Tarikh (al-Tabari) 97
The story of Hud (peace be upon him)
إِنَّ قَوْمَ عَادٍ لَمَّا تَجَبَّرُوا وَعَتَوْا وَعَبَدُوا الْأَوْثَانَ أَرْسَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ هُودًا رَجُلًا مِنْهُمْ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ، وَإِلَى إِفْرَادِهِ بِالْعِبَادَةِ، وَالْإِخْلَاصِ لَهُ، فَكَذَّبُوهُ وَخَالَفُوهُ وَتَنَقَّصُوهُ فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ أَخْذَ عَزِيزٍ مُقْتَدِرٍ، فَلَمَّا أَمَرَهُمْ بِعِبَادَةِ اللَّهِ، وَرَغَّبَهُمْ فِي طَاعَتِهِ وَاسْتِغْفَارِهِ، وَوَعَدَهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ خَيْرَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، وَتَوَعَّدَهُمْ عَلَى مُخَالَفَةِ ذَلِكَ عُقُوبَةَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ: قَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ إِنَّا لَنَرَاكَ فِي سَفَاهَةٍ [ الْأَعْرَافِ 66 ]. أَيْ ; هَذَا الْأَمْرُ الَّذِي تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ سَفَهٌ بِالنِّسْبَةِ إِلَى مَا نَحْنُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ عِبَادَةِ هَذِهِ الْأَصْنَامِ الَّتِي يُرْتَجَى مِنْهَا النَّصْرُ وَالرِّزْقُ، وَمَعَ هَذَا نَظُنُّ أَنَّكَ تَكْذِبُ فِي دَعْوَاكَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَرْسَلَكَ. قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لَيْسَ بِي سَفَاهَةٌ وَلَكِنِّي رَسُولٌ مِنْ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ [ الْأَعْرَافِ: 67 ]. أَيْ ; لَيْسَ الْأَمْرُ كَمَا تَظُنُّونَ، وَلَا مَا تَعْتَقِدُونَ أُبَلِّغُكُمْ رِسَالَاتِ رَبِّي وَأَنَا لَكُمْ نَاصِحٌ أَمِينٌ [ الْأَعْرَافِ: 68 ]. وَالْبَلَاغُ يَسْتَلْزِمُ عَدَمَ الْكَذِبِ فِي أَصْلِ الْمُبَلِّغِ، وَعَدَمَ الزِّيَادَةِ فِيهِ وَالنَّقْصِ مِنْهُ، وَيَسْتَلْزِمُ إِبْلَاغَهُ بِعِبَارَةٍ فَصِيحَةٍ وَجِيزَةٍ جَامِعَةٍ مَانِعَةٍ، لَا لَبْسَ فِيهَا وَلَا اخْتِلَافَ وَلَا اضْطِرَابَ، وَهُوَ مَعَ هَذَا الْبَلَاغِ عَلَى هَذِهِ الصِّفَةِ فِي غَايَةِ النُّصْحِ لِقَوْمِهِ، وَالشَّفَقَةِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَالْحِرْصِ عَلَى هِدَايَتِهِمْ، لَا يَبْتَغِي مِنْهُمْ أَجْرًا، وَلَا يَطْلُبُ مِنْهُمْ جُعْلًا، بَلْ هُوَ مُخْلِصٌ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي الدَّعْوَةِ إِلَيْهِ، وَالنُّصْحِ لِخَلْقِهِ لَا يَطْلُبُ أَجْرَهُ إِلَّا مِنَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَهُ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ كُلَّهُ فِي يَدَيْهِ، وَأَمْرُهُ إِلَيْهِ، وَلِهَذَا قَالَ: يَا قَوْمِ لَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ [ هُودٍ: 51 ]. أَيْ ; مَا لَكُمْ عَقْلٌ تُمَيِّزُونَ بِهِ وَتَفْهَمُونَ أَنِّي أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى الْحَقِّ الْمُبِينِ الَّذِي تَشْهَدُ بِهِ فِطَرُكُمُ الَّتِي خُلِقْتُمْ عَلَيْهَا، وَهُوَ دِينُ الْحَقِّ الَّذِي بَعَثَ اللَّهُ بِهِ نُوحًا، وَأَهْلَكَ مَنْ خَالَفَهُ مِنَ الْخَلْقِ، وَهَا أَنَا أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَيْهِ، وَلَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ أَجْرًا عَلَيْهِ، بَلْ أَبْتَغِي ذَلِكَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مَالِكُ الضُّرِّ وَالنَّفْعِ، وَلِهَذَا قَالَ مُؤْمِنُ يس: اتَّبِعُوا مَنْ لَا يَسْأَلُكُمْ أَجْرًا وَهُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ وَمَا لِيَ لَا أَعْبُدُ الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ [ يس: 21 - 22 ]. وَقَالَ قَوْمُ هُودٍ لَهُ فِيمَا قَالُوا: يَا هُودُ مَا جِئْتَنَا بِبَيِّنَةٍ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِتَارِكِي آلِهَتِنَا عَنْ قَوْلِكَ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنْ نَقُولُ إِلَّا اعْتَرَاكَ بَعْضُ آلِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ. [ هُودٍ: 53 ]. يَقُولُونَ: مَا جِئْتَنَا بِخَارِقٍ يَشْهَدُ لَكَ بِصِدْقِ مَا جِئْتَ بِهِ. وَمَا نَحْنُ بِالَّذِينِ نَتْرُكُ عِبَادَةَ أَصْنَامِنَا عَنْ مُجَرَّدِ قَوْلِكَ بِلَا دَلِيلٍ أَقَمْتَهُ، وَلَا بُرْهَانٍ نَصَبْتَهُ، وَمَا نَظُنُّ إِلَّا أَنَّكَ مَجْنُونٌ فِيمَا تَزْعُمُهُ، وَعِنْدَنَا ; إِنَّمَا أَصَابَكَ هَذَا أَنَّ بَعْضَ آلِهَتِنَا غَضِبَ عَلَيْكَ فَأَصَابَكَ فِي عَقْلِكَ فَاعْتَرَاكَ جُنُونٌ بِسَبَبِ ذَلِكَ، وَهُوَ قَوْلُهُمْ: إِنْ نَقُولُ إِلَّا اعْتَرَاكَ بَعْضُ آلِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ قَالَ إِنِّي أُشْهِدُ اللَّهَ وَاشْهَدُوا أَنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ فَكِيدُونِي جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ لَا تُنْظِرُونِ [ هُودٍ: 54 - 55 ]. وَهَذَا تَحَدٍّ مِنْهُ لَهُمْ، وَتَبَرُّؤٌ مِنْ آلِهَتِهِمْ، وَتَنَقُّصٌ مِنْهُ لَهَا، وَبَيَانُ أَنَّهَا لَا تَنْفَعُ شَيْئًا وَلَا تَضُرُّ، وَأَنَّهَا جَمَادٌ حُكْمُهَا حُكْمُهُ، وَفِعْلُهَا فِعْلُهُ، فَإِنْ كَانَتْ كَمَا تَزْعُمُونَ مِنْ أَنَّهَا تَنْصُرُ وَتَنْفَعُ وَتَضُرُّ، فَهَا أَنَا بَرِيءٌ مِنْهَا لَاعِنٌ لَهَا فَكِيدُونِي جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ لَا تُنْظِرُونِ. أَنْتُمْ وَهِيَ جَمِيعًا بِجَمِيعِ مَا يُمْكِنُكُمْ أَنْ تَصِلُوا إِلَيْهِ، وَتَقْدِرُوا عَلَيْهِ، وَلَا تُؤَخِّرُونِي سَاعَةً وَاحِدَةً، وَلَا طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ فَإِنِّي لَا أُبَالِي بِكُمْ، وَلَا أُفَكِّرُ فِيكُمْ، وَلَا أَنْظُرُ إِلَيْكُمْ إِنِّي تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّي وَرَبِّكُمْ مَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَا إِنَّ رَبِّي عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ. أَيْ ; أَنَا مُتَوَكِّلٌ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَمُتَأَيِّدٌ بِهِ. وَوَاثِقٌ بِجَنَابِهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضِيعُ مَنْ لَاذَ بِهِ. وَاسْتَنَدَ إِلَيْهِ، فَلَسْتُ أُبَالِي مَخْلُوقًا سِوَاهُ، وَلَسْتُ أَتَوَكَّلُ إِلَّا عَلَيْهِ، وَلَا أَعْبُدُ إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ، وَهَذَا وَحْدَهُ بُرْهَانٌ قَاطِعٌ عَلَى أَنَّ هُودًا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ، وَأَنَّهُمْ عَلَى جَهْلٍ وَضَلَالٍ فِي عِبَادَتِهِمْ غَيْرَ اللَّهِ ; لِأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَصِلُوا إِلَيْهِ بِسُوءٍ، وَلَا نَالُوا مِنْهُ مَكْرُوهًا، فَدَلَّ عَلَى صِدْقِهِ فِيمَا جَاءَهُمْ بِهِ وَبُطْلَانِ مَا هُمْ عَلَيْهِ، وَفَسَادِ مَا ذَهَبُوا إِلَيْهِ، وَهَذَا الدَّلِيلُ بِعَيْنِهِ قَدِ اسْتَدَلَّ بِهِ نُوحٌ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَبْلَهُ فِي قَوْلِهِ: يَا قَوْمِ إِنْ كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَقَامِي وَتَذْكِيرِي بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ فَعَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ فَأَجْمِعُوا أَمْرَكُمْ وَشُرَكَاءَكُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُنْ أَمْرُكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ غُمَّةً ثُمَّ اقْضُوا إِلَيَّ وَلَا تُنْظِرُونِ [ يُونُسَ: 71 ]. وَهَكَذَا قَالَ الْخَلِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: وَلَا أَخَافُ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ بِهِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ رَبِّي شَيْئًا وَسِعَ رَبِّي كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا أَفَلَا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ وَكَيْفَ أَخَافُ مَا أَشْرَكْتُمْ وَلَا تَخَافُونَ أَنَّكُمْ أَشْرَكْتُمْ بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَانًا فَأَيُّ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ أَحَقُّ بِالْأَمْنِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُولَئِكَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْنُ وَهُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنَا آتَيْنَاهَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مَنْ نَشَاءُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ [ الْأَنْعَامِ: 80 - 83 ]. استعباد قوم هود أن يبعث الله بشرا رسولا وَقَالَ الْمَلَأُ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِلِقَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ وَأَتْرَفْنَاهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا مَا هَذَا إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يَأْكُلُ مِمَّا تَأْكُلُونَ مِنْهُ وَيَشْرَبُ مِمَّا تَشْرَبُونَ وَلَئِنْ أَطَعْتُمْ بَشَرًا مِثْلَكُمْ إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا لَخَاسِرُونَ أَيَعِدُكُمْ أَنَّكُمْ إِذَا مِتُّمْ وَكُنْتُمْ تُرَابًا وَعِظَامًا أَنَّكُمْ مُخْرَجُونَ [ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ: 33 - 35 ]. اسْتَبْعَدُوا أَنْ يَبْعَثَ اللَّهُ رَسُولًا بَشَرِيًّا، وَهَذِهِ الشُّبْهَةُ أَدْلَى بِهَا كَثِيرٌ مِنْ جَهَلَةِ الْكَفَرَةِ قَدِيمًا وَحَدِيثًا، كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا أَنْ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ أَنْذِرِ النَّاسَ [ يُونُسَ: 2 ]. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا إِذْ جَاءَهُمُ الْهُدَى إِلَّا أَنْ قَالُوا أَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ بَشَرًا رَسُولًا قُلْ لَوْ كَانَ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَلَائِكَةٌ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَئِنِّينَ لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَلَكًا رَسُولًا [ الْإِسْرَاءِ: 94 - 95 ]. وَلِهَذَا قَالَ لَهُمْ هُودٌ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: أَوَعَجِبْتُمْ أَنْ جَاءَكُمْ ذِكْرٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْكُمْ لِيُنْذِرَكُمْ. أَيْ ; لَيْسَ هَذَا بِعَجِيبٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُ. وَقَوْلُهُ: أَيَعِدُكُمْ أَنَّكُمْ إِذَا مِتُّمْ وَكُنْتُمْ تُرَابًا وَعِظَامًا أَنَّكُمْ مُخْرَجُونَ هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ لِمَا تُوعَدُونَ إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا وَمَا نَحْنُ لَهُ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ [ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ: 35 - 39 ]. اسْتَبْعَدُوا الْمَعَادَ وَأَنْكَرُوا قِيَامَ الْأَجْسَادِ بَعْدَ صَيْرُورَتِهَا تُرَابًا وَعِظَامًا، وَقَالُوا: هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ. أَيْ ; بَعِيدٌ بَعِيدٌ هَذَا الْوَعْدُ إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ. أَيْ ; يَمُوتُ قَوْمٌ وَيَحْيَا آخَرُونَ. وَهَذَا هُوَ اعْتِقَادُ الدَّهْرِيَّةِ، كَمَا يَقُولُ بَعْضُ الْجَهَلَةِ مِنَ الزَّنَادِقَةِ: أَرْحَامٌ تَدْفَعُ، وَأَرْضٌ تَبْلَعُ. وَأَمَّا الدُّورِيَّةُ فَهُمُ الَّذِينَ يَعْتَقِدُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يَعُودُونَ إِلَى هَذِهِ الدَّارِ بَعْدَ كُلِّ سِتَّةٍ وَثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ. وَهَذَا كُلُّهُ كَذِبٌ، وَكُفْرٌ وَجَهْلٌ وَضَلَالٌ، وَأَقْوَالٌ بَاطِلَةٌ، وَخَيَالٌ فَاسِدٌ بِلَا بُرْهَانٍ، وَلَا دَلِيلٍ يَسْتَمِيلُ عَقْلَ الْفَجَرَةِ الْكَفَرَةِ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ، كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: وَلِتَصْغَى إِلَيْهِ أَفْئِدَةُ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ وَلِيَرْضَوْهُ وَلِيَقْتَرِفُوا مَا هُمْ مُقْتَرِفُونَ [ الْأَنْعَامِ: 113 ]. وَقَالَ لَهُمْ فِيمَا وَعَظَهُمْ بِهِ: أَتَبْنُونَ بِكُلِّ رِيعٍ آيَةً تَعْبَثُونَ وَتَتَّخِذُونَ مَصَانِعَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ. يَقُولُ لَهُمْ: أَتَبْنُونَ بِكُلِّ مَكَانٍ مُرْتَفِعٍ بَنَاءً عَظِيمًا هَائِلًا كَالْقُصُورِ، وَنَحْوِهَا تَعْبَثُونَ بِبِنَائِهَا ; لِأَنَّهُ لَا حَاجَةَ لَكُمْ فِيهِ، وَمَا ذَاكَ إِلَّا لِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَسْكُنُونَ الْخِيَامَ، كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ إِرَمَ ذَاتِ الْعِمَادِ الَّتِي لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِي الْبِلَادِ. فَعَادُ إِرَمَ هُمْ عَادٌ الْأُولَى الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَسْكُنُونَ الْأَعْمِدَةَ الَّتِي تَحْمِلُ الْخِيَامَ. وَمَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ إِرَمَ مَدِينَةٌ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ وَفِضَّةٍ، وَهِيَ تَتَنَقَّلُ فِي الْبِلَادِ فَقَدْ غَلِطَ وَأَخْطَأَ. وَقَالَ مَا لَا دَلِيلَ عَلَيْهِ. وَقَوْلُهُ: وَتَتَّخِذُونَ مَصَانِعَ. قِيلَ: هِيَ الْقُصُورُ. وَقِيلَ: بُرُوجُ الْحَمَامِ. وَقِيلَ: مَآخِذُ الْمَاءِ. لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ. أَيْ ; رَجَاءً مِنْكُمْ أَنْ تُعَمِّرُوا فِي هَذِهِ الدَّارِ أَعْمَارًا طَوِيلَةً وَإِذَا بَطَشْتُمْ بَطَشْتُمْ جَبَّارِينَ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ وَاتَّقُوا الَّذِي أَمَدَّكُمْ بِمَا تَعْلَمُونَ أَمَدَّكُمْ بِأَنْعَامٍ وَبَنِينَ وَجَنَّاتٍ وَعُيُونٍ إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ. وَقَالُوا لَهُ فِيمَا قَالُوا: أَجِئْتَنَا لِنَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ وَحْدَهُ وَنَذَرَ مَا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ. أَيْ ; أَجِئْتَنَا لِنَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ وَحْدَهُ، وَنُخَالِفُ آبَاءَنَا وَأَسْلَافَنَا، وَمَا كَانُوا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنْ كُنْتَ صَادِقًا فِيمَا جِئْتَ بِهِ فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا مِنَ الْعَذَابِ وَالنَّكَالِ، فَإِنَّا لَا نُؤْمِنُ بِكَ وَلَا نَتْبَعُكَ وَلَا نُصَدِّقُكَ، كَمَا قَالُوا: سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْنَا أَوَعَظْتَ أَمْ لَمْ تَكُنْ مِنَ الْوَاعِظِينَ إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا خُلُقُ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ. أَمَّا عَلَى قِرَاءَةِ فَتْحِ الْخَاءِ فَالْمُرَادُ بِهِ اخْتِلَاقُ الْأَوَّلِينَ أَيْ ; أَنَّ هَذَا الَّذِي جِئْتَ بِهِ إِلَّا اخْتِلَاقٌ مِنْكَ، وَأَخَذْتَهُ مِنْ كُتُبِ الْأَوَّلِينَ هَكَذَا فَسَّرَهُ غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ، وَالتَّابِعَيْنِ، وَأَمَّا عَلَى قِرَاءَةِ ضَمِّ الْخَاءِ وَاللَّامِ فَالْمُرَادُ بِهِ الدِّينُ أَيْ ; إِنْ هَذَا الدِّينَ الَّذِي نَحْنُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا دِينُ الْآبَاءِ وَالْأَجْدَادِ مِنْ أَسْلَافِنَا، وَلَنْ نَتَحَوَّلَ عَنْهُ وَلَا نَتَغَيَّرَ وَلَا نَزَالُ مُتَمَسِّكِينَ بِهِ. وَيُنَاسِبُ كِلَا الْقِرَاءَتَيْنِ الْأُولَى وَالثَّانِيَةِ قَوْلُهُمْ: وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ. قَالَ: قَدْ وَقَعَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ رِجْسٌ وَغَضَبٌ أَتُجَادِلُونَنِي فِي أَسْمَاءٍ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنْتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُمْ مَا نَزَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ فَانْتَظِرُوا إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ مِنَ الْمُنْتَظِرِينَ. أَيْ ; قَدِ اسْتَحَقَّيْتُمْ بِهَذِهِ الْمَقَالَةِ الرِّجْسَ، وَالْغَضَبَ مِنَ اللَّهِ أَتُعَارِضُونَ عِبَادَةَ اللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ بِعِبَادَةِ أَصْنَامٍ أَنْتُمْ نَحَتُّمُوهَا، وَسَمَّيْتُمُوهَا آلِهَةً مِنْ تِلْقَاءِ أَنْفُسِكُمِ اصْطَلَحْتُمْ عَلَيْهَا أَنْتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُمْ مَا نَزَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ. أَيْ ; لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ عَلَى مَا ذَهَبْتُمْ إِلَيْهِ دَلِيلًا وَلَا بُرْهَانًا، وَإِذَا أَبَيْتُمْ قَبُولَ الْحَقِّ وَتَمَادَيْتُمْ فِي الْبَاطِلِ، وَسَوَاءٌ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْهَيْتُكُمْ عَمَّا أَنْتُمْ فِيهِ أَمْ لَا، فَانْتَظِرُوا الْآنَ عَذَابَ اللَّهِ الْوَاقِعَ بِكُمْ، وَبَأْسَهُ الَّذِي لَا يُرَدُّ، وَنَكَالَهُ الَّذِي لَا يُصَدُّ. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: قَالَ رَبِّ انْصُرْنِي بِمَا كَذَّبُونِ قَالَ عَمَّا قَلِيلٍ لَيُصْبِحُنَّ نَادِمِينَ فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ بِالْحَقِّ فَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ غُثَاءً فَبُعْدًا لِلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: قَالُوا أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَأْفِكَنَا عَنْ آلِهَتِنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ قَالَ إِنَّمَا الْعِلْمُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَأُبَلِّغُكُمْ مَا أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ وَلَكِنِّي أَرَاكُمْ قَوْمًا تَجْهَلُونَ فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ عَارِضًا مُسْتَقْبِلَ أَوْدِيَتِهِمْ قَالُوا هَذَا عَارِضٌ مُمْطِرُنَا بَلْ هُوَ مَا اسْتَعْجَلْتُمْ بِهِ رِيحٌ فِيهَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ تُدَمِّرُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ بِأَمْرِ رَبِّهَا فَأَصْبَحُوا لَا يُرَى إِلَّا مَسَاكِنُهُمْ كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْقَوْمَ الْمُجْرِمِينَ
Translation
✧ When the people of ʿĀd became tyrannical and arrogant and worshipped idols, Allah sent among them Hūd, a man from among them, calling them to Allah, and to devote worship to Him alone, and to be sincere to Him. They rejected him, opposed him, and belittled him, so Allah seized them with the seizing of One Mighty and Powerful. When he commanded them to worship Allah, and encouraged them to obey Him and seek His forgiveness, and promised them for that the good of this world and the Hereafter, and threatened them for opposing that with the punishment of this world and the Hereafter: the notables who disbelieved from his people said, "Indeed we see you in foolishness" [al-Aʿrāf: 66]. That is; this matter to which you call us is foolishness relative to what we are upon of worshipping these idols from which victory and provision are hoped, and along with this we think that you lie in your claim that Allah sent you. He said, "O my people, there is no foolishness in me, but I am a messenger from the Lord of the worlds" [al-Aʿrāf: 67]. That is; the matter is not as you think, nor what you believe. I convey to you the messages of my Lord, and I am to you a sincere adviser, trustworthy [al-Aʿrāf: 68]. And conveying entails the absence of lying in the conveyor himself, and the absence of adding to it or subtracting from it, and entails conveying it in clear, concise, comprehensive, and precise wording, with no ambiguity, no contradiction, and no confusion. And he, along with this conveying upon this description, is in the utmost sincerity to his people, compassion for them, and eagerness for their guidance. He does not seek from them any reward, nor does he ask from them any payment. Rather, he is sincere to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, in calling to Him, and in advising His creation. He seeks his reward only from the One who sent him, for the good of this world and the Hereafter, all of it, is in His hands, and his affair is to Him. Thus he said, "O my people, I do not ask you for any reward for it. My reward is only upon the One who created me. Will you not then understand?" [Hūd: 51]. That is; have you no intellect by which you distinguish and understand that I call you to the clear truth to which your natural dispositions, upon which you were created, testify, and it is the religion of truth with which Allah sent Nūḥ, and destroyed whoever opposed it from creation. Here I am calling you to it, and I do not ask you for any reward for it. Rather, I seek that from Allah, the Owner of harm and benefit. Thus the believer of Yā Sīn said, "Follow those who do not ask you for reward, and they are rightly guided. And why should I not worship the One who created me, and to Him you will be returned?" [Yā Sīn: 21-22]. And the people of Hūd said to him in what they said, "O Hūd, you have not brought us clear evidence, and we are not going to leave our gods upon your word, and we are not believers in you. We only say that some of our gods have afflicted you with evil." [Hūd: 53]. They say: You have not brought us a miraculous sign that testifies to the truth of what you came with. And we are not those who will abandon the worship of our idols merely upon your word without evidence you establish or proof you set up. We think you are only insane in what you claim, and in our view, this has befallen you only because some of our gods became angry with you and struck you in your intellect, and insanity afflicted you because of that. That is their saying, "We only say that some of our gods have afflicted you with evil." He said, "Indeed I call Allah to witness, and bear witness that I am free from what you associate besides Him. So plot against me, all of you, then do not give me respite" [Hūd: 54-55]. This is a challenge from him to them, and a declaration of innocence from their gods, and disparagement of them, and a statement that they neither benefit nor harm anything, and that they are inanimate, their ruling is like his ruling, and their act is like his act. If they are as you claim, that they help, benefit, and harm, then here I am, free from them, cursing them, so plot against me, all of you, then do not give me respite. You and they together, with everything you can reach and have power over, and do not delay me a single hour, nor the blink of an eye, for I do not care about you, nor think about you, nor look at you. Indeed, I have put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord. There is no creature but He holds its forelock. Indeed my Lord is on a straight path. That is; I trust in Allah and am supported by Him, and I rely on His protection, which does not lose whoever takes refuge in Him and leans upon Him. I care not for any creature other than Him, and I trust not except in Him, and I worship not except Him. This alone is decisive proof that Hūd is the servant of Allah and His messenger, and that they are upon ignorance and misguidance in their worship of other than Allah, because they did not reach him with any harm, nor did they attain any disliked thing from him. That proves his truthfulness in what he came to them with, and the falsehood of what they are upon, and the corruption of what they went to. This very proof was used by Nūḥ ﷺ before him in his saying, "O my people, if my staying and my reminding you of the signs of Allah has become burdensome upon you, then upon Allah I have put my trust. So resolve your affair and your partners, then let not your affair be obscure to you, then carry out against me and do not give me respite" [Yūnus: 71]. And thus the Friend ﷺ said, "And I do not fear what you associate with Him, except that my Lord should will something. My Lord encompasses all things in knowledge. Will you not then remember? And how should I fear what you associate while you do not fear that you have associated with Allah that for which He has not sent down to you any authority? So which of the two parties has more right to security, if you know? Those who believe and do not mix their faith with wrongdoing, those will have security, and they are rightly guided. And that was Our argument which We gave Ibrāhīm against his people. We raise in degrees whom We will. Indeed your Lord is Wise, Knowing." [al-Anʿām: 80-83]. The people of Hūd found it improbable that Allah would send a human as a messenger. The notables from his people who disbelieved and denied the meeting of the Hereafter, and whom We gave luxury in the life of this world, said, "This is nothing but a human like you; he eats from what you eat from, and drinks from what you drink. And if you obey a human like you, then you are indeed losers. Does he promise you that when you die and become dust and bones, that you will be brought forth?" [al-Muʿminūn: 33-35]. They considered it improbable that Allah would send a human messenger. This doubt has been used by many ignorant disbelievers, ancient and modern, as Allah said, "Was it a wonder to people that We revealed to a man from among them, 'Warn the people'?" [Yūnus: 2]. And Allah said, "And nothing prevented people from believing when guidance came to them except that they said, 'Has Allah sent a human as a messenger?' Say, 'If there were on the earth angels walking in tranquility, We would have sent down to them from the sky an angel as a messenger'" [al-Isrāʾ: 94-95]. Thus Hūd ﷺ said to them, "Do you wonder that a reminder has come to you from your Lord upon a man from among you, to warn you?" That is; this is not strange, for Allah knows best where to place His message. And his saying, "Does he promise you that when you die and become dust and bones, that you will be brought forth? Far, far is what you are promised. There is nothing but our life of this world; we die and we live, and we are not going to be resurrected. He is nothing but a man who has fabricated a lie about Allah, and we are not believers in him" [al-Muʿminūn: 35-39]. They considered the resurrection improbable and denied the rising of bodies after they become dust and bones, and said, "Far, far." That is; far, far is this promise. "There is nothing but our life of this world; we die and we live, and we are not going to be resurrected." That is; some people die and others live. This is the belief of the Dahriyya, as some ignorant heretics say: wombs that push forth, and earth that swallows. As for the Dawriyya, they are those who believe that they return to this abode after every thirty-six thousand years. All of this is lies, disbelief, ignorance, misguidance, false statements, and corrupt imagination without proof or evidence, which attracts the intellects of the wicked disbelievers among the children of Adam who do not understand and are not guided. As Allah said, "And so that the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter may incline to it, and be pleased with it, and so that they may commit what they are committing" [al-Anʿām: 113]. And he said to them in admonishing them: "Do you build on every high place a sign, amusing yourselves, and take for yourselves castles, perhaps you will live forever?" He says to them: Do you build on every elevated place a great, awe-inspiring building like palaces and the like, amusing yourselves in building it, because you have no need of it. That was only because they used to dwell in tents, as Allah said, "Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with ʿĀd, Iram of the pillars, the like of which was not created in the lands?" For ʿĀd Iram are the first ʿĀd, who used to dwell in pillars that supported the tents. Whoever claims that Iram is a city of gold and silver, and that it moves about in the lands, has erred and mistaken. He has said what has no proof. And His saying, "And take for yourselves castles." It is said: they are palaces. And it is said: pigeon towers. And it is said: water sources. "Perhaps you will live forever." That is; hoping that you may have long lives in this abode. "And when you strike, you strike as tyrants. So fear Allah and obey me. And fear the One who provided you with what you know. He provided you with cattle and sons, and gardens and springs. Indeed I fear for you the punishment of a great day." And they said to him in what they said, "Have you come to us that we should worship Allah alone and leave what our fathers worshipped? Then bring us what you promise us, if you are of the truthful." That is; have you come to us that we should worship Allah alone, and oppose our fathers and ancestors and what they were upon? If you are truthful in what you came with, then bring us what you promise of punishment and exemplary chastisement, for we do not believe in you, nor follow you, nor affirm you. As they said, "It is all the same to us whether you admonish or are not of the admonishers. This is nothing but the character of the ancients, and we are not going to be punished." As for the reading with fatḥ of the khāʾ, its meaning is the fabrication of the ancients; that is, that what you came with is nothing but your fabrication, taken from the books of the ancients. Thus more than one of the Companions and Successors interpreted it. As for the reading with ḍamm of the khāʾ and lām, its meaning is the religion; that is, this religion that we are upon is nothing but the religion of the fathers and grandfathers among our ancestors, and we will not turn away from it, nor change, and we will remain holding to it. Both readings, the first and the second, suit their saying, "And we are not going to be punished." He said, "Defilement and wrath from your Lord have fallen upon you. Do you dispute with me about names that you and your fathers have named, for which Allah has sent down no authority? Then wait, I am with you among those who wait." That is; you have deserved by this statement defilement and wrath from Allah. Do you oppose the worship of Allah alone, with no partner, with the worship of idols that you carved and named gods from your own accord, upon which you and your fathers agreed, for which Allah sent down no authority. That is; He did not send down any evidence or proof for what you went to. If you refuse to accept the truth and persist in falsehood, and it is all the same to you whether I forbid you from what you are upon or not, then wait now for the punishment of Allah that will befall you, and His might that is not repelled, and His exemplary chastisement that is not turned aside. And Allah said, "He said, 'My Lord, help me because they have denied me.' He said, 'After a little while they will become regretful.' So the shout seized them in truth, and We made them scum. So away with the wrongdoing people." And Allah said, "They said, 'Have you come to us to turn us away from our gods? Then bring us what you promise us, if you are of the truthful.' He said, 'Knowledge is only with Allah, and I convey to you what I was sent with, but I see you are a people who are ignorant.' So when they saw it as a cloud advancing toward their valleys, they said, 'This is a cloud bringing us rain.' Rather, it is what you sought to hasten: a wind in which is a painful punishment, destroying everything by the command of its Lord. So they became such that nothing was seen except their dwellings. Thus do We recompense the criminal people."
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