Tarikh (al-Tabari) 276
The story of Sulaymān b. Dāwūd (peace be upon them both)
وَقَالَ تَعَالَى فِي سُورَةِ " ص ": وَوَهَبَنَا لِدَاوُدَ سُلَيْمَانَ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ إِذْ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْعَشِيِّ الصَّافِنَاتُ الْجِيَادُ فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَيْرِ عَنْ ذِكْرِ رَبِّي حَتَّى تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ رُدُّوهَا عَلَيَّ فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًا بِالسُّوقِ وَالْأَعْنَاقِ وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا سُلَيْمَانَ وَأَلْقَيْنَا عَلَى كُرْسِيِّهِ جَسَدًا ثُمَّ أَنَابَ قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَهَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لَا يَنْبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ بَعْدِي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ فَسَخَّرْنَا لَهُ الرِّيحَ تَجْرِي بِأَمْرِهِ رُخَاءً حَيْثُ أَصَابَ وَالشَّيَاطِينَ كُلَّ بَنَّاءٍ وَغَوَّاصٍ وَآخَرِينَ مُقَرَّنِينَ فِي الْأَصْفَادِ هَذَا عَطَاؤُنَا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِكْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِنْدَنَا لَزُلْفَى وَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ [ ص: 30 - 40 ]. يَذْكُرُ تَعَالَى أَنَّهُ وَهَبَ لِدَاوُدَ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ، ثُمَّ أَثْنَى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ: نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ أَيْ: رَجَّاعٌ مُطِيعٌ لِلَّهِ. ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ تَعَالَى مَا كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ فِي الْخَيْلِ الصَّافِنَاتِ - وَهِيَ الَّتِي تَقِفُ عَلَى ثَلَاثٍ وَطَرَفِ حَافِرِ الرَّابِعَةِ - الْجِيَادِ ; وَهِيَ الْمُضَمَّرَةُ السِّرَاعُ: فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَيْرِ عَنْ ذِكْرِ رَبِّي حَتَّى تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ يَعْنِي الشَّمْسَ. وَقِيلَ: الْخَيْلُ. عَلَى مَا سَنَذْكُرُهُ مِنَ الْقَوْلَيْنِ. رُدُّوهَا عَلَيَّ فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًا بِالسُّوقِ وَالْأَعْنَاقِ قِيلَ: مَسَحَ عَرَاقِيبَهَا وَأَعْنَاقَهَا بِالسُّيُوفِ. وَقِيلَ: مَسَحَ عَنْهَا الْعَرَقَ لَمَّا أَجْرَاهَا وَسَابَقَ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، عَلَى الْقَوْلِ الْآخَرِ. وَالَّذِي عَلَيْهِ أَكْثَرُ السَّلَفِ الْأَوَّلُ ; فَقَالُوا اشْتَغَلَ بِعَرْضِ تِلْكَ الْخُيُولِ حَتَّى خَرَجَ وَقْتُ الْعَصْرِ وَغَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ. رُوِيَ هَذَا عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَغَيْرِهِ. وَالَّذِي يُقْطَعُ بِهِ، أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَتْرُكِ الصَّلَاةَ عَمْدًا مِنْ غَيْرِ عُذْرٍ، اللَّهُمَّ إِلَّا أَنْ يُقَالَ: إِنَّهُ كَانَ سَائِغًا فِي شَرِيعَتِهِمْ تَأْخِيرُ الصَّلَاةِ لِأَجْلِ أَسْبَابِ الْجِهَادِ، وَعَرْضُ الْخَيْلِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ. وَقَدِ ادَّعَى طَائِفَةٌ مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ فِي تَأْخِيرِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ صَلَاةَ الْعَصْرِ يَوْمَ الْخَنْدَقِ أَنَّ هَذَا كَانَ مَشْرُوعًا إِذْ ذَاكَ، حَتَّى نُسِخَ بِصَلَاةِ الْخَوْفِ. قَالَهُ الشَّافِعِيُّ وَغَيْرُهُ. وَقَالَ مَكْحُولٌ وَالْأَوْزَاعِيُّ: بَلْ هُوَ حُكْمٌ مُحْكَمٌ إِلَى الْيَوْمِ، أَنَّهُ يَجُوزُ تَأْخِيرُهَا لِعُذْرِ الْقِتَالِ الشَّدِيدِ. كَمَا ذَكَرْنَا تَقْرِيرَ ذَلِكَ فِي سُورَةِ " النِّسَاءِ " عِنْدَ صَلَاةِ الْخَوْفِ. وَقَالَ آخَرُونَ: بَلْ كَانَ تَأْخِيرُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ صَلَاةَ الْعَصْرِ يَوْمَ الْخَنْدَقِ نِسْيَانًا. وَعَلَى هَذَا فَيُحْمَلُ فِعْلُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، عَلَى هَذَا. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَأَمَّا مَنْ قَالَ: الضَّمِيرُ فِي قَوْلِهِ: فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَيْرِ عَنْ ذِكْرِ رَبِّي حَتَّى تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ عَائِدٌ عَلَى الْخَيْلِ، وَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَفُتْهُ وَقْتُ صَلَاةٍ، وَإِنَّ الْمُرَادَ بِقَوْلِهِ: رُدُّوهَا عَلَيَّ فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًا بِالسُّوقِ وَالْأَعْنَاقِ يَعْنِي: مَسَحَ الْعَرَقَ عَنْ عَرَاقِيبِهَا وَأَعْنَاقِهَا. فَهَذَا الْقَوْلُ اخْتَارَهُ ابْنُ جَرِيرٍ، وَرَوَاهُ الْوَالِبِيُّ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فِي مَسْحِ الْعَرَقِ. وَوَجَّهَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ ابْنُ جَرِيرٍ ; بِأَنَّهُ مَا كَانَ لِيُعَذِّبَ الْحَيَوَانَ بِالْعَرْقَبَةِ، وَيُهْلِكَ مَالًا بِلَا سَبَبٍ وَلَا ذَنْبٍ لَهَا. وَهَذَا الَّذِي قَالَهُ فِيهِ نَظَرٌ ; لِأَنَّهُ قَدْ يَكُونُ هَذَا سَائِغًا فِي مِلَّتِهِمْ. وَقَدْ ذَهَبَ بَعْضُ عُلَمَائِنَا إِلَى أَنَّهُ إِذَا خَافَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ أَنْ يَظْفَرَ الْكُفَّارُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ مِنَ الْحَيَوَانَاتِ مِنْ أَغْنَامٍ وَنَحْوِهَا ; جَازَ ذَبْحُهَا وَإِهْلَاكُهَا لِئَلَّا يَتَقَوَّوْا بِهَا، وَعَلَيْهِ حُمِلَ صَنِيعُ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ يَوْمَ عَقَرَ فَرَسَهُ بِمَوْتِهِ. وَقَدْ قِيلَ: إِنَّهَا كَانَتْ خَيْلًا عَظِيمَةً ; قِيلَ: كَانَتْ عَشَرَةَ آلَافِ فَرَسٍ. وَقِيلَ: عِشْرِينَ أَلْفَ فَرَسٍ. وَقِيلَ: كَانَ فِيهَا عِشْرُونَ فَرَسًا مِنْ ذَوَاتِ الْأَجْنِحَةِ. وَقَدْ رَوَى أَبُو دَاوُدَ بسنده عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ - أَوْ خَيْبَرَ - وَفِي سَهْوَتِهَا سِتْرٌ، فَهَبَّتِ الرِّيحُ فَكَشَفَتْ نَاحِيَةَ السِّتْرِ عَنْ بَنَاتٍ لِعَائِشَةَ لُعَبٍ، فَقَالَ: مَا هَذَا يَا عَائِشَةُ ! فَقَالَتْ: بَنَاتِي. وَرَأَى بَيْنَهُنَّ فَرَسًا لَهُ جَنَاحَانِ مِنْ رِقَاعٍ، فَقَالَ: مَا هَذَا الَّذِي أَرَى وَسَطَهُنَّ ؟ قَالَتْ: فَرَسٌ. قَالَ: وَمَا الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ هَذَا ؟ قَالَتْ: جَنَاحَانِ. قَالَ: فَرَسٌ لَهُ جَنَاحَانِ ؟ قَالَتْ: أَمَا سَمِعْتَ أَنَّ لِسُلَيْمَانَ خَيْلًا لَهَا أَجْنِحَةٌ! قَالَتْ: فَضَحِكَ حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ نَوَاجِذَهُ ﷺ. وَقَالَ بَعْضُ الْعُلَمَاءِ: لَمَّا تَرَكَ الْخَيْلَ لِلَّهِ، عَوَّضَهُ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا بِمَا هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْهَا، وَهُوَ الرِّيحُ الَّتِي كَانَ غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرًا وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرًا، كَمَا سَيَأْتِي الْكَلَامُ عَلَيْهَا، كَمَا قَالَ الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ: بسنده، عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ وَأَبِي الدَّهْمَاءِ وَكَانَا يُكْثِرَانِ السَّفَرَ نَحْوَ الْبَيْتِ، قَالَا: أَتَيْنَا عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَادِيَةِ فَقَالَ الْبَدَوِيُّ: أَخَذَ بِيَدِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَجَعَلَ يُعَلِّمُنِي مِمَّا عَلَّمَهُ اللَّهُ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَقَالَ: إِنَّكَ لَا تَدَعُ شَيْئًا اتِّقَاءَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَّا أَعْطَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا مِنْهُ.
Translation
✧ God, exalted is He, said in Sūrat Ṣād: “And We gave to Dāwūd Sulaymān — an excellent servant! Indeed, he was ever turning in repentance. When there were displayed before him at eventide light-footed coursers, he said: ‘Indeed, I have loved the love of good things over the remembrance of my Lord until it was hidden behind the veil. Return them to me.’ Then he began to pass his hand over their legs and necks. And We certainly tried Sulaymān, and We cast upon his throne a body; then he turned in repentance. He said: ‘My Lord, forgive me and grant me a dominion such as shall belong to no one after me. Indeed, You are the Bestower.’ So We subjected to him the wind, blowing gently by his command wherever he directed, and the devils — every builder and diver, and others bound in fetters. ‘This is Our gift, so bestow or withhold without account.’ And indeed, for him is nearness to Us and a good place of return.” [Ṣād 38:30–40]. He, exalted is He, mentions that He gave to Dāwūd Sulaymān, peace be upon them both, then God, exalted is He, praised him and said: “an excellent servant! Indeed, he was ever turning in repentance,” that is, one who repeatedly turns back in obedience to God. Then He, exalted is He, mentioned what occurred concerning him regarding the standing horses — they are those that stand on three legs and the tip of the hoof of the fourth — the swift ones; they are the lean, fast ones. He said: “Indeed, I have loved the love of good things over the remembrance of my Lord until it was hidden behind the veil,” meaning the sun. And it is said: the horses, according to what we shall mention of the two views. “Return them to me.” Then he began to pass his hand over their legs and necks. It is said: he passed his sword over their hocks and necks. And it is said: he wiped the sweat from them when he had made them run and had them race before him, according to the other view. The view held by most of the early scholars is the first; they said that he occupied himself with displaying those horses until the time of ʿAṣr passed and the sun set. This is transmitted from ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib and others. What is certain is that he did not deliberately abandon the prayer without excuse, unless it is said that in their revealed law it was permissible to delay the prayer for the sake of the causes of jihād, and the display of horses is among those causes. A group of scholars claimed concerning the Prophet ﷺ delaying the ʿAṣr prayer on the Day of the Trench that this was prescribed at that time, until it was abrogated by the prayer of fear. This was said by al-Shāfiʿī and others. Makḥūl and al-Awzāʿī said: rather, it is a firmly established ruling to this day, that it is permissible to delay it for the excuse of intense fighting, as we have mentioned in establishing that in Sūrat al-Nisāʾ in connection with the prayer of fear. Others said: rather, the Prophet ﷺ delaying the ʿAṣr prayer on the Day of the Trench was out of forgetfulness. On this basis, the action of Sulaymān, ﷺ, is to be interpreted in this way. And God knows best. As for those who say that the pronoun in His saying: “he said: ‘Indeed, I have loved the love of good things over the remembrance of my Lord until it was hidden behind the veil’” refers to the horses, and that he did not miss the time of any prayer, and that the meaning of His saying: “Return them to me. Then he began to pass his hand over their legs and necks” means: he wiped the sweat from their hocks and necks — this view was chosen by Ibn Jarīr, and al-Wālibī transmitted it from Ibn ʿAbbās regarding wiping the sweat. Ibn Jarīr justified this view by saying that he would not have tortured the animal by hamstringing it, nor destroyed wealth without cause or fault of theirs. But there is room for discussion in what he said, because this may have been permissible in their religious community. Some of our scholars have held that if the Muslims fear that the disbelievers may gain possession of any animals, such as sheep and the like, it is permissible to slaughter and destroy them so that they do not gain strength from them. On this basis is interpreted the action of Jaʿfar b. Abī Ṭālib on the day he hamstrung his horse at his death. It has also been said that they were great horses; it is said they were ten thousand horses. And it is said: twenty thousand horses. And it is said: among them were twenty horses with wings. Abū Dāwūd transmitted with his chain of transmission from ʿĀʾishah that she said: The Messenger of God ﷺ arrived from the expedition of Tabūk — or Khaybar — and in her alcove there was a curtain. The wind blew and lifted one side of the curtain, revealing dolls belonging to ʿĀʾishah. He said: “What is this, O ʿĀʾishah?” She said: “My daughters.” And he saw among them a horse with two wings made of patches. He said: “What is this that I see in their midst?” She said: “A horse.” He said: “And what is this on it?” She said: “Two wings.” He said: “A horse with two wings?” She said: “Have you not heard that Sulaymān had horses with wings?” She said: Then he laughed until I saw his molar teeth ﷺ. Some scholars said: When he abandoned the horses for the sake of God, God compensated him with what was better for him than them, namely the wind whose morning course was a month and whose evening course was a month, as will be discussed below. As Imām Aḥmad said with his chain of transmission from Abū Qatādah and Abū al-Dahmāʾ, who frequently traveled toward the House, they said: We came upon a man of the desert people, and the Bedouin said: The Messenger of God ﷺ took me by the hand and began to teach me some of what God, mighty and glorious is He, had taught him, and he said: “Indeed, you will not abandon anything out of fear of God, mighty and glorious is He, except that God will give you something better than it.”
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