Tarikh (al-Tabari) 317
The story of ʿĪsā b. Maryam (peace be upon him)
قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى وَهُوَ أَصْدَقُ الْقَائِلِينَ: إِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ اذْكُرْ نِعْمَتِي عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى وَالِدَتِكَ إِذْ أَيَّدْتُكَ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ تُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًا وَإِذْ عَلَّمْتُكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَالتَّوْرَاةَ وَالْإِنْجِيلَ وَإِذْ تَخْلُقُ مِنَ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ بِإِذْنِي فَتَنْفُخُ فِيهَا فَتَكُونُ طَيْرًا بِإِذْنِي وَتُبْرِئُ الْأَكْمَهَ وَالْأَبْرَصَ بِإِذْنِي وَإِذْ تُخْرِجُ الْمَوْتَى بِإِذْنِي وَإِذْ كَفَفْتُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَنْكَ إِذْ جِئْتَهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ وَإِذْ أَوْحَيْتُ إِلَى الْحَوَارِيِّينَ أَنْ آمِنُوا بِي وَبِرَسُولِي قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّنَا مُسْلِمُونَ [ الْمَائِدَةِ: 110، 111 ]. يُذَكِّرُهُ تَعَالَى بِنِعْمَتِهِ عَلَيْهِ، وَإِحْسَانِهِ إِلَيْهِ فِي خَلْقِهِ إِيَّاهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَبٍ، بَلْ مِنْ أُمٍّ بِلَا ذَكَرٍ، وَجَعْلِهِ لَهُ آيَةً لِلنَّاسِ، وَدَلَالَةً عَلَى كَمَالِ قُدْرَتِهِ تَعَالَى، ثُمَّ إِرْسَالِهِ بَعْدَ هَذَا كُلِّهِ وَعَلَى وَالِدَتِكَ فِي اصْطِفَائِهَا وَاخْتِيَارِهَا لِهَذِهِ النِّعْمَةِ الْعَظِيمَةِ، وَإِقَامَةِ الْبُرْهَانِ عَلَى بَرَاءَتِهَا مِمَّا نَسَبَهَا إِلَيْهِ الْجَاهِلُونَ ; وَلِهَذَا قَالَ: إِذْ أَيَّدْتُكَ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ وَهُوَ جِبْرِيلُ، بِإِلْقَاءِ رُوحِهِ إِلَى أُمِّهِ، وَقَرْنِهِ مَعَهُ فِي حَالِ رِسَالَتِهِ، وَمُدَافَعَتِهِ عَنْهُ لِمَنْ كَفَرَ بِهِ تُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًا أَيْ: تَدْعُو النَّاسَ إِلَى اللَّهِ فِي حَالِ صِغَرِكَ فِي مَهْدِكَ، وَفِي كُهُولَتِكَ وَإِذْ عَلَّمْتُكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ أَيِ الْخَطَّ وَالْفَهْمَ. نَصَّ عَلَيْهِ بَعْضُ السَّلَفِ وَالتَّوْرَاةَ وَالْإِنْجِيلَ وَقَوْلُهُ وَإِذْ تَخْلُقُ مِنَ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ بِإِذْنِي أَيْ: تُصَوِّرُهُ وَتُشَكِّلُهُ مِنَ الطِّينِ عَلَى هَيْئَتِهِ، عَنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ لَهُ بِذَلِكَ فَتَنْفُخُ فِيهَا فَتَكُونُ طَيْرًا بِإِذْنِي أَيْ: بِأَمْرِي. يُؤَكِّدُ تَعَالَى بِذِكْرِ الْإِذْنِ لَهُ فِي ذَلِكَ ; لِرَفْعِ التَّوَهُّمِ. وَقَوْلُهُ: وَتُبْرِئُ الْأَكْمَهَ قَالَ بَعْضُ السَّلَفِ: وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُولَدُ أَعْمَى، وَلَا سَبِيلَ لِأَحَدٍ مِنَ الْحُكَمَاءِ إِلَى مُدَاوَاتِهِ وَالْأَبْرَصَ وَهُوَ الَّذِي لَا طِبَّ فِيهِ، بَلْ قَدْ مَرِضَ بِالْبَرَصِ وَصَارَ دَاؤُهُ عُضَالًا وَإِذْ تُخْرِجُ الْمَوْتَى أَيْ مِنْ قُبُورِهِمْ أَحْيَاءً بِإِذْنِي. وَقَدْ تَقَدَّمَ مَا فِيهِ دَلَالَةٌ عَلَى وُقُوعِ ذَلِكَ مِرَارًا مُتَعَدِّدَةً مِمَّا فِيهِ كِفَايَةٌ. وَقَوْلُهُ:وَإِذْ كَفَفْتُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَنْكَ إِذْ جِئْتَهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ وَذَلِكَ حِينَ أَرَادُوا صَلْبَهُ فَرَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ، وَأَنْقَذَهُ مِنْ بَيْنِ أَظْهُرِهِمْ ; صِيَانَةً لِجَنَابِهِ الْكَرِيمِ عَنِ الْأَذَى، وَسَلَامَةً لَهُ مِنَ الرَّدَى. وَقَوْلُهُ: وَإِذْ أَوْحَيْتُ إِلَى الْحَوَارِيِّينَ أَنْ آمِنُوا بِي وَبِرَسُولِي قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّنَا مُسْلِمُونَ قِيلَ: الْمُرَادُ بِهَذَا الْوَحْيِ وَحْيُ إِلْهَامٍ. أَيْ أَرْشَدَهُمُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ، وَدَلَّهُمْ عَلَيْهِ، كَمَا قَالَ: وَأَوْحَى رَبُّكَ إِلَى النَّحْلِ [ النَّحْلِ: 68 ]. وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى أُمِّ مُوسَى أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقِيهِ فِي الْيَمِّ [ الْقَصَصِ: 7 ]. وَقِيلَ: الْمُرَادُ وَحْيٌ بِوَاسِطَةِ الرَّسُولِ، وَتَوْفِيقٌ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ لِقَبُولِ الْحَقِّ ; وَلِهَذَا اسْتَجَابُوا قَائِلِينَ: آمَنَّا وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّنَا مُسْلِمُونَ. وَهَذَا مِنْ جُمْلَةِ نِعَمِ اللَّهِ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ ; أَنْ جَعْلَ لَهُ أَنْصَارًا وَأَعْوَانًا يَنْصُرُونَهُ وَيَدْعُونَ مَعَهُ إِلَى عِبَادَةِ اللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى لِعَبْدِهِ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ: هُوَ الَّذِي أَيَّدَكَ بِنَصْرِهِ وَبِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ لَوْ أَنْفَقْتَ مَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مَا أَلَّفْتَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ [ الْأَنْفَالِ: 62، 63 ]. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: وَيُعَلِّمُهُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَالتَّوْرَاةَ وَالْإِنْجِيلَ وَرَسُولًا إِلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنِّي قَدْ جِئْتُكُمْ بِآيَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ أَنِّي أَخْلُقُ لَكُمْ مِنَ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ فَأَنْفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيْرًا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَأُبْرِئُ الْأَكْمَهَ وَالْأَبْرَصَ وَأُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَأُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا تَأْكُلُونَ وَمَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَةً لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ وَمُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَلِأُحِلَّ لَكُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِي حُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَجِئْتُكُمْ بِآيَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَذَا صِرَاطٌ مُسْتَقِيمٌ فَلَمَّا أَحَسَّ عِيسَى مِنْهُمُ الْكُفْرَ قَالَ مَنْ أَنْصَارِي إِلَى اللَّهِ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنْصَارُ اللَّهِ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا بِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ وَاتَّبَعْنَا الرَّسُولَ فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ وَمَكَرُوا وَمَكَرَ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ [ آلِ عِمْرَانَ: 48 - 54 ]. كَانَتْ مُعْجِزَةُ كُلِّ نَبِيٍّ فِي زَمَانِهِ بِمَا يُنَاسِبُ أَهْلَ ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ ; فَذَكَرُوا أَنَّ مُوسَى، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، كَانَتْ مُعْجِزَتُهُ مِمَّا يُنَاسِبُ أَهْلَ زَمَانِهِ، فَكَانُوا سَحَرَةً أَذْكِيَاءَ، فَبُعِثَ بِآيَاتٍ بَهَرَتِ الْأَبْصَارَ، وَخَضَعَتْ لَهَا الرِّقَابُ، وَلَمَّا كَانَ السَّحَرَةُ خَبِيرِينَ بِفُنُونِ السِّحْرِ وَمَا يَنْتَهِي إِلَيْهِ، وَعَايَنُوا مَا عَايَنُوا مِنَ الْأَمْرِ الْبَاهِرِ الْهَائِلِ، الَّذِي لَا يُمْكِنُ صُدُورُهُ إِلَّا مِمَّنْ أَيَّدَهُ اللَّهُ وَأَجْرَى الْخَارِقَ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ تَصْدِيقًا لَهُ، أَسْلَمُوا سِرَاعًا، وَلَمْ يَتَلَعْثَمُوا، وَهَكَذَا عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ، بُعِثَ فِي زَمَنِ الطَّبَائِعِيَّةِ الْحُكَمَاءِ، فَأُرْسِلَ بِمُعْجِزَاتٍ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَهَا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ إِلَيْهَا، وَأَنَّى لِحَكِيمٍ إِبْرَاءُ الْأَكْمَهِ، الَّذِي هُوَ أَسْوَأُ حَالًا مِنَ الْأَعْمَى وَالْأَبْرَصِ وَالْمَجْذُومِ، وَمَنْ بِهِ مَرَضٌ مُزْمِنٌ، وَكَيْفَ يَتَوَصَّلُ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْخَلْقِ إِلَى أَنْ يُقِيمَ الْمَيِّتَ مِنْ قَبْرِهِ، هَذَا مِمَّا يَعْلَمُ كُلُّ أَحَدٍ أَنَّهُ مُعْجِزَةٌ دَالَّةٌ عَلَى صِدْقِ مَنْ قَامَتْ بِهِ، وَعَلَى قُدْرَةِ مَنْ أَرْسَلَهُ، وَهَكَذَا مُحَمَّدٌ، صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ وَسَلَامُهُ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَيْهِمْ أَجْمَعِينَ، بُعِثَ فِي زَمَنِ الْفُصَحَاءِ الْبُلَغَاءِ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْآنَ الْعَظِيمَ، الَّذِي لَا يَأْتِيهِ الْبَاطِلُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلَا مِنْ خَلْفِهِ، تَنْزِيلٌ مِنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ، فَلَفْظُهُ مُعْجِزٌ تَحَدَّى بِهِ الْإِنْسَ وَالْجِنَّ أَنْ يَأْتُوا بِمِثْلِهِ أَوْ بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍ مِنْ مَثَلِهِ، أَوْ بِسُورَةٍ، وَقَطَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَقْدِرُونَ، لَا فِي الْحَالِ وَلَا فِي الِاسْتِقْبَالِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلُوا وَلَنْ يَفْعَلُوا، وَمَا ذَاكَ إِلَّا لِأَنَّهُ كَلَامُ الْخَالِقِ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَاللَّهُ تَعَالَى لَا يُشْبِهُهُ شَيْءٌ لَا فِي ذَاتِهِ وَلَا فِي صِفَاتِهِ وَلَا فِي أَفْعَالِهِ. وَالْمَقْصُودُ أَنَّ عِيسَى، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، لَمَّا أَقَامَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْحُجَجَ وَالْبَرَاهِينَ، اسْتَمَرَّ أَكْثَرُهُمْ عَلَى كُفْرِهِمْ وَضَلَالِهِمْ وَعِنَادِهِمْ وَطُغْيَانِهِمْ، فَانْتَدَبَ لَهُ مِنْ بَيْنِهِمْ طَائِفَةً صَالِحَةً، فَكَانُوا لَهُ أَنْصَارًا وَأَعْوَانًا ، قَامُوا بِمُتَابَعَتِهِ وَنُصْرَتِهِ وَمُنَاصَحَتِهِ، وَذَلِكَ حِينَ هَمَّ بِهِ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَوَشَوْا بِهِ إِلَى بَعْضِ مُلُوكِ ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ، فَعَزَمُوا عَلَى قَتْلِهِ وَصَلْبِهِ، فَأَنْقَذَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْهُمْ، وَرَفَعَهُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ بَيْنِ أَظْهُرِهِمْ، وَأَلْقَى شَبَهَهُ عَلَى أَحَدِ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَأَخَذُوهُ فَقَتَلُوهُ وَصَلَبُوهُ، وَهُمْ يَعْتَقِدُونَهُ عِيسَى، وَهْمُ فِي ذَلِكَ غَالِطُونَ، وَلِلْحَقِّ مُكَابِرُونَ، وَسَلَّمَ لَهُمْ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّصَارَى مَا ادَّعَوْهُ، وَكِلَا الْفَرِيقَيْنِ فِي ذَلِكَ مُخْطِئُونَ، كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: وَمَكَرُوا وَمَكَرَ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ.
Translation
✧ Allah, the Most Truthful of speakers, said: "When Allah said: 'O ʿĪsā, son of Maryam! Remember My favor upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with the Holy Spirit; you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and when I taught you the Book, the wisdom, the Torah, and the Gospel; and when you created from clay the likeness of a bird by My permission, then you breathed into it, and it became a bird by My permission; and you healed the blind from birth and the leper by My permission; and when you brought forth the dead by My permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from you when you came to them with clear proofs, but those who disbelieved among them said: "This is nothing but evident sorcery." And when I inspired the disciples to believe in Me and in My Messenger, they said: "We believe, and bear witness that we are Muslims." [Al-Māʾidah: 110–111]. He reminds him of His favor upon him and His kindness to him in creating him without a father, but from a mother without a male, and making him a sign for the people and a proof of the perfection of His power, exalted is He. Then, after all this, He sent him, and upon your mother in His choosing and selecting her for this great favor, and establishing the proof of her innocence from what the ignorant attributed to her. For this reason He said: "When I supported you with the Holy Spirit"—he is Jibrīl—by casting his spirit to his mother, and joining him with him during his mission, and defending him against those who disbelieved in him. "You spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity": that is, you called the people to Allah in your childhood in your cradle and in your maturity. "And when I taught you the Book and the wisdom": that is, writing and understanding. Some of the early scholars explicitly stated this. "And the Torah and the Gospel." And His saying: "And when you created from clay the likeness of a bird by My permission": that is, you shaped and formed it from clay in its likeness, by Allah's command to him for that. "Then you breathed into it, and it became a bird by My permission": that is, by My command. He emphasizes by mentioning the permission for him in that, to remove any suspicion. And His saying: "And you healed the blind from birth": some of the early scholars said: he is the one born blind, and no physician has any means to treat him. "And the leper": he is the one for whom there is no medicine, but who has been afflicted with leprosy and whose disease has become incurable. "And when you brought forth the dead": that is, from their graves alive by My permission. What has preceded contains proof that this occurred multiple times, which is sufficient. And His saying: "And when I restrained the Children of Israel from you when you came to them with clear proofs, but those who disbelieved among them said: 'This is nothing but evident sorcery.'" That was when they intended to crucify him, so Allah raised him to Himself and rescued him from among them, protecting his noble person from harm and saving him from destruction. And His saying: "And when I inspired the disciples to believe in Me and in My Messenger, they said: 'We believe, and bear witness that we are Muslims.'" It is said: the meaning of this inspiration is inspiration of guidance, that is, Allah guided them to it and directed them to it, as He said: "And your Lord inspired the bee" [Al-Naḥl: 68], and "We inspired the mother of Mūsā: 'Suckle him; then when you fear for him, cast him into the river'" [Al-Qaṣaṣ: 7]. It is also said: the meaning is inspiration through the Messenger, and a granting of success in their hearts to accept the truth. For this reason they responded, saying: "We believe, and bear witness that we are Muslims." This is part of Allah's favors upon His servant and Messenger ʿĪsā son of Maryam: that He made for him supporters and helpers who aid him and call with him to the worship of Allah alone with no partner, as Allah said to His servant Muḥammad ﷺ: "He is the One who supported you with His help and with the believers, and brought their hearts together. Had you spent all that is on earth, you would not have brought their hearts together, but Allah brought them together. Indeed He is Mighty and Wise" [Al-Anfāl: 62–63]. And He said: "And He will teach him the Book, the wisdom, the Torah, and the Gospel, and a Messenger to the Children of Israel: 'I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I create for you from clay the likeness of a bird, then I breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah's permission. And I heal the blind from birth and the leper, and I give life to the dead by Allah's permission. And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers. And confirming what was before me of the Torah, and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. And I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear Allah and obey me. Indeed Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. This is a straight path.' Then when ʿĪsā sensed disbelief from them, he said: 'Who are my helpers toward Allah?' The disciples said: 'We are the helpers of Allah; we believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims. Our Lord, we believe in what You have sent down, and we follow the Messenger, so write us among the witnesses.' And they plotted, and Allah plotted, and Allah is the best of plotters" [Āl ʿImrān: 48–54]. The miracle of every prophet in his time was suited to the people of that time. They mentioned that Mūsā ﷺ had a miracle suited to the people of his time, for they were clever sorcerers, so he was sent with signs that dazzled the eyes and to which necks submitted. When the sorcerers, who were experts in the arts of sorcery and its ultimate limits, witnessed what they witnessed of the dazzling, tremendous matter that could only come from one whom Allah supported and through whom He brought about the extraordinary as confirmation for him, they submitted quickly and did not hesitate. Likewise, ʿĪsā son of Maryam was sent in the time of naturalist philosophers, so he was sent with miracles they could not achieve or discover. How could a philosopher heal the blind from birth, whose condition is worse than the blind, the leper, and the one with a chronic disease? How could any creature reach the point of raising the dead from his grave? This is something everyone knows is a miracle proving the truthfulness of the one through whom it appeared and the power of the One who sent him. Likewise, Muḥammad, may Allah's blessings and ﷺ and upon all of them, was sent in the time of eloquent and articulate orators, so Allah sent down to him the mighty Qurʾān, which falsehood cannot approach from before it or from behind it, a revelation from the Wise, the Praiseworthy. Its wording is miraculous; He challenged humans and jinn to bring the like of it, or ten surahs like it, or a single surah, and declared that they would not be able, neither now nor in the future, "and if they do not, and they will never do so." That is only because it is the speech of the Creator, mighty and majestic, and nothing resembles Allah, exalted is He, neither in His essence, nor in His attributes, nor in His actions. The point is that when ʿĪsā ﷺ established the proofs and evidences against them, most of them persisted in their disbelief, error, stubbornness, and tyranny. Then a righteous group from among them volunteered for him and became his supporters and helpers, undertaking to follow him, aid him, and advise him sincerely. That was when the Children of Israel plotted against him and denounced him to one of the kings of that time, and they resolved to kill and crucify him. Allah rescued him from them, raised him to Himself from among them, and cast his likeness upon one of his companions, so they seized him, killed him, and crucified him, believing him to be ʿĪsā, but they were mistaken and denying the truth. Many of the Christians accepted what they claimed, and both parties are in error in that, as Allah said: "And they plotted, and Allah plotted, and Allah is the best of plotters."
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