Tarikh (al-Tabari) 732
What passed between the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the leaders of Quraysh, and something of the commentary on Surat al-Kahf
[ أَرْسَلَتْ قُرَيْشٌ النَّضْرَ وَابْنَ أَبِي مُعَيْطٍ إلَى أَحْبَارِ يَهُودَ يَسْأَلَانِهِمْ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ ] فَلَمَّا قَالَ لَهُمْ ذَلِكَ النَّضْرُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ بَعَثُوهُ، وَبَعَثُوا مَعَهُ عُقْبَةَ بْنَ أَبِي مُعَيْطٍ إلَى أَحْبَارِ يَهُودَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، وَقَالُوا لَهُمَا: سَلَاهُمْ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَصِفَا لَهُمْ صِفَتَهُ، وَأَخْبِرَاهُمْ بِقَوْلِهِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ الْأُوَلِ، وَعِنْدَهُمْ عِلْمٌ لَيْسَ عِنْدَنَا مِنْ عِلْمِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ، فَخَرَجَا حَتَّى قَدِمَا الْمَدِينَةَ، فَسَأَلَا أَحْبَارَ يَهُودَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَوَصَفَا لَهُمْ أَمْرَهُ، وَأَخْبَرَاهُمْ بِبَعْضِ قَوْلِهِ، وَقَالَا لَهُمْ: إنَّكُمْ أَهْلُ التَّوْرَاةِ، وَقَدْ جِئْنَاكُمْ لِتُخْبِرُونَا عَنْ صَاحِبِنَا هَذَا. فَقَالَتْ لَهُمَا أَحْبَارُ يَهُودَ: سَلُوهُ عَنْ ثَلَاثٍ نَأْمُرُكُمْ بِهِنَّ، فَإِنْ أَخْبَرَكُمْ بِهِنَّ فَهُوَ نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ فَالرَّجُلُ مُتَقَوِّلٌ، فَرَوْا فِيهِ رَأْيَكُمْ. سَلُوهُ عَنْ فِتْيَةٍ ذَهَبُوا فِي الدَّهْرِ الْأَوَّلِ مَا كَانَ أَمْرُهُمْ؛ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ كَانَ لَهُمْ حَدِيثٌ عَجَبٌ، وَسَلُوهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ طَوَّافٍ قَدْ بَلَغَ مَشَارِقَ الْأَرْضِ وَمَغَارِبَهَا مَا كَانَ نَبَؤُهُ، وَسَلُوهُ عَنْ الرُّوحِ مَا هِيَ ؟ فَإِذَا أَخْبَرَكُمْ بِذَلِكَ فَاتَّبِعُوهُ، فَإِنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ، فَهُوَ رَجُلٌ مُتَقَوَّلٌ، فَاصْنَعُوا فِي أَمْرِهِ مَا بَدَا لَكُمْ. فَأَقْبَلَ النَّضْرُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، وَعُقْبَةُ بْنُ أَبِي مُعَيْطِ بْنِ أَبِي عَمْرِو بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ شَمْسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافِ بْنِ قُصَيٍّ حَتَّى قَدِمَا مَكَّةَ عَلَى قُرَيْشٍ، فَقَالَا: يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ، قَدْ جِئْنَاكُمْ بِفَصْلِ مَا بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَدْ أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْبَارُ يَهُودَ أَنْ نَسْأَلَهُ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ أَمَرُونَا بِهَا، فَإِنْ أَخْبَرَكُمْ عَنْهَا فَهُوَ نَبِيٌّ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ فَالرَّجُلُ مُتَقَوِّلٌ، فَرَوْا فِيهِ رَأْيَكُمْ. [ سُؤَالُ قُرَيْشٍ لَهُ ﷺ عَنْ أَسْئِلَةٍ وَإِجَابَتُهُ لَهُمْ ] فَجَاءُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالُوا: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، أَخْبِرْنَا عَنْ فِتْيَةٍ ذَهَبُوا فِي الدَّهْرِ الْأَوَّلِ قَدْ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ قِصَّةٌ عَجَبٌ؛ وَعَنْ رَجُلٍ كَانَ طَوَّافًا قَدْ بَلَغَ مَشَارِقَ الْأَرْضِ وَمَغَارِبَهَا؛ وَأَخْبِرْنَا عَنْ الرُّوحِ مَا هِيَ ؟ قَالَ: فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِمَا سَأَلْتُمْ عَنْهُ غَدًا وَلَمْ يَسْتَثْنِ، فَانْصَرَفُوا عَنْهُ. فَمَكَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - ﷺ فِيمَا يَذْكُرُونَ - خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ لَيْلَةً لَا يُحْدِثُ اللَّهُ إلَيْهِ فِي ذَلِكَ وَحْيًا، وَلَا يَأْتِيهِ جِبْرِيلُ، حَتَّى أَرْجَفَ أَهْلُ مَكَّةَ، وَقَالُوا: وَعَدَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ غَدًا، وَالْيَوْمَ خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ لَيْلَةً، قَدْ أَصْبَحْنَا مِنْهَا لَا يُخْبِرُنَا بِشَيْءِ مِمَّا سَأَلْنَاهُ عَنْهُ، وَحَتَّى أَحْزَنَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُكْثُ الْوَحْيِ عَنْهُ، وَشَقَّ عَلَيْهِ مَا يَتَكَلَّمُ بِهِ أَهْلُ مَكَّةَ: ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ جِبْرِيلُ مِنْ اللَّهِ - عَزَّ وَجَلَّ - بِسُورَةِ أَصْحَابِ الْكَهْفِ، فِيهَا مُعَاتَبَتُهُ إيَّاهُ عَلَى حُزْنِهِ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَخَبَرُ مَا سَأَلُوهُ عَنْهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ الْفِتْيَةَ، وَالرَّجُلِ الطَّوَّافِ، وَالرُّوحِ. [ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِي قُرَيْشٍ حِينَ سَأَلُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَغَابَ عَنْهُ الْوَحْيُ مُدَّةً ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: فَذُكِرَ لِي أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لِجِبْرِيلَ حِينَ جَاءَهُ: لَقَدْ احْتَبَسْتَ عَنِّي يَا جِبْرِيلُ حَتَّى سُؤْتُ ظَنًّا فَقَالَ لَهُ جِبْرِيلُ: وَمَا نَتَنَزَّلُ إِلَّا بِأَمْرِ رَبِّكَ لَهُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِينَا وَمَا خَلْفَنَا وَمَا بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ نَسِيًّا فَافْتَتَحَ السُّورَةَ - تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى - بِحَمْدِهِ وَذِكْرِ نُبُوَّةِ رَسُولِهِ، لِمَا أَنْكَرُوهُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، فَقَالَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ الْكِتَابَ يَعْنِي مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ إنَّكَ رَسُولٌ مِنِّي: أَيْ تَحْقِيقٌ لِمَا سَأَلُوهُ عَنْهُ مِنْ نُبُوَّتِكَ. وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ عِوَجَا قَيِّمًا أَيْ مُعْتَدِلًا، لَا اخْتِلَافَ فِيهِ. لِيُنْذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِنْ لَدُنْهُ أَيْ عَاجِلَ عُقُوبَتِهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا. وَعَذَابًا أَلِيمًا فِي الْآخِرَةِ: أَيْ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي بَعَثَ رَسُولًا. وَيُبَشِّرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا مَاكِثِينَ فِيهِ أَبَدًا أَيْ دَارُ الْخُلْدِ. لَا يَمُوتُونَ فِيهَا الَّذِينَ صَدَّقُوكَ بِمَا جِئْتَ بِهِ مِمَّا كَذَّبَكَ بِهِ غَيْرُهُمْ، وَعَمِلُوا بِمَا أَمَرْتهمْ بِهِ مِنْ الْأَعْمَالِ. وَيُنْذِرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ وَلَدًا يَعْنِي قُرَيْشًا فِي قَوْلِهِمْ: إنَّا نَعْبُدُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ، وَهِيَ بَنَاتُ اللَّهِ. مَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ وَلَا لِآبَائِهِمْ الَّذِينَ أَعْظَمُوا فِرَاقَهُمْ وَعَيْبَ دِينِهِمْ. كَبُرَتْ كَلِمَةً تَخْرُجُ مِنْ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ أَيْ لِقَوْلِهِمْ: إنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ بَنَاتُ اللَّهِ. إِنْ يَقُولُونَ إِلَّا كَذِبًا فَلَعَلَّكَ بَاخِعٌ نَفْسَكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ إنْ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَسَفًا: أَيْ لِحُزْنِهِ عَلَيْهِمْ حِينَ فَاتَهُ مَا كَانَ يَرْجُو مِنْهُمْ: أَيْ لَا تَفْعَلْ. قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: بَاخِعٌ نَفْسَكَ، أَيْ مُهْلِكٌ نَفْسَكَ، فِيمَا حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ. قَالَ ذُو الرُّمَّةِ: : أَلَا أَيُّهَذَا الْبَاخِعُ الْوَجْدُ نَفْسَهُ لِشَيْءٍ نَحَتْهُ عَنْ يَدَيْهِ الْمَقَادِرُ وَجَمْعُهُ: بَاخِعُونَ وَبَخَعَةٌ. وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي قَصِيدَةٍ لَهُ. وَتَقُولُ الْعَرَبُ: قَدْ بَخَعْتُ لَهُ نُصْحِي وَنَفْسِي، أَيْ جَهَدْتُ لَهُ. إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى الْأَرْضِ زِينَةً لَهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: أَيْ أَيُّهُمْ أَتْبَعُ لِأَمْرِي، وَأَعْمَلُ بِطَاعَتِي. وَإِنَّا لَجَاعِلُونَ مَا عَلَيْهَا صَعِيدًا جُرُزًا أَيْ الْأَرْضِ، وَإِنَّ مَا عَلَيْهَا لَفَانٍ وَزَائِلٌ، وَإِنَّ الْمَرْجِعَ إلَيَّ، فَأَجْزِي كُلًّا بِعَمَلِهِ، فَلَا تَأْسَ وَلَا يَحْزُنْكَ مَا تَسْمَعُ وَتَرَى فِيهَا. قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: الصَّعِيدُ: الْأَرْضُ، وَجَمْعُهُ: صُعُدٌ. قَالَ ذُو الرُّمَّةِ يَصِفُ ظَبْيًا صَغِيرًا: كَأَنَّهُ بِالضُّحَى تَرْمِي الصَّعِيدَ بِهِ دَبَّابَةٌ فِي عِظَامِ الرَّأْسِ خُرْطُومُ وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي قَصِيدَةٍ لَهُ. وَالصَّعِيدُ ( أَيْضًا ): الطَّرِيقُ. وَقَدْ جَاءَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ: إيَّاكُمْ وَالْقُعُودَ عَلَى الصُّعَدَاتِ يُرِيدُ الطُّرُقَ. وَالْجُرُزُ: الْأَرْضُ الَّتِي لَا تُنْبِتُ شَيْئًا، وَجَمْعُهَا: أَجْرَازٌ. وَيُقَالُ: سَنَةٌ جُرُزٌ، وَسُنُونَ أَجْرَازٌ، وَهِيَ الَّتِي لَا يَكُونُ فِيهَا مَطَرٌ، وَتَكُونُ فِيهَا جُدُوبَةٌ وَيُبْسٌ وَشِدَّةٌ. قَالَ ذُو الرُّمَّةِ يَصِفُ إبِلًا: طَوَى النَّحْرُ وَالْأَجْرَازُ مَا فِي بُطُونِهَا فَمَا بَقِيَتْ إلَّا الضُّلُوعُ الْجَرَاشِعُ وَهَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي قَصِيدَةٍ لَهُ.
Translation
✧ [Quraysh sent al-Naḍr and Ibn Abī Muʿayṭ to the Jewish rabbis to ask them about Muḥammad ﷺ] When al-Naḍr b. al-Ḥārith said that to them, they sent him, and they sent with him ʿUqbah b. Abī Muʿayṭ to the Jewish rabbis in Madinah, and they said to the two of them: Ask them about Muḥammad, describe his characteristics to them, and inform them of his sayings, for they are the people of the first scripture, and they have knowledge of the prophets that we do not have. So the two set out until they reached Madinah and asked the Jewish rabbis about the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. They described his affair to them and informed them of some of his sayings, and they said to them: You are the people of the Torah, and we have come to you so that you may inform us about this companion of ours. The Jewish rabbis said to them: Ask him about three things which we will command you. If he informs you of them, then he is a sent prophet; and if he does not do so, then the man is a fabricator, so form your own opinion about him. Ask him about the youths who went away in the ancient time—what was their affair? For they had a wondrous story. And ask him about a man who traveled extensively and reached the easts of the earth and its wests—what was his news? And ask him about the Spirit—what is it? If he informs you of that, then follow him, for he is a prophet; and if he does not do so, then he is a man who fabricates, so do regarding his affair whatever seems right to you. Then al-Naḍr b. al-Ḥārith and ʿUqbah b. Abī Muʿayṭ b. Abī ʿAmr b. Umayyah b. ʿAbd Shams b. ʿAbd Manāf b. Quṣayy returned until they reached Makkah to Quraysh, and they said: O assembly of Quraysh, we have brought you the decisive word between you and Muḥammad. The Jewish rabbis have informed us to ask him about things they commanded us with. If he informs you about them, then he is a prophet; and if he does not do so, then the man is a fabricator, so form your own opinion about him. [Quraysh's questioning of him ﷺ about the questions and his answer to them] So they came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: O Muḥammad, tell us about the youths who went away in the ancient time, for they had a wondrous story; and about a man who traveled extensively and reached the easts of the earth and its wests; and tell us about the Spirit—what is it? He said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to them: I will inform you of what you asked about tomorrow, and he did not say "if Allah wills." So they departed from him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ remained—as they mention—for fifteen nights, during which Allah did not send down any revelation to him concerning that, nor did Jibrīl come to him, until the people of Makkah stirred up rumors and said: Muḥammad promised us tomorrow, and today it is fifteen nights; we have entered the morning without him informing us of anything of what we asked him about. This also grieved the Messenger of Allah ﷺ due to the withholding of revelation from him, and what the people of Makkah were saying weighed heavily upon him. Then Jibrīl came to him from Allah—Mighty and Majestic—with Sūrat Aṣḥāb al-Kahf, containing His reproach of him for his grief over them, and the account of what they asked him about: the affair of the youths, the traveling man, and the Spirit. [What Allah revealed concerning Quraysh when they asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and revelation was withheld from him for a period] Ibn Isḥāq said: It was mentioned to me that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Jibrīl when he came: You have stayed away from me, O Jibrīl, until I thought ill thoughts. Jibrīl said to him: "And we do not descend except by the command of your Lord. To Him belongs what is before us and what is behind us and what is between that, and your Lord is never forgetful." He began the sūrah—Blessed and Exalted be He—with praise of Him and mention of the prophethood of His Messenger, because of what they rejected of him in that matter. He said: "Praise be to Allah who sent down upon His servant the Book"—meaning Muḥammad ﷺ—"you are a messenger from Me": that is, a confirmation of what they asked him about regarding your prophethood. "And has not made for it any crookedness. Upright"—that is, balanced, with no deviation in it—"to warn of severe punishment from Him"—that is, His swift punishment in this world—"and painful punishment" in the Hereafter: that is, from your Lord who sent a messenger. "And to give good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a good reward, abiding therein forever"—that is, the eternal abode, in which they do not die—"those who believed you in what you brought, which others disbelieved you in, and acted upon what you commanded them of deeds. "And to warn those who say: Allah has taken a son"—meaning Quraysh in their saying: We worship the angels, and they are the daughters of Allah. "They have no knowledge of it, nor did their fathers"—those who magnified their separation from them and the fault of their religion. "Grave is the word that comes out of their mouths"—that is, for their saying that the angels are the daughters of Allah. "They say nothing but falsehood. Then perhaps you would kill yourself with grief over their footsteps, if they do not believe in this discourse"—that is, out of sorrow for them when what he hoped from them eluded him: that is, do not do so. Ibn Hishām said: "Bākhiʿ nafsaka" means "destroying yourself," as Abū ʿUbaydah related to me. Dhū al-Rummah said: : Alas, O you who destroys himself with grief for something that the decrees have diverted from his hands. Its plural is bākhiʿūn and bakhaʿah. This verse is in a poem of his. The Arabs say: "I have exerted my counsel and my soul for him," that is, I strove for him. "Indeed, We have made whatever is on the earth adornment for it, that We may test them as to which of them is best in deed." Ibn Isḥāq said: That is, which of them is most following of My command and most acting in obedience to Me. "And indeed, We will make whatever is upon it a barren plain"—that is, the earth, and whatever is upon it will perish and vanish, and the return is to Me, so I will recompense each according to his deed. So do not grieve, and do not let what you hear and see therein sadden you. Ibn Hishām said: "Al-ṣaʿīd" is the earth, and its plural is ṣuʿud. Dhū al-Rummah said, describing a small gazelle: As though at forenoon the ṣaʿīd is flung with it, a crawling thing with a snout in the bones of the head. This verse is in a poem of his. And al-ṣaʿīd (also) means the road. It has come in the ḥadīth: "Beware of sitting on the ṣuʿudāt," meaning the roads. "Al-juruz" is the land that produces nothing, and its plural is ajrāz. It is said: a barren year (sanah juruz), and barren years (sunūn ajrāz), which are years in which there is no rain, and in which there is drought, dryness, and severity. Dhū al-Rummah said, describing camels: The heat of summer and the barren lands have folded up what was in their bellies, so nothing remained except the protruding ribs. This verse is in a poem of his.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.