Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (217)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

This is exquisite composition and subtle insight.

[Surah Āl ‘Imrān (3): verse 44]

“That is part of the news of the unseen which We reveal to you. You were not with them when they cast their pens to determine which of them would take charge of Mary, nor were you with them when they disputed.” (44)

Qatādah said: “Mary was the daughter of their leader and chief, so the Children of Israel competed to take charge of her. They drew lots with their arrows to determine who would care for her. Zechariah won the draw; he was married to her sister, so he took her into his care.” A similar account is reported from Mujāhid.

Ibn ‘Abbās said: “When Mary was placed in the mosque, those at the place of prayer drew lots over her. They used to write down revelation, so they drew lots with their pens to determine who would care for her.” The Quran commentators agree on this.

[Surah Āl ‘Imrān (3): verses 93–95]

“All food was lawful for the Children of Israel except what Israel had forbidden himself before the Torah was revealed. Say, ‘Bring the Torah and recite it, if you are truthful.’ (93) Whoever fabricates lies against Allah after that—it is they who are the wrongdoers. (94) Say, ‘Allah has spoken the truth, so follow the faith of Abraham, who was upright in faith and was not one of the polytheists.’” (95)

These verses explicitly expose the falsehood of their denial of abrogation. Allah—glorified and exalted is He—states that all food was lawful for the Children of Israel before the Torah was revealed, except what Israel had forbidden himself. It is well known that the Children of Israel followed the law and faith of their father Israel, and that whatever was lawful for them was so only because Allah Most High had made it lawful through Israel and the prophets after him, until the Torah was revealed. The Torah then prohibited many foods that had previously been lawful for the Children of Israel. This is abrogation in its clearest form.

His words, “before the Torah was revealed,” mean that these foods were lawful for them before its revelation, and they knew this. Then Allah Most High said: “Say, ‘Bring the Torah and recite it

وهذا نظم بديع، وفقه دقيق. [سورة آل عمران (٣) : آية ٤٤] ذلِكَ مِنْ أَنْباءِ الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ وَما كُنْتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يُلْقُونَ أَقْلامَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ يَكْفُلُ مَرْيَمَ وَما كُنْتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يَخْتَصِمُونَ (٤٤) قال قتادة: كانت مريم ابنة إمامهم وسيدهم. فتشاحّ عليها بنو إسرائيل. فاقترعوا عليها بسهامهم، أيهم يكفلها. فقرع زكريا، وكان زوج أختها، فضمها إليه. ونحوه عن مجاهد. وقال ابن عباس: لما وضعت مريم في المسجد اقترع عليها أهل المصلى، وهم يكتبون الوحي فاقترعوا بأقلامهم أيهم يكفلها وهذا متفق عليه بين أهل التفسير. [سورة آل عمران (٣) : الآيات ٩٣ الى ٩٥] كُلُّ الطَّعامِ كانَ حِلاًّ لِبَنِي إِسْرائِيلَ إِلاَّ ما حَرَّمَ إِسْرائِيلُ عَلى نَفْسِهِ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تُنَزَّلَ التَّوْراةُ قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِالتَّوْراةِ فَاتْلُوها إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صادِقِينَ (٩٣) فَمَنِ افْتَرى عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذلِكَ فَأُولئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ (٩٤) قُلْ صَدَقَ اللَّهُ فَاتَّبِعُوا مِلَّةَ إِبْراهِيمَ حَنِيفاً وَما كانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ (٩٥) تضمنت هذه الآيات بيان كذبهم صريحا في إبطال النسخ. فإنه ﷾ أخبر أن الطعام كله كان حلالا لبني إسرائيل قبل أن تنزل التوراة، سوى ما حرم إسرائيل على نفسه منه. ومعلوم أن بني إسرائيل كانوا على شريعة أبيهم إسرائيل وملته، وأن الذي كان لهم حلالا إنما هو بإحلال الله تعالى له على لسان إسرائيل والأنبياء بعده، إلى حين تنزل التوراة. ثم جاءت التوراة بتحريم كثير من المآكل عليهم التي كانت حلالا لبني إسرائيل. وهذا محض النسخ. وقوله تعالى: مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تُنَزَّلَ التَّوْراةُ أي كانت حلالا لهم قبل نزول التوراة. وهم يعلمون ذلك ثم قال تعالى: قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِالتَّوْراةِ فَاتْلُوها