Tarikh (al-Tabari) 80
The story of Noah (peace be upon him)
اخْتَلَفَ الْعُلَمَاءُ فِي دِيَانَةِ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ نُوحٌ، فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ قَالَ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَدْ أَجْمَعُوا عَلَى الْعَمَلِ بِمَا يَكْرَهُهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مِنْ رُكُوبِ الْفَوَاحِشِ، وَالْكُفْرِ، وَشُرْبِ الْخُمُورِ، وَالِاشْتِغَالِ بِالْمَلَاهِي عَنْ طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ. وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ قَالَ: إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا أَهْلَ طَاعَةٍ. وَبِيَوْرَاسِبُ أَوَّلُ مَنْ أَظْهَرَ الْقَوْلَ بِمَذْهَبِ الصَّابِئِينَ، وَتَبِعَهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ الَّذِينَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ نُوحٌ وَأَمَّا كِتَابُ اللَّهِ، قَالَ: فَيَنْطِقُ بِأَنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ أَوْثَانٍ، قَالَ تَعَالَى: وَقَالُوا لَا تَذَرُنَّ آلِهَتَكُمْ وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَلَا سُوَاعًا وَلَا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْرًا وَقَدْ أَضَلُّوا كَثِيرًا. قُلْتُ: لَا تَنَاقُضَ بَيْنَ هَذِهِ الْأَقَاوِيلِ الثَّلَاثَةِ، فَإِنَّ الْقَوْلَ الْحَقَّ الَّذِي لَا يُشَكُّ فِيهِ هُوَ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا أَهْلَ أَوْثَانٍ يَعْبُدُونَهَا، كَمَا نَطَقَ بِهِ الْقُرْآنُ، وَهُوَ مَذْهَبُ طَائِفَةٍ مِنَ الصَّابِئِينَ، فَإِنَّ أَصْلَ مَذْهَبِ الصَّابِئِينَ عِبَادَةُ الرَّوْحَانِيِّينَ، وَهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ لِتُقَرِّبُهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى زُلْفَى، فَإِنَّهُمُ اعْتَرَفُوا بِصَانِعِ الْعَالَمِ وَأَنَّهُ حَكِيمٌ قَادِرٌ مُقَدَّسٌ، إِلَّا أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا الْوَاجِبُ عَلَيْنَا مَعْرِفَةُ الْعَجْزِ عَنِ الْوُصُولِ إِلَى مَعْرِفَةِ جَلَالِهِ، وَإِنَّمَا نَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَيْهِ بِالْوَسَائِطِ الْمُقَرَّبَةِ لَدَيْهِ، وَهُمُ الرَّوْحَانِيُّونَ، وَحَيْثُ لَمْ يُعَايِنُوا الرَّوْحَانِيِّينَ تَقَرَّبُوا إِلَيْهِمْ بِالْهَيَاكِلِ، وَهِيَ الْكَوَاكِبُ السَّبْعَةُ السَّيَّارَةُ لِأَنَّهَا مُدَبِّرَةٌ لِهَذَا الْعَالَمِ عِنْدَهُمْ، ثُمَّ ذَهَبَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ، وَهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْأَشْخَاصِ، حَيْثُ رَأَوْا أَنَّ الْهَيَاكِلَ تَطْلُعُ وَتَغْرُبُ وَتُرَى لَيْلًا وَلَا تُرَى نَهَارًا - إِلَى وَضْعِ الْأَصْنَامِ لِتَكُونَ نُصْبَ أَعْيُنِهِمْ لِيَتَوَسَّلُوا بِهَا إِلَى الْهَيَاكِلِ، وَالْهَيَاكِلُ إِلَى الرَّوْحَانِيِّينَ، وَالرَّوْحَانِيُّونَ إِلَى صَانِعِ الْعَالَمِ، فَهَذَا كَانَ أَصْلَ وَضْعِ الْأَصْنَامِ أَوَّلًا، وَقَدْ كَانَ أَخِيرًا فِي الْعَرَبِ مَنْ هُوَ عَلَى هَذَا الِاعْتِقَادِ، وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى فَقَدْ حَصَلَ مِنْ عِبَادَةِ الْأَصْنَامِ مَذْهَبُ الصَّابِئِينَ، وَالْكُفْرُ وَالْفَوَاحِشُ، وَغَيْرُ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْمَعَاصِي. وعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّهُ كَانَ بَيْنَ آدَمَ وَنُوحٍ عَشَرَةُ قُرُونٍ كُلُّهُمْ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ. رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ، والْمُرَادَ بِالْقَرْنِ الْجِيلُ أَوِ الْمُدَّةُ، ثُمَّ بَعْدَ تِلْكَ الْقُرُونِ الصَّالِحَةِ حَدَثَتْ أُمُورٌ اقْتَضَتْ أَنْ آلَ الْحَالُ بِأَهْلِ ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ إِلَى عِبَادَةِ الْأَصْنَامِ، وَكَانَ سَبَبُ ذَلِكَ مَا رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ بسنده عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عِنْدَ تَفْسِيرِ قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: وَقَالُوا لَا تَذَرُنَّ آلِهَتَكُمْ وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَلَا سُوَاعًا وَلَا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْرًا [ نُوحٍ: 23 ]. قَالَ: هَذِهِ أَسْمَاءُ رِجَالٍ صَالِحِينَ مِنْ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ، فَلَمَّا هَلَكُوا أَوْحَى الشَّيْطَانُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِمْ أَنِ انْصِبُوا إِلَى مَجَالِسِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا يَجْلِسُونَ فِيهَا أَنْصَابًا وَسَمُّوهَا بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ، فَفَعَلُوا، فَلَمْ تُعْبَدْ حَتَّى إِذَا هَلَكَ أُولَئِكَ وَنُسِخَ الْعِلْمُ عُبِدَتْ. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: وَصَارَتْ هَذِهِ الْأَوْثَانُ الَّتِي كَانَتْ فِي قَوْمِ نُوحٍ فِي الْعَرَبِ بَعْدُ. وَهَكَذَا قَالَ عِكْرِمَةُ، وَالضَّحَّاكُ، وَقَتَادَةُ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ جَرِيرٍ فِي تَفْسِيرِهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ قَالَ: كَانُوا قَوْمًا صَالِحِينَ بَيْنَ آدَمَ وَنُوحٍ، وَكَانَ لَهُمْ أَتْبَاعٌ يَقْتَدُونَ بِهِمْ، فَلَمَّا مَاتُوا قَالَ أَصْحَابُهُمُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَقْتَدُونَ بِهِمْ: لَوْ صَوَّرْنَاهُمْ كَانَ أَشْوَقَ لَنَا إِلَى الْعِبَادَةِ إِذَا ذَكَرْنَاهُمْ. فَصَوَّرُوهُمْ، فَلَمَّا مَاتُوا وَجَاءَ آخَرُونَ دَبَّ إِلَيْهِمْ إِبْلِيسُ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّمَا كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَهُمْ وَبِهِمْ يُسْقَوْنَ الْمَطَرَ فَعَبَدُوهُمْ. وَرَوَى ابْنُ أَبِي حَاتِمٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: وَدٌّ، وَيَغُوثُ، وَيَعُوقُ، وَسُوَاعٌ، وَنَسْرٌ ; أَوْلَادُ آدَمَ. وَكَانَ وَدٌّ أَكْبَرَهُمْ وَأَبَرَّهُمْ بِهِ. وعَنْ أَبِي الْمُطَهَّرِ قَالَ: ذَكَرُوا عِنْدَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ هُوَ الْبَاقِرُ، وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي يَزِيدَ بْنَ الْمُهَلَّبِ، قَالَ: فَلَمَّا انْفَتَلَ مِنْ صِلَاتِهِ قَالَ: ذَكَرْتُمْ يَزِيدَ بْنَ الْمُهَلَّبِ أَمَا إِنَّهُ قُتِلَ فِي أَوَّلِ أَرْضٍ عُبِدَ فِيهَا غَيْرُ اللَّهِ. قَالَ: ذَكَرَ وَدًّا رَجُلًا مُسْلِمًا، وَكَانَ مُحَبَّبًا فِي قَوْمِهِ، فَلَمَّا مَاتَ عَسْكَرُوا حَوْلَ قَبْرِهِ فِي أَرْضِ بَابِلَ، وَجَزِعُوا عَلَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى إِبْلِيسُ جَزَعَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ تَشَبَّهَ فِي صُورَةِ إِنْسَانٍ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنِّي أَرَى جَزَعَكُمْ عَلَى هَذَا الرَّجُلِ، فَهَلْ لَكَمَ أَنْ أُصَوِّرَ لَكُمْ مِثْلَهُ فَيَكُونَ فِي نَادِيكُمْ فَتَذْكُرُونَهُ. قَالُوا: نَعَمْ. فَصَوَّرَ لَهُمْ مِثْلَهُ، قَالَ: وَوَضَعُوهُ فِي نَادِيهِمْ وَجَعَلُوا يَذْكُرُونَهُ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى مَا بِهِمْ مِنْ ذِكْرِهِ، قَالَ: هَلْ لَكَمَ أَنْ أَجْعَلَ فِي مَنْزِلِ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ تِمْثَالًا مِثْلَهُ لِيَكُونَ لَهُ فِي بَيْتِهِ فَتَذْكُرُونَهُ. قَالُوا: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: فَمَثَّلَ لِكُلِّ أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ تِمْثَالًا مِثْلَهُ، فَأَقْبَلُوا فَجَعَلُوا يَذْكُرُونَهُ بِهِ. قَالَ: وَأَدْرَكَ أَبْنَاؤُهُمْ فَجَعَلُوا يَرَوْنَ مَا يَصْنَعُونَ بِهِ قَالَ: وَتَنَاسَلُوا، وَدُرِسَ أَمْرُ ذِكْرِهِمْ إِيَّاهُ حَتَّى اتَّخَذُوهُ إِلَهًا يَعْبُدُونَهُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلَادُ أَوْلَادِهِمْ فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَا عُبِدَ غَيْرَ اللَّهِ وَدٌّ الصَّنَمُ الَّذِي سَمَّوْهُ وَدًّا. وَمُقْتَضَى هَذَا السِّيَاقِ أَنَّ كُلَّ صَنَمٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ عَبَدَهُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ، وَقَدْ ذَكَرَ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا تَطَاوَلَتِ الْعُهُودُ وَالْأَزْمَانُ جَعَلُوا تِلْكَ الصُّوَرَ تَمَاثِيلَ مُجَسَّدَةً لِيَكُونَ أَثْبَتَ لَهَا، ثُمَّ عُبِدَتْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَلَهُمْ فِي عِبَادَتِهَا مَسَالِكُ كَثِيرَةٌ الْحَمْدُ وَالْمِنَّةُ. وَقَدْ ثَبَتَ فِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا ذَكَرَتْ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ سَلَمَةَ وَأُمُّ حَبِيبَةَ تِلْكَ الْكَنِيسَةَ الَّتِي رَأَيْنَهَا بِأَرْضِ الْحَبَشَةِ يُقَالُ لَهَا مَارِيَّةُ. فَذَكَرَتَا مِنْ حُسْنِهَا وَتَصَاوِيرَ فِيهَا قَالَ: أُولَئِكَ إِذَا مَاتَ فِيهِمُ الرَّجُلُ الصَّالِحُ بَنَوْا عَلَى قَبْرِهِ مَسْجِدًا، ثُمَّ صَوَّرُوا فِيهِ تِلْكَ الصُّوَرَ أُولَئِكَ شِرَارُ الْخَلْقِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.
Translation
✧ The scholars differed concerning the religion of the people to whom Noah was sent. Among them were those who said they had unanimously engaged in actions detested by God Almighty, such as committing indecencies, unbelief, drinking wine, and occupying themselves with amusements to the neglect of obedience to God. Among them were those who said they were a people of obedience. Biyūrāsib was the first to manifest the doctrine of the Sabians, and those to whom Noah was sent followed him in that. As for the Book of God, he said, it declares that they were a people of idols. He, exalted be He, said: "And they said: Do not forsake your gods, and do not forsake Wadd, nor Suwāʿ, nor Yaghūth, Yaʿūq, and Nasr. And they have led many astray." I say: There is no contradiction among these three statements, for the true statement about which there is no doubt is that they were a people of idols whom they worshipped, as the Qurʾān declares. This is the doctrine of a sect of the Sabians, for the foundation of the Sabian doctrine is the worship of spiritual beings, that is, the angels, to draw them near to God Almighty as a means of approach. For they acknowledged a Maker of the world and that He is wise, powerful, and holy, except that they said: it is incumbent upon us to recognize our inability to attain knowledge of His majesty, and we draw near to Him only through the intermediaries who are close to Him, namely the spiritual beings. Since they did not behold the spiritual beings directly, they drew near to them through temples, which are the seven wandering planets, because, in their view, these govern this world. Then a sect of them, namely the people of images, went further when they saw that the temples rise and set, are visible at night but not by day – to the fashioning of idols, so that they might be before their eyes as objects of veneration, through which they might seek intercession with the temples, the temples with the spiritual beings, and the spiritual beings with the Maker of the world. This was the original basis for the fashioning of idols. Among the Arabs of later times there were those who held this belief, and He, exalted be He, said: "We worship them only that they may bring us near to God in nearness." Thus from the worship of idols arose the doctrine of the Sabians, unbelief, indecencies, and other acts of disobedience. From Ibn ʿAbbās: between Adam and Noah there were ten generations, all of them upon Islam. Al-Bukhārī related it, and what is meant by qarn is a generation or a period. Then after those righteous generations, events occurred that led the people of that time to the worship of idols. The cause of that was what al-Bukhārī related with his chain from Ibn ʿAbbās in explanation of His saying, exalted be He: "And they said: Do not forsake your gods, and do not forsake Wadd, nor Suwāʿ, nor Yaghūth, Yaʿūq, and Nasr" [Noah: 23]. He said: These are names of righteous men from the people of Noah. When they perished, Satan inspired their people: set up standing stones in the places where they used to sit, and call them by their names. They did so, and they were not worshipped until those people perished and knowledge was effaced; then they were worshipped. Ibn ʿAbbās said: These idols that were among the people of Noah later came to be among the Arabs. The same was said by ʿIkrimah, al-Ḍaḥḥāk, Qatādah, and Muḥammad b. Isḥāq. Ibn Jarīr said in his commentary, from Muḥammad b. Qays, who said: They were a righteous people between Adam and Noah, and they had followers who emulated them. When they died, their companions who used to emulate them said: If we made images of them, it would increase our longing for worship when we remember them. So they made images of them. When they died and another generation came, Iblīs crept among them and said: They used to worship them, and by them they were granted rain. So they worshipped them. Ibn Abī Ḥātim related from ʿUrwah b. al-Zubayr that he said: Wadd, Yaghūth, Yaʿūq, Suwāʿ, and Nasr were sons of Adam. Wadd was the eldest of them and the most dutiful to him. From Abū al-Muṭahhar, who said: They mentioned Yazīd b. al-Muhallab in the presence of Abū Jaʿfar – he is al-Bāqir – while he was standing in prayer. He said: When he finished his prayer, he said: You mentioned Yazīd b. al-Muhallab. Indeed, he was killed in the first land in which other than God was worshipped. He said: He mentioned Wadd, a Muslim man who was beloved among his people. When he died, they encamped around his grave in the land of Bābil and grieved over him. When Iblīs saw their grief over him, he assumed the form of a human being, then said: I see your grief over this man. Would you like me to make an image like him for you, so that it may be in your assembly and you may remember him? They said: Yes. So he made an image like him for them. He said: They placed it in their assembly and began to remember him. When he saw their remembrance of him, he said: Would you like me to place in the house of each one of you a statue like him, so that he may have it in his house and you may remember him? They said: Yes. He said: So he made for each household a statue like him. They turned to it and began to remember him by it. He said: Their children grew up and saw what they did with it. He said: They multiplied, and the matter of their remembrance of him became effaced, until the children of their children took him as a god whom they worshipped besides God. Thus the first thing worshipped other than God was Wadd, the idol which they named Wadd. The implication of this account is that each of these idols was worshipped by a group of people. He mentioned that when the ages and times grew long, they made those images into corporeal statues so that they might be more enduring for them, and then they were worshipped besides God, mighty and glorious be He. In their worship of them they had many ways. Praise and grace. It is established in the two Ṣaḥīḥs from the Messenger of God ﷺ that when Umm Salamah and Umm Ḥabībah mentioned to him the church they had seen in the land of Abyssinia, called Māriyah, and described its beauty and the images in it, he said: "Those are people who, when a righteous man among them dies, build a mosque over his grave, then make those images in it. Those are the worst of creation in the sight of God, mighty and glorious be He."
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.