Tarikh (al-Tabari) 366
the accounts of past peoples from the Israelites and others
قَالَ عُلَمَاءُ السِّيَرِ: كَانَ رَجُلَ بِنَاحِيَةِ الْيَمَنِ بِبُسْتَانٍ، مِنْ قَرْيَةٍ يُقَالُ لَهَا: ضِرْوَانُ. وَقِيلَ: مِنْ أَهْلِ الْحَبَشَةِ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَكَانَ مُؤْمِنًا، وَذَلِكَ بَعْدَ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، وَكَانَ يَأْخُذُ مِنْهُ قَدْرَ قُوتِهِ وَيَتَصَدَّقُ بِالْبَاقِي، فَمَاتَ عَنْ ثَلَاثَةِ بَنِينَ، فَقَالُوا: وَاللَّهِ إِنَّ الْمَالَ لَقَلِيلٌ، وَإِنَّ الْعِيَالَ لَكَثِيرٌ، وَإِنَّمَا كَانَ أَبُونَا فَعَلَ هَذَا، إِذْ كَانَ الْمَالُ كَثِيرًا وَالْعِيَالُ قَلِيلًا، فَأَمَّا الْآنَ فَمَا نَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ نَفْعَلَ هَذَا، فَعَزَمُوا عَلَى حِرْمَانِ الْمَسَاكِينِ وَتَحَالَفُوا بَيْنَهُمْ لَيَغْدُونَ قَبْلَ خُرُوجِ النَّاسِ فَلَيَصْرِمُنَّ نَخْلَهُمْ، وَلَمْ يَقُولُوا: إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ. فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِاللَّيْلِ نَارًا، فَأَحْرَقَتْ، فَصَارَتْ سَوْدَاءَ، فَانْطَلَقُوا إِلَى جَنَّتِهِمْ يَتَشَاوَرُونَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَنْ لَا يَدْخُلَّنَهَا الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِسْكِينٌ، فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا مُحْتَرِقَةً قَالَ: قَدْ ضَلَلْنَا طَرِيقَ جَنَّتِنَا فَلَيْسَتْ هَذِهِ، ثُمَّ عَلِمُوا أَنَّ ذَلِكَ عُقُوبَةً، فَقَالُوا: بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ، قَدْ حُرِمْنَا تَمْرَ جَنَّتِنَا، فَأَخَذُوا يَتَلَاوَمُونَ عَلَى مَنْعِ حُقُوقِ الْفُقَرَاءِ. وقد ورد ذكر القصة في سورة القلم قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: إِنَّا بَلَوْنَاهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَا أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَائِفٌ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَائِمُونَ فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّرِيمِ فَتَنَادَوْا مُصْبِحِينَ أَنِ اغْدُوا عَلَى حَرْثِكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَارِمِينَ فَانْطَلَقُوا وَهُمْ يَتَخَافَتُونَ أَنْ لَا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِسْكِينٌ وَغَدَوْا عَلَى حَرْدٍ قَادِرِينَ فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوا إِنَّا لَضَالُّونَ بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ قَالُوا سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ يَتَلَاوَمُونَ قَالُوا يَاوَيْلَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا طَاغِينَ عَسَى رَبُّنَا أَنْ يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا إِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا رَاغِبُونَ كَذَلِكَ الْعَذَابُ وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ [ الْقَلَمِ: 17 - 33 ]. وَهَذَا مَثَلٌ ضَرَبَهُ اللَّهُ لِكُفَّارِ قُرَيْشٍ، فِيمَا أَنْعَمَ بِهِ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ إِرْسَالِ الرَّسُولِ الْعَظِيمِ الْكَرِيمِ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَقَابَلُوهُ بِالتَّكْذِيبِ وَالْمُخَالَفَةِ، كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ بَدَّلُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ كُفْرًا وَأَحَلُّوا قَوْمَهُمْ دَارَ الْبَوَارِ جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَوْنَهَا وَبِئْسَ الْقَرَارُ [ إِبْرَاهِيمَ: 28، 29 ]. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: هُمْ كُفَّارُ قُرَيْشٍ. فَضَرَبَ تَعَالَى لَهُمْ مَثَلًا بِأَصْحَابِ الْجَنَّةِ الْمُشْتَمِلَةِ عَلَى أَنْوَاعِ الزُّرُوعِ وَالثِّمَارِ الَّتِي قَدِ انْتَهَتْ وَاسْتَحَقَّتْ أَنْ تُجَدَّ ; وَهُوَ الصِّرَامُ، وَلِهَذَا قَالَ: إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا فِيمَا بَيْنَهُمْ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا أَيْ: لَيَجُدُّنَّهَا، وَهُوَ الِاسْتِغْلَالُ ( مُصْبِحِينَ ) أَيْ: وَقْتَ الصُّبْحِ، حَيْثُ لَا يَرَاهُمْ فَقِيرٌ وَلَا مُحْتَاجٌ فَيُعْطُوهُ شَيْئًا، فَحَلَفُوا عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَلَمْ يَسْتَثْنُوا فِي يَمِينِهِمْ، فَعَجَّزَهُمُ اللَّهُ، وَسَلَّطَ عَلَيْهَا الْآفَةَ الَّتِي أَحْرَقَتْهَا ; وَهِيَ السَّفْعَةُ الَّتِي اجْتَاحَتْهَا وَلَمْ تُبْقِ بِهَا شَيْئًا يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ وَلِهَذَا قَالَ فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَائِفٌ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَائِمُونَ فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّرِيمِ أَيْ: كَاللَّيْلِ الْأَسْوَدِ الْمُنْصَرِمِ مِنَ الضِّيَاءِ وَهَذِهِ مُعَامَلَةٌ بِنَقِيضِ الْمَقْصُودِ فَتَنَادَوْا مُصْبِحِينَ أَيْ: فَاسْتَيْقَظُوا مِنْ نَوْمِهِمْ فَنَادَى بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا قَائِلِينَ: اغْدُوا عَلَى حَرْثِكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَارِمِينَ أَيْ: بَاكِرُوا إِلَى بُسْتَانِكُمْ فَاصْرِمُوهُ. قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْتَفِعَ النَّهَارُ وَيَكْثُرَ السُّؤَالُ فَانْطَلَقُوا وَهُمْ يَتَخَافَتُونَ أَيْ: يَتَحَدَّثُونَ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُمْ خُفْيَةً قَائِلِينَ: لَا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِسْكِينٌ أَيْ: اتَّفِقُوا عَلَى هَذَا وَاشْتَوِرُوا عَلَيْهِ وَغَدَوْا عَلَى حَرْدٍ قَادِرِينَ أَيْ: انْطَلَقُوا مُجِدِّينَ فِي ذَلِكَ قَادِرِينَ عَلَيْهِ مُصَمِّمِينَ مُصِرِّينَ عَلَى هَذِهِ النِّيَّةِ الْفَاسِدَةِ. وَقَالَ عِكْرِمَةُ وَالشَّعْبِيُّ: وَغَدَوْا عَلَى حَرْدٍ أَيْ: غَضَبٍ عَلَى الْمَسَاكِينِ. وَأَبْعَدَ السُّدِّيُّ فِي قَوْلِهِ ; أَنَّ اسْمَ حَرْثِهِمْ حَرْدٌ. فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا أَيْ: وَصَلُوا إِلَيْهَا، وَنَظَرُوا مَا حَلَّ بِهَا، وَمَا قَدْ صَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الصِّفَةِ الْمُنْكَرَةِ بَعْدَ تِلْكَ النَّضْرَةِ وَالْحُسْنِ وَالْبَهْجَةِ، فَانْقَلَبَتْ بِسَبَبِ النِّيَّةِ الْفَاسِدَةِ، فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ قَالُوا إِنَّا لَضَالُّونَ أَيْ: قَدْ تُهْنَا عَنْهَا وَسَلَكْنَا غَيْرَ طَرِيقِهَا. ثُمَّ قَالُوا: بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ أَيْ: بَلْ عُوقِبْنَا بِسَبَبِ سُوءِ قَصْدِنَا، وَحُرِمْنَا بَرَكَةَ حَرْثِنَا قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، وَمُجَاهِدٌ، وَغَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ: هُوَ أَعْدَلُهُمْ وَخَيْرُهُمْ. أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ قِيلَ: تَسْتَثْنُونَ. قَالَهُ مُجَاهِدٌ، وَالسُّدِّيُّ، وَابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ. وَقِيلَ: تَقُولُونَ خَيْرًا بَدَلَ مَا قُلْتُمْ مِنَ الشَّرِّ قَالُوا سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ يَتَلَاوَمُونَ قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا طَاغِينَ فَنَدِمُوا حَيْثُ لَا يَنْفَعُ النَّدَمُ، وَاعْتَرَفُوا بِالذَّنْبِ بَعْدَ الْعُقُوبَةِ، وَذَلِكَ حَيْثُ لَا يَنْجَعُ، وَلِهَذَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِالصَّدَقَةِ مِنَ الثِّمَارِ وَحَثَّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ يَوْمَ الْجَدَادِ، كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: كُلُوا مِنْ ثَمَرِهِ إِذَا أَثْمَرَ وَآتُوا حَقَّهُ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِ [ الْأَنْعَامِ: 141 ]. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: كَذَلِكَ الْعَذَابُ أَيْ: هَكَذَا نُعَذِّبُ مَنْ خَالَفَ أَمْرَنَا، وَلَمْ يَعْطِفْ عَلَى الْمَحَاوِيجِ مِنْ خَلْقِنَا وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ أَيْ: أَعْظَمُ وَأَطَمُّ مِنْ عَذَابِ الدُّنْيَا لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ. وَقِصَّةُ هَؤُلَاءِ شَبِيهَةٌ بِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ آمِنَةً مُطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْهُمْ فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَهُمْ ظَالِمُونَ [ النَّحْلِ: 112، 113 ]. قِيلَ: هَذَا مَثَلٌ مَضْرُوبٌ لِأَهْلِ مَكَّةَ. وَقِيلَ: هُمْ أَهْلُ مَكَّةَ أَنْفُسُهُمْ، ضَرَبَهُمْ مَثَلًا لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ. وَلَا يُنَافِي ذَلِكَ، وَاللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى أَعْلَمُ.
Translation
✧ The scholars of the sīrah said: He was a man in the region of Yemen, in a garden, from a village called Ḍirwān. It was also said: from the people of Abyssinia. And Allah knows best. He was a believer, and that was after ʿĪsā son of Maryam ﷺ. He used to take from it the amount of his sustenance and give the rest as charity. He died leaving three sons, and they said: By Allah, the wealth is little and the dependents are many. Our father only did this when wealth was abundant and dependents few. As for now, we are not able to do this. So they resolved to deprive the poor and swore among themselves that they would go early, before people came out, and harvest their palm trees, and they did not say: If Allah wills. Then Allah, exalted is He, sent a fire at night, and it burned them, and they became black. They set off to their garden, whispering among themselves: No poor person shall enter it upon you today. When they saw it burned, he said: We have lost the way to our garden; this is not it. Then they knew that this was a punishment, and they said: Rather, we are deprived; we have been deprived of the dates of our garden. They began blaming one another for withholding the rights of the poor. The story is mentioned in Sūrat al-Qalam. Allah, exalted is He, said: "Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden when they swore to cut its fruit in the morning, and did not make exception. So there came upon it a visitation from your Lord while they were asleep, and it became as if reaped. Then they called one another at morning: 'Go early to your tilth if you would cut it.' So they departed, while they whispered: 'No poor man shall enter it upon you today.' And they went early with determination, able. But when they saw it, they said: 'Indeed, we are astray. Rather, we are deprived.' The most moderate of them said: 'Did I not say to you: Why do you not glorify Allah?' They said: 'Glory be to our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers.' Then they turned to one another, blaming. They said: 'O woe to us! Indeed, we were transgressors. Perhaps our Lord will give us in exchange a better garden than this. Indeed, to our Lord we are desirous.' Thus is the punishment, and the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew" [al-Qalam: 17–33]. This is a parable Allah struck for the disbelievers of Quraysh, concerning the favor He bestowed on them by sending the great and noble Messenger to them, but they met him with denial and opposition, as He, exalted is He, said: "Have you not considered those who exchanged the favor of Allah for disbelief and caused their people to dwell in the abode of ruin—Hell, which they will enter? And wretched is the settlement" [Ibrāhīm: 28–29]. Ibn ʿAbbās said: They are the disbelievers of Quraysh. So He, exalted is He, struck for them a parable of the owners of the garden containing types of crops and fruits that had ripened and deserved to be harvested—that is, the cutting. For this reason He said: "when they swore" among themselves "to cut it"—that is, to harvest it, meaning the gathering of produce—"in the morning," that is, at the time of dawn, when no poor or needy person would see them and they would give him something. So they swore to that and did not make exception in their oath. Then Allah thwarted them and sent upon it the blight that burned it—the scorching that wiped it out and left nothing useful in it. Therefore He said: "So there came upon it a visitation from your Lord while they were asleep, and it became as if reaped," that is, like the black night cut off from light. This is a recompense contrary to their intent. "Then they called one another at morning," that is, they woke from their sleep and called to one another, saying: "Go early to your tilth if you would cut it," that is, hasten to your garden and harvest it before the day rises and beggars become many. "So they departed, while they whispered," that is, they spoke among themselves secretly, saying: "No poor man shall enter it upon you today," that is, agree on this and consult about it. "And they went early with determination, able," that is, they set out earnestly in that matter, able to do it, resolved and insisting on this corrupt intention. ʿIkrimah and al-Shaʿbī said: "And they went early with hard" means with anger against the poor. Al-Suddī went far in saying that the name of their tilth was Ḥard. "But when they saw it," that is, they reached it and looked at what had befallen it and what it had become—the repulsive condition after that freshness, beauty, and splendor—because of their corrupt intention. At that point they said: "Indeed, we are astray," that is, we have gone astray from it and taken a path other than its way. Then they said: "Rather, we are deprived," that is, rather, we have been punished because of our evil intention and deprived of the blessing of our tilth. "The most moderate of them said"—Ibn ʿAbbās, Mujāhid, and more than one said: He was the most just and best of them—"Did I not say to you: Why do you not glorify Allah?" It was said: meaning, make exception. This was said by Mujāhid, al-Suddī, and Ibn Jurayj. It was also said: meaning, say good instead of the evil you said. "They said: Glory be to our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers. Then they turned to one another, blaming. They said: O woe to us! Indeed, we were transgressors." They regretted when regret was of no benefit and confessed the sin after the punishment, when it was of no avail. For this reason Allah, exalted is He, commanded charity from the fruits and urged it on the day of harvest, as He, exalted is He, said: "Eat of its fruit when it bears fruit and give its due on the day of its harvest" [al-Anʿām: 141]. And Allah knows best. Allah, exalted is He, said: "Thus is the punishment," that is, in this way We punish whoever opposes Our command and does not show compassion to the needy among Our creation. "And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater," that is, mightier and more severe than the punishment of this world, "if they only knew." The story of these people is similar to His, exalted is He, saying: "And Allah strikes a parable: a town that was secure and at ease, its provision coming to it abundantly from every place, but it denied the favors of Allah, so Allah made it taste the garment of hunger and fear because of what they used to do. And there had come to them a messenger from among themselves, but they denied him, so the punishment seized them while they were wrongdoers" [al-Naḥl: 112–113]. It was said: This is a parable struck for the people of Makkah. It was also said: They are the people of Makkah themselves; He struck them as a parable for themselves. That does not conflict, and Allah, glorified and exalted is He, knows best.
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