This was prescribed for them in their time—I mean the use of gold and dyed silk and pearls in their sanctuary and at their place of prayer—adorning places of worship. But in our law, no; rather we have been forbidden from adorning and decorating mosques, lest they distract the worshippers. As ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb ؓ said, when he expanded the mosque of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he said to the one he put in charge of its construction: "Build for the people what shelters them, and beware of making it red or yellow, lest you tempt the people." And Ibn ʿAbbās said: "You will surely adorn them as the Jews and Christians adorned their churches." This is a matter of honor, veneration, and purity, for this nation is unlike the nations before them, since Allah has gathered their focus in their prayer toward Him and turning to Him, and has protected their eyes and thoughts from being occupied and reflecting on anything other than the great worship they are engaged in. So to Allah be praise and grace. This Tent of Time was with the Children of Israel in the wilderness, and they prayed toward it; it was their qiblah and their Kaʿbah, and their leader was the one who spoke with Allah, Moses ﷺ, and the one who presented the offerings was his brother Aaron ﷺ. When Aaron died, then Moses (peace be upon them), the sons of Aaron continued in the office of offerings that their father had held, and it remains among them until now. And after Moses, the burden of prophethood and the management of affairs was undertaken by his disciple Joshua b. Nūn ﷺ, and he is the one who brought them into Jerusalem. The point here is that when his hand was established over the Holy House, he set up this tent on the rock of Jerusalem, and they prayed toward it. When it disappeared, they prayed toward its place, which is the rock. Therefore it was the qiblah of the prophets after him until the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
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