Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (3/214)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

—that is, Our punishment—“by night” means at night, “or while they were resting at midday,” from qaylulah. Its implied meaning is: Our punishment came upon them at night while they were asleep, or by day while they were taking their midday rest—that is, sleeping at noon. Qaylulah is rest taken in the middle of the day, even if it is not accompanied by sleep. The meaning of the verse is that Our punishment came upon them while they were not expecting it, whether by night or by day. Al-Zajjaj said: “Or” indicates the varying occurrence of punishment: at one time by night and at another by day. It was also said that among the towns were those We destroyed by night, and others We destroyed by day.

If it is asked: What is the meaning of “We destroyed it, then Our punishment came upon it”? How can the coming of punishment be after destruction? It is said: The meaning of “We destroyed” is: We decreed its destruction, and then Our punishment came upon it. It was also said that “then Our punishment came upon it” explains His saying, “We destroyed it,” like someone saying, “You gave to me, and thus treated me kindly.” There is no difference between this and saying, “You treated me kindly, and thus gave to me.” Thus, one expression serves as an explanatory restatement of the other.

“Then their plea, when Our punishment came upon them, was only that they said, ‘Indeed, we were wrongdoers.’ (5) Then We shall surely question those to whom messengers were sent, and We shall surely question the messengers. (6) Then We shall surely recount to them with full knowledge, for We were never absent. (7) And the weighing on that Day will be just. Those whose scales are heavy—it is they who shall prosper. (8)”

“Then their plea” means their statement, invocation, and supplication. Da‘wa may mean a claim, and it may mean a supplication. Sibawayh said: The Arabs say, “O Allah, include us in the righteous supplication of the Muslims,” meaning, in their invocation. “When Our punishment came upon them”—that is, Our torment—“was only that they said, ‘Indeed, we were wrongdoers.’” This means that they were unable to repel the punishment; all that remained for them was to confess their wrongdoing at a time when such a confession was of no benefit.

“Then We shall surely question those to whom messengers were sent”: that is, the nations, concerning their response to the messengers. This is a question of rebuke, not a question seeking information. That is, We shall question them about what they did regarding that which the messengers conveyed to them. “And We shall surely question the messengers” concerning their conveyance of the message.

“Then We shall surely recount to them with full knowledge”: that is, We shall inform them with full knowledge. Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The record of their deeds will speak against them,” as Allah, exalted is He, says: “This, Our record, speaks against you in truth.” (Surah al-Jathiyah, 29) “And We were never absent”: from the messengers regarding what they conveyed, nor from the nations regarding how they responded.

His saying, exalted is He, “And the weighing on that Day will be just,” means: on the Day of questioning. Mujahid said: Its meaning is that judgment on that Day will be just. The majority held that it refers to weighing deeds on the Balance. For Allah, exalted is He, will set up a Balance with a pointer and two pans, each pan being as vast as the distance between east and west.

عَذَابُنَا، ﴿بَيَاتًا﴾ لَيْلًا ﴿أَوْ هُمْ قَائِلُونَ﴾ مِنَ الْقَيْلُولَةِ، تَقْدِيرُهُ: فَجَاءَهَا بَأْسُنَا لَيْلًا وَهُمْ نَائِمُونَ، أَوْ نَهَارًا وَهُمْ قَائِلُونَ، أَيْ نَائِمُونَ ظَهِيرَةً، وَالْقَيْلُولَةُ الِاسْتِرَاحَةُ نِصْفَ النَّهَارِ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ مَعَهَا نَوْمٌ. وَمَعْنَى الْآيَةِ: أَنَّهُمْ جَاءَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا وَهُمْ غَيْرُ مُتَوَقِّعِينَ لَهُ إِمَّا لَيْلًا أَوْ نَهَارًا. قَالَ الزَّجَّاجُ: وَ"أَوْ" لِتَصْرِيفِ الْعَذَابِ، مَرَّةً لَيْلًا وَمَرَّةً نَهَارًا، وَقِيلَ: مَعْنَاهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَى مَنْ أَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ لَيْلًا وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ أَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ نَهَارًا. فَإِنْ قِيلَ: مَا مَعْنَى أَهْلَكْنَاهَا فَجَاءَهَا بَأْسُنَا؟ فَكَيْفَ يَكُونُ مَجِيءُ الْبَأْسِ بَعْدَ الْهَلَاكِ؟ قِيلَ: مَعْنَى قَوْلِهِ: "أَهْلَكْنَا" أَيْ: حَكَمْنَا بِإِهْلَاكِهَا فَجَاءَهَا بَأْسُنَا. وَقِيلَ: فَجَاءَهَا بَأْسُنَا هُوَ بَيَانُ قَوْلِهِ "أَهْلَكْنَاهَا" مِثْلَ قَوْلِ الْقَائِلِ: أَعْطَيْتَنِي فَأَحْسَنْتَ إِلَيَّ، لَا فَرْقَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ قَوْلِهِ: أَحْسَنْتَ إِلَيَّ فَأَعْطَيْتَنِي، فَيَكُونُ أَحَدُهُمَا بَدَلًا مِنَ الْآخَرِ. ﴿فَمَا كَانَ دَعْوَاهُمْ إِذْ جَاءَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا إِلَّا أَنْ قَالُوا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ (٥) فَلَنَسْأَلَنَّ الَّذِينَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَنَسْأَلَنَّ الْمُرْسَلِينَ (٦) فَلَنَقُصَّنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ بِعِلْمٍ وَمَا كُنَّا غَائِبِينَ (٧) وَالْوَزْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْحَقُّ فَمَنْ ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ (٨) ﴾ ﴿فَمَا كَانَ دَعْوَاهُمْ﴾ أَيْ: قَوْلُهُمْ وَدُعَاؤُهُمْ وَتَضَرُّعُهُمْ، وَالدَّعْوَى تَكُونُ بِمَعْنَى الِادِّعَاءِ وَبِمَعْنَى الدُّعَاءِ، قَالَ سِيبَوَيْهِ: تَقُولُ الْعَرَبُ اللَّهُمَّ أَشْرِكْنَا فِي صَالِحِ دَعْوَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَيْ فِي دُعَائِهِمْ، ﴿إِذْ جَاءَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا﴾ عَذَابُنَا، ﴿إِلَّا أَنْ قَالُوا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ﴾ مَعْنَاهُ لَمْ يَقْدِرُوا عَلَى رَدِّ الْعَذَابِ، وَكَانَ حَاصِلَ أَمْرِهِمُ الِاعْتِرَافُ بِالْجِنَايَةِ حِينَ لَا يَنْفَعُ الِاعْتِرَافُ. ﴿فَلَنَسْأَلَنَّ الَّذِينَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ﴾ يَعْنِي: الْأُمَمَ عَنْ إِجَابَتِهِمُ الرُّسُلَ، وَهَذَا سُؤَالُ تَوْبِيخٍ لَا سُؤَالُ اسْتِعْلَامٍ، يَعْنِي: لَنَسْأَلُهُمْ عَمَّا عَمِلُوا فِيمَا بَلَّغَتْهُمُ الرُّسُلُ، ﴿وَلَنَسْأَلَنَّ الْمُرْسَلِينَ﴾ عَنِ الْإِبْلَاغِ. ﴿فَلَنَقُصَّنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ بِعِلْمٍ﴾ أَيْ: لَنُخْبِرَنَّهُمْ عَنْ عِلْمٍ. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ﵄: يَنْطِقُ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَابُ أَعْمَالِهِمْ، كَقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: (هَذَا كِتَابُنَا يَنْطِقُ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْحَقِّ) . (الْجَاثِيَةِ، ٢٩) ، ﴿وَمَا كُنَّا غَائِبِينَ﴾ عَنِ الرُّسُلِ فِيمَا بَلَّغُوا، وَعَنِ الْأُمَمِ فِيمَا أَجَابُوا. قَوْلُهُ ﷿: ﴿وَالْوَزْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْحَقُّ﴾ يَعْنِي: يَوْمَ السُّؤَالِ، قَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ: مَعْنَاهُ وَالْقَضَاءُ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْعَدْلُ. وَقَالَ الْأَكْثَرُونَ: أَرَادَ بِهِ وَزْنَ الْأَعْمَالِ بِالْمِيزَانِ، وَذَاكَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى يَنْصِبُ مِيزَانًا لَهُ لِسَانٌ وَكِفَّتَانِ كُلُّ كِفَّةٍ بِقَدْرِ مَا بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ.