Tarikh (al-Tabari) 710
The sending of the Prophet ﷺ
الْبَابُ الثَّالِثُ فِي حُدُوثِ الرُّجُومِ وَحَجْبِ الشَّيَاطِينِ مِنِ اسْتِرَاقِ السَّمْعِ عِنْدَ مَبْعَثِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى: قُلْ يَا مُحَمَّدُ لِلنَّاسِ: أُوحِيَ أَخْبَرَتْ بِالْوَحْيِ إِلَيَّ أَنَّهُ الضَّمِيرُ لِلشَّأْنِ اسْتَمَعَ لِقُرْآنِي نَفَرٌ مِنَ الْجِنِّ جِنِّ نَصِيبِينَ أَوْ نِينَوَى، وَكَانُوا سَبْعَةً أَوْ تِسْعَةً وَذَلِكَ فِي صَلَاةِ الصُّبْحِ بِبَطْنِ نَخْلَةَ مَوْضِعٌ بَيْنَ مَكَّةَ وَالطَّائِفِ وَهُمُ الَّذِينَ ذُكِرُوا فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: وَإِذْ صَرَفْنَا إِلَيْكَ نَفَرًا مِنَ الْجِنِّ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقُرْآنَ فَلَمَّا حَضَرُوهُ قَالُوا أَنْصِتُوا فَلَمَّا قُضِيَ وَلَّوْا إِلَى قَوْمِهِمْ مُنْذِرِينَ [الْأَحْقَافُ 29] وَالنَّفَرُ مَا بَيْنَ الثَّلَاثَةِ وَالْعَشَرَةِ. «فَقَالُوا» لِقَوْمِهِمْ لَمَّا رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ: إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْآنًا عَجَبًا وَصْفٌ بِالْمَصْدَرِ عَلَى سَبِيلِ الْمُبَالَغَةِ أَيْ هُوَ عَجَبٌ فِي نَفْسِهِ لِفَصَاحَةِ لَفْظِهِ وَحَسُنِ مَبَانِيهِ وَدِقَّةِ مَعَانِيهِ وَغَرَابَةِ أُسْلُوبِهِ وَبَلَاغَةِ مَوَاعِظِهِ وَكَوْنِهِ مُبَايِنًا لِسَائِرِ الْكُتُبِ، وَالْعَجَبُ مَا خَرَجَ عَنْ أَشْكَالِهِ وَنَظَائِرِهِ. "يَهْدِي" يَدْعُو إِلَى "الرُّشْدِ" الْإِيمَانِ وَالصَّوَابِ "فَآمَنَّا بِهِ" أَيِ الْقُرْآنِ. وَلَمَّا كَانَ الْإِيمَانُ بِهِ مُتَضَمِّنًا الْإِيمَانَ بِاللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَبِوَحْدَانِيَّتِهِ وَبَرَاءَتِهِ مِنَ الشِّرْكِ. قَالُوا: "وَلَنْ نُشْرِكَ" بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ "بِرَبِّنَا أَحَدًا. وَأَنَّهُ" الضَّمِيرُ لِلشَّأْنِ فِيهِ وَفِي الْمَوْضِعَيْنِ بَعْدَهُ "تَعَالَى" تَعَاظَمَ "جَدُّ رَبِّنَا" جَلَالُهُ وَعَظَمَتُهُ عَمَّا نُسِبَ إِلَيْهِ "مَا اتَّخَذَ صَاحِبَةً" زَوْجَةً "وَلَا وَلَدًا". بَيَانٌ ذَلِكَ كَأَنَّهُمْ سَمِعُوا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا نَبَّهَهُمْ عَلَى خَطَأِ مَا اعْتَقَدُوهُ مِنَ الشِّرْكِ وَاتِّخَاذِ الصَّاحِبَةِ وَالْوَلَدِ. وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ سَفِيهُنَا جَاهِلُنَا إِبْلِيسُ أَوْ مَرَدَةُ الْجِنِّ. عَلَى اللَّهِ شَطَطًا غُلُوٌّ فِي الْكَذِبِ بِوَصْفِهِ بِالصَّاحِبَةِ وَالْوَلَدِ. ثُمَّ أَخَذُوا يَعْتَذِرُونَ عَنِ اتِّبَاعِهِمْ لِلسَّفِيهِ فِي ذَلِكَ: وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّا أَنْ مُخَفِّفَةٌ أَنَّهُ لَنْ تَقُولَ الإِنْسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا بِوَصْفِهِ بِذَلِكَ، حَتَّى تَبَيَّنَّا كَذِبَهُمْ بِذَلِكَ. وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِنَ الإِنْسِ يَعُوذُونَ يَسْتَعِيذُونَ. بِرِجَالٍ مِنَ الْجِنِّ حِينَ يَنْزِلُونَ فِي أَسْفَارِهِمْ بِمَكَانٍ مَخُوفٍ فَيَقُولُ كُلُّ رَجُلٍ: أَعُوذُ بِسَيِّدِ هَذَا الْمَكَانِ مِنْ شَرِّ سُفَهَائِهِ. "فَزَادُوهُمْ" بِعَوْذِهِمْ بِهِمْ "رَهَقًا" طُغْيَانًا، فَقَالُوا: سُدْنَا الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنْسَ وَأَنَّهُمْ أَيِ الْجِنُّ: ظَنُّوا كَمَا ظَنَنْتُمْ يَا إِنْسُ أَوْ بِالْعَكْسِ. وَالْآيَتَانِ مِنْ كَلَامِ الْجِنِّ بَعْضِهِمْ لِبَعْضٍ، أَوِ اسْتِئْنَافٌ مِنْ كَلَامِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَمَنْ فَتَحَ "أَنَّ" فِيهِمَا جَعَلَهُمَا مِنَ الْمُوحَى بِهِ أَيْ: أَنَّهُ لَنْ يَبْعَثَ اللَّهُ أَحَدًا بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ، أَوْ رَسُولًا. قَالَ الْجِنَّ: وَأَنَّا لَمَسْنَا السَّمَاءَ طَلَبْنَا اسْتِرَاقَ السَّمْعِ مِنْهَا. وَاللَّمْسُ مُسْتَعَارٌ مِنَ الْمَسِّ لِلطَّلَبِ: فَوَجَدْنَاهَا صَادَفْنَاهَا مُلِئَتْ حَرَسًا حُرَّاسًا اسْمُ جَمْعٍ كَخَدَمٍ: شَدِيدًا قَوِيًّا وَهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ الَّذِينَ يَمْنَعُونَهُمْ عَنْهَا وَشُهُبًا جَمْعُ شِهَابٍ وَهُوَ الْمُضِيءُ الْمُتَوَلِّدُ مِنَ النَّارِ: وَأَنَّا كُنَّا قَبْلَ مَبْعَثِهِ نَقْعُدُ مِنْهَا مَقَاعِدَ خَالِيَةً عَنِ الْحَرَسِ وَالشُّهُبِ أَوْ صَالِحَةً لِلرَّصْدِ وَالِاسْتِمَاعِ لِلسَّمْعِ صِلَةُ نَقْعُدُ أَوْ صِفَةٌ لِمَقَاعِدَ. وَفَسَّرَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ كَيْفِيَّةَ قُعُودِ الْجِنِّ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا وَاحِدًا فَوْقَ وَاحِدٍ فَمَتَى احْتَرَقَ الْأَعْلَى طَلَعَ الَّذِي تَحْتَهُ مَكَانَهُ وَكَانُوا يَسْتَرِقُونَ الْكَلِمَةَ فَيُلْقُونَهَا إِلَى الْكُهَّانِ وَيَزِيدُونَ فِيهَا وَيَزِيدُ الْكَاهِنُ مِائَةَ كِذْبَةٍ. فَمَنْ يَسْتَمِعِ الآنَ ظَرْفٌ لِلْحَالِ وَيَسْتَمِعْ ظَرْفٌ مُسْتَقْبَلٌ فَاتُّسِعَ فِي الظَّرْفِ وَاسْتُعْمِلَ لِلِاسْتِقْبَالِ يَجِدْ لَهُ شِهَابًا رَصَدًا أَيْ: أَرُصِدَ لَهُ لِيُرْمَى بِهِ. هَذَا لِمَنِ اسْتَمَعَ وَأَمَّا السَّمْعُ فَقَدِ انْقَطَعَ كَمَا قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: إِنَّهُمْ عَنِ السَّمْعِ لَمَعْزُولُونَ [الشُّعَرَاءُ 212]. وَلَمَّا رَأَوْا مَا حَدَثَ مِنْ كَثْرَةِ الرَّجْمِ وَمَنْعِ الِاسْتِرَاقِ قَالُوا: وَأَنَّا لا نَدْرِي أَشَرٌّ أُرِيدَ بِعَدَمِ اسْتِرَاقِ السَّمْعِ بِمَنْ فِي الأَرْضِ أَمْ أَرَادَ بِهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ رَشَدًا خَيْرًا. قَالَ ابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: فَلَمَّا سَمِعَتِ الْجِنُّ الْقُرْآنَ عَرَفَتْ أَنَّهَا مُنِعَتْ مِنَ السَّمْعِ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ لِئَلَّا يُشْكِلَ الْوَحْيُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ خَبَرِ السَّمَاءِ فَيَلْتَبِسَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ مَا جَاءَهُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ فِيهِ لِوُقُوعِ الْحُجَّةِ وَقَطْعِ الشُّبْهَةِ. فَآمَنُوا وَصَدَّقُوا ثُمَّ وَلَّوْا رَجَعُوا إِلَى قَوْمِهِمْ مُنْذِرِينَ مُخَوِّفِينَ قَوْمَهُمُ الْعَذَابَ إِنْ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا وَكَانُوا يَهُودًا. قَالُوا يَا قَوْمَنَا إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا كِتَابًا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مُوسَى مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْحَقِّ الْإِسْلَامِ وَإِلَى طَرِيقٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ أَيْ: طَرِيقَةٍ يَا قَوْمَنَا أَجِيبُوا دَاعِيَ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ إِلَى الْإِيمَانِ وَآمِنُوا بِهِ يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ مِنْ ذُنُوبِكُمْ أَيْ: بَعْضَهَا وَهُوَ مَا يَكُونُ فِي خَالِصِ حَقِّ اللَّهِ، فَإِنَّ الْمَظَالِمَ لَا تُغْفَرُ بِالْإِيمَانِ. وَيُجِرْكُمْ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ مُؤْلِمٍ. وَمَنْ لا يُجِبْ دَاعِيَ اللَّهِ فَلَيْسَ بِمُعْجِزٍ فِي الأَرْضِ [الْأَحْقَافُ: 32] أَيْ: لَا يُعْجِزُ اللَّهَ بِالْهَرَبِ مِنْهُ فَيَفُوتُهُ وَلَيْسَ لَهُ لِمَنْ لَا يُجِبْ مِنْ دُونِهِ أَيِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاءُ أَنْصَارًا يَدْفَعُونَ عَنْهُ الْعَذَابَ أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُجِيبُوا فِي ضَلالٍ مُبِينٍ بَيِّنٍ ظَاهِرٍ. لَطِيفَةٌ: مُنَاسِبَةُ سُورَةِ الْجِنِّ لِمَا قَبْلَهَا أَنَّهُ لَمَّا حُكِيَ تَمَادِيَ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ ﷺ فِي الْكُفْرِ وَعُكُوفِهِمْ عَلَى عِبَادَةِ الْأَصْنَامِ، وَكَانَ أَوَّلَ رَسُولٍ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ، كَمَا أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ آخَرَ رَسُولٍ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ، وَالْعَرَبُ الَّذِينَ هُوَ مِنْهُمْ كَانُوا عُبَّادَ أَصْنَامٍ كَقَوْمِ نُوحٍ حَتَّى أَنَّهُمْ عَبَدُوا أَصْنَامًا مِثْلَ أَصْنَامِ أُولَئِكَ فِي الْأَسْمَاءِ، وَكَانَ مَا جَاءَ بِهِ مُحَمَّدٌ ﷺ، مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ هَادِيًا إِلَى الرُّشْدِ. وَقَدْ سَمِعَتْهُ الْعَرَبُ وَتَوَقَّفَ عَنِ الْإِيمَانِ بِهِ أَكْثَرُهُمْ، أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى سُورَةَ الْجِنِّ إِثْرَ سُورَةِ نُوحٍ تَبْكِيتًا لِقُرَيْشٍ وَالْعَرَبِ فِي كَوْنِهِمْ تَبَاطَأُوا عَنِ الْإِيمَانِ، إِذْ كَانَتِ الْجِنُّ خَيْرًا مِنْهُمْ وَأَقْبَلَ إِلَى الْإِيمَانِ، هَذَا وَهُمْ مِنْ غَيْرِ جِنْسِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَمَعَ ذَلِكَ فَعِنْدَ مَا سَمِعُوا الْقُرْآنَ اسْتَعْظَمُوهُ وَآمَنُوا بِهِ لِلْوَقْتِ وَعَرَفُوا كَوْنَهُ مُعْجِزًا، وَهُمْ مَعَ ذَلِكَ مُكَذِّبُونَ لَهُ وَلِمَنْ جَاءَ بِهِ بَغْيًا وَحَسَدًا أَنْ يُنَزِّلَ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ عَلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ. وَرَوَى الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ وَالْبَيْهَقِيُّ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: إِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ كَانُوا يَصْعَدُونَ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَيَسْتَمِعُونَ الْكَلِمَةَ مِنَ الْوَحْيِ فَيَهْبِطُونَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ فَيَزِيدُونَ فَلَمْ يَزَالُوا كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى بَعَثَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ فَمَنَعُوا تِلْكَ الْمَقَاعِدَ، فَذَكَرُوا ذَلِكَ لِإِبْلِيسَ فَقَالَ: لَقَدْ حَدَثَ فِي الْأَرْضِ حَدَثٌ، فَبَعَثَهُمْ فَوَجَدُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَتْلُوا الْقُرْآنَ قَالُوا: هَذَا وَاللَّهِ الْحَدَثُ. وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيُرْمَوْنَ فَإِذَا تَوَارَى النَّجْمُ عَنْكُمْ فَقَدْ أَدْرَكَهُ لَا يُخْطِئُ أَبَدًا وَلَكِنَّهُ لَا يَقْتُلُهُ، يُحْرِقُ جَنْبَهُ وَجِهَةَ يَدِهِ. وَرَوَى ابْنُ سَعْدٍ وَالْبَيْهَقِيُّ وَأَبُو نُعَيْمٍ مِنْ وَجْهٍ آخَرَ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ عَنْهُ قَالَ: كَانَ لِكُلِّ قَبِيلٍ مِنَ الْجِنِّ مَقْعَدٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ يَسْتَمِعُونَ مِنْهُ الْوَحْيَ فَيُخْبِرُونَ بِهِ الْكَهَنَةَ فَلَمَّا بَعَثَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ دُحِرُوا مِنْهُ، فَقَالَتِ الْعَرَبُ حِينَ لَمْ تُخْبِرْهُمُ الْجِنُّ: هَلَكَ أَهْلُ السَّمَاءِ. فَجَعَلَ صَاحِبُ الْإِبِلِ يَنْحَرُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ بَعِيرًا وَصَاحِبُ الْبَقَرِ يَنْحَرُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ بَقَرَةً وَصَاحِبُ الْغَنَمِ يَنْحَرُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ شَاةً، وَقَالَ إِبْلِيسُ: لَقَدْ حَدَثَ فِي الْأَرْضِ حَدَثٌ فَأْتُونِي مِنْ تُرْبَةِ كُلِّ أَرْضٍ. فَأَتَوْهُ بِهَا فَجَعَلَ يَشُمُّهَا فَلَمَّا شَمَّ تُرْبَةَ مَكَّةَ قَالَ: مِنْ هَا هُنَا الْحَدَثُ فَنَصَتُوا فَإِذَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَدْ بُعِثَ. وَرَوَى الْبَيْهَقِيُّ مِنْ طَرِيقِ الْعَوْفِيِّ عَنْهُ قَالَ: لَمْ تَكُنِ السَّمَاءُ تُحْرَسُ فِي الْفَتْرَةِ بَيْنَ عِيسَى وَمُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ، وَكَانُوا يَقْعُدُونَ مِنْهَا مَقَاعِدَ لِلسَّمْعِ، فَلَمَّا بَعَثَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ حُرِسَتِ السَّمَاءُ حَرَسًا شَدِيدًا وَرُجِمَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ. وَرَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ الْأَسْلَمِيُّ وَأَبُو نُعَيْمٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ: لَمَّا كَانَ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي تَنَبَّأَ فِيهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُنِعَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ مِنْ خَبَرِ السَّمَاءِ وَرُمُوا بِالشُّهُبِ فَذَكَرُوا ذَلِكَ لِإِبْلِيسَ فَقَالَ: بُعِثَ نَبِيٌّ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْأَرْضِ الْمُقَدَّسَةِ. فَذَهَبُوا ثُمَّ رَجَعُوا فَقَالُوا: لَيْسَ بِهَا أَحَدٌ. فَخَرَجَ إِبْلِيسُ يَطْلُبُهُ بِمَكَّةَ فَإِذَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِحِرَاءَ مُنْحَدِرًا مَعَهُ جِبْرِيلُ فَرَجَعَ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ: قَدْ بُعِثَ أَحْمَدُ وَمَعَهُ جِبْرِيلُ. وَرُوِيَ أَيْضًا عَنْ أُبَيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ ؓ قَالَ: لَمْ يُرْمَ بِنَجْمٍ مُنْذُ رُفِعَ عِيسَى حَتَّى تَنَبَّأَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ رُمِيَ بِهَا، فَلَمَّا رَأَتْ قُرَيْشٌ أَمْرًا لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَجَعَلُوا يُسَيِّبُونَ أَنْعَامَهُمْ وَيُعْتِقُونَ أَرِقَّاءَهُمْ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُ الْفَنَاءُ وَفَعَلَتْ ثَقِيفٌ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، فَبَلَغَ عَبْدَ يَالِيلَ فَقَالَ: لَا تَعْجَلُوا. وَانْظُرُوا فَإِنْ تَكُنْ نُجُومًا تُعْرَفُ فَهُوَ عِنْدَ فَنَاءٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ نُجُومًا لَا تُعْرَفُ فَهُوَ عِنْدَ أَمْرٍ قَدْ حَدَثَ. فَنَظَرُوا فَإِذَا هِيَ لَا تُعْرَفُ فَأَخْبَرُوهُ فَقَالَ: هَذَا عِنْدَ ظُهُورِ نَبِيٍّ فَمَا مَكَثُوا إِلَّا يَسِيرًا حَتَّى قَدِمَ الطَّائِفَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ بْنُ حَرْبٍ فَقَالَ: ظَهَرَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ يَدَّعِي أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ. فَقَالَ عَبْدُ يَالِيلَ: فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ رُمِيَ بِهَا. عَبْدُ يَالِيلَ- بِمُثَّنَاتَيْنِ تَحْتِيَّتَيْنِ وَكَسْرِ اللَّامِ الْأُولَى، وَذَكَرُهُ ابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ فِيمَنْ وَفَدَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي وَفْدِ ثَقِيفٍ. وَرَوَى سَعِيدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ وَالْبَيْهَقِيُّ عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ قَالَ: كَانَتِ النُّجُومُ لَا يُرْمَى بِهَا حَتَّى بَعَثَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ فَرُمِيَ بِهَا فَسَيَّبُوا أَنْعَامَهُمْ وَأَعْتَقُوا رَقِيقَهُمْ، فَقَالَ عَبْدُ يَالِيلَ: انْظُرُوا. وَذَكَرَ مِثْلَهُ. وَرَوَى ابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ وَابْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ الْأَخْنَسِ قَالَ: إِنَّ أَوَّلَ الْعَرَبِ فَزِعَ لِرَمْيِ النُّجُومِ ثَقِيفٌ فَأَتَوْا عَمْرَو بْنَ أُمَيَّةَ أَحَدَ بَنِي عِلَاجٍ فَقَالُوا: أَلَمْ تَرَ مَا حَدَثَ؟ قَالَ: بَلَى، فَانْظُرُوا فَإِنْ كَانَتْ مَعَالِمُ النُّجُومِ الَّتِي يُهْتَدَى بِهَا وَيُعْرَفُ بِهَا أَنْوَاءُ الصَّيْفِ وَالشِّتَاءِ انْتَثَرَتْ فَهِيَ طَيُّ الدُّنْيَا وَذَهَابُ هَذَا الْخَلْقِ، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ نُجُومًا غَيْرَهَا فَأَمْرٌ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى، وَنَبِيٌّ يُبْعَثُ فِي الْعَرَبِ. فَقَدْ تَحَدَّثَ بِذَلِكَ عَمْرُو بْنُ أُمَيَّةَ هَذَا. وَرَوَى ابْنُ سَعْدٍ وَأَبُو نُعَيْمٍ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ: كَانَ الْوَحْيُ يُسْتَمَعُ فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْإِسْلَامُ مُنِعُوا وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ بَنِي أَسَدٍ يُقَالُ لَهَا سَعِيرٌ لَهَا تَابِعٌ مِنَ الْجِنِّ فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْوَحْيَ لَا يُسْتَطَاعُ أَتَاهَا فَدَخَلَ فِي صَدْرِهَا وَجَعَلَ يَصِيحُ: وُضِعُ الْعِنَاقُ وَرُفِعَ الشِّقَاقُ وَجَاءَ أَمْرٌ لَا يُطَاقُ، أَحْمَدُ حَرَّمَ الزِّنَا. وَرَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ الْأَسْلَمِيُّ وَأَبُو نُعَيْمٍ عَنْ نَافِعِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ قَالَ: كَانَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ فِي الْفَتْرَةِ تَسْمَعُ فَلَا تُرْمَى فَلَمَّا بُعِثَ مُحَمَّدٌ ﷺ رُمِيَتْ بِالشُّهُبِ. وَرَوِيَ أَيْضًا عَنْ عَطَاءٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَعَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ. وَأَبُو نُعَيْمٍ عَنْ حَجَّاجٍ الصَّوَّافِ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ عَنْ أَنَسٍ. وَأَبُو الشَّيْخِ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ مَطَرٍ عَنْ ثَابِتٍ عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: كَانَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْوَحْيَ قَالُوا: فَلَمَّا بَعَثَ اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ مُنِعُوا فَشَكَوْا ذَلِكَ إِلَى إِبْلِيسَ فَقَالَ: لَقَدْ حَدَثَ أَمْرٌ. فَرَقَى فَوْقَ أَبِي قُبَيْسٍ فَرَأَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُصَلِّي خَلْفَ الْمَقَامِ فَقَالَ: أَذْهَبُ فَأَكْسِرُ عُنُقَهُ. فَجَاءَ وَعِنْدَهُ جِبْرِيلُ فَرَكَضَهُ بِرِجْلِهِ فَأَلْقَاهُ بِوَادِي الْأُرْدُنِّ. وَرَوَى الْخَرَائِطِيُّ فِي الْهَوَاتِفِ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ أَنَّ رَجُلًا مِنْ بَنِي تَمِيمٍ حَدَّثَ عَنْ بَدْءِ إِسْلَامِهِ فَقَالَ: إِنِّي لِأَسِيرٍ بِرَمْلٍ عَالِجٍ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ إِذْ غَلَبَنِي النَّوْمُ وَنِمْتُ فَنَزَلْتُ عَنْ رَاحِلَتِي وَأَنَخْتُهَا وَنِمْتُ وَقَدْ تَعَوَّذْتُ قَبْلَ نَوْمِي. فَقُلْتُ أُعُوذُ بِعَظِيمِ هَذَا الْوَادِي مِنَ الْجِنِّ. فَرَأَيْتُ فِي مَنَامِي رَجُلًا بِيَدِهِ حَرْبَةٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَضَعَهَا فِي نَحْرِ نَاقَتِي، فَانْتَبَهْتُ فَزِعًا فَنَظَرْتُ يَمِينًا وَشِمَالًا فَلَمْ أَرَ شَيْئًا فَقُلْتُ. هَذَا حُلْمٌ. ثُمَّ عُدْتُ فَغَفَوْتُ فَرَأَيْتُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَانْتَبَهْتُ فَدُرْتُ حَوْلَ نَاقَتِي فَلَمْ أَرَ شَيْئًا وَإِذَا نَاقَتِي تُرْعِدُ، ثُمَّ غَفَوْتُ فَرَأَيْتُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَانْتَبَهْتُ فَرَأَيْتُ نَاقَتِي تَضْطَرِبُ وَالْتَفَتُّ فَإِذَا أَنَا بَرْجَلٍ شَابٍّ كَالَّذِي رَأَيْتُهُ فِي مَنَامِي وَبِيَدِهِ حَرْبَةٌ وَرَجُلٌ شَيْخٌ مُمْسِكٌ بِيَدِهِ يَرُدُّهُ عَنْهَا، فَبَيْنَمَا هَمَّا يَتَنَازَعَانِ إِذْ طَلَعَتْ ثَلَاثَةُ أَثْوَارٍ مِنَ الْوَحْشِ فَقَالَ الشَّيْخُ لِلْفَتَى: قُمْ فَخُذْ أَيَّهَا شِئْتَ فَدَاءً لِنَاقَةِ جَارِي الْإِنْسِيِّ. فَقَامَ الْفَتَى فَأَخَذَ مِنْهَا ثَوْرًا وَانْصَرَفَ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَيَّ الشَّيْخُ وَقَالَ: يَا فَتًى إِذَا نَزَلْتَ وَادِيًا مِنَ الْأَوْدِيَةِ فَخِفْتَ هَوْلَهُ فَقُلْ: أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ رَبِّ مُحَمَّدٍ مِنْ هَوْلِ هَذَا الْوَادِي. وَلَا تَعُذْ بِأَحَدٍ مِنَ الْجِنِّ فَقَدْ بَطَلَ أَمْرُهَا. فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: وَمَنْ مُحَمَّدٌ؟ قَالَ: نَبِيٌّ عَرَبِيٌّ لَا شَرْقِيٌّ وَلَا غَرْبِيٌّ، بُعِثَ يَوْمَ الِاثْنَيْنِ. قُلْتُ: أَيْنَ مَسْكَنُهُ؟ قَالَ: يَثْرِبُ. ذَاتُ النَّخْلِ. فَرَكِبْتُ رَاحِلَتِي حِينَ بَرَقَ لِيَ الصُّبْحُ وَجَدَّيْتُ السَّيْرَ حَتَّى أَتَيْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ فَرَآنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَحَدَّثَنِي قَبْلَ أَنْ أَذْكُرَ لَهُ شَيْئًا وَدَعَانِي إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ فَأَسْلَمْتُ. وَرَوَى مُسْلِمٌ وَابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنْ نَفَرٍ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لَهُمْ: «مَا كُنْتُمْ تَقُولُونَ فِي هَذَا النَّجْمِ الَّذِي يُرْمَى بِهِ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ؟» قَالُوا: يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ كُنَّا نَقُولُ حِينَ رَأَيْنَاهَا يُرْمَى بِهَا: مَاتَ مَلِكٌ، مَلَكَ مَلِكٌ، وُلِدَ مَوْلُودٌ مَاتَ مَوْلُودٌ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «لَيْسَ ذَلِكَ كَذَلِكَ، وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى كَانَ إِذَا قَضَى فِي خَلْقِهِ أَمْرًا سَمِعَهُ حَمَلَةُ الْعَرْشِ فَسَبَّحَ مَنْ تَحْتَهُمْ لِتَسْبِيحِهِمْ، فَسَبَّحَ مَنْ تَحْتَ ذَلِكَ، فَلَا يَزَالُ التَّسْبِيحُ يَهْبِطُ حَتَّى يَنْتَهِيَ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا فَيُسَبِّحُوا. ثُمَّ يَقُولُ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ: مِمَّ سَبَّحْتُمْ؟ فَيَقُولُونَ: سَبَّحَ مَنْ فَوْقَنَا فَسَبَّحْنَا لِتَسْبِيحِهِمْ فَيَقُولُونَ: أَلَا تَسْأَلُونَ مَنْ فَوْقَكُمْ مِمَّ سَبَّحُوا؟ فَيَقُولُونَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى يَنْتَهُوا إِلَى حَمَلَةِ الْعَرْشِ فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ: مِمَّ سَبَّحْتُمْ؟ فَيَقُولُونَ: قَضَى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي خَلْقِهِ كَذَا وَكَذَا لِلْأَمْرِ الَّذِي كَانَ فَيَهْبِطُ بِهِ الْخَبَرُ مِنْ سَمَاءٍ إِلَى سَمَاءٍ حَتَّى يَنْتَهِيَ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا فَيَتَحَدَّثُونَ بِهِ، فَتَسْرِقُهُ فَتَسْتَرِقُهُ الشَّيَاطِينُ بِالسَّمْعِ عَلَى تَوَهُّمٍ وَاخْتِلَافٍ، ثُمَّ يَأْتُونَ بِهِ الْكُهَّانَ فَيُحَدِّثُونَهُمْ فَيُخَطِّئُونَ بَعْضًا ثُمَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى حَجَبَ الشَّيَاطِينَ بِهَذِهِ النُّجُومِ الَّتِي يُقْذَفُونَ بِهَا فَانْقَطَعَتِ الْكِهَانَةُ الْيَوْمَ فَلَا كِهَانَةَ». وَيُرْوَى عَنْ لُهَيْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ اللَّهْبِيِّ قَالَ: حَضَرْتُ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ: بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي نَحْنُ أَوَّلُ مَنْ عَرَفَ حِرَاسَةَ السَّمَاءِ وَالشَّيَاطِينَ وَمِنْهُمْ مِنِ اسْتِرَاقِ السَّمْعِ عِنْدَ قَذْفِ النُّجُومِ، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّا اجْتَمَعْنَا إِلَى كَاهِنٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ خَطَرُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، وَكَانَ شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا قَدْ أَتَتْ عَلَيْهِ مِائَتَا سَنَةٍ وَثَمَانُونَ سَنَةً فَقُلْنَا: يَا خَطَرُ هَلْ عِنْدَكَ عِلْمٌ مِنْ عِلْمِ هَذِهِ النُّجُومِ الَّتِي يُرْمَى بِهَا فَإِنَّا قَدْ فَزِعْنَا لَهَا وَخِفْنَا سُوءَ عَاقِبَتِهَا. فَقَالَ: ائْتُونِي بِسَحَرٍ، أُخْبِرُكُمُ الْخَبَرَ، الْخَيْرُ أَمِ الضَّرَرُ وَالْأَمْنُ أَمِ الْحَذَرُ. قَالَ: فَانْصَرَفْنَا عَنْهُ يَوْمَنَا، فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنْ غَدٍ فِي وَجْهِ السَّحَرِ أَتَيْنَاهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ قَائِمٌ عَلَى قَدَمَيْهِ شَاخِصٌ بِبَصَرِهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ، فَنَادَيْنَاهُ: يَا خَطَرُ يَا خَطَرُ. فَأَوْمَأَ إِلَيْنَا أَنْ أَمْسِكُوا فَأَمْسَكْنَا، فَانْقَضَّ نَجْمٌ عَظِيمٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ، فَصَرَخَ الْكَاهِنُ رَافِعًا صَوْتَهُ. أَصَابَهُ أَصَابَهُ خَامَرَهُ عِقَابَهُ عَاجَلَهُ عَذَابَهُ أَحْرَقَهُ شِهَابُهُ زَايَلَهُ جَوَابُهُ يَا وَيْحَهُ مَا حَالُهُ بَلْبَلَهُ بَلْبَالُهُ عَاوَدَهُ خَبَالُهُ تَقَطَّعَتْ حِبَالُهُ وَغُيِّرَتْ أَحْوَالُهُ ثُمَّ أَمْسَكَ طَوِيلًا وَقَالَ: يَا مَعْشَرَ بَنِي قَحْطَانِ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِالْحَقِّ وَالْعِيَانِ أَقْسَمْتُ بِالْكَعْبَةِ ذَاتِ الْأَرْكَانِ [وَالْبَلَدِ] الْمُؤْتَمَنِ السُّدَّانِ لَقَدْ مُنِعَ السَّمْعَ عُنَاةُ الْجَانِّ بِثَاقِبٍ بِكَفِّ ذِي سُلْطَانِ مِنْ أَجْلِ مَبْعُوثٍ عَظِيمِ الشَّانِ يُبْعَثُ بِالتَّنْزِيلِ وَالْقُرْآنِ وَبِالْهُدَى وَفَاصِلِ الْفُرْقَانِ تَبْطُلُ بِهِ عِبَادَةُ الْأَوْثَانِ فَقُلْنَا: يَا خَطَرُ مَا تَرَى لِقَوْمِكَ؟ فَقَالَ: أَرَى لِقَوْمِي مَا أَرَى لِنَفْسِي أَنْ يُتْبِعُوا خَيْرَ بَنِي الْإِنْسِ بُرْهَانُهُ مِثْلُ شُعَاعِ الشَّمْسِ يُبْعَثُ فِي مَكَّةَ دَارِ الْحُمْسِ بِمُحْكَمِ التَّنْزِيلِ غَيْرِ اللَّبْسِ فَقُلْنَا: يَا خَطَرُ وَمِمَّنْ هُوَ؟ فَقَالَ: وَالْحَيَاةِ وَالْعَيْشِ، إِنَّهُ لَمِنْ قُرَيْشِ، مَا فِي حُكْمِهِ طَيْشٌ، وَلَا فِي خُلُقِهِ هَيْشٌ، يَكُونُ فِي جَيْشٍ وَأَيِّ جَيْشٍ، مِنْ آلِ قَحْطَانَ وَآلِ أَيْشِ. فَقُلْنَا: بَيِّنْ لَنَا مِنْ أَيِّ قُرَيْشٍ هُوَ؟ فَقَالَ: وَالْبَيْتِ ذِي الدَّعَائِمِ، إِنَّهُ لِمَنْ نَجْلِ هَاشِمِ، مِنْ مَعْشَرٍ أَكَارِمِ، يُبْعَثُ بِالْمَلَاحِمِ، وَقَتْلِ كُلِّ ظَالِمِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: هَذَا هُوَ الْبَيَانُ أَخْبَرَنِي بِهِ رَئِيسُ الْجَانِّ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَظَهَرْ. وَانْقَطَعَ عَنِ الْجِنِّ الْخَبَرْ، ثُمَّ سَكَتَ وَأُغْمِيَ عَلَيْهِ فَمَا أَفَاقَ إِلَّا بَعْدَ ثَالِثَةٍ فَقَالَ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ لَقَدْ نَطَقَ عَنْ مِثْلِ نُبُوَّةٍ وَإِنَّهُ يُبْعَثُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً». رَوَاهُ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الْعُقَيْلِيِّ فِي كِتَابِ الصَّحَابَةِ. وَالْآثَارُ فِي هَذَا كَثِيرَةٌ وَفِيمَا ذُكِرَ كِفَايَةٌ.
Translation
✧ The Third Chapter: On the occurrence of the meteor-showers and the veiling of the devils from eavesdropping on heavenly news at the time of the sending of the Prophet ﷺ Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, said: Say, O Muhammad, to the people: It has been revealed to me – reported by way of revelation – that (the pronoun refers to the matter) a band of the jinn listened to my Qur'an – the jinn of Naṣībīn or Nineveh, and they were seven or nine, and that was during the dawn prayer at Baṭn Nakhlah, a place between Makkah and al-Ṭāʾif, and they are the ones mentioned in His saying, Exalted be He: And when We turned a band of the jinn to you to listen to the Qur'an; when they attended it, they said, "Listen attentively." And when it was finished, they turned back to their people as warners [al-Aḥqāf 29]. A band (nafar) is between three and ten. "They said" to their people when they returned to them: We have heard a wondrous Qur'an – an adjective used as a verbal noun by way of exaggeration, meaning it is wondrous in itself for the eloquence of its wording, the beauty of its structures, the subtlety of its meanings, the unfamiliarity of its style, the eloquence of its admonitions, and its being distinct from all other books. A wonder (ʿajab) is that which departs from its likes and counterparts. "It guides" – it calls to "the right course" – faith and correctness – "so we have believed in it," that is, in the Qur'an. And since believing in it entails believing in Allah, Exalted be He, in His oneness, and in His freedom from association, they said: "And we will never associate" after this day "with our Lord anyone. And that He" – the pronoun refers to the matter, here and in the two following places – "exalted" – is magnified – "is the majesty of our Lord" – His glory and greatness above what is attributed to Him – "He has taken no consort" – wife – "nor son." This is an explanation, as if they heard from the Qur'an what alerted them to the error of what they had believed of association and the taking of consort and son. And that our fool – our ignorant one – Iblīs or the rebellious jinn – used to say about Allah an extravagance – exceeding error in lying by describing Him with consort and son. Then they began to excuse their following of the fool in that: And we thought – an is lightened from anna – that humans and jinn would never utter a lie about Allah by describing Him with that, until we discovered their lying in that. And that there were men among humans who would seek refuge – seek protection – in men among the jinn when they halted in their travels at a fearsome place, and each man would say: I seek refuge in the lord of this place from the evil of its foolish ones. "So they increased them" by their seeking refuge in them "in arrogance" – tyranny, so they said: We have become lords of the jinn and humans. And that they – the jinn – thought as you thought, O humans, or the reverse. The two verses are from the speech of the jinn, some to others, or a new beginning from the speech of Allah, Exalted be He; whoever reads "anna" in both with fatḥa makes them part of what was revealed, meaning: that Allah will never send anyone after his death, or a messenger. The jinn said: And we touched the heaven – we sought to eavesdrop from it. The touching is a metaphor derived from physical contact for seeking: and we found it – we encountered it – filled with strong guards – guards (ḥaras) is a collective noun like khadam – strong – mighty – and they are the angels who prevent them from it – and with shooting stars – the plural of shihāb, which is the luminous thing produced from fire. And we used, before his sending, to sit in places of hearing in it – empty of guards and shooting stars, or suitable for watching and listening; li-l-samʿ (for hearing) is the complement of "we sit" or an adjective of "places." The Prophet ﷺ explained the manner of the jinn's sitting: they were one above another, and whenever the highest burned, the one below him came up in his place. They used to steal a word and cast it to the soothsayers, adding to it; and the soothsayer would add a hundred lies. Now, whoever listens – the adverb refers to the present, and "listens" is a future adverb, so the adverb was expanded and used for the future – will find a shooting star lying in wait for him – that is, prepared for him to be thrown at him. This is for the one who listens; as for hearing itself, it has ceased, as Allah, Exalted be He, said: Indeed they are barred from hearing [al-Shuʿarāʾ 212]. When they saw what had occurred of the frequent meteor-showers and the prevention of eavesdropping, they said: And we know not whether evil is intended by the prevention of eavesdropping for those on earth, or whether their Lord intends for them a right course – good. Ibn Isḥāq, may Allah have mercy on him, Exalted be He, said: When the jinn heard the Qur'an, they knew that they had been prevented from hearing before that so that the revelation would not be confused with anything of heavenly news, and so that what came to the people of earth from Allah in it would not become muddled for them, for the establishment of the proof and the cutting off of doubt. So they believed and affirmed, then they turned – returned – to their people as warners – frightening their people with punishment if they did not believe; and they were Jews. They said: O our people, we have heard a Book – this Qur'an – sent down after Moses, confirming what was before it, guiding to the truth – Islam – and to a straight path – that is, a way. O our people, answer the caller of Allah – Muhammad ﷺ – to faith, and believe in him; He will forgive you some of your sins – that is, part of them, namely what pertains purely to the right of Allah, for wrongs against others are not forgiven by faith – and He will protect you from a painful punishment – an agonizing one. And whoever does not answer the caller of Allah is not able to escape in the earth [al-Aḥqāf: 32] – that is, he cannot thwart Allah by fleeing from Him so as to elude Him – and he has not, besides Him – besides Allah – any protectors – helpers who would ward off punishment from him. Those are the ones who did not answer – in clear error – evident and manifest. A subtle point: the suitability of Sūrat al-Jinn to what precedes it: since the persistence of the people of Noah, ﷺ, in disbelief and their devotion to idol worship had been recounted, and he was the first messenger to the people of earth, just as Muhammad ﷺ is the last messenger to the people of earth, and the Arabs from whom he came were idol worshippers like the people of Noah, to the extent that they worshipped idols with the same names as those of those people, and since what Muhammad ﷺ brought of the Qur'an guides to the right course, and the Arabs heard it but most of them held back from believing in it, Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, sent down Sūrat al-Jinn immediately after Sūrat Nūḥ as a rebuke to Quraysh and the Arabs for their slowness in believing, since the jinn were better than them and hastened to belief. And this despite their not being of the same kind as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ; nevertheless, when they heard the Qur'an they held it in awe and believed in it at once and recognized its miraculous nature, while they disbelieve in it and in the one who brought it out of envy and jealousy that Allah should send down of His bounty upon whom He wills of His servants. Imam Aḥmad and al-Bayhaqī narrated from Saʿīd b. Jubayr, from Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: The devils used to ascend to heaven and listen to a word of revelation, then descend to earth and add to it. They continued in this until Allah, Exalted be He, sent Muhammad ﷺ and they were barred from those stations. They mentioned that to Iblīs, and he said: Something has happened on earth. So he sent them, and they found the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reciting the Qur'an. They said: This, by Allah, is the event. And they are indeed pelted; and when a star disappears from you, it has reached him and never misses, but it does not kill him; it burns his side and the surface of his hand. Ibn Saʿd, al-Bayhaqī, and Abū Nuʿaym narrated from another route from Saʿīd, from him, who said: Each tribe of the jinn had a station in heaven from which they listened to revelation and informed the soothsayers. When Allah, Exalted be He, sent Muhammad ﷺ they were expelled from it. The Arabs said, when the jinn no longer informed them: The people of heaven have perished. The camel-owner began to slaughter a camel every day, the cattle-owner a cow every day, and the sheep-owner a sheep every day. And Iblīs said: Something has happened on earth; bring me soil from every land. They brought it to him, and he began to smell it. When he smelled the soil of Makkah, he said: From here is the event. Then they listened attentively, and behold, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had been sent. Al-Bayhaqī narrated by way of al-ʿAwfī, from him, who said: The heaven was not guarded during the interval between Jesus and Muhammad ﷺ, and they used to sit in places of hearing. When Allah, Exalted be He, sent Muhammad ﷺ the heaven was guarded with a strong guard and the devils were pelted with shooting stars. Muḥammad b. ʿUmar al-Aslamī and Abū Nuʿaym narrated from Ibn ʿAmr, who said: On the day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was made a prophet, the devils were barred from heavenly news and pelted with shooting stars. They mentioned that to Iblīs, and he said: A prophet has been sent to you in the sacred land. They went and returned, saying: There is no one there. Iblīs went out seeking him in Makkah, and there was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at Ḥirāʾ, descending with Gabriel. He returned to his companions and said: Aḥmad has been sent, and Gabriel is with him. It is also narrated from Ubayy b. Kaʿb ؓ who said: No star was thrown since Jesus was raised until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was made a prophet, then stars were thrown. When Quraysh saw a matter they had not seen before, they began to let their cattle loose and free their slaves, thinking it was the end of the world. Thaqīf did the same. This reached ʿAbd Yālīl, and he said: Do not be hasty. Look: if they are known stars, then it is at the destruction of people; but if they are unknown stars, then it is at a matter that has occurred. They looked and found they were unknown, and told him. He said: This is at the appearance of a prophet. They had waited only a little while when Abū Sufyān b. Ḥarb came to al-Ṭāʾif and said: Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh has appeared, claiming to be a sent prophet. ʿAbd Yālīl said: Then that is when the stars were thrown. ʿAbd Yālīl – with two dotted letters under and the first lām with kasra; Ibn Isḥāq mentioned him among those who came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the delegation of Thaqīf. Saʿīd b. Manṣūr and al-Bayhaqī narrated from al-Shaʿbī, who said: Stars were not thrown until Allah, Exalted be He, sent Muhammad ﷺ, then they were thrown. So they let their cattle loose and freed their slaves, and ʿAbd Yālīl said: Look. And he mentioned the like of it. Ibn Isḥāq and Ibn Saʿd narrated from Yaʿqūb b. al-Mughīrah b. al-Akhnas, who said: The first of the Arabs to be alarmed at the throwing of stars was Thaqīf. They came to ʿAmr b. Umayyah, one of the Banū ʿIlāj, and said: Do you not see what has happened? He said: Yes. Look: if the well-known stars by which one is guided and by which the seasons of summer and winter are known have scattered, then it is the folding up of the world and the passing away of this creation; but if they are other stars, then it is a matter Allah, Exalted be He, has willed and a prophet to be sent among the Arabs. This ʿAmr b. Umayyah spoke of that. Ibn Saʿd and Abū Nuʿaym narrated from al-Zuhrī, who said: Revelation used to be listened to; when Islam came they were barred. There was a woman of Banū Asad called Saʿīr who had a familiar from the jinn. When he saw that revelation could no longer be obtained, he came to her and entered her chest and began to cry out: The young she-goat has been put down, discord has been raised, and a matter has come that cannot be endured: Aḥmad has forbidden adultery. Muḥammad b. ʿUmar al-Aslamī and Abū Nuʿaym narrated from Nāfiʿ b. Jubayr, who said: The devils in the interval used to hear and were not pelted; when Muhammad ﷺ was sent they were pelted with shooting stars. It is also narrated from ʿAṭāʾ, from Ibn ʿAbbās, and from Mujāhid. And Abū Nuʿaym from Ḥajjāj al-Ṣawwāf, from Thābit, from Anas. And Abū al-Shaykh from ʿUthmān b. Maṭar, from Thābit, from Anas. Ibn ʿAbbās said: The devils used to listen to revelation. He said: When Allah sent Muhammad ﷺ they were barred, and they complained of that to Iblīs. He said: Something has occurred. He climbed atop Abū Qubays and saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ praying behind the Maqām. He said: I shall go and break his neck. He came, and Gabriel was with him, and he kicked him with his foot and cast him into the valley of the Jordan. Al-Kharāʾiṭī narrated in al-Hawātif from Saʿīd b. Jubayr that a man of Banū Tamīm related the beginning of his Islam. He said: I was traveling one night in the sand of ʿĀlij when sleep overcame me and I slept. I dismounted from my camel, made it kneel, and slept, having sought refuge before sleeping. I said: I seek refuge in the great one of this valley from the jinn. In my sleep I saw a man with a spear in his hand intending to thrust it into the chest of my camel. I awoke in alarm and looked right and left but saw nothing, and I said: This is a dream. Then I dozed again and saw the like of it. I awoke and went around my camel and saw nothing, but my camel was trembling. Then I dozed and saw the like of it. I awoke and saw my camel shaking and turned, and there was a young man like the one I had seen in my dream, with a spear in his hand, and an old man holding his hand and pulling him back from it. While they were struggling, three wild bulls appeared. The old man said to the young man: Arise and take whichever you wish as a ransom for the camel of my human neighbor. The young man arose, took one of them as a bull, and left. Then the old man turned to me and said: Young man, when you halt in a valley and fear its terror, say: I seek refuge in Allah, Lord of Muhammad, from the terror of this valley. And do not seek refuge in any of the jinn, for their affair has become void. I said to him: And who is Muhammad? He said: An Arab prophet, neither eastern nor western, sent on Monday. I said: Where is his dwelling? He said: Yathrib, the place of palm trees. I mounted my camel when dawn broke for me and urged it on until I came to Madinah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw me and spoke to me before I mentioned anything to him, and called me to Islam, and I became a Muslim. Muslim and Ibn Isḥāq narrated from Ibn ʿAbbās, from a group of the Anṣār, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to them: "What did you used to say concerning this star that is thrown during the Jāhiliyyah?" They said: O Prophet of Allah, when we saw it being thrown, we used to say: A king has died, a king has taken power, a child has been born, a child has died. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "It is not so. Rather, when Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, decreed a matter among His creation, the bearers of the Throne heard it and glorified Him, and those below them glorified because of their glorification, and those below that glorified, and the glorification continued to descend until it reached the lowest heaven, and they glorified. Then they said to one another: For what did you glorify? They said: Those above us glorified, so we glorified because of their glorification. They said: Will you not ask those above you for what they glorified? They said the same until it reached the bearers of the Throne, and they were asked: For what did you glorify? They said: Allah, Exalted be He, decreed such-and-such in His creation for the matter that had been. The news descended with it from heaven to heaven until it reached the lowest heaven, and they spoke of it. Then the devils stole it and eavesdropped on it with conjecture and distortion. Then they brought it to the soothsayers and told them, and they erred in part. Then Allah, Exalted be He, veiled the devils with these stars that are thrown at them, and soothsaying has ceased today; there is no soothsaying." And it is narrated from Luhayb b. Mālik al-Lahbī, who said: I was present with the Prophet ﷺ and said: May my father and mother be your ransom, we were the first to know of the guarding of the sky and the devils, and among them of the eavesdropping on hearing at the hurling of the stars. That is because we gathered at a soothsayer called Khaṭar b. Mālik, who was a very old man of two hundred and eighty years. We said: O Khaṭar, do you have knowledge of these stars with which they are pelted? For we have been terrified by them and fear the evil of their outcome. He said: Bring me at dawn, and I will tell you the news—whether it is good or harm, security or caution. He said: So we left him that day. And when it was the next day at the approach of dawn, we came to him, and behold he was standing on his feet, raising his gaze to the sky. We called out to him: O Khaṭar, O Khaṭar! He gestured to us to be silent, so we fell silent. Then a great star shot from the sky, and the soothsayer cried out, raising his voice: It struck him, it struck him; its punishment engulfed him—its torment hastened him. Its flame-brands burned him; its answer left him. O woe to him, what is his state? Disturbance has disturbed him; His affliction returned to him; his ropes are severed. And his conditions are changed. Then he paused for a long while and said: O assembly of Banū Qaḥṭān, I inform you with truth and certainty. I swear by the Kaʿbah, possessor of the pillars, and the trusted land, the gatekeepers, The hearing has indeed been denied to the captives of the jinn by a piercing star in the hand of one with authority, Because of a sent one of great importance, who will be sent with the revelation and the Qurʾān, And with guidance and the decisive criterion; by him the worship of idols becomes void. We said: O Khaṭar, what do you see for your people? He said: I see for my people what I see for myself—that they follow the best of the sons of humankind. His proof is like the rays of the sun; he will be sent in Makkah, the abode of the Ḥums, With the clear revelation, free of confusion. We said: O Khaṭar, from whom is he? He said: By life and livelihood, he is indeed from Quraysh. There is no recklessness in his judgment, nor roughness in his character. He will be in an army—and what an army—from the family of Qaḥṭān and the family of Aysh. We said: Make clear to us from which of Quraysh he is. He said: By the House with the pillars, he is indeed from the offspring of Hāshim, from an honorable people. He will be sent with great battles and the killing of every oppressor. Then he said: This is the explanation which the chief of the jinn told me. Then he said: Allāhu akbar—the truth has come and appeared, and news from the jinn has been cut off. Then he fell silent and fainted, and did not recover except after the third call, whereupon he said: Lā ilāha illā Allāh. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Subḥān Allāh! He has spoken something like prophethood, and he will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection as a single nation.” Abū Jaʿfar al-ʿUqaylī narrated it in the Book of the Companions. The reports on this are many, and what has been mentioned is sufficient.
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No grade is recorded for this wording.