Tarikh (al-Tabari) 387
the accounts of past peoples from the Israelites and others
وَهَذِهِ قِصَّةُ ذِي الْكِفْلِ الَّذِي زَعَمَ قَوْمٌ أَنَّهُ ابْنُ أَيُّوبَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بَعْدَ قِصَّةِ أَيُّوبَ فِي سُورَةِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ: وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِدْرِيسَ وَذَا الْكِفْلِ كُلٌّ مِنَ الصَّابِرِينَ وَأَدْخَلْنَاهُمْ فِي رَحْمَتِنَا إِنَّهُمْ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ [ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ: 85 - 86 ]. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى بَعْدَ قِصَّةِ أَيُّوبَ أَيْضًا فِي سُورَةِ ص: وَاذْكُرْ عِبَادَنَا إبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ أُولِي الْأَيْدِي وَالْأَبْصَارِ إِنَّا أَخْلَصْنَاهُمْ بِخَالِصَةٍ ذِكْرَى الدَّارِ وَإِنَّهُمْ عِنْدَنَا لَمِنَ الْمُصْطَفَيْنَ الْأَخْيَارِ وَاذْكُرْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَذَا الْكِفْلِ وَكُلٌّ مِنَ الْأَخْيَارِ [ ص: 45 - 48 ]. فَالظَّاهِرُ مِنْ ذِكْرِهِ فِي الْقُرْآنِ الْعَظِيمِ بِالثَّنَاءِ عَلَيْهِ مَقْرُونًا مَعَ هَؤُلَاءِ السَّادَةِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ. وَهَذَا هُوَ الْمَشْهُورُ، وَقَدْ زَعَمَ آخَرُونَ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ نَبِيًّا، وَإِنَّمَا كَانَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا وَحَكَمًا مُقْسِطًا عَادِلًا. وَتَوَقَّفَ ابْنُ جَرِيرٍ فِي ذَلِكَ فَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَرَوَى ابْنُ جَرِيرٍ، وَابْنُ أَبِي نَجِيحٍ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ: أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ نَبِيًّا، وَإِنَّمَا كَانَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا، وَكَانَ قَدْ تَكَفَّلَ لِبَنِي قَوْمِهِ أَنْ يَكْفِيَهُ أَمْرَهُمْ، وَيَقْضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْعَدْلِ فَفَعَلَ فَسُمِّيَ ذَا الْكِفْلِ. وعَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: لَمَّا كَبُرَ الْيَسَعُ قَالَ: لَوْ أَنِّي اسْتَخْلَفْتُ رَجُلًا عَلَى النَّاسِ يَعْمَلُ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي حَيَاتِي حَتَّى أَنْظُرَ كَيْفَ يَعْمَلُ. فَجَمَعَ النَّاسَ. فَقَالَ: مَنْ يَتَقَبَّلُ لِي بِثَلَاثٍ أَسْتَخْلِفُهُ؛ يَصُومُ النَّهَارَ، وَيَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ، وَلَا يَغْضَبُ ؟ قَالَ: فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ تَزْدَرِيهِ الْعَيْنُ. فَقَالَ: أَنَا. فَقَالَ: أَنْتَ تَصُومُ النَّهَارَ، وَتَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ، وَلَا تَغْضَبُ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: فَرَدَّهُمْ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ. وَقَالَ مِثْلَهَا الْيَوْمَ الْآخَرَ فَسَكَتَ النَّاسُ، وَقَامَ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلُ، فَقَالَ: أَنَا. فَاسْتَخْلَفَهُ، قَالَ: فَجَعَلَ إِبْلِيسُ يَقُولُ لِلشَّيَاطِينِ: عَلَيْكُمْ بِفُلَانٍ. فَأَعْيَاهُمْ ذَلِكَ، فَقَالَ: دَعُونِي وَإِيَّاهُ، فَأَتَاهُ فِي صُورَةِ شَيْخٍ كَبِيرٍ فَقِيرٍ، وَأَتَاهُ حِينَ أَخَذَ مَضْجَعَهُ لِلْقَائِلَةِ، وَكَانَ لَا يَنَامُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ إِلَّا تِلْكَ النَّوْمَةَ فَدَقَّ الْبَابَ، فَقَالَ: مَنْ هَذَا ؟ قَالَ: شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ مَظْلُومٌ. قَالَ: فَقَامَ فَفَتَحَ الْبَابَ فَجَعَلَ يَقُصُّ عَلَيْهِ. فَقَالَ: إِنَّ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِي خُصُومَةً، وَإِنَّهُمْ ظَلَمُونِي وَفَعَلُوا بِي وَفَعَلُوا، وَجَعَلَ يُطَوِّلُ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى حَضَرَ الرَّوَاحُ، وَذَهَبَتِ الْقَائِلَةُ. وَقَالَ: إِذَا رُحْتُ فَأْتِنِي آخُذْ لَكَ بِحَقِّكَ فَانْطَلَقَ، وَرَاحَ فَكَانَ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ فَجَعَلَ يَنْظُرُ هَلْ يَرَى الشَّيْخَ فَلَمْ يَرَهُ، فَقَامَ يَتْبَعُهُ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ جَعَلَ يَقْضِي بَيْنَ النَّاسِ، وَيَنْتَظِرُهُ فَلَا يَرَاهُ، فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ إِلَى الْقَائِلَةِ فَأَخَذَ مَضْجَعَهُ أَتَاهُ فَدَقَّ الْبَابَ. فَقَالَ: مَنْ هَذَا ؟ فَقَالَ: الشَّيْخُ الْكَبِيرُ الْمَظْلُومُ فَفَتَحَ لَهُ. فَقَالَ: أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكَ إِذَا قَعَدْتُ فَأْتِنِي ؟ فَقَالَ: إِنَّهُمْ أَخْبَثُ قَوْمٍ، إِذَا عَرَفُوا أَنَّكَ قَاعِدٌ قَالُوا: نَحْنُ نُعْطِيكَ حَقَّكَ. وَإِذَا قُمْتَ جَحَدُونِي، قَالَ: فَانْطَلِقْ فَإِذَا رُحْتُ فَأْتِنِي. قَالَ: فَفَاتَتْهُ الْقَائِلَةُ فَرَاحَ فَجَعَلَ يَنْتَظِرُ فَلَا يَرَاهُ، وَشَقَّ عَلَيْهِ النُّعَاسُ. فَقَالَ: لِبَعْضِ أَهْلِهِ لَا تَدَعَنَّ أَحَدًا يَقْرُبُ هَذَا الْبَابَ حَتَّى أَنَامَ فَإِنِّي قَدْ شَقَّ عَلَيَّ النَّوْمُ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ تِلْكَ السَّاعَةَ جَاءَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الرَّجُلُ: وَرَاءَكَ، وَرَاءَكَ. فَقَالَ: إِنِّي قَدْ أَتَيْتُهُ أَمْسِ فَذَكَرْتُ لَهُ أَمْرِي. فَقَالَ: لَا، وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ أَمَرَنَا أَنْ لَا نَدَعَ أَحَدًا يَقْرُبُهُ، فَلَمَّا أَعْيَاهُ نَظَرَ فَرَأَى كُوَّةً فِي الْبَيْتِ فَتَسَوَّرَ مِنْهَا فَإِذَا هُوَ فِي الْبَيْتِ، وَإِذَا هُوَ يَدُقُّ الْبَابَ مِنْ دَاخِلٍ قَالَ: فَاسْتَيْقَظَ الرَّجُلُ. فَقَالَ: يَا فُلَانُ أَلَمْ آمُرْكَ ؟ قَالَ: أَمَّا مِنْ قِبَلِي، وَاللَّهِ لَمْ تُؤْتَ فَانْظُرْ مِنْ أَيْنَ أُتِيتَ ؟ قَالَ: فَقَامَ إِلَى الْبَابِ فَإِذَا هُوَ مُغْلَقٌ، كَمَا أَغْلَقَهُ، وَإِذَا الرَّجُلُ مَعَهُ فِي الْبَيْتِ فَعَرَفَهُ. فَقَالَ: أَعَدُوَّ اللَّهِ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. أَعْيَيْتَنِي فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، فَفَعَلْتُ مَا تَرَى لِأُغْضِبَكَ فَسَمَّاهُ اللَّهُ ذَا الْكِفْلِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ تَكَفَّلَ بِأَمْرٍ فَوَفَّى بِهِ. وعَنْ كِنَانَةَ بْنِ الْأَخْنَسِ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْأَشْعَرِيَّ يَعْنِي أَبَا مُوسَى ؓ، وَهُوَ عَلَى هَذَا الْمِنْبَرِ يَقُولُ: مَا كَانَ ذُو الْكِفْلِ نَبِيًّا، وَلَكِنْ كَانَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا يُصَلِّي كُلَّ يَوْمٍ مِائَةَ صَلَاةٍ، فَتَكَفَّلَ لَهُ ذُو الْكِفْلِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ يُصَلِّي كُلَّ يَوْمٍ مِائَةَ صَلَاةٍ فَسُمِّيَ ذَا الْكِفْلِ. وعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَدِيثًا لَوْ لَمْ أَسْمَعْهُ إِلَّا مَرَّةً أَوْ مَرَّتَيْنِ حَتَّى عَدَّ سَبْعَ مِرَارٍ، وَلَكِنْ قَدْ سَمِعْتُهُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ: كَانَ الْكِفْلُ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ لَا يَتَوَرَّعُ مِنْ ذَنْبٍ عَمِلَهُ، فَأَتَتْهُ امْرَأَةٌ فَأَعْطَاهَا سِتِّينَ دِينَارًا عَلَى أَنْ يَطَأَهَا، فَلَمَّا قَعَدَ مِنْهَا مَقْعَدَ الرَّجُلِ مِنِ امْرَأَتِهِ ارْتَعَدَتْ، وَبَكَتْ فَقَالَ لَهَا مَا يُبْكِيكِ أَكْرَهْتُكِ. قَالَتْ: لَا، وَلَكِنْ هَذَا عَمَلٌ لَمْ أَعْمَلْهُ قَطُّ، وَإِنَّمَا حَمَلَتْنِي عَلَيْهِ الْحَاجَةُ. قَالَ: فَتَفْعَلِينَ هَذَا، وَلَمْ تَفْعَلِيهِ قَطُّ ؟ ثُمَّ نَزَلَ. فَقَالَ: اذْهَبِي بِالدَّنَانِيرِ لَكِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: وَاللَّهِ لَا يَعْصِي اللَّهَ الْكِفْلُ أَبَدًا. فَمَاتَ مِنْ لَيْلَتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ مَكْتُوبًا عَلَى بَابِهِ قَدْ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لِلْكِفْلِ.
Translation
✧ And this is the story of Dhu al-Kifl, whom some people claimed was the son of Ayyub ﷺ. Allah Almighty said, after the story of Ayyub in Surat al-Anbiya': "And Ismail and Idris and Dhu al-Kifl, all were of the patient. And We admitted them into Our mercy. Indeed, they were of the righteous" [al-Anbiya': 85-86]. And He Almighty also said, after the story of Ayyub in Surat Sad: "And remember Our servants Ibrahim and Ishaq and Ya'qub, men of might and vision. Indeed, We chose them for an exclusive quality: remembrance of the home [of the Hereafter]. And indeed they are, to Us, among the chosen, the best. And remember Ismail and al-Yasa' and Dhu al-Kifl, and all are among the best" [Sad: 45-48]. What is apparent from his mention in the Noble Qur'an with praise, coupled with these noble prophets, is that he was a prophet, upon him from his Lord be blessings and peace. This is what is well known. Yet others claimed that he was not a prophet, but only a righteous man and an equitable, just judge. Ibn Jarir suspended judgment on that, so Allah knows best. Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Najih narrated from Mujahid that he was not a prophet, but only a righteous man. He had undertaken for the people of his tribe that he would suffice them in their affairs and judge among them with justice, and he did so, so he was named Dhu al-Kifl (the one with a guarantee). And from Mujahid, he said: When al-Yasa' became old he said: 'If only I could appoint a man as successor over the people to act over them during my lifetime so that I might see how he acts.' So he gathered the people and said: 'Who will accept from me three things, and I will appoint him as successor: he fasts the day, stands in prayer at night, and does not get angry?' He said: A man whom the eye would belittle stood up and said: 'I will.' He said: 'You will fast the day, stand in prayer at night, and not get angry?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: So he sent them back that day. And he said the like of it on the next day, but the people were silent, and that man stood up and said: 'I will.' So he appointed him as successor. He said: Then Iblis began saying to the devils: 'Attend to so-and-so.' But that confounded them. Then he said: 'Leave me alone with him.' So he came to him in the form of a very old, poor shaykh, and he came to him when he had taken his resting place for the midday nap. He used not to sleep night or day except that one sleep. He knocked at the door. He said: 'Who is this?' He said: 'An old shaykh, wronged.' He said: So he rose and opened the door, and he began recounting his story to him. He said: 'Between me and my people there is a dispute, and they wronged me and did such and such to me.' And he kept making it long upon him until the time for going out arrived and the midday nap passed. He said: 'When I go out, come to me, and I will get your right for you.' So he departed, and he went out. He was in his assembly, and he began looking to see if he could see the shaykh, but he did not see him. So he rose to follow him, but did not see him. When the next day came, he began judging between the people and waiting for him, but he did not see him. When he returned for the midday nap and took his resting place, he came to him and knocked at the door. He said: 'Who is this?' He said: 'The old shaykh, the wronged one.' So he opened for him. He said: 'Did I not tell you, when I sit, come to me?' He said: 'They are the wickedest people. When they know that you are sitting, they say: We will give you your right. But when you rise, they deny me.' He said: 'Depart then, and when I go out, come to me.' He said: So the midday nap escaped him, and he went out and began waiting, but he did not see him. Drowsiness became hard on him. So he said to one of his household: 'Let no one approach this door until I sleep, for sleep has become hard on me.' When it was that hour, he came, and the man said to him: 'Get back, get back!' He said: 'I came to him yesterday and mentioned my affair to him.' The man said: 'No, by Allah, he has ordered us not to let anyone approach him.' When he could not get to him, he looked and saw an opening in the house, and he climbed through it. And there he was inside the house, and there he was knocking at the door from inside. He said: The man awoke and said: 'O so-and-so, did I not order you?' He said: 'As for from my side, by Allah, none came. Look from where it was entered.' He said: So he rose to the door, and there it was locked, just as he had locked it, and there was the man with him in the house. So he recognized him. He said: 'Enemy of Allah?' He said: 'Yes. You have confounded me in everything, so I did what you see to make you angry.' Then Allah named him Dhu al-Kifl because he undertook a matter and fulfilled it. And from Kinanah b. al-Akhnas, he said: I heard al-Ash'ari, meaning Abu Musa ؓ, while he was on this pulpit, saying: 'Dhu al-Kifl was not a prophet, but he was a righteous man who used to pray every day one hundred prayers. Then Dhu al-Kifl undertook after him to pray every day one hundred prayers, so he was named Dhu al-Kifl.' And from Ibn 'Umar, he said: I heard a hadith from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ such that if I had not heard it except once or twice—until he counted seven times—but I have heard it more than that. He said: 'Al-Kifl was from the Children of Israel, and he did not refrain from any sin he committed. A woman came to him, and he gave her sixty dinars on condition that he should have intercourse with her. When he sat from her as a man sits from his wife, she trembled and wept. He said to her: "What makes you weep? Did I coerce you?" She said: "No, but this is an act I have never done at all. Only need compelled me to it." He said: "So you do this, and you have never done it at all?" Then he withdrew. He said: "Go with the dinars, they are yours." Then he said: "By Allah, al-Kifl will never disobey Allah again." So he died that very night, and in the morning it was written on his door: Allah has forgiven al-Kifl.'
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.