Tarikh (al-Tabari) 347
the accounts of past peoples from the Israelites and others
وَقَدْ رُوِيَ أَنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ يَحْفِرُونَ السَّدَّ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ. وعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ، قَالَ: "إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ لَيَحْفِرُونَ السَّدَّ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ حَتَّى إِذَا كَادُوا يَرَوْنَ شُعَاعَ الشَّمْسِ قَالَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِمُ ارْجِعُوا فَسَتَحْفِرُونَهُ غَدًا، فَيَعُودُونَ إِلَيْهِ فَيَرَوْنَهُ أَشَدَّ مَا كَانَ حَتَّى، إِذَا بَلَغَتْ مُدَّتُهُمْ وَأَرَادَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ يَبْعَثَهُمْ عَلَى النَّاسِ حَفَرُوا حَتَّى إِذَا كَادُوا يَرَوْنَ شُعَاعَ الشَّمْسِ قَالَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِمُ: ارْجِعُوا فَسَتَحْفِرُونَ غَدًا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ، فَيَعُودُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَهُوَ كَهَيْئَتِهِ حِينَ تَرَكُوهُ، فَيَحْفِرُونَهُ وَيَخْرُجُونَ عَلَى النَّاسِ، فَيُنَشِّفُونَ الْمِيَاهَ، وَيَتَحَصَّنُ النَّاسُ مِنْهُمْ فِي حُصُونِهِمْ، فَيَرْمُونَ بِسَهَامِهِمْ نَحْوَ السَّمَاءِ فَتَرْجِعُ وَعَلَيْهَا كَهَيْئَةِ الدَّمِ، فَيَقُولُونَ: قَهَرْنَا أَهْلَ الْأَرْضِ وَعَلَوْنَا أَهْلَ السَّمَاءِ. فَيَبْعَثُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ نَغَفًا فِي أَقْفَائِهِمْ فَيَقْتُلُهُمْ بِهَا". فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: "وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ إِنَّ دَوَابَّ الْأَرْضِ لَتَسْمَنُ وَتَشْكُرُ مِنْ لُحُومِهِمْ وَدِمَائِهِمْ". وعَنِ النَّوَّاسِ بْنِ سَمْعَانَ الْكِلَابِيِّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ ذَكَرَ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ، فَقَالَ: "لَيَسْتَوْقِدُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ جِعَابِهِمْ وَثِيَابِهِمْ وَتَرَاسِيهِمْ وَقِسِيِّهِمْ سَبْعَ سِنِينَ". فَإِنْ قِيلَ: فَمَا الْجَمْعُ بَيْنَ قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: فَمَا اسْطَاعُوا أَنْ يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا لَهُ نَقْبًا [ الْكَهْفِ: 97 ]. وَبَيْنَ الْحَدِيثِ الَّذِي رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ وَمُسْلِمٌ عَنْ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ جَحْشٍ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، ؓ، قَالَتْ: اسْتَيْقَظَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ نَوْمٍ، مُحْمَرًّا وَجْهُهُ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَيْلٌ لِلْعَرَبِ مِنْ شَرٍّ قَدِ اقْتَرَبَ! فُتِحَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ رَدْمِ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مِثْلُ هَذِهِ وَحَلَّقَ تِسْعِينَ. قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَنَهْلِكُ وَفِينَا الصَّالِحُونَ ؟! قَالَ: نَعَمْ، إِذَا كَثُرَ الْخَبَثُ وَأَخْرَجَاهُ فِي " الصَّحِيحَيْنِ " عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: فُتِحَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ رَدْمِ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ، مِثْلُ هَذَا وَعَقَدَ تِسْعِينَ فَالْجَوَابُ: أَمَّا عَلَى قَوْلِ مَنْ ذَهَبَ إِلَى أَنَّ هَذَا إِشَارَةٌ إِلَى فَتْحِ أَبْوَابِ الشَّرِّ وَالْفِتَنِ، وَأَنَّ هَذَا اسْتِعَارَةٌ مَحْضَةٌ وَضَرْبُ مَثَلٍ، فَلَا إِشْكَالَ. وَأَمَّا عَلَى قَوْلِ مَنْ جَعَلَ ذَلِكَ إِخْبَارًا عَنْ أَمْرٍ مَحْسُوسٍ، كَمَا هُوَ الظَّاهِرُ الْمُتَبَادِرُ، فَلَا إِشْكَالَ أَيْضًا ; لِأَنَّ قَوْلَهُ: فَمَا اسْطَاعُوا أَنْ يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا لَهُ نَقْبًا أَيْ: فِي ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ، لِأَنَّ هَذِهِ صِيغَةُ خَبَرٍ مَاضٍ، فَلَا يَنْفِي وُقُوعَهُ فِيمَا يُسْتَقْبَلُ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ قَدَرًا، وَتَسْلِيطَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ بِالتَّدْرِيجِ قَلِيلًا قَلِيلًا، حَتَّى يَتِمَّ الْأَجَلُ وَيَنْقَضِيَ الْأَمَدُ الْمَقْدُورُ، فَيَخْرُجُونَ، كَمَا قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: وَهُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنْسِلُونَ [ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ: 96 ]. وَلَكِنَّ الْحَدِيثَ الْآخَرَ أَشْكَلُ مِنْ هَذَا، وَهُوَ مَا رَوَاهُ الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ فِي " مُسْنَدِهِ " قَائِلًا: بسنده عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، قَالَ: " إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ لَيَحْفِرُونَ السَّدَّ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ، حَتَّى إِذَا كَادُوا يَرَوْنَ شُعَاعَ الشَّمْسِ قَالَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِمُ: ارْجِعُوا فَسَتَحْفِرُونَهُ غَدًا. فَيَعُودُونَ إِلَيْهِ كَأَشَدِّ مَا كَانَ، حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَتْ مُدَّتُهُمْ، وَأَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَبْعَثَهُمْ عَلَى النَّاسِ، حَفَرُوا حَتَّى إِذَا كَادُوا يَرَوْنَ شُعَاعَ الشَّمْسِ قَالَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِمُ: ارْجِعُوا فَسَتَحْفِرُونَ غَدًا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ. وَيَسْتَثْنِي، فَيَعُودُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَهُوَ كَهَيْئَتِهِ حِينَ تَرَكُوهُ، فَيَحْفِرُونَهُ وَيَخْرُجُونَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَيُنَشِّفُونَ الْمِيَاهَ، وَيَتَحَصَّنُ النَّاسُ مِنْهُمْ فِي حُصُونِهِمْ، فَيَرْمُونَ بِسِهَامِهِمْ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَتَرْجِعُ وَعَلَيْهَا كَهَيْئَةِ الدَّمِ، فَيَقُولُونَ: قَهَرْنَا أَهْلَ الْأَرْضِ، وَعَلَوْنَا أَهْلَ السَّمَاءِ. فَيَبْعَثُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَغَفًا فِي أَقْفَائِهِمْ، فَيَقْتُلُهُمْ بِهَا " قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: " وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ، إِنَّ دَوَابَّ الْأَرْضِ لَتَسْمَنُ شُكْرًا مِنْ لُحُومِهِمْ وَدِمَائِهِمْ " وَرَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَبِي عَوَانَةَ عَنْ، قَتَادَةَ بِهِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: غَرِيبٌ لَا نَعْرِفُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ. فَقَدْ أَخْبَرَ فِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَنَّهُمْ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ يَلْحَسُونَهُ، حَتَّى كَادُوا يَنْظُرُونَ شُعَاعَ الشَّمْسِ مِنْ وَرَائِهِ ; لِرِقَّتِهِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ رَفْعُ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ مَحْفُوظًا، وَإِنَّمَا هُوَ مَأْخُوذٌ عَنْ كَعْبِ الْأَحْبَارِ، كَمَا قَالَهُ بَعْضُهُمْ، فَقَدِ اسْتَرَحْنَا مِنَ الْمَئُونَةِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مَحْفُوظًا فَيَكُونُ مَحْمُولًا عَلَى أَنَّ صَنِيعَهُمْ هَذَا يَكُونُ فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ عِنْدَ اقْتِرَابِ خُرُوجِهِمْ، كَمَا هُوَ الْمَرْوِيُّ عَنْ كَعْبِ الْأَحْبَارِ، أَوْ يَكُونُ الْمُرَادُ بِقَوْلِهِ: وَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا لَهُ نَقْبًا أَيْ: نَافِذًا مِنْهُ، فَلَا يَنْفِي أَنْ يَلْحَسُوهُ وَلَا يَنْفُذُوهُ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَعَلَى هَذَا فَيُمْكِنُ الْجَمْعُ بَيْنَ هَذَا وَبَيْنَ مَا فِي " الصَّحِيحَيْنِ " عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، ؓ: فُتِحَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ رَدْمِ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مِثْلُ هَذِهِ وَعَقَدَ تِسْعِينَ. أَيْ: فُتِحَ فَتْحًا نَافِذًا فِيهِ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.
Translation
✧ It has been narrated that Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj dig at the barrier every day. On the authority of Abū Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Indeed Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj dig at the barrier every day, until when they are about to see the rays of the sun, the one in charge over them says: 'Go back, and you will dig it tomorrow.' Then they return to it and find it stronger than it was, until when their term has come and Allah, Mighty and Majestic, wishes to send them upon the people, they dig until when they are about to see the rays of the sun, the one in charge over them says: 'Go back, and you will dig it tomorrow if Allah wills.' Then they return to it and it is as it was when they left it, so they dig it and come out upon the people. They drink up the waters, and the people fortify themselves against them in their strongholds. They shoot their arrows toward the sky, and they come back with something like blood on them, and they say: 'We have overcome the people of the earth and gained ascendancy over the people of the sky.' Then Allah, Mighty and Majestic, sends against them worms in their necks and kills them with them." Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, the beasts of the earth will indeed grow fat and give thanks from their flesh and their blood." And on the authority of al-Nawwās b. Samʿān al-Kilābī, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ mention Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj, and he said: "The Muslims will indeed kindle fires from their quivers, their garments, their shields, and their bows for seven years." If it is said: How can one reconcile between His saying, Exalted is He: "So they were not able to climb over it, nor were they able to pierce it" [al-Kahf: 97] and the ḥadīth narrated by al-Bukhārī and Muslim from Zaynab bt. Jaḥsh, Mother of the Believers, ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ woke from sleep with a red face, saying: "There is no god but Allah. Woe to the Arabs from an evil that has drawn near! Today an opening has been made in the barrier of Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj like this," and he made a circle with his thumb and forefinger, meaning the size of a small opening. I said: "O Messenger of Allah, will we perish while there are righteous people among us?" He said: "Yes, when evil becomes widespread." And they both included it in the Ṣaḥīḥayn from Abū Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Today an opening has been made in the barrier of Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj, like this," and he made a circle with his thumb and forefinger, meaning ninety. The answer is: As for the view of those who hold that this is an indication of the opening of the doors of evil and tribulations, and that it is a pure metaphor and a parable, there is no difficulty. As for the view of those who regard it as a report about a tangible matter, as is the apparent and immediate meaning, there is also no difficulty, because His saying, "So they were not able to climb over it, nor were they able to pierce it," means: at that time, for this is a past-tense statement, so it does not negate its occurrence in the future by Allah's permission for them in that as a matter of decree, and His giving them gradual mastery over it, little by little, until the appointed term is completed and the decreed period expires, and they come out, as Allah, Exalted is He, says: "And they will descend from every elevated place" [al-Anbiyāʾ: 96]. However, the other ḥadīth is more problematic than this, namely what Imam Aḥmad narrated in his Musnad, saying: With his chain from Abū Hurayrah, from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who said: "Indeed Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj dig at the barrier every day, until when they are about to see the rays of the sun, the one in charge over them says: 'Go back, and you will dig it tomorrow.' Then they return to it and find it stronger than it was, until when their term has come and Allah wishes to send them upon the people, they dig until when they are about to see the rays of the sun, the one in charge over them says: 'Go back, and you will dig it tomorrow if Allah wills,' and he makes an exception. Then they return to it and it is as it was when they left it, so they dig it and come out upon the people. They drink up the waters, and the people fortify themselves against them in their strongholds. They shoot their arrows toward the sky, and they come back with something like blood on them, and they say: 'We have overcome the people of the earth and gained ascendancy over the people of the sky.' Then Allah sends against them worms in their necks and kills them with them." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, the beasts of the earth will indeed grow fat, giving thanks, from their flesh and their blood." Al-Tirmidhī narrated it from the ḥadīth of Abū ʿAwānah, from Qatādah, with this chain, then said: It is gharīb; we do not know it except from this route. Thus, in this ḥadīth he informed that they lick it every day, until they were about to see the rays of the sun from behind it, because of its thinness. If the attribution of this ḥadīth to the Prophet is not preserved, and it is only taken from Kaʿb al-Aḥbār, as some have said, then we are relieved of the burden. If it is preserved, then it is to be understood as referring to their doing this at the end of time, when their emergence is near, as is narrated from Kaʿb al-Aḥbār, or what is meant by His saying, "nor were they able to pierce it," is: to make a hole through it, so it does not negate that they may lick it but not pierce through it. And Allah knows best. On this basis, it is possible to reconcile between this and what is in the Ṣaḥīḥayn from Abū Hurayrah, ؓ: "Today an opening has been made in the barrier of Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj, like this," and he made a circle with his thumb and forefinger, meaning ninety. That is: an opening was made that penetrates through it. And Allah knows best.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.