Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah - Ibn Kathir - (2/260)

Al-Bidayah wa an-NihayahIbn Kathir

Account of the birth and upbringing of Jesus son of Mary, peace be upon him, during his infancy and youth, together with an explanation of how revelation first came to him from Allah the Exalted.

As stated earlier, he was born in Bethlehem, near Jerusalem. Wahb ibn Munabbih, however, claimed that he was born in Egypt, and that Mary travelled there with Joseph son of Jacob the carpenter, riding a donkey with no cloth between her and the wooden saddle. This report is unsound. The ḥadith previously cited proves that his birth was in Bethlehem, and anything that contradicts it is invalid.

Wahb ibn Munabbih also related that when Jesus was born, every idol in the East and West toppled over. The devils were confounded until the great Iblīs uncovered the reason: he found Jesus in his mother’s lap, the angels gathered round him. A brilliant star had appeared in the sky, and the king of Persia was alarmed by its rising. He asked the magi about it, and they said, “It heralds the birth of a great person on earth.” He therefore dispatched envoys bearing gold, myrrh, and frankincense as a gift for Jesus.

When the envoys reached Syria, its king questioned them about their mission. After they explained, he inquired about the date and learned that Jesus son of Mary had been born in Jerusalem at that very time, his story having spread because of his speech from the cradle. He allowed them to proceed with their gifts, but sent with them someone who could recognize the child, hoping to find a way to kill him once they had left.

The envoys arrived with their presents and departed, whereupon Mary was informed: “The messengers of the Syrian king came only to kill your son.” She therefore took him and fled to Egypt, remaining there until he reached twelve years of age. During his childhood, signs of honor and miracles appeared through him.

Among these was the following incident: the village headman with whom they were lodging discovered that some money had gone missing from his house. Only the poor, the weak, and the needy ever stayed there, so he could not tell who had taken it. The matter distressed Mary, peace be upon her, and weighed heavily on the people and on

(1) The title in the edition is Manṣaʾ ʿĪsā ibn Maryam (The Origin of Jesus, son of Mary), may God have mercy on him, delineating the commencement of divine revelation to him from Allah the Exalted. (2) Page 168. (3) Al-Ṭabarī’s History, vol. 1, p. 595. In al-Ikāf it reads braḍʿat al-ḥimār (the donkey’s saddle). (4) In manuscript B: “walladhī” (and). See the hadith cited above on p. 243 concerning the birth of Jesus (peace be upon him). (5) As in the printed edition. In manuscript A: taḥadduqhu; in B: taḥadduquhā. In al-Ṭabarī’s History it is recorded that Iblīs saw the angels gazing intently at that spot. (6) In al-Ṭabarī’s History: The bearers of gifts passed by a king of Syria, who asked the meaning of this gift. They replied: “Gold is the sovereign of all commodities, and likewise this Prophet is the sovereign of his age; myrrh heals wounds and fractures, and thus God heals every patient through him; and frankincense’s smoke reaches the heavens when burned, unlike any other resin, so God will exalt this Prophet to the heavens, and in his time no one else will be raised there.” (7) Al-Ṭabarī’s History, vol. 1, p. 595 ff.

ذكر منشأ عِيسى ابن مريم (رحمه الله) ومرباه في صغره وصباه وَبيان بدء الوحي إليه من الله تعالى (١) قد تقدم أنه وُلد ببيت لحم (٢) قريبًا من بيت المقدس. وزعم وهْب بن منبّه أنه ولد بمصر، وأن مريم سافرت هي ويوسف بن يعقوب النجار وهي راكبة على حمار ليس بينها وبين الإكاف (٣) شيء. وهذا لا يصح. والحديث (٤) الذي تقدم ذكره دليل على أن مولده كان ببيت لحم كما ذكرنا، ومهما عارضه فباطلٌ. وذكر وهب بن منبه أنه لما وُلد خَرَّتِ الأصنام يومئذٍ في مشارق الأرض ومغاربها، وأن الشياطين حارت في سبب ذلك حتى كَشَف لهم إبليس الكبير أمرَ عيسى، فوجده في حجر أمه والملائكة مُحدقة به (٥) ، وأنه ظهر نجم عظيم في السماء، وأن ملك الفرس أشفق من ظهوزه، فسأل الكهنةَ عن ذلك فقالوا: هذا لمولدِ عظيمٍ في الأَرض، فبعث رُسُلَه ومعهم ذهب ومرٌّ ولبان (٦) هدية إلى عيسى، فلما قدموا الشام سألهم ملكها عمّا أقدمهم، فذكروا له ذلك، فسأل عن ذلك الوقت، فإذا قد ولد فيه عيسى ابن مريم ببيت المقدس واشتهر أمره بسبب كلامه في المهد، فأرسلهم إليه بما معهم وأرسل معهم من يعرفه له ليتوصل إلى قتله إذا انصرفوا عنه. فلما وصَلوا إلى مريم بالهدايا ورجعوا قيل لها: إن رسل ملك الشام إنما جاؤوا ليقتلوا ولدك فاحتملته فذهبت به إلى مصر فأقامت به حتى بلغ اثنتي عشرة سنةً، وظهرت عليه كرامات ومعجزات في حال صغره (٧) . فذكر منها أن الدهقان الذي نزلوا عنده افتقد مالًا من داره، وكانت داره لا يسكنها إلا الفقراء والضعفاء والمحاويج، فلم يدر من أخذه، وعزَّ ذلك على مريم (رضي الله عنها) ، وشَقّ على الناس وعلى

(١) العنوان في ط: منشأ عيسى بن مريم (رحمه الله) وبيان بدء الوحي إليه من اللّه تعالى. (٢) صفحة (١٦٨). (٣) تاريخ الطبري (١/ ٥٩٥). والإكاف: برذعة الحمار. (٤) في ب: والذي. والحديث المتقدم ص (٢٤٣). في ذكر ميلاد عيسى (عليه السلام) . (٥) كذا في ط. وفي أ: تحدقه. وفي ب: تحدقها. وفي تاريخ الطبري أن إبليس رأى الملائكة محدقين بذلك المكان. (٦) في تاريخ الطبري: أن حملة الهدايا مرُّوا بملك من ملوك الشام، فسألهم عن معنى هذه الهدية فقالوا: تلك أمثاله: لأن الذهب هو سيد المتاع كله، وكذلك هذا النبي هو سيد أهل زمانه. ولأن المر يُجْبَرُ به الجرح والكسر، وكذلك هذا النبي يشفي به الله كل سقيم ومريض. ولأن اللبان ينال دخانه السماء ولا ينالها دخان غيره، كذلك هذا النبي يرفعه الله إلى السماء لا يُرفع في زمانه أحد غيره. (٧) تاريخ الطبري (١/ ٥٩٥)، وما بعدها.