Tarikh (al-Tabari) 6
Creation of the heavens and the earth
ذِكْرُ الشَّمْسِ وَالْقَمَرِ وَالنُّجُومِ عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ، قَالَ: "لَمَّا أَبْرَمَ اللَّهُ -عَزَّ وَجَلَّ- خَلْقَهُ فَلَمْ يَبْقَ غَيْرُ آَدَمَ خَلَقَ شَمْسَيْنِ مِنْ نُورِ عَرْشِهِ فَأَمَّا مَا كَانَ فِي سَابِقِ عِلْمِهِ أَنْ يَطْمِسَهَا وَيُحَوِّلَهَا قَمَرًا فَإِنَّهُ خَلَقَهَا دُونَ الشَّمْسِ فِي الضَّوْءِ، وَلَوْ تَرَكَهَا شَمْسَيْنِ لَمْ يُعْرَفِ اللَّيْلُ مِنَ النَّهَارِ، وَلَكَانَ الصَّائِمُ لَا يَدْرِي إِلَى مَتَى يَصُومُ، فَأَرْسَلَ جِبْرِيلَ فَأَمَرَّ جِنَاحَهُ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْقَمَرِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ فَمَحَا عَنْهُ الضَّوْءَ، وَبَقِيَ فِيهِ النُّورُ، وَخَلَقَ لِلشَّمْسِ عَجَلَةً لَهَا ثَلاثُمِائَةٍ وَسِتُّونَ عُرْوَةً، وَوَكَّلَ بِهَا ثَلَاثَمِائَةٍ وَسِتِّينَ مَلَكًا قَدْ يَعْلَقُ كُلُّ مَلَكٍ بِعُرْوَةٍ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يُرِيَ الْعِبَادِ آَيَةً خَرَّتِ الشَّمْسُ عَنْ عَجَلَتِهَا فَوَقَعَتْ فِي بَحْرٍ وَتَسْجُدُ الشَّمْسُ تَحْتَ الْعَرْشِ بِمِقْدَارِ اللَّيْلِ، ثُمَّ تُؤْمَرُ بِالطُّلُوعِ ، فَإِذَا مَا دَنَتِ الْقِيَامَةُ جُعِلَتِ الشَّمْسُ، ثُمَّ يَتْبَعُهَا الْقَمَرُ ثُمَّ يَطْلُعَانِ مِنَ الْمَغْرِبِ ثُمَّ يُعُودُ إِلَى مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ". وَرَوَى طَاوُوسٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ: قَالَ اللَّهُ -عَزَّ وَجَلَّ- لِلسَّمَاءِ: "أَخْرِجِي شَمْسَكِ وَقَمَرَكِ وَنُجُومَكَ"، وَقَالَ لِلْأَرْضِ: "شَقِّقِي أَنْهَارَكِ وَأَخْرِجِي ثِمَارَكِ" فَقَالَتَا: أَتَيْنَا طَائِعِينَ. وَقَدْ أَشْكَلَ هَذَا قَوْمٌ غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الظَّوَاهِرُ، وَقَلَّ فَهْمْهُمْ، وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُ قَوْلُ السَّمَاءِ حَقِيقَةً، وَأَنَّهَا أَخْرَجَتْ شَمْسَهَا بِفِعْلٍ، وَهَذَا سُوقُهُمْ، لِأَنَّ قَوْلَهُ أَتَيَا طَوْعًا مَعْنَاهُ كَوْنًا بِتَكْوِينِنَا، وَهُوَ تَقْرِيبٌ إِلَى الْأَفْهَامِ تَقْرِيرُهُ لَا بُدَّ مِنْ فِعْلِ مَا يُرِيدُهُ لَوْ قَدَّرْنَا أَنَّ السَّمَاءَ مَوْجُودَةً أَنْ يُوَافِقَ أَوْ يُخَالِفَ، وَيُوَضِّحَ هَذَا أَنَّهُمَا إِنْ كَانَتَا حَالَةَ الْخِطَابِ مَعْدُومَتَيْنِ، فَالْمَعْدُومُ لَا يُخَاطَبُ، وَإِنْ كَانَتَا مَوْجُودَتَيْنِ اسْتَغْنَتَا بِوُجُودِهِمَا عَنِ التَّكْوِينِ، ثُمَّ أَيُّ قُدْرَةٍ لَهُمَا فِي إِخْرَاجِ شَمْسٍ أَوْ قَمَرٍ، وَهَلْ خَالِقٌ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَإِنَّمَا الْمُرَادُ كُونِي بِتَكْوِينِي إِيَّاكَ، وَمِثْلُهُ [قَوْلُهُ] تَعَالَى: إِنَّمَا قَوْلُنَا لِشَيْءٍ إِذَا أَرَدْنَاهُ أَنْ نَقُولَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ. وَقَوْلُهُ: كُونُوا قِرَدَةً خَاسِئِينَ. كُونُوا حِجَارَةً أَوْ حَدِيدًا، وَهَذَا مِنْ تَوَسُّعِ الْعَرَبِ فِي الْخِطَابِ يَقْصِدُونَ بِهِ إِعْلَامَ الْمُخَاطَبِ بِسُرْعَةِ التَّكْوِينِ. قَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ [فِي] قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ الْمَغْرِبَيْنِ قَالَ: مَشْرِقُ الشِّتَاءِ وَمَشْرِقُ الصَّيْفِ، وَمَغْرِبُ الشِّتَاءِ وَمَغْرِبُ الصَّيْفِ. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: يَطْلُعُ كُلَّ سَنَةٍ فِي ثَلَاثِمِائَةٍ وَسِتِّينَ كُوَّةً، كُلَّ يَوْمٍ فِي كُوَّةٍ فَلَا يَرْجِعُ إِلَى تِلْكَ الْكُوَّةِ فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ مِنَ الْعَامِ الْمُقْبِلِ. وَقَدْ رَوَى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُ رَأَى الشَّمْسَ حِينَ غَابَتْ فَقَالَ: "فِي نَارِ اللَّهِ الْحَامِيَةِ لَوْلَا مَا يَزَعُهَا مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ -عَزَّ وَجَلَّ- لَأَهْلَكَتْ مَا عَلَى الْأَرْضِ". قَالَ أَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ: قَدْ نَظَرَ بَعْضُ النَّاسِ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ دُعَاءٍ عَلَى الشَّمْسِ، وَلَيْسَ كَذَلِكَ، إِنَّمَا هُوَ وَصْفٌ لِلْعَيْنِ الَّتِي تُوَارِي الشَّمْسَ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: تَغْرُبُ فِي عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ . قَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيِّبِ: إِنَّ الشَّمْسَ إِذَا أَرَادَتْ أَنْ تَطْلُعَ تَقَاعَسَتْ كَرَامَةَ أَنْ تُعْبَدَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَيَدْفَعُهَا ثَلَاثُمِائَةٍ وَسِتُّونَ مَلَكًا. وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: لَا تَطْلُعُ إِلَّا وَهِيَ كَارِهَةٌ، تَقُولُ: يَا رَبِّ لَا تُطْلِعْنِي عَلَى عِبَادِكَ فَإِنِّي أَرَاهُمْ يَعْصُونَكَ. وعَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: "وُكِّلَ بِالشَّمْسِ سَبْعَةُ أَمْلَاكٍ يَرْمُونَهَا بِالثَّلْجِ كُلَ يَوْمٍ وَلَوْلَا ذَلِكَ مَا أَتَتْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ إِلَّا أَحْرَقَتْهُ". وعَنِ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، قَالَ: كُنْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ حِينَ وَجَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ، فَقَالَ: "يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ تَدْرِي أَيْنَ تَذْهَبُ الشَّمْسُ؟" قُلْتُ: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ، قَالَ: "فَإِنَّهَا تَذْهَبُ حَتَّى تَسْجُدَ بَيْنَ يَدِي اللَّهِ -عَزَّ وَجَلَّ- فَتَسْتَأْذِنُ فِي الرِّجُوعِ فَيُؤْذَنُ لَهَا وَكَأَنَّهَا قَدْ قِيلَ لَهَا: ارْجِعِي حَيْثُ جِئْتِ، فَتَطْلُعُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا". أَخْرَجَاهُ فِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ. قَالَ ابْنُ عَقِيلٍ: قَدْ ذَكَرَ أَصْحَابُ عُلُومِ الْهَنْدَسَةِ أَنَّ بُعْدَ الشَّمْسِ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافٍ وَثَمَانِمِائَةٍ وَعِشْرُونَ أَلْفَ مِيلٍ وَنِصْفٌ. وَذَكَرُوا أَنَّ جِرْمَ الْقَمَرِ جُزْءٌ مِنْ تِسْعَةٍ وَثَلَاثِينَ جُزْءًا مِنَ الْأَرْضِ، وَأَنَّ الْمُشْتَرِيَ أَعْظَمُ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ، يَزِيدُ جِرْمُهُ عَلَى جِرْمِ الْأَرْضِ مِائَتَانِ وَثَمَانُونَ مَرَّةً وَنِصْفٌ وَرُبْعٌ. وَزُحَلُ أَعْظَمُ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ تِسْعَةً وَسَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً وَنِصْفًا. وَأَمَّا الْكَوَاكِبُ الثَّابِتَةُ فَأَعْظَمُهَا الْخَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ الْعِظَامُ نَيِّرَةٌ مِثْلُ الشِّعْرَى وَالسِّمَاكِ، وَقَلْبِ الْأَسَدِ، يَكُونُ جِرْمُ كُلِّ كَوْكَبٍ مِنْهَا أَعْظَمَ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ بِأَرْبَعٍ وَسَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً وَنِصْفٍ.
Translation
✧ Mention of the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars On the authority of Ḥudhayfah, from the Prophet ﷺ, who said: “When Allah—Mighty and Majestic—firmly determined His creation, and nothing remained except Adam, He created two suns from the light of His Throne. As for the one that, in His prior knowledge, He would blot out and transform into a moon, He created it with less light than the sun. Had He left them as two suns, night would not be distinguished from day, and the fasting person would not know until when to fast. So He sent Jibrīl, and he passed his wing over the face of the moon three times, erasing its brightness, while light remained in it. And He created for the sun a wheel with three hundred and sixty spokes, and He assigned to it three hundred and sixty angels, each angel clinging to a spoke. When He wills to show His servants a sign, the sun falls from its wheel and lands in a sea, and the sun prostrates beneath the Throne for the duration of the night. Then it is commanded to rise. When the Hour draws near, the sun is made to set, then the moon follows it, and then they both rise from the west, then it returns to what Allah created.” Ṭāwūs narrated from Ibn ʿAbbās that he said: Allah—Mighty and Majestic—said to the heaven: “Bring forth your sun, your moon, and your stars,” and He said to the earth: “Split open your rivers and bring forth your fruits.” They both said: “We come willingly.” This has confused some people who are dominated by outward meanings and have little understanding; they thought it to be an actual speech of the heaven, and that it brought forth its sun by an act. This is their delusion, because His saying “they came willingly” means their coming into being by His creation. It is an approximation to human understanding, stating that if we supposed the heaven to exist, it could not but comply with what He wills, whether it agrees or disagrees. What clarifies this is that if the two were nonexistent at the time of address, the nonexistent cannot be addressed; and if they were existent, they would be in no need of being brought into being. Moreover, what power do they have to bring forth a sun or a moon? Is there any creator besides Allah? The intent is merely “Be by My creating you,” and similar to it is His saying, Exalted be He: “Our only word to a thing when We will it is to say to it ‘Be,’ and it is.” And His saying: “Be apes, despised”; “Be stones or iron.” This is one of the Arabs’ expansive uses of address, by which they intend to inform the addressee of the swiftness of bringing into being. Mujāhid said regarding His saying, Exalted be He: “Lord of the two easts and Lord of the two wests”: the east of winter and the east of summer, and the west of winter and the west of summer. Ibn ʿAbbās said: Each year it rises in three hundred and sixty apertures, each day in one aperture, and it does not return to that aperture on that day of the following year. ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAmr narrated from the Prophet ﷺ that he saw the sun when it set and said: “In Allah’s scorching fire; were it not for what restrains it by Allah’s command—Mighty and Majestic—it would destroy everything on earth.” Abū al-Ḥusayn Aḥmad b. Jaʿfar said: Some people thought this was a supplication against the sun, but it is not so. It is rather a description of the spring in which the sun sets, according to His saying, Exalted be He: “It sets in a muddy spring.” Saʿīd b. al-Musayyib said: When the sun intends to rise, it holds back, out of disdain to be worshipped besides Allah, and three hundred and sixty angels push it. Ibn ʿAbbās said: It does not rise except reluctantly, saying: “My Lord, do not make me rise over Your servants, for I see them disobeying You.” From Abū Umāmah, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Seven angels are assigned to the sun, pelting it with snow every day. Were it not for that, it would not come upon anything without burning it.” From Abū Dharr, who said: I was with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the mosque when the sun set. He said: “O Abū Dharr, do you know where the sun goes?” I said: “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said: “It goes until it prostrates before Allah—Mighty and Majestic—and asks permission to return, and permission is granted to it. It is as if it is told: ‘Return to where you came from,’ and it rises from its west.” Both of them recorded it in the Ṣaḥīḥayn. Ibn ʿAqīl said: The scholars of geometry have mentioned that the distance of the sun from the earth is four thousand eight hundred twenty thousand miles and a half. They mentioned that the body of the moon is one part of thirty-nine parts of the earth, and that Jupiter is greater than the earth, its body exceeding that of the earth by two hundred and eighty times, a half, and a quarter. Saturn is greater than the earth by seventy-nine and a half times. As for the fixed stars, the greatest of them are fifteen great bright ones, like Sirius, Simāk, and Regulus, the body of each of these stars being greater than the earth by seventy-four and a half times.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.