Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah - Ibn Kathir - (2/326)

Al-Bidayah wa an-NihayahIbn Kathir

Over successive eras the ruling powers passed through many stages, the lands and those who dwelt in them were altered, the generation that had once known the youths vanished, others replaced them, and then they too departed and were succeeded by yet another people. Hence, when one of the sleepers—said to have been named Theodosius—ventured forth and entered the city in disguise lest any of his former countrymen recognise him, the whole region seemed unfamiliar to him, and the townsfolk who beheld him likewise found him strange. They were bewildered by his appearance, his bearing, and even the silver coins he carried.

It is related that they brought him before their governor, fearing he might be a spy or harbour some secret design that could harm them, and that he then slipped away from their custody. Another account states that he disclosed his own story and that of his companions, whereupon they accompanied him so that he might show them the cave. When they neared it, he went inside and informed his brothers of the reality of their situation and of the length of time they had slept, whereupon they realised that the entire matter was something Allah had decreed. Some reports say they remained lying as they were; others say they died thereafter.

As for the townspeople, some maintain that they never found the mouth of the cave at all, for Allah concealed it from them; others say they were physically unable to enter it; still others attribute this to the awe inspired by the sleepers.

The people then differed concerning what to do. Some said, “Build over them a structure,” meaning: seal the cave entrance so they cannot come out, or so nothing harmful can reach them. Others—those who carried the day—said, “We shall surely build a place of worship over them,” that is, a sanctuary made blessed by its proximity to these righteous men. Such practices were widespread among the communities before us. Under our Sacred Law, however, it is authentically reported in both Ṣaḥīḥ collections that the Messenger ﷺ said, “Allah has cursed the Jews and the Christians for turning the graves of their prophets into places of worship,” warning his ummah against following their example.

Concerning the Almighty’s words, “Thus We disclosed them to the people so that they might know that Allah’s promise is true and that the Hour is beyond doubt,” the verb “We disclosed” means: We made their affair known to the people. Many commentators say that this was so mankind would realise that the resurrection is real and that the Hour

(1) As stated in al-Usul. Ibn Jarir al-Tabari records in his Tafsir (vol. 15, pp. 143–44) that Theodosius was the reigning king, whereas the youth sent by the Companions of the Cave was called Yaminḥa; some manuscripts read Yamlikha. (2) In the Ṭ edition: ṣawla—a corruption. (3) In the B edition: al-qaryah (the village). (4) Al-Tabari, Tafsir, vol. 15, p. 142 ff. (5) Al-Tabari notes that scholars differ on the identity of those holding this opinion: some say they are Muslims, others say they are disbelievers (kuffar). Tafsir, vol. 15, p. 149. (6) Reported by al-Bukhari: nos. 435–437 (The Prayer, ch. 55, “Prayer at the Pledge”); no. 1330 (Funerals, ch. “What is disliked concerning building mosques over graves”); and no. 1390 (on the Prophet’s grave) via Aisha. Also in Muslim (530–531) in al-Masajid, ch. “Prohibition of building mosques over graves,” with the phrase “to warn against what they have done.” See also Fath al-Bari (1:532). The clause “to warn what they have done” is an independent addition by the narrator, as if asked about the wisdom of mentioning that at that moment and answered accordingly.

وقد تبدَّلت الدول أطواراً عديدةً، وتغيَّرت البلاد ومن عليها، وذهب أولئك القرن الذين كانوا فيهم، وجاء غيرُهم، وذهبوا وجاء غيرهم، ولهذا لما خرج أحدُهم وهو تيذوسيس (١) فيما قيل، وجاء إلى المدينة متنكراً لئلا يعرفه أحد من قومه فيما يحسبه تنكرت له البلاد واستنكره من يراه من أهلها واستغربوا شكله وصفته ودراهمه، فيقال: إنهم حملوه إلى متولِّيهم وخافوا من أمره أن يكون جاسوساً أو تكون له طوية (٢) يخشون من مضرتها فيقال: إنه هرب منهم. ويقال: بل أخبرهم خبرَه ومن معه وما كان من أمرهم، فانطلقوا معه ليُريهم مكانَهم، فلما قربوا من الكهف دخل إلى إخوانه فأخبرهم حقيقَة أمرهم ومقدار ما رقدوا، فعلموا أن هذا أمرٌ قدَّره الله، فيقال: إنهم استمرُّوا راقدين، ويقال: بل ماتوا بعد ذلك. وأما أهل البلدة (٣) فيقال: إنهم لم يهتدوا إلى موضعهم من الغار، وعمَّى الله عليهم أمرهم، ويقال: لم يستطيعوا دخوله حِسّاً، ويقال: مهابةً لهم (٤) . واختلفوا في أمرهم: فقائلون يقولون: ﴿ابْنُوا عَلَيْهِمْ بُنْيَانًا﴾ أي: سدُّوا عليهم بابَ الكهف لئلا يخرجوا أو لئلا يصلَ إليهم ما يؤذيهم. وآخرون، وهم الغالبون على أمرهم، قالوا: ﴿لَنَتَّخِذَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ مَسْجِدًا﴾ أي: معبداً يكون مباركاً لمجاورته هؤلاء الصالحين (٥) . وهذا كان شائعاً فيمَن كان قبلنا، فأما في شَرْعنا، فقد ثبت في " الصحيحين " عن رسول الله ﷺ أنه قال: " لَعَنَ اللّهُ اليهودَ والنصارَى اتّخذُوا قبورَ أنبيائهم مساجدَ " يُحذِّرُ ما فعلوا (٦) . وأما قوله تعالى: ﴿وَكَذَلِكَ أَعْثَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَأَنَّ السَّاعَةَ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهَا﴾ (فمعنى أعثرنا: أطلعنا على أمرهم الناس. قال كثير من المفسرين: ليعلم الناسُ أن المعاد حقٌّ وأن الساعة

(١) كذا في الأصول. وقد ذكر ابن جرير في تفسيره (١٥/ ١٤٣ و ١٤٤). أن تيذوسيس هو الملك الذي كان حاكماً وقتئذٍ، أما الفتى الذي أرسله أصحابه من الكهف فهو يمينحا. كما ذكر وفي بعض النسخ: يمليخا. (٢) في ط: صولة. وهو تحريف. (٣) في ب: القرية. (٤) تفسير الطبري (١٥/ ١٤٢). وما بعدها. (٥) أشار الطبري إلى أن قائلي هذا الرأي مختلف فيهم، فقيل: هم المسلمون، وقيل: هم الكفار. تفسيره (١٥/ ١٤٩). (٦) أخرجه البخاري: برقم (٤٣٥ - ٤٣٧)، في الصلاة، باب (٥٥) (الصلاة في البيعة)، ورقم (١٣٣٠)، في الجنائز، باب ما يكره من اتخاذ المساجد على القبور، ورقم (١٣٩٠) باب ما جاء في قبر النبي ﷺ ، من طريق عائشة رضي (عليه السلام) عنها. ومسلم (٥٣٠) و (٥٣١) في المساجد، باب النهي عن بناء المساجد على القبور، وقوله: يحذّر ما فعلوا. ورد في فتح الباري (١/ ٥٣٢) وفيه. وقوله: يحذر ما صنعوا جملة أخرى مستأنفة من كلام الراوي، كأنه سئل عن حكمة ذكر ذلك في ذلك الوقت فأجيب بذلك.