Tarikh (al-Tabari) 342
the accounts of past peoples from the Israelites and others
قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ [ الْكَهْفِ: 83 ]. كَانَ سَبَبُهُ أَنَّ قُرَيْشًا سَأَلُوا الْيَهُودَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ يَمْتَحِنُونَ بِهِ عِلْمَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَقَالُوا لَهُمْ: سَلُوهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ طَوَّافٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ، وَعَنْ فِتْيَةٍ خَرَجُوا لَا يُدْرَى مَا فَعَلُوا. فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى قِصَّةَ أَصْحَابِ الْكَهْفِ وَقِصَّةَ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ . وَلِهَذَا قَالَ: قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا أَيْ مِنْ خَبَرِهِ وَشَأْنِهِ ذِكْرًا أَيْ خَبَرًا نَافِعًا كَافِيًا فِي تَعْرِيفِ أَمَرِهِ وَشَرْحِ حَالِهِ. فَقَالَ: إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَبَبًا أَيْ: وَسَّعْنَا مَمْلَكَتَهُ فِي الْبِلَادِ وَأَعْطَيْنَاهُ مِنْ آلَاتِ الْمَمْلَكَةِ مَا يَسْتَعِينُ بِهِ عَلَى تَحْصِيلِ مَا يُحَاوِلُهُ مِنَ الْمُهِمَّاتِ الْعَظِيمَةِ وَالْمَقَاصِدِ الْجَسِيمَةِ. عَنْ حَبِيبِ بْنِ حِمَازٍ، قَالَ: كُنْتُ عِنْدَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، وَسَأَلَهُ رَجُلٌ عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ، كَيْفَ بَلَغَ الْمَشْرِقَ وَالْمَغْرِبَ ؟ فَقَالَ: سُخِّرَ لَهُ السَّحَابُ، وَمُدَّتْ لَهُ الْأَسْبَابُ، وَبُسِطَ لَهُ فِي النُّورِ. وَقَالَ: أَزِيدُكَ ؟ فَسَكَتَ الرَّجُلُ، وَسَكَتَ عَلِيٌّ، ؓ. وعَنِ الْحَسَنِ، قَالَ: كَانَ ذُو الْقَرْنَيْنِ، مَلَكَ بَعْدَ النَّمْرُودِ وَكَانَ مِنْ قِصَّتِهِ أَنَّهُ كَانَ رَجُلًا مُسْلِمًا صَالِحًا أَتَى الْمَشْرِقَ وَالْمَغْرِبَ، مَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُ فِي الْأَجَلِ وَنَصَرَهُ، حَتَّى قَهَرَ الْبِلَادَ وَاحْتَوَى عَلَى الْأَمْوَالِ، وَفَتَحَ الْمَدَائِنَ وَقَتَلَ الرِّجَالَ وَجَالَ فِي الْبِلَادِ وَالْقِلَاعِ، فَسَارَ حَتَّى أَتَى الْمَشْرِقَ وَالْمَغْرِبَ، فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ: وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا أَيْ: خَبَرًا إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَبَبًا أَيْ: عِلْمًا بِطَلَبِ أَسْبَابِ الْمَنَازِلِ. قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ: وَزَعَمَ مُقَاتِلٌ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَفْتَحُ الْمَدَائِنَ وَيَجْمَعُ الْكُنُوزَ، فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ عَلَى دِينِهِ وَتَابَعَهُ عَلَيْهِ، وَإِلَّا قَتَلَهُ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، وَمُجَاهِدٌ، وَسَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ، وَعِكْرِمَةُ، وَعُبَيْدُ بْنُ يَعْلَى، وَالسُّدِّيُّ، وَقَتَادَةُ، وَالضَّحَّاكُ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَبَبًا يَعْنِي عِلْمًا. وَقَالَ قَتَادَةُ، وَمَطَرٌ الْوَرَّاقُ: مَعَالِمُ الْأَرْضِ وَمَنَازِلُهَا وَأَعْلَامُهَا وَآثَارُهَا. وَقَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ: يَعْنِي تَعْلِيمَ الْأَلْسِنَةِ، كَانَ لَا يَغْزُو قَوْمًا إِلَّا حَدَّثَهُمْ بِلُغَتِهِمْ. وَالصَّحِيحُ أَنَّهُ يَعُمُّ كُلَّ سَبَبٍ يَتَوَصَّلُ بِهِ إِلَى نَيْلِ مَقْصُودِهِ فِي الْمَمْلَكَةِ وَغَيْرِهَا; فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يَأْخُذُ مِنْ كُلِّ إِقْلِيمٍ مِنَ الْأَمْتِعَةِ وَالْمَطَاعِمِ وَالزَّادِ مَا يَكْفِيهِ وَيُعِينُهُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْإِقْلِيمِ الْآخَرِ. وَذَكَرَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أَنَّهُ مَكَثَ أَلْفًا وَسِتَّمِائَةِ سَنَةٍ يَجُوبُ الْأَرْضَ، وَيَدْعُو أَهْلَهَا إِلَى عِبَادَةِ اللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَفِي كُلِّ هَذِهِ الْمُدَّةِ نَظَرٌ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَقَدْ رَوَى الْبَيْهَقِيُّ، وَابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ حَدِيثًا مُتَعَلِّقًا بِقَوْلِهِ: وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَبَبًا مُطَوَّلًا جِدًّا، وَهُوَ مُنْكَرٌ جِدًّا. وَفِي إِسْنَادِهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ الْكُدَيْمِيُّ وَهُوَ مُتَّهَمٌ، فَلِهَذَا لَمْ نَكْتُبْهُ لِسُقُوطِهِ عِنْدَنَا. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَقَوْلُهُ: فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا أَيْ: طَرِيقًا حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ يَعْنِي مِنَ الْأَرْضِ، انْتَهَى إِلَى حَيْثُ لَا يُمْكِنُ أَحَدًا أَنْ يُجَاوِزَهُ، وَوَقَفَ عَلَى حَافَّةِ الْبَحْرِ الْمُحِيطِ الْغَرْبِيِّ الَّذِي يُقَالُ لَهُ: أُوقْيَانُوسُ الَّذِي فِيهِ الْجَزَائِرُ الْمُسَمَّاةُ بِالْخَالِدَاتِ، الَّتِي هِيَ مَبْدَأُ الْأَطْوَالِ، عَلَى أَحَدِ قَوْلَيْ أَرْبَابِ الْهَيْئَةِ، وَالثَّانِي مِنْ سَاحِلِ هَذَا الْبَحْرِ كَمَا قَدَّمْنَا. وَعِنْدَهُ شَاهَدَ مَغِيبَ الشَّمْسِ - فِيمَا رَآهُ بِالنِّسْبَةِ إِلَى مُشَاهَدَتِهِ - تَغْرُبُ فِي عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ وَالْمُرَادُ بِهَا الْبَحْرُ فِي نَظَرِهِ، فَإِنَّ مَنْ كَانَ فِي الْبَحْرِ أَوْ عَلَى سَاحِلِهِ يَرَى الشَّمْسَ كَأَنَّهَا تَطْلُعُ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ وَتَغْرُبُ فِيهِ، وَلِهَذَا قَالَ وَجَدَهَا، أَيْ: فِي نَظَرِهِ، وَلَمْ يَقُلْ: فَإِذَا هِيَ تَغْرُبُ فِي عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ. أَيْ: ذَاتِ حَمْأَةٍ. قَالَ كَعْبُ الْأَحْبَارِ وَهُوَ الطِّينُ الْأَسْوَدُ. وَقَرَأَهُ بَعْضُهُمْ ( حَامِيَةٍ ). فَقِيلَ: يَرْجِعُ إِلَى الْأَوَّلِ. وَقِيلَ: مِنَ الْحَرَارَةِ. وَذَلِكَ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْمُقَابَلَةِ لِوَهَجِ ضَوْءِ الشَّمْسِ وَشُعَاعِهَا. وَقَدْ رَوَى الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ بسنده عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: نَظَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى الشَّمْسِ حِينَ غَابَتْ فَقَالَ: فِي نَارِ اللَّهِ الْحَامِيَةِ، لَوْلَا مَا يَزَعُهَا مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ لَأَحْرَقَتْ مَا عَلَى الْأَرْضِ فِيهِ غَرَابَةٌ، وَفِيهِ رَجُلٌ مُبْهَمٌ لَمْ يُسَمَّ، وَرَفْعُهُ فِيهِ نَظَرٌ، وَقَدْ يَكُونُ مَوْقُوفًا مِنْ كَلَامِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، فَإِنَّهُ أَصَابَ يَوْمَ الْيَرْمُوكِ زَامِلَتَيْنِ مِنْ كُتُبِ الْمُتَقَدِّمِينَ، فَكَانَ يُحَدِّثُ مِنْهَا، وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَمَنْ زَعَمَ مِنَ الْقُصَّاصِ، أَنَّ ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ جَاوَزَ مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ، وَصَارَ يَمْشِي بِجُيُوشِهِ فِي ظُلُمَاتٍ مُدَدًا طَوِيلَةً، فَقَدْ أَخْطَأَ، وَأَبْعَدَ النُّجْعَةَ، وَقَالَ مَا يُخَالِفُ الْعَقْلَ وَالنَّقْلَ.
Translation
✧ The Almighty's saying: "And they ask you about Dhū al-Qarnayn" [al-Kahf: 83]. Its cause was that Quraysh asked the Jews about something with which to test the knowledge of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so they said to them: "Ask him about a man who journeyed through the earth, and about youths who went out and it is not known what they did." So Allah Almighty sent down the story of the Companions of the Cave and the story of Dhū al-Qarnayn. For this reason He said: "Say: I will recite to you a remembrance of him," meaning of his news and his affair, "a remembrance," meaning beneficial news sufficient in making known his matter and explaining his condition. So He said: "Indeed We established him in the earth, and We gave him of everything a means," meaning: We expanded his dominion in the lands, and We gave him of the instruments of dominion what he could use to obtain what he sought of great important matters and weighty objectives. From Ḥabīb b. Ḥimāz, who said: I was with ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib, and a man asked him about Dhū al-Qarnayn: how did he reach the east and the west? He said: "The clouds were subjected to him, the means were extended for him, and he was spread in light." And he said: "Shall I tell you more?" The man fell silent, and ʿAlī ؓ fell silent. And from al-Ḥasan, who said: Dhū al-Qarnayn was a king after Nimrod, and part of his story is that he was a righteous Muslim man who came to the east and the west; Allah extended his lifespan and granted him victory until he subdued the lands, took possession of the wealth, conquered the cities, killed the men, and roamed through the lands and fortresses, and he traveled until he reached the east and the west. That is the saying of Allah: "And they ask you about Dhū al-Qarnayn. Say: I will recite to you a remembrance of him," meaning news, "Indeed We established him in the earth, and We gave him of everything a means," meaning knowledge of seeking the means of the stations. Isḥāq said: Muqātil claimed that he used to conquer cities and gather treasures, and whoever followed him in his religion and adhered to it, otherwise he killed him. Ibn ʿAbbās, Mujāhid, Saʿīd b. Jubayr, ʿIkrima, ʿUbayd b. Yaʿlā, al-Suddī, Qatāda, and al-Ḍaḥḥāk said: "And We gave him of everything a means," meaning knowledge. Qatāda and Maṭar al-Warrāq said: the landmarks of the earth, its stations, its signs, and its traces. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Zayd b. Aslam said: meaning the teaching of languages; he would not raid a people except that he addressed them in their language. The correct view is that it encompasses every means by which he attained his objective in dominion and elsewhere; for he used to take from each region of the goods, foods, and provisions what sufficed him and helped him against the people of the next region. Some of the People of the Book mentioned that he remained for one thousand six hundred years traversing the earth and calling its people to the worship of Allah alone with no partner, but in all this duration there is uncertainty. And Allah knows best. Al-Bayhaqī and Ibn ʿAsākir narrated a hadith related to His saying: "And We gave him of everything a means," extremely long, and it is very objectionable. In its chain is Muḥammad b. Yūnus al-Kudaymī, and he is accused, so for this reason we did not write it because of its weakness according to us. And Allah knows best. And His saying: "So he followed a means," meaning a path, "until when he reached the setting of the sun," meaning of the earth, he arrived at where no one could pass beyond it, and he stood at the edge of the western encircling sea which is called Oqyānūs, in which are the islands called the Eternal Isles, which are the beginning of longitudes, according to one of the two views of the masters of astronomy, and the second from the shore of this sea as we have presented. And there he witnessed the setting of the sun—in what he saw relative to his observation—setting in a muddy spring, meaning by it the sea in his view, for whoever is in the sea or on its shore sees the sun as if it rises from the sea and sets in it. For this reason He said "he found it," that is, in his view, and He did not say "and lo, it sets in a muddy spring," that is, possessing mud. Kaʿb al-Aḥbār said: it is black clay. Some read it as "ḥāmiya" (hot). It is said: it refers to the first. And it is said: from heat. That is from the intensity of facing the blaze of the sun's light and its rays. Imam Aḥmad narrated with his chain from ʿAbd Allāh, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ looked at the sun when it set and said: "In Allah's hot fire; were it not for what restrains it by Allah's command, it would burn what is on the earth." In this there is strangeness, and in it is an unnamed ambiguous man, and its being raised to the Prophet is questionable; it may be stopped at the words of ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAmr, for he obtained on the day of al-Yarmūk two camel-loads of the books of the ancients and used to narrate from them. And Allah knows best. Whoever of the storytellers claims that Dhū al-Qarnayn passed beyond the setting of the sun and walked with his armies in darkness for long periods has erred, missed the mark, and said what contradicts reason and transmitted report.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.