Tarikh (al-Tabari) 286
Chapter mentioning a group of the prophets of the Israelites after Dāwūd and Sulaymān
[ذِكْرُ قِصَّةِ أُرْمِيَاءَ] وَهُوَ أُرْمِيَاءُ -الْأَلِفُ مَضْمُومَةٌ- كَذَلِكَ قَرَأْتُهُ عَلَى شَيْخِنَا أَبِي مَنْصُورٍ اللُّغَوِيِّ. عَنْ وَهْبٍ: أَنَّ أُرْمِيَاءَ كَانَ غُلَامًا مِنْ أَبْنَاءِ الْمُلُوكِ، وَكَانَ زَاهِدًا، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِأَبِيهِ ابْنٌ غَيْرُهُ، وَكَانَ أَبُوهُ يُعْرِضُ النِّكَاحَ، وَكَانَ يَأْبَى مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يَشْغَلَهُ عَنْ عِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ، فَأَلَحَّ عَلَيْهِ أَبُوهُ وَزَوَّجَهُ فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ مِنْ عُظَمَاءِ أَهْلِ مَمْلَكَتِهِ، فَلَمَّا دَخَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ امْرَأَتُهُ، قَالَ لَهَا: يَا هَذِهِ، إِنِّي مُسِرٌّ إِلَيْكِ أَمْرًا فَإِنْ كَتَمْتِهِ عَلَيَّ وَسَتَرْتِهِ سَتَرَكِ اللَّهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، وَإِنْ أَنْتِ أَفْشَيْتِهِ قَصَمَكِ اللَّهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ. قَالَتْ: فَإِنِّي سَأَكْتُمُهُ عَلَيْكَ، قَالَ: فَإِنِّي لَا أُرِيدُ النِّسَاءَ. فَأَقَامَتْ مَعَهُ سَنَةً، ثُمَّ إِنَّ أَبَاهُ أَنْكَرَ ذَلِكَ، فَسَأَلَهُ فَقَالَ: يَا أَبَهْ مَا طَالَ ذَلِكَ بَعْدُ، فَدَعَا امْرَأَتَهُ فَسَأَلَهَا، فَقَالَتْ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، فَفَرَّقَ بَيْنَهُمَا وَزَوَّجَهُ امْرَأَةً فِي بَيْتِ أَشْرَافِهِمْ، فَأُدْخِلَتْ عَلَيْهِ فَاسْتَكْتَمَهَا أَمْرَهُ، فَلَمَّا مَضَتْ سَنَةٌ سَأَلَهُ أَبُوهُ مِثْلَ مَا سَأَلَ، فَقَالَ: مَا طَالَ ذَلِكَ، فَسَأَلَ الْمَرْأَةَ فَقَالَتْ: كَيْفَ تَحْمِلُ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ غَيْرِ زَوْجٍ مَا مَسَّنِي؟ فَغَضِبَ أَبُوهُ، فَهَرَبَ مِنْهُ. فَبَعَثَهُ اللَّهُ نَبِيًّا مَعَ "نَاشِيَةَ"، وَ"نَاشِيَةُ" مَلِكٌ. وَذَلِكَ حِينَ عَظُمَتِ الْأَحْدَاثُ فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَعَمِلُوا بِالْمَعَاصِي. ذِكْرُ خَرَابِ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ وَقَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: وَآتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلْنَاهُ هُدًى لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَلَّا تَتَّخِذُوا مِنْ دُونِي وَكِيلًا ذُرِّيَّةَ مَنْ حَمَلْنَا مَعَ نُوحٍ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَلَتَعْلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ أُولَاهُمَا بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادًا لَنَا أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِ وَكَانَ وَعْدًا مَفْعُولًا ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَا لَكُمُ الْكَرَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَمْدَدْنَاكُمْ بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ أَكْثَرَ نَفِيرًا إِنْ أَحْسَنْتُمْ أَحْسَنْتُمْ لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الْآخِرَةِ لِيَسُوءُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَلِيَدْخُلُوا الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَلِيُتَبِّرُوا مَا عَلَوْا تَتْبِيرًا عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَنْ يَرْحَمَكُمْ وَإِنْ عُدْتُمْ عُدْنَا وَجَعَلْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ حَصِيرًا [ الْإِسْرَاءِ: 2 - 8 ]. وَعَنْ وَهْبِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ قَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى لَمَّا بَعَثَ أَرْمِيَا إِلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَذَلِكَ حِينَ عَظُمَتِ الْأَحْدَاثُ فِيهِمْ ; فَعَمِلُوا بِالْمَعَاصِي وَقَتَلُوا الْأَنْبِيَاءَ، طَمِعَ بُخْتُ نَصَّرَ فِيهِمْ، وَقَذَفَ اللَّهُ فِي قَلْبِهِ، وَحَدَّثَ نَفْسَهُ بِالْمَسِيرِ إِلَيْهِمْ ; لَمَّا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَنْتَقِمَ بِهِ مِنْهُمْ، فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَى أَرْمِيَا أَنِّي مُهْلِكٌ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَمُنْتَقِمٌ مِنْهُمْ، فَقُمْ عَلَى صَخْرَةِ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ يَأْتِيكَ أَمْرِي وَوَحْيِي. فَقَامَ أَرْمِيَا، فَشَقَّ ثِيَابَهُ، وَجَعَلَ الرَّمَادَ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ، وَخَرَّ سَاجِدًا وَقَالَ: يَا رَبِّ، وَدِدْتُ أُمِّي لَمْ تَلِدْنِي حِينَ جَعَلْتَنِي آخِرَ أَنْبِيَاءِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، فَيَكُونُ خَرَابُ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ وَبَوَارُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ أَجْلِي. فَقِيلَ لَهُ: ارْفَعْ رَأْسَكَ. فَرَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَبَكَى، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا رَبِّ مَنْ تُسَلِّطُ عَلَيْهِمْ ؟ قَالَ: عَبَدَةُ النِّيرَانِ، لَا يَخَافُونَ عِقَابِي وَلَا يَرْجُونَ ثَوَابِي، قُمْ يَا أَرْمِيَا، فَاسْتَمِعْ وَحْيِي أُخْبِرْكَ خَبَرَكَ وَخَبَرَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ أَخْلُقَكَ اخْتَرْتُكَ، وَمِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ أُصَوِّرَكَ فِي رَحِمِ أُمِّكَ قَدَّسْتُكَ، وَمِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ أُخْرِجَكَ مِنْ بَطْنِ أُمِّكَ طَهَّرْتُكَ، وَمِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تَبْلُغَ نَبَّأْتُكَ، وَمِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تَبْلُغَ الْأَشُدَّ اخْتَرْتُكَ، وَلِأَمْرٍ عَظِيمٍ اجْتَبَيْتُكَ، فَقُمْ مَعَ الْمَلِكِ تُسَدِّدُهُ وَتُرْشِدُهُ. فَكَانَ مَعَ الْمَلِكِ يُرْشِدُهُ وَيَأْتِيهِ الْوَحْيُ مِنَ اللَّهِ، حَتَّى عَظُمَتِ الْأَحْدَاثُ، وَنَسَوْا مَا نَجَّاهُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ مِنْ عَدَوِّهِمْ سَنْحَارِيبَ وَجُنُودِهِ، فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَى أَرْمِيَا قُمْ، فَاقْصُصْ عَلَيْهِمْ مَا آمُرُكَ بِهِ، وَذَكِّرْهُمْ نِعْمَتِي عَلَيْهِمْ وَعَرِّفْهُمْ أَحْدَاثَهُمْ. فَقَالَ أَرْمِيَا: يَا رَبِّ، إِنِّي ضَعِيفٌ إِنْ لَمْ تُقَوِّنِي، عَاجِزٌ إِنْ لَمْ تُبَلِّغْنِي، مُخْطِئٌ إِنْ لَمْ تُسَدِّدْنِي، مَخْذُولٌ إِنْ لَمْ تَنْصُرْنِي، ذَلِيلٌ إِنْ لَمْ تُعِزَّنِي، فَقَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى لَهُ: أَوَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْأُمُورَ كُلَّهَا تَصْدُرُ عَنْ مَشِيئَتِي، وَأَنَّ الْخَلْقَ وَالْأَمْرَ كُلَّهُ لِي، وَأَنَّ الْقُلُوبَ وَالْأَلْسِنَةَ كُلَّهَا بِيَدِي، فَأُقَلِّبُهَا كَيْفَ شِئْتُ فَتُطِيعُنِي، فَأَنَا اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَيْسَ شَيْءٌ مِثْلِي، قَامَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَا فِيهِنَّ بِكَلِمَتِي، وَأَنَّهُ لَا يَخْلُصُ التَّوْحِيدُ وَلَمْ تَتِمَّ الْقُدْرَةُ إِلَّا لِي، وَلَا يَعْلَمُ مَا عِنْدِي غَيْرِي، وَأَنَا الَّذِي كَلَّمْتُ الْبِحَارَ فَفَهِمَتْ قَوْلِي، وَأَمَرْتُهَا فَفَعَلَتْ أَمْرِي، وَحَدَّدْتُ عَلَيْهَا حُدُودًا فَلَا تَعْدُو حَدِّي، وَتَأْتِي بِأَمْوَاجٍ كَالْجِبَالِ، فَإِذَا بَلَغَتْ حَدِّي أَلْبَسْتُهَا مَذَلَّةً لِطَاعَتِي، وَخَوْفًا وَاعْتِرَافًا لِأَمْرِي، وَإِنِّي مَعَكَ، وَلَنْ يَصِلَ إِلَيْكَ شَيْءٌ مَعِي، وَإِنِّي بَعَثْتُكَ إِلَى خَلْقٍ عَظِيمٍ مِنْ خَلْقِي ; لِتُبَلِّغَهُمْ رِسَالَاتِي فَتَسْتَوْجِبَ لِذَلِكَ أَجْرَ مَنِ اتَّبَعَكَ، وَلَا يَنْقُصُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْئًا، وَإِنْ تُقَصِّرْ عَنْهَا تَسْتَحِقَّ بِذَلِكَ وِزْرَ مَنْ تَرَكْتَهُ فِي عِمَايَةٍ، وَلَا يَنْقُصُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَوْزَارِهِمْ شَيْئًا، انْطَلِقْ إِلَى قَوْمِكَ فَقُمْ فِيهِمْ، وَقُلْ لَهُمْ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ ذَكَرَكُمْ بِصَلَاحِ آبَائِكُمْ ; فَلِذَلِكَ اسْتَبَقَاكُمْ يَا مَعْشَرَ أَبْنَاءِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ، كَيْفَ وَجَدَ آبَاؤُكُمْ مَغَبَّةَ طَاعَتِي، وَكَيْفَ وَجَدْتُمْ مَغَبَّةَ مَعْصِيَتِي ؟ وَهَلْ وَجَدُوا أَحَدًا عَصَانِي فَسَعِدَ بِمَعْصِيَتِي ؟ وَهَلْ عَلِمُوا أَحَدًا أَطَاعَنِي فَشَقِيَ بِطَاعَتِي ؟ إِنَّ الدَّوَابَّ إِذَا ذَكَرَتْ أَوْطَانَهَا الصَّالِحَةَ نَزَعَتْ إِلَيْهَا، وَإِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمَ رَتَعُوا فِي مُرُوجِ الْهَلَكَةِ وَتَرَكُوا الْأَمْرَ الَّذِي بِهِ أَكْرَمْتُ آبَاءَهُمْ وَابْتَغَوُا الْكَرَامَةَ مِنْ غَيْرِ وَجْهِهَا. أَمَّا أَحْبَارُهُمْ وَرُهْبَانُهُمْ فَاتَّخَذُوا عِبَادِي خَوَلًا يَتَعَبَّدُونَهُمْ وَيَحْكُمُونَ فِيهِمْ بِغَيْرِ كِتَابِي، حَتَّى أَجْهَلُوهُمْ أَمْرِي، وَأَنْسَوْهُمْ ذِكْرِي وَسُنَّتِي، وَغَرُّوهُمْ عَنِّي، فَدَانَ لَهُمْ عِبَادِي بِالطَّاعَةِ الَّتِي لَا تَنْبَغِي إِلَّا لِي، فَهُمْ يُطِيعُونَهُمْ فِي مَعْصِيَتِي. وَأَمَّا مُلُوكُهُمْ وَأُمَرَاؤُهُمْ، فَبَطَرُوا نِعْمَتِي، وَأَمِنُوا مَكْرِي، وَغَرَّتْهُمُ الدُّنْيَا، حَتَّى نَبَذُوا كِتَابِي، وَنَسُوا عَهْدِي، فَهُمْ يُحَرِّفُونَ كِتَابِي وَيَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى رُسُلِي ; جُرْأَةً مِنْهُمْ عَلَيَّ وَغِرَّةً بِي. فَسُبْحَانَ جَلَالِي، وَعُلُوِّ مَكَانِي، وَعَظَمَةِ شَأْنِي، هَلْ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَكُونَ لِي شَرِيكٌ فِي مُلْكِي ؟! وَهَلْ يَنْبَغِي لِبَشَرٍ أَنْ يُطَاعَ فِي مَعْصِيَتِي ؟! وَهَلْ يَنْبَغِي لِي أَنْ أَخْلُقَ عِبَادًا أَجْعَلُهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِي ؟! أَوْ آذَنَ لِأَحَدٍ بِالطَّاعَةِ لِأَحَدٍ وَهِيَ لَا تَنْبَغِي إِلَّا لِي! وَأَمَّا قُرَّاؤُهُمْ وَفُقَهَاؤُهُمْ، فَيَدْرُسُونَ مَا يَتَخَيَّرُونَ، فَيَنْقَادُونَ لِلْمُلُوكِ، فَيُتَابِعُونَهُمْ عَلَى الْبِدَعِ الَّتِي يَبْتَدِعُونَ فِي دِينِي، وَيُطِيعُونَهُمْ فِي مَعْصِيَتِي، وَيُوفُونَ لَهُمْ بِالْعُهُودِ النَّاقِضَةِ لِعَهْدِي، فَهُمْ جَهَلَةٌ بِمَا يَعْلَمُونَ، لَا يَنْتَفِعُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِمَّا عَلِمُوا مِنْ كِتَابِي. وَأَمَّا أَوْلَادُ النَّبِيِّينَ، فَمَقْهُورُونَ وَمَفْتُونُونَ، يَخُوضُونَ مَعَ الْخَائِضِينَ، يَتَمَنَّوْنَ مِثْلَ نَصْرِي آبَاءَهُمْ، وَالْكَرَامَةَ الَّتِي أَكْرَمْتُهُمْ بِهَا، وَيَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُ لَا أَحَدَ أَوْلَى بِذَلِكَ مِنْهُمْ، بِغَيْرِ صِدْقٍ مِنْهُمْ، وَلَا تَفَكُّرٍ، وَلَا يَذْكُرُونَ كَيْفَ كَانَ صَبْرُ آبَائِهِمْ، وَكَيْفَ كَانَ جُهْدُهُمْ فِي أَمْرِي، حَتَّى اغْتَرَّ الْمُغْتَرُّونَ، وَكَيْفَ بَذَلُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَدِمَاءَهُمْ، فَصَبَرُوا وَصَدَقُوا، حَتَّى عَزَّ أَمْرِي، وَظَهَرَ دِينِي، فَتَأَنَّيْتُ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَسْتَحْيُونَ مِنِّي وَيَرْجِعُونَ، فَتَطَوَّلْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَصَفَحْتُ عَنْهُمْ، فَأَكْثَرْتُ وَمَدَدْتُ لَهُمْ فِي الْعُمُرِ، وَأَعْذَرْتُ لَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ، وَكُلُّ ذَلِكَ أُمْطِرُ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّمَاءَ، وَأُنْبِتُ لَهُمُ الْأَرْضَ، وَأُلْبِسُهُمُ الْعَافِيَةَ، وَأُظْهِرُهُمْ عَلَى الْعَدُوِّ، وَلَا يَزْدَادُونَ إِلَّا طُغْيَانًا وَبُعْدًا مِنِّي، فَحَتَّى مَتَى هَذَا! أَبِي يَسْخَرُونَ! أَمْ بِي يَتَمَرَّسُونَ! أَمْ إِيَّايَ يُخَادِعُونَ! أَمْ عَلَيَّ يَجْتَرِئُونَ! فَإِنِّي أُقْسِمُ بِعِزَّتِي، لَأُتِيحَنَّ لَهُمْ فِتْنَةً يَتَحَيَّرُ فِيهَا الْحَلِيمُ وَيَضِلُّ فِيهَا رَأْيُ ذَوِي الرَّأْيِ وَحِكْمَةُ الْحَكِيمِ، ثُمَّ لَأُسَلِّطَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ جَبَّارًا قَاسِيًا عَاتِيًا، أُلْبِسُهُ الْهَيْبَةَ، وَأَنْزِعُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ الرَّأْفَةَ وَالرَّحْمَةَ، وَآلَيْتُ أَنْ يَتَّبِعَهُ عَدَدٌ وَسَوَادٌ مِثْلُ اللَّيْلِ الْمُظْلِمِ، لَهُ فِيهِ عَسَاكِرُ مِثْلُ قِطَعِ السَّحَابِ، وَمُوَاكِبُ مِثْلُ الْعَجَاجِ، وَكَأَنَّ حَفِيفَ رَايَاتِهِ طَيَرَانُ النُّسُورِ، وَحَمْلَ فُرْسَانِهِ كَسِرْبِ الْعِقْبَانِ، يُعِيدُونَ الْعِمْرَانَ خَرَابًا، وَالْقُرَى وَحْشًا، وَيَعِيثُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا، وَيُتَبِّرُونَ مَا عَلَوْا تَتْبِيرًا، قَاسِيَةً قُلُوبُهُمْ; لَا يَكْتَرِثُونَ، وَلَا يَرِقُّونَ، وَلَا يَرْحَمُونَ، وَلَا يُبْصِرُونَ، وَلَا يَسْمَعُونَ، يَجُولُونَ فِي الْأَسْوَاقِ بِأَصْوَاتٍ مُرْتَفِعَةٍ مِثْلَ زَئِيرِ الْأُسْدِ، تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْ هَيْبَتِهَا الْجُلُودُ، وَتَطِيشُ مِنْ سَمْعِهَا الْأَحْلَامُ، بِأَلْسِنَةٍ لَا يَفْقَهُونَهَا، وَوُجُوهٍ ظَاهِرٌ عَلَيْهَا الْمُنْكَرُ، لَا يَعْرِفُونَهَا. فَوَعِزَّتِي لَأُعَطِّلَنَّ بُيُوتَهُمْ مِنْ كُتُبِي وَقُدُسِي، وَلَأُخْلِيَنَّ مَجَالِسَهُمْ مِنْ حَدِيثِهَا وَدُرُوسِهَا، وَلَأُوحِشَنَّ مَسَاجِدَهُمْ مِنْ عُمَّارِهَا وَزُوَّارِهَا، الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَتَزَيَّنُونَ بِعِمَارَتِهَا لِغَيْرِي، وَيَتَهَجَّدُونَ فِيهَا وَيَتَعَبَّدُونَ لِكَسْبِ الدُّنْيَا بِالدِّينِ، وَيَتَفَقَّهُونَ فِيهَا لِغَيْرِ الدِّينِ، وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ فِيهَا لِغَيْرِ الْعَمَلِ. لَأُبَدِّلَنَّ مُلُوكَهَا بِالْعِزِّ الذُّلَّ، وَبِالْأَمْنِ الْخَوْفَ، وَبِالْغِنَى الْفَقْرَ، وَبِالنِّعْمَةِ الْجُوعَ، وَبِطُولِ الْعَافِيَةِ وَالرَّخَاءِ أَنْوَاعَ الْبَلَاءِ، وَبِلِبَاسِ الدِّيبَاجِ وَالْحَرِيرِ مَدَارِعَ الْوَبَرِ وَالْعَبَاءَ، وَبِالْأَرْوَاحِ الطَّيِّبَةِ وَالْأَدْهَانِ جِيَفَ الْقَتْلَى، وَبِلِبَاسِ التِّيجَانِ أَطْوَاقَ الْحَدِيدِ وَالسَّلَاسِلَ وَالْأَغْلَالَ. ثُمَّ لَأُعِيدَنَّ فِيهِمْ بَعْدَ الْقُصُورِ الْوَاسِعَةِ وَالْحُصُونِ الْحَصِينَةِ الْخَرَابَ، وَبَعْدَ الْبُرُوجِ الْمُشَيَّدَةِ مَسَاكِنَ السِّبَاعِ، وَبَعْدَ صَهِيلِ الْخَيْلِ عُوَاءَ الذِّئَابِ، وَبَعْدَ ضَوْءِ السِّرَاجِ دُخَانَ الْحَرِيقِ، وَبَعْدَ الْأُنْسِ الْوَحْشَةَ وَالْقِفَارَ، ثُمَّ لَأُبَدِّلَنَّ نِسَاءَهَا بِالْأَسْوِرَةِ الْأَغْلَالَ، وَبِقَلَائِدِ الدُّرِّ وَالْيَاقُوتِ سَلَاسِلَ الْحَدِيدِ، وَبِأَلْوَانِ الطِّيبِ وَالْأَدْهَانِ النَّقْعَ وَالْغُبَارَ، وَبِالْمَشْيِ عَلَى الزَّرَابِيِّ عُبُورَ الْأَسْوَاقِ وَالْأَنْهَارِ وَالْخَبَبَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ فِي بُطُونِ الْأَسْوَاقِ، وَبِالْخُدُورِ وَالسُّتُورِ الْحُسُورَ عَنِ الْوُجُوهِ وَالسُّوقِ وَالْإِسْفَارَ، وَالْأَرْوَاحِ السَّمُومَ، ثُمَّ لَأَدُوسَنَّهُمْ بِأَنْوَاعِ الْعَذَابِ حَتَّى لَوْ كَانَ الْكَائِنُ مِنْهُمْ فِي حَالِقٍ، لَوَصَلَ ذَلِكَ إِلَيْهِ. إِنِّي إِنَّمَا أُكْرِمُ مَنْ أَكْرَمَنِي، وَإِنَّمَا أُهِينُ مَنْ هَانَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرِي. ثُمَّ لَآمُرَنَّ السَّمَاءَ خِلَالَ ذَلِكَ ; فَلَتَكُونَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ طَبَقًا مِنْ حَدِيدٍ، وَلَآمُرَنَّ الْأَرْضَ فَلَتَكُونَنَّ سَبِيكَةً مِنْ نُحَاسٍ، فَلَا سَمَاءَ تُمْطِرُ وَلَا أَرْضَ تُنْبِتُ، فَإِنْ أَمْطَرَتْ خِلَالَ ذَلِكَ شَيْئًا سَلَّطْتُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْآفَةَ، فَإِنْ خَلُصَ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ نَزَعْتُ مِنْهُ الْبَرَكَةَ، وَإِنْ دَعَوْنِي لَمْ أُجِبْهُمْ، وَإِنْ سَأَلُونِي لَمْ أُعْطِهِمْ، وَإِنْ بَكَوْا لَمْ أَرْحَمْهُمْ، وَإِنْ تَضَرَّعُوا إِلَيَّ صَرَفْتُ وَجْهِي عَنْهُمْ. وَإِنْ قَالُوا: اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الَّذِي ابْتَدَأْتَنَا وَآبَاءَنَا مِنْ قَبْلِنَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ وَكَرَامَتِكَ وَذَلِكَ بِأَنَّكَ اخْتَرْتَنَا لِنَفْسِكَ وَجَعَلْتَ فِينَا نُبُوَّتَكَ وَكِتَابَكَ وَمَسَاجِدَكَ، ثُمَّ مَكَّنَتْ لَنَا فِي الْبِلَادِ وَاسْتَخْلَفْتَنَا فِيهَا وَرَبَّيْتَنَا وَآبَاءَنَا مِنْ قَبْلِنَا بِنِعْمَتِكَ صِغَارًا، وَحَفِظْتَنَا وَإِيَّاهُمْ بِرَحْمَتِكَ كِبَارًا، فَأَنْتَ أَوْفَى الْمُنْعِمِينَ، فَلَا تُغَيِّرْ وَإِنْ غَيَّرْنَا، وَلَا تُبَدِّلْ وَإِنْ بَدَّلْنَا، وَأَنْ تُتِمَّ فَضْلَكَ وَمَنَّكَ وَطَوْلَكَ وَإِحْسَانَكَ. فَإِنْ قَالُوا ذَلِكَ قُلْتُ لَهُمْ: إِنِّي أَبْتَدِئُ عِبَادِي بِرَحْمَتِي وَنِعْمَتِي، فَإِنْ قَبِلُوا أَتْمَمْتُ، وَإِنِ اسْتَزَادُوا زِدْتُ، وَإِنْ شَكَرُوا ضَاعَفْتُ، وَإِنْ بَدَّلُوا غَيَّرْتُ، وَإِذَا غَيَّرُوا غَضِبْتُ، وَإِذَا غَضِبْتُ عَذَّبْتُ، وَلَيْسَ يَقُومُ شَيْءٌ لِغَضَبِي. قَالَ كَعْبٌ: فَقَالَ أَرْمِيَا: بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَصْبَحْتُ أَتَكَلَّمُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ، وَهَلْ يَنْبَغِي ذَلِكَ لِي وَأَنَا أَذَلُّ وَأَضْعَفُ مِنْ أَنْ يَنْبَغِيَ لِي أَنْ أَتَكَلَّمَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ، وَلَكِنْ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَبْقَيْتَنِي لِهَذَا الْيَوْمِ، وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ أَحَقَّ أَنْ يَخَافَ هَذَا الْعَذَابَ وَهَذَا الْوَعِيدَ مِنِّي، بِمَا رَضِيتَ بِهِ مِنِّي طَوْلًا، وَالْإِقَامَةِ فِي دَارِ الْخَاطِئِينَ وَهُمْ يَعْصُونَكَ حَوْلِي بِغَيْرِ نَكِيرٍ وَلَا تَغْيِيرٍ مِنِّي، فَإِنْ تُعَذِّبْنِي فَبِذَنْبِي وَإِنْ تَرْحَمْنِي فَذَلِكَ ظَنِّي بِكَ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا رَبِّ، سُبْحَانَكَ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وَتَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ، أَتُهْلِكُ هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةَ وَمَا حَوْلَهَا وَهِيَ مَسَاكِنُ أَنْبِيَائِكَ، وَمَنْزِلُ وَحْيِكَ ؟ يَا رَبِّ، سُبْحَانَكَ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ لِمَخْرَبِ هَذَا الْمَسْجِدِ وَمَا حَوْلَهُ مِنَ الْمَسَاجِدِ، وَمِنَ الْبُيُوتِ الَّتِي رُفِعَتْ لِذِكْرِكَ ؟ يَا رَبِّ، سُبْحَانَكَ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكْتَ وَتَعَالَيْتَ لِمَقْتِكَ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةَ وَعَذَابِكَ إِيَّاهُمْ وَهُمْ مِنْ وَلَدِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلِكَ، وَأُمَّةِ مُوسَى نَجِيِّكَ، وَقَوْمِ دَاوُدَ صَفِيِّكَ، يَا رَبِّ، أَيُّ الْقُرَى تَأْمَنُ عُقُوبَتَكَ بَعْدَ أُورْشَلِيمَ ؟ وَأَيُّ الْعِبَادِ يَأْمَنُونَ سَطْوَتَكَ بَعْدَ وَلَدِ خَلِيلِكَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَأُمَّةِ نَجِيِّكَ مُوسَى، وَقَوْمِ خَلِيفَتِكَ دَاوُدَ ؟ تُسَلِّطُ عَلَيْهِمْ عَبَدَةَ النِّيرَانِ! قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: يَا أَرْمِيَا مَنْ عَصَانِي فَلَا يَسْتَنْكِرُ نِقْمَتِي ; فَإِنِّي إِنَّمَا أَكْرَمْتُ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمَ عَلَى طَاعَتِي، وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ عَصَوْنِي لَأَنْزَلْتُهُمْ دَارَ الْعَاصِينَ، إِلَّا أَنْ أَتَدَارَكَهُمْ بِرَحْمَتِي. قَالَ أَرْمِيَا: يَا رَبِّ، اتَّخَذْتَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلًا وَحَفِظْتَنَا بِهِ، وَمُوسَى قَرَّبْتَهُ نَجَّيًا، فَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَحْفَظَنَا وَلَا تَتَخَطَّفَنَا، وَلَا تُسَلِّطَ عَلَيْنَا عَدُوَّنَا. فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ: يَا أَرْمِيَا إِنِّي قَدَّسْتُكَ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّكَ، وَأَخَّرْتُكَ إِلَى هَذَا الْيَوْمِ، فَلَوْ أَنَّ قَوْمَكَ حَفِظُوا الْيَتَامَى وَالْأَرَامِلَ وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ، لَكُنْتُ الدَّاعِمَ لَهُمْ، وَكَانُوا عِنْدِي بِمَنْزِلَةِ جَنَّةٍ نَاعِمٍ شَجَرُهَا، طَاهِرٍ مَاؤُهَا، وَلَا يَغُورُ مَاؤُهَا، وَلَا تَبُورُ ثِمَارُهَا، وَلَا تَنْقَطِعُ وَلَكِنْ سَأَشْكُو إِلَيْكَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ ; إِنِّي كُنْتُ لَهُمْ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الرَّاعِي الشَّفِيقِ، أُجَنِّبُهُمْ كُلَّ قَحْطٍ وَكُلَّ عُسْرَةٍ، وَأُتْبِعُ بِهِمُ الْخَصْبَ، حَتَّى صَارُوا كِبَاشًا يَنْطَحُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا، فَيَا وَيْلَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَا وَيْلَهُمْ، إِنَّمَا أُكْرِمُ مَنْ أَكْرَمَنِي، وَأُهِينَ مَنْ هَانَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرِي، إِنَّ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ يَسْتَخْفُونَ بِمَعْصِيَتِي، وَإِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمَ يَتَبَرَّعُونَ بِمَعْصِيَتِي تَبَرُّعًا ; فَيُظْهِرُونَهَا فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ، وَالْأَسْوَاقِ، وَعَلَى رُءُوسِ الْجِبَالِ، وَظِلَالِ الْأَشْجَارِ، حَتَّى عَجَّتِ السَّمَاءُ إِلَيَّ مِنْهُمْ، وَعَجَّتِ الْأَرْضُ وَالْجِبَالُ، وَنَفَرَتْ مِنْهَا الْوُحُوشُ بِأَطْرَافِ الْأَرْضِ وَأَقَاصِيهَا، وَفِي كُلِّ ذَلِكَ لَا يَنْتَهُونَ وَلَا يَنْتَفِعُونَ بِمَا عَلِمُوا مِنَ الْكِتَابِ. قَالَ: فَلَمَّا بَلَّغَهُمْ أَرْمِيَا رِسَالَةَ رَبِّهِمْ، وَسَمِعُوا مَا فِيهَا مِنَ الْوَعِيدِ وَالْعَذَابِ، عَصَوْهُ وَكَذَّبُوهُ وَاتَّهَمُوهُ وَقَالُوا: كَذَبْتَ وَعَظَّمْتَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْفِرْيَةَ، فَتَزْعُمُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ مُعَطِّلٌ أَرْضَهُ وَمَسَاجِدَهُ مِنْ كِتَابِهِ وَعِبَادَتِهِ وَتَوْحِيدِهِ، فَمَنْ يَعْبُدُهُ حِينَ لَا يَبْقَى لَهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ عَابِدٌ وَلَا مَسْجِدٌ وَلَا كِتَابٌ ؟ لَقَدْ أَعْظَمْتَ الْفِرْيَةَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَاعْتَرَاكَ الْجُنُونُ. فَأَخَذُوهُ وَقَيَّدُوهُ وَسَجَنُوهُ، فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ بُخْتُ نَصَّرَ فَأَقْبَلَ يَسِيرُ بِجُنُودِهِ حَتَّى نَزَلَ بِسَاحَتِهِمْ، ثُمَّ حَاصَرَهُمْ، فَكَانَ كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِ [ الْإِسْرَاءِ: 5 ]. قَالَ: فَلَمَّا طَالَ بِهِمُ الْحَصْرُ نَزَلُوا عَلَى حُكْمِهِ، فَفَتَحُوا الْأَبْوَابَ، وَتَخَلَّلُوا الْأَزِقَّةَ، وَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِ وَحَكَمَ فِيهِمْ حُكْمَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ وَبَطْشَ الْجَبَّارِينَ، فَقَتَلَ مِنْهُمُ الثُّلُثَ، وَسَبَى الثُّلُثَ، وَتَرَكَ الزَّمْنَى وَالشُّيُوخَ وَالْعَجَائِزَ، ثُمَّ وَطِئَهُمْ بِالْخَيْلِ، وَهَدَمَ بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ، وَسَاقَ الصِّبْيَانَ، وَأَوْقَفَ النِّسَاءَ فِي الْأَسْوَاقِ مُحْسَرَاتٍ، وَقَتَلَ الْمُقَاتِلَةَ، وَخَرَّبَ الْحُصُونَ، وَهَدَمَ الْمَسَاجِدَ، وَحَرَقَ التَّوْرَاةَ، وَسَأَلَ عَنْ دَانْيَالَ الَّذِي كَانَ كَتَبَ لَهُ الْكِتَابَ، فَوَجَدُوهُ قَدْ مَاتَ، وَأَخْرَجَ أَهْلُ بَيْتِهِ الْكِتَابَ إِلَيْهِ، وَكَانَ فِيهِمْ دَانْيَالُ بْنُ حِزْقِيلَ الْأَصْغَرُ وَمِيشَائِيلُ، وَعِزْرَائِيلُ، وَمِيخَائِيلُ، فَأَمْضَى لَهُمْ ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابَ، وَكَانَ دَانْيَالُ بْنُ حِزْقِيلَ خَلَفًا مِنْ دَانْيَالَ الْأَكْبَرِ، وَدَخَلَ بُخْتُ نَصَّرَ بِجُنُودِهِ بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ، وَوَطِئَ الشَّامَ كُلَّهَا، وَقَتَلَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ حَتَّى أَفْنَاهُمْ، فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْهَا انْصَرَفَ رَاجِعًا، وَحَمَلَ الْأَمْوَالَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ بِهَا وَسَاقَ السَّبَايَا، فَبَلَغَ مَعَهُ عِدَّةُ صِبْيَانِهِمْ مِنْ أَبْنَاءِ الْأَحْبَارِ وَالْمُلُوكِ تِسْعِينَ أَلْفَ غُلَامٍ، وَقَذَفَ الْكُنَاسَاتِ فِي بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ، وَذَبَحَ فِيهِ الْخَنَازِيرَ، وَكَانَ الْغِلْمَانُ سَبْعَةَ آلَافِ غُلَامٍ مَنْ بَيْتِ دَاوُدَ، وَأَحَدَ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا مِنْ سِبْطِ يُوسُفَ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ وَأَخِيهِ بِنْيَامِينَ، وَثَمَانِيَةَ آلَافٍ مِنْ سِبْطِ إِيشَا بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ وَأَرْبَعَةَ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا مِنْ سِبْطِ زَبَالُونَ وَنِفْتَالِي ابْنَيْ يَعْقُوبَ، وَأَرْبَعَةَ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا مِنْ سِبْطِ دَانِ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ، وَثَمَانِيَةَ آلَافٍ مِنْ سِبْطِ يَسْتَاخِرَ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ، وَأَلْفَيْنِ مِنْ سِبْطِ رَايْلُونَ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ، وَأَرْبَعَةَ آلَافٍ مِنْ سِبْطِ رُوبِيلَ وَلَاوِي، وَاثْنَيْ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا مِنْ سَائِرِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَانْطَلَقَ حَتَّى قَدِمَ أَرْضَ بَابِلَ. قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ: قَالَ وَهْبُ بْنُ مُنَبِّهٍ: فَلَمَّا فَعَلَ مَا فَعَلَ قِيلَ لَهُ: كَانَ لَهُمْ صَاحِبٌ يُحَذِّرُهُمْ مَا أَصَابَهُمْ، وَيَصِفُكَ وَخَبَرَكَ لَهُمْ، وَيُخْبِرُهُمْ أَنَّكَ تَقْتُلُ مُقَاتِلَتَهُمْ وَتَسْبِي ذَرَارِيَّهُمْ وَتَهْدِمُ مَسَاجِدَهُمْ وَتَحْرِقُ كَنَائِسَهُمْ، فَكَذَّبُوهُ وَاتَّهَمُوهُ، وَضَرَبُوهُ، وَقَيَّدُوهُ، وَحَبَسُوهُ. فَأَمَرَ بُخْتَ نَصَّرَ فَأَخْرَجَ أَرْمِيَا مِنَ السِّجْنِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: أَكُنْتَ تُحَذِّرُ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمَ مَا أَصَابَهُمْ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: فَإِنِّي عَلِمْتُ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ: أَرْسَلَنِي اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِمْ فَكَذَّبُونِي. قَالَ: كَذَّبُوكَ وَضَرَبُوكَ وَسَجَنُوكَ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: بِئْسَ الْقَوْمُ قَوْمٌ كَذَّبُوا نَبِيَّهُمْ وَكَذَّبُوا رِسَالَةَ رَبِّهِمْ، فَهَلْ لَكَ أَنْ تَلْحَقَ بِي، فَأُكْرِمُكَ وَأُوَاسِيكَ، وَإِنْ أَحْبَبْتَ أَنْ تُقِيمَ فِي بِلَادِكَ فَقَدْ أَمَّنْتُكَ. قَالَ لَهُ أَرْمِيَا: إِنِّي لَمْ أَزَلْ فِي أَمَانِ اللَّهِ مُنْذُ كُنْتُ لَمْ أَخْرُجْ مِنْهُ سَاعَةً قَطُّ، وَلَوْ أَنَّ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ لَمْ يَخْرُجُوا مِنْهُ، لَمْ يَخَافُوكَ وَلَا غَيْرَكَ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَكَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَانٌ. فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ بُخْتَ نَصَّرَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ مِنْهُ، تَرَكَهُ، فَأَقَامَ أَرْمِيَا مَكَانَهُ بِأَرْضِ إِيلِيَاءَ. وَهَذَا سِيَاقٌ غَرِيبٌ، وَفِيهِ حِكَمٌ وَمَوَاعِظُ وَأَشْيَاءُ مَلِيحَةٌ، وَفِيهِ مِنْ جِهَةِ التَّعْرِيبِ غَرَابَةٌ. بعث بختنصر لقتال بني إسرائيل بالشام وَقَالَ هِشَامُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ الْكَلْبِيُّ: كَانَ بُخْتُ نَصَّرَ أُصْفَهْبَذًا لِمَا بَيْنَ الْأَهْوَازِ إِلَى الرُّومِ ; لِلْمَلِكِ عَلَى الْفُرْسِ وَهُوَ لِهْرَاسْبُ، وَكَانَ قَدْ بَنَى مَدِينَةَ بَلْخَ الَّتِي تُلَقَّبُ بِ " الْخَنْسَاءِ، وَقَاتَلَ التُّرْكَ، وَأَلْجَأَهُمْ إِلَى أَضْيَقِ الْأَمَاكِنِ، وَبَعَثَ بُخْتُ نَصَّرَ لِقِتَالِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ بِالشَّامِ، فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ الشَّامَ صَالَحَهُ أَهْلُ دِمَشْقَ وَقَدْ قِيلَ: إِنَّ الَّذِي بَعَثَ بُخْتُ نَصَّرَ إِنَّمَا هُوَ بَهْمَنُ مَلِكُ الْفُرْسِ بَعْدَ بَشْتَاسِبُ بْنِ لَهْرَاسِبُ ; وَذَلِكَ لِتَعَدِّي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَلَى رُسُلِهِ إِلَيْهِمْ. وَعَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيِّبِ، أَنَّ بُخْتُ نَصَّرَ لَمَّا قَدِمَ دِمَشْقَ، وَجَدَ بِهَا دَمًا يَغْلِي عَلَى كِبًا - يَعْنِي الْقُمَامَةَ - فَسَأَلَهُمْ: مَا هَذَا الدَّمُ ؟ فَقَالُوا: أَدْرَكْنَا آبَاءَنَا عَلَى هَذَا، وَكُلَّمَا ظَهَرَ عَلَيْهِ الْكِبَا ظَهَرَ. قَالَ: فَقَتَلَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ سَبْعِينَ أَلْفًا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَغَيْرِهِمْ، فَسَكَنَ. وَهَذَا إِسْنَادٌ صَحِيحٌ إِلَى سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيِّبِ، وَقَدْ تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ كَلَامِ الْحَافِظِ ابْنِ عَسَاكِرَ مَا يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّ هَذَا دَمُ يَحْيَى بْنِ زَكَرِيَّا وَهَذَا لَا يَصِحُّ ; لِأَنَّ يَحْيَى بْنَ زَكَرِيَّا بَعْدَ بُخْتُ نَصَّرَ بِمُدَّةٍ، وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّ هَذَا دَمُ نَبِيٍّ مُتَقَدِّمٍ، أَوْ دَمٌ لِبَعْضِ الصَّالِحِينَ، أَوْ لِمَنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِمَّنِ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ. تفرق بني إسرائيل في البلاد قَالَ هِشَامُ بْنُ الْكَلْبِيِّ: ثُمَّ قَدِمَ بُخْتُ نَصَّرَ بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ، فَصَالَحَهُ مَلِكُهَا، وَكَانَ مِنْ آلِ دَاوُدَ وَصَانَعَهُ عَنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَأَخَذَ مِنْهُ بُخْتُ نَصَّرَ رَهَائِنَ وَرَجَعَ، فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ طَبَرِيَّةَ بَلَغَهُ أَنَّ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ ثَارُوا عَلَى مَلِكِهِمْ فَقَتَلُوهُ لِأَجْلِ أَنَّهُ صَالَحَهُ، فَضَرَبَ رِقَابَ مَنْ مَعَهُ مِنَ الرَّهَائِنِ وَرَجَعَ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَأَخَذَ الْمَدِينَةَ عَنْوَةً وَقَتَلَ الْمُقَاتِلَةَ وَسَبَى الذُّرِّيَّةَ. قَالَ: وَبَلَغَنَا أَنَّهُ وَجَدَ فِي السِّجْنِ أَرْمِيَا النَّبِيَّ، فَأَخْرَجَهُ، وَقَصَّ عَلَيْهِ مَا كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ إِيَّاهُمْ، وَتَحْذِيرِهِ لَهُمْ عَنْ ذَلِكَ، فَكَذَّبُوهُ وَسَجَنُوهُ، فَقَالَ بُخْتُ نَصَّرَ: بِئْسَ الْقَوْمُ قَوْمٌ عَصَوْا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. وَخَلَّى سَبِيلَهُ وَأَحْسَنَ إِلَيْهِ. وَاجْتَمَعَ إِلَيْهِ مَنْ بَقِيَ مِنْ ضُعَفَاءِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَقَالُوا: إِنَّا قَدْ أَسَأْنَا وَظَلَمْنَا وَنَحْنُ نَتُوبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِمَّا صَنَعْنَا، فَادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَقْبَلَ تَوْبَتَنَا. فَدَعَا رَبَّهُ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ غَيْرُ فَاعِلٍ، فَإِنْ كَانُوا صَادِقِينَ فَلْيُقِيمُوا مَعَكَ بِهَذِهِ الْبَلْدَةِ. فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ مَا أَمَرَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِهِ، فَقَالُوا: كَيْفَ نُقِيمُ بِهَذِهِ الْبَلْدَةِ وَقَدْ خَرِبَتْ، وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَى أَهْلِهَا! فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يُقِيمُوا. قَالَ ابْنُ الْكَلْبِيِّ: وَمِنْ ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ تَفَرَّقَتْ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي الْبِلَادِ، فَنَزَلَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمُ الْحِجَازَ وَطَائِفَةٌ يَثْرِبَ وَطَائِفَةٌ وَادِي الْقُرَى وَذَهَبَتْ شِرْذِمَةٌ مِنْهُمْ إِلَى مِصْرَ فَكَتَبَ بُخْتُ نَصَّرَ إِلَى مَلِكِهَا يَطْلُبُ مِنْهُ مَنْ شَرَدَ مِنْهُمْ إِلَيْهِ، فَأَبَى عَلَيْهِ، فَرَكِبَ فِي جَيْشِهِ فَقَاتَلَهُ وَقَهَرَهُ وَغَلَبَهُ، وَسَبَى ذَرَارِيَّهُمْ، ثُمَّ رَكِبَ إِلَى بِلَادِ الْمَغْرِبِ، حَتَّى بَلَغَ أَقْصَى تِلْكَ النَّاحِيَةِ. قَالَ: ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ بِسَبْيٍ كَثِيرٍ مِنْ أَرْضِ الْمَغْرِبِ، وَمِصْرَ، وَأَهْلِ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ، وَأَرْضِ فِلَسْطِينَ، وَالْأُرْدُنِّ وَفِي السَّبْيِ دَانْيَالُ. قُلْتُ: وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّهُ دَانْيَالُ بْنُ حَزْقِيلَ الْأَصْغَرُ لَا الْأَكْبَرُ، عَلَى مَا ذَكَرَهُ وَهْبُ بْنُ مُنَبِّهٍ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.
Translation
✧ [Mentioning the story of Jeremiah] He is Jeremiah—the alif has a ḍammah—thus I read it to our shaykh Abū Manṣūr al-Lughawī. From Wahb: that Jeremiah was a young man of the sons of kings, and he was ascetic. His father had no son other than him, and his father was offering him marriage, but he kept refusing, fearing it would distract him from worshipping his Lord. His father pressed him and married him into a household of the great ones of his kingdom. When his wife entered upon him, he said to her: “O woman, I am confiding a matter to you. If you conceal it from me and cover it, Allah will cover you in this world and the Hereafter; but if you disclose it, Allah will ruin you in this world and the Hereafter.” She said: “I will conceal it from you.” He said: “Indeed, I do not desire women.” She stayed with him for a year. Then his father noticed that, so he asked him, and he said: “O father, that has not yet lasted long.” So he called his wife and asked her, and she said the like of that. So he separated them and married him to a woman in the household of their nobles. She was brought in to him, and he asked her to keep his matter secret. When a year passed, his father asked him the like of what he had asked, and he said: “That has not lasted long.” So he asked the woman, and she said: “How can a woman become pregnant without a husband when he has not touched me?” His father became angry, so he fled from him. Then Allah sent him as a prophet with “Nāshiyah,” and “Nāshiyah” was a king. That was when grave events became great among the Children of Israel and they committed acts of disobedience. Mentioning the destruction of the Holy House And His saying, may He be exalted: “And We gave Moses the Scripture and made it a guidance for the Children of Israel, [saying], ‘Do not take any other than Me as a disposer of affairs. O descendants of those We carried [in the ship] with Noah. Indeed, he was a grateful servant.’ And We conveyed to the Children of Israel in the Scripture: ‘You will surely cause corruption on the earth twice, and you will surely reach [a degree of] great haughtiness. So when the [time of] the first of the two came, We sent against you servants of Ours possessed of great might, and they probed [even] into the homes, and it was a promise fulfilled. Then We gave back to you a return of victory over them, and We reinforced you with wealth and sons and made you more numerous in manpower. If you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, [you do] it to them. Then when the [time of] the second came, [We sent them] to sadden your faces and to enter the mosque as they had entered it the first time and to utterly destroy whatever they had conquered. [Then Allah said], “Perhaps your Lord will have mercy upon you. But if you return, We will return. And We have made Hell, for the disbelievers, a prison-bed.” [Al-Isrāʾ: 2–8]. And from Wahb b. Munabbih, he said: When Allah, may He be exalted, sent Jeremiah to the Children of Israel, and that was when grave events became great among them—so they committed disobedient acts and killed the prophets—Nebuchadnezzar became covetous of them, and Allah cast [that] into his heart, and he told himself to march against them, when Allah willed to take vengeance on them through him. So Allah revealed to Jeremiah: “I am destroying the Children of Israel and taking vengeance upon them. Go stand upon the rock of the Holy House; My command and My revelation will come to you.” So Jeremiah stood, tore his garments, put ashes on his head, fell down prostrating, and said: “O Lord, I wish my mother had not given birth to me when You made me the last of the prophets of the Children of Israel, so that the destruction of the Holy House and the ruin of the Children of Israel should be because of me.” It was said to him: “Raise your head.” He raised his head and wept, then said: “O Lord, whom will You set over them?” He said: “Worshippers of fire, who do not fear My punishment and do not hope for My reward. Rise, O Jeremiah, and listen to My revelation. I will tell you your story and the story of the Children of Israel. Before I created you, I chose you; and before I formed you in your mother’s womb, I consecrated you; and before I brought you out of your mother’s belly, I purified you; and before you reached [maturity], I made you a prophet; and before you reached full strength, I chose you; and for a great matter I selected you. So go with the king, directing him and guiding him.” So he was with the king, guiding him, and revelation came to him from Allah, until grave events became great, and they forgot what Allah had saved them through from their enemy Sennacherib and his armies. Then Allah revealed to Jeremiah: “Rise and relate to them what I command you, and remind them of My favor upon them, and make known to them their grave events.” Jeremiah said: “O Lord, I am weak unless You strengthen me, incapable unless You make me reach, mistaken unless You direct me, forsaken unless You help me, humiliated unless You honor me.” Allah, may He be exalted, said to him: “Do you not know that all matters issue from My will, and that creation and command all belong to Me, and that hearts and tongues all are in My hand? I turn them however I will, and they obey Me. I am Allah; there is nothing like Me. The heavens and the earth and whatever is in them stand by My word. Monotheism is not made pure, and power is not completed, except for Me. No one knows what is with Me except Me. I am the One who spoke to the seas and they understood My speech, and I commanded them and they carried out My command, and I set limits for them, so they do not overstep My limit. They come with waves like mountains, but when they reach My limit, I clothe them in lowliness in obedience to Me, and fear and acknowledgment of My command. I am with you, and nothing will reach you while I am with you. I have sent you to a great creation of Mine to convey to them My messages, so that you may deserve thereby the reward of whoever follows you, and that does not diminish any of their rewards. If you fall short of them, you will deserve thereby the burden of whoever you leave in blindness, and that does not diminish any of their burdens. Go to your people and stand among them, and say to them: Allah has remembered you for the righteousness of your forefathers; therefore He has preserved you, O assembly of sons of the prophets. How did your forefathers find the outcome of obeying Me, and how have you found the outcome of disobeying Me? Did they find anyone who disobeyed Me and was happy with his disobedience? Or did they know anyone who obeyed Me and was wretched with his obedience? Indeed, beasts, when they remember their good homelands, yearn for them. These people have grazed in the meadows of destruction and left the matter by which I honored their forefathers, and they sought honor from other than its [right] way. As for their scholars and monks, they took My servants as chattel, making them worship them and judging among them by other than My Book, until they made them ignorant of My command, made them forget My remembrance and My way, and deluded them concerning Me. So My servants submitted to them in obedience that is fitting only for Me, and they obey them in disobedience to Me. As for their kings and rulers, they were insolent with My favor, felt secure from My plan, and the world deluded them, until they cast away My Book and forgot My covenant. They distort My Book and fabricate lies against My messengers, out of boldness toward Me and heedlessness of Me. Glory be to My majesty, the loftiness of My station, and the greatness of My affair! Is it fitting that there should be a partner with Me in My dominion? Is it fitting for a human being to be obeyed in disobedience to Me? Is it fitting for Me to create servants whom I make lords besides Me? Or should I permit obedience to anyone when it is fitting only for Me? As for their reciters and jurists, they study whatever they choose, and they submit to the kings, following them in the innovations they introduce into My religion, obeying them in disobedience to Me, and fulfilling for them covenants that break My covenant. They are ignorant of what they know and do not benefit from anything they have learned of My Book. As for the children of the prophets, they are subjugated and tempted, plunging along with those who plunge, wishing for the like of My victory for their forefathers and the honor with which I honored them, and they claim that no one is more entitled to that than they, without truthfulness from them, without reflection, and without remembering how the patience of their forefathers was and how their striving in My cause was, until the deluded were deluded; and how they expended their selves and their blood, and were patient and truthful, until My cause became mighty and My religion appeared. I gave these people respite, perhaps they would be ashamed before Me and return. I was gracious to them and pardoned them, and I increased and extended their lifespans, and I gave them excuse, perhaps they would remember. With all that, I rain down the sky upon them, make the earth grow for them, clothe them in well-being, and give them victory over the enemy, yet they only increase in tyranny and distance from Me. Until when is this? Is it Me they mock? Or Me they struggle against? Or Me they deceive? Or Me they defy? By My might, I will surely bring upon them a tribulation in which the forbearing will be bewildered and in which the opinion of those of opinion and the wisdom of the wise will go astray. Then I will surely set over them a tyrant, harsh and insolent. I will clothe him in awe and strip mercy and compassion from his heart. I have sworn that a number and a black mass like the dark night will follow him, having with him armies like patches of clouds and processions like dust clouds. The rustling of his banners is like the flight of vultures, and the charge of his horsemen is like a flock of eagles. They will turn habitation into ruin and villages into wastes, they will spread corruption in the land, and they will utterly destroy whatever they overcome. Their hearts are hard; they do not care, they are not soft, they do not show mercy, they do not see, and they do not hear. They roam the markets with loud voices like the roar of lions; skins shiver from their awe and minds fly from hearing them. They have tongues no one understands and faces upon which evil is apparent, which they do not recognize. By My might, I will surely empty their houses of My books and My sanctuary, and I will surely make their assemblies devoid of their talk and their study, and I will surely make their mosques desolate of their keepers and visitors—those who adorned themselves with building them for other than Me, and spent nights in them and worshipped to earn the world through religion, and studied jurisprudence in them for other than religion, and learned in them for other than deed. I will surely exchange their kings’ honor for humiliation, security for fear, wealth for poverty, blessing for hunger, and long well-being and ease for various kinds of affliction, and garments of brocade and silk for mantles of hair and cloaks, and fragrant perfumes and oils for corpses of the slain, and wearing crowns for shackles of iron, chains, and fetters. Then I will surely restore among them, after wide palaces and strong fortresses, ruin; and after lofty towers, dens of beasts; and after the neighing of horses, the howling of wolves; and after the light of lamps, the smoke of burning; and after companionship, desolation and empty wastes. Then I will surely exchange their women’s bracelets for fetters, their necklaces of pearl and ruby for chains of iron, their colorful perfumes and oils for dust and grime, their walking on carpets for crossing markets and rivers and trotting into the night in the midst of markets, and their curtained chambers and veils for uncovered faces, the market, and exposure, and their fragrant breezes for scorching winds. Then I will surely trample them with various kinds of punishment, so that even if one of them were on a high mountain, that would reach him. Indeed, I only honor the one who honors Me, and I only humiliate the one for whom My command is of little account. Then, during all that, I will surely command the sky, and it will become a layer of iron over them, and I will surely command the earth, and it will become an ingot of brass. No sky will rain and no earth will sprout. If it rains anything during that, I will set blight upon them; if anything escapes it, I will remove blessing from it; if they call upon Me, I will not answer them; if they ask Me, I will not give them; if they weep, I will not have mercy on them; and if they humble themselves before Me, I will turn My face away from them. And if they say: ‘O Allah, You are the One who began with us and our forefathers before us with Your mercy and Your honor, because You chose us for Yourself and placed in us Your prophethood, Your Book, and Your mosques. Then You established us in the lands, made us successors in them, and nurtured us and our forefathers before us with Your favor when we were young, and preserved us and them with Your mercy when we were old. You are the most faithful of bestowers of favor, so do not change even if we change, and do not alter even if we alter, and complete Your bounty, Your grace, Your generosity, and Your kindness.’ If they say that, I will say to them: I begin My servants with My mercy and My favor. If they accept, I complete it; if they seek more, I increase; if they give thanks, I multiply; if they alter, I change; and when they alter, I become angry; and when I become angry, I punish. Nothing can withstand My anger.” Kaʿb said: Jeremiah said: “By Your mercy, I find myself speaking before You, and is it fitting for me, when I am the most lowly and weakest, to speak before You? But by Your mercy You have kept me for this day, and no one is more deserving to fear this punishment and this threat than I, because of what You have accepted from me as a favor, and my remaining in the abode of the sinners while they disobey You around me without any disapproval or change from me. If You punish me, it is for my sin; and if You have mercy on me, that is my expectation of You.” Then he said: “O Lord, glory be to You and praise be to You, and blessed are You, our Lord, and exalted. Will You destroy this town and what surrounds it, when it is the dwelling of Your prophets and the place of Your revelation? O Lord, glory be to You and praise be to You, and blessed are You, our Lord, and exalted—for the ruin of this mosque and the mosques around it, and the houses that were raised for Your remembrance? O Lord, glory be to You and praise be to You, and blessed are You and exalted—for Your hatred of this community and Your punishing them, when they are of the offspring of Abraham Your friend, the community of Moses Your confidant, and the people of David Your chosen one. O Lord, which towns will feel secure from Your punishment after Jerusalem? Which servants will feel secure from Your might after the offspring of Your friend Abraham, the community of Your confidant Moses, and the people of Your vicegerent David? You set over them worshippers of fire!” Allah, may He be exalted, said: “O Jeremiah, whoever disobeys Me should not find My vengeance strange. Indeed, I honored these people only for their obedience to Me. If they disobey Me, I will bring them down to the abode of the disobedient, unless I rescue them with My mercy.” Jeremiah said: “O Lord, You took Abraham as a friend and preserved us through him, and You brought Moses near as a confidant, so we ask You to preserve us and not let us be snatched away, and not to set our enemy over us.” Then Allah revealed to him: “O Jeremiah, I consecrated you in your mother’s womb and delayed you until this day. If your people had protected the orphans, the widows, the poor, and the wayfarer, I would have been their support, and they would have been with Me like a luxuriant garden whose trees are flourishing, whose water is pure, whose water does not sink, and whose fruits do not perish or cease. But I will complain to you about the Children of Israel. I was to them like a compassionate shepherd, keeping from them every drought and every hardship and causing abundance to follow them, until they became like rams butting one another. Woe to them, then woe to them! I only honor the one who honors Me, and I only humiliate the one for whom My command is of little account. The generations before these people used to hide their disobedience to Me, but these people openly volunteer disobedience to Me, displaying it in the mosques, the markets, on the mountaintops, and in the shade of trees, until the sky cried out to Me because of them, and the earth and the mountains cried out, and the wild beasts fled from them to the ends and farthest parts of the earth, and in all that they do not cease, and they do not benefit from what they have learned of the Book.” He said: When Jeremiah conveyed to them the message of their Lord, and they heard the threat and punishment in it, they disobeyed him, denied him, accused him, and said: “You have lied, and you have forged a great lie against Allah. You claim that Allah will leave His earth and His mosques empty of His Book, His worship, and His oneness. Who will worship Him when no worshipper, no mosque, and no book remain for Him on earth? You have indeed forged a great lie against Allah, and madness has befallen you.” So they seized him, shackled him, and imprisoned him. At that point, Allah sent Nebuchadnezzar against them. He came marching with his armies until he encamped in their courtyard, then besieged them. It was as He, may He be exalted, said: “and they probed [even] into the homes” [Al-Isrāʾ: 5]. He said: When the siege grew long for them, they submitted to his judgment. They opened the gates, and they entered through the alleys. That is His saying, may He be exalted: “and they probed [even] into the homes.” He judged among them with the judgment of ignorance and the violence of tyrants. He killed a third of them, took captive a third, and left the crippled, the old, and the elderly women. Then he trampled them with horses, demolished the Holy House, drove away the children, stood the women in the markets with their faces uncovered, killed the fighting men, destroyed the fortresses, demolished the mosques, burned the Torah, and asked about Daniel, who had written the document for him. They found that he had died. The members of his household brought the document out to him. Among them were Daniel b. Ḥizqīl the younger, Mīshāʾīl, ʿIzrāʾīl, and Mīkhāʾīl. He honored that document for them. Daniel b. Ḥizqīl was a successor of Daniel the elder. Nebuchadnezzar and his armies entered the Holy House, trod all of Syria, and killed the Children of Israel until he annihilated them. When he finished with it, he turned back, carrying off the wealth that was there and driving the captives. The number of their boys from the sons of the scholars and kings that came with him reached ninety thousand lads. He cast refuse into the Holy House and slaughtered pigs in it. The boys were seven thousand lads from the house of David, eleven thousand from the tribe of Joseph b. Jacob and his brother Benjamin, eight thousand from the tribe of Issachar b. Jacob, fourteen thousand from the tribe of Zebulun and Naphtali the two sons of Jacob, fourteen thousand from the tribe of Dan b. Jacob, eight thousand from the tribe of Issachar b. Jacob, two thousand from the tribe of Reuben b. Jacob, four thousand from the tribe of Reuben and Levi, and twelve thousand from the rest of the Children of Israel. He departed until he arrived in the land of Babylon. Isḥāq b. Bishr said: Wahb b. Munabbih said: When he had done what he did, it was said to him: “They had a companion who warned them of what befell them and described you and your affair to them, telling them that you would kill their fighting men, take their offspring captive, demolish their mosques, and burn their churches. But they denied him, accused him, beat him, shackled him, and imprisoned him.” Nebuchadnezzar ordered that Jeremiah be brought out of the prison. He said to him: “Did you warn these people of what befell them?” He said: “Yes.” He said: “I knew that.” He said: “Allah sent me to them, and they denied me.” He said: “They denied you, beat you, and imprisoned you?” He said: “Yes.” He said: “Evil is a people who denied their prophet and denied the message of their Lord. Would you like to join me, and I will honor you and share with you? If you prefer to remain in your land, I have granted you safety.” Jeremiah said to him: “I have been in the safety of Allah since I existed and have never left it for a single hour. If the Children of Israel had not left it, they would not have feared you or anyone else, and you would have had no power over them.” When Nebuchadnezzar heard this statement from him, he left him. Jeremiah remained in his place in the land of Aelia. This is an unusual account, containing wise sayings, admonitions, and fine things, and in its Arabicization there is strangeness. Nebuchadnezzar’s dispatch to fight the Children of Israel in Syria Hishām b. Muḥammad b. al-Sāʾib al-Kalbī said: Nebuchadnezzar was a military governor for the region between al-Ahwāz and al-Rūm, serving the king of the Persians, who was Lahrāsb. He had built the city of Balkh, nicknamed “al-Khansāʾ,” fought the Turks, and drove them into the narrowest places. Nebuchadnezzar was sent to fight the Children of Israel in Syria. When he arrived in Syria, the people of Damascus made peace with him. It has been said that the one who sent Nebuchadnezzar was Bahman, king of the Persians, after Bishtāsb b. Lahrāsb, because of the Children of Israel’s aggression against his messengers to them. From Saʿīd b. al-Musayyib: When Nebuchadnezzar arrived in Damascus, he found blood boiling over a rubbish heap—meaning the garbage. He asked them: “What is this blood?” They said: “Our fathers found it like this, and whenever the rubbish appears over it, it appears.” He said: So he killed seventy thousand Muslims and others over that, and it subsided. This is an authentic chain to Saʿīd b. al-Musayyib. What has been mentioned earlier from the words of al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn ʿAsākir indicates that this is the blood of Yaḥyā b. Zakariyyā. That is not correct, because Yaḥyā b. Zakariyyā came a long time after Nebuchadnezzar. The apparent meaning is that this is the blood of an earlier prophet, or the blood of some righteous person, or of whomsoever Allah willed—Allah knows best. The dispersal of the Children of Israel in the lands Hishām b. al-Kalbī said: Then Nebuchadnezzar arrived at the Holy House. Its king, who was of the house of David, made peace with him, bribed him regarding the Children of Israel, and Nebuchadnezzar took hostages from him and returned. When he reached Tiberias, he learned that the Children of Israel had revolted against their king and killed him because he had made peace with him. So he struck the necks of the hostages with him and returned to them. He took the city by force, killed the fighting men, and took the offspring captive. He said: We have heard that he found Jeremiah the prophet in prison, brought him out, and he related to him what had happened between him and them and his warning to them about that, and how they denied him and imprisoned him. Nebuchadnezzar said: “Evil is a people who disobeyed the Messenger of Allah.” He let him go and treated him kindly. Those who remained of the weak among the Children of Israel gathered to him and said: “We have done evil and wronged ourselves. We repent to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, of what we have done. Pray to Allah to accept our repentance.” So he prayed to his Lord, and Allah revealed to him that He would not do so. If they are truthful, let them stay with you in this town. He told them what Allah, may He be exalted, had commanded him. They said: “How can we stay in this town when it is ruined and Allah is angry with its people?” So they refused to stay. Ibn al-Kalbī said: From that time the Children of Israel dispersed throughout the lands. One group of them settled in the Ḥijāz, another in Yathrib, another in Wādī al-Qurā, and a remnant of them went to Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar wrote to its king, demanding from him those of them who had fled to him, but he refused. So he rode with his army, fought him, overpowered him, and defeated him, and took their offspring captive. Then he rode to the lands of the Maghrib, until he reached the farthest part of that region. He said: Then he returned with many captives from the land of the Maghrib, Egypt, the people of the Holy House, the land of Palestine, and Jordan. Among the captives was Daniel. I say: The apparent meaning is that he was Daniel b. Ḥizqīl the younger, not the elder, according to what Wahb b. Munabbih mentioned, and Allah knows best.
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