Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (4/148)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

of Moses’s supplication and its answer: forty years (1).

“So remain steadfast” in delivering the message and calling to Allah, and carry out My command until the punishment comes upon them. “And do not follow”—this is a prohibition with the emphatic nūn, and it is grammatically in the jussive form. In the singular one says, “Do not follow,” with the nūn carrying fatḥah because of the meeting of two sukūns; in the dual it carries kasrah for the same reason. Ibn Amir recited it with the light nūn, since the nūn of emphasis may be pronounced either heavy or light. “The way of those who do not know”: that is, do not take the path of those who are ignorant of the reality of My promise, for My promise never fails, and My threat will surely befall Pharaoh and his people.

“And We took the Children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them in transgression and enmity, until, when drowning overtook him, he said, ‘I believe that there is no god except the One in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am among those who submit.’ Now? When you had previously disobeyed and were among the corrupters?” (90–91)

“And We took the Children of Israel across the sea”: that is, We brought them across it. “Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them”: they caught up with and reached them. One says “he pursued him” and “he followed him” when he catches up with and reaches him; while “he followed him,” with intensification, means that he walked behind him and took him as an example. It was also said that the two expressions have the same meaning.

“In transgression and enmity”: that is, wrongdoing and aggression. It was also said: transgression in speech and aggression in action. The sea had split apart for Moses and his people. When Pharaoh and his soldiers reached the sea, they feared entering it. Gabriel, peace be upon him, went ahead of them on a horse in heat (2) and entered the sea; the horses then charged in after him. Once the last of them had entered, and the first of them was about to emerge, the water closed over them.

His saying, Most High: “Until, when drowning overtook him”—that is, the water engulfed him and his destruction drew near—“he said, ‘I believe that...’” Hamzah and al-Kisa'i recited it with the initial vowel in the kasrah form, meaning: “I believed, and I said: Indeed...” The others recited it with the initial vowel in the fatḥah form, making it the object of “I believe”: “There is no god except the One in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am among those who submit.” Gabriel, peace be upon him, then thrust some of the sea’s mud into his mouth.

And He said: “Now? When you had previously disobeyed and were among the corrupters?” It is related from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “When Allah drowned Pharaoh, he said, ‘I believe that there is no god except the One in whom the Children of Israel believe.’ Gabriel, peace be upon him, said: ‘O Muhammad, had you seen me taking mud (3) from the sea and forcing it into his mouth, fearing lest mercy should reach him (4).’” (5)

When Moses informed his people of Pharaoh’s destruction, along with that of his people, the Children of Israel said, “Pharaoh has not died.” Allah then commanded the sea

(1) See al-Tabari, 15:187. (2) One says: atan (female donkey), faras (mare), duq, and wadiq; and wadaqat widaqan means that she desired the male. (3) In manuscript B: “hama' (mud).” (4) In manuscript A: “an aspect of mercy reaches him.” (5) Recorded by al-Tirmidhi in his commentary on Surah Yunus, 8:225; he said: “This hadith is hasan (sound).” It was authenticated by al-Hakim, with al-Dhahabi concurring, 1:57 and 4:249; also by Ibn Hibban, p. 432; al-Tabari, 14:190-192; al-Tayalisi, p. 341; and Imam Ahmad in al-Musnad, 1:340. See also al-Kafi al-Shaf, p. 85. Al-Zamakhshari claimed in al-Kashshaf that Jibril’s statement in the hadith, “for fear that mercy might reach him,” was “among the additions of those who falsely accuse Allah and His angels. It contains two errors: first, faith is in the heart, as in the faith of a mute person, and being in the sea does not prevent it; second, whoever dislikes the unbeliever’s faith and wishes him to remain in unbelief is himself an unbeliever, since approval of unbelief is unbelief.” Al-Kashshaf, 2:202. Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar responded: “This is an excessive display of ignorance concerning transmitted reports and disparagement of their scholars. The hadith, including its additional wording, is authentic. It was transmitted by al-Tirmidhi, who declared it authentic, as well as al-Nasai, Ibn Hibban, al-Hakim, Ishaq, al-Bazzar, and Abu Dawud al-Tayalisi, all through the narration of Shubah...” He then cited the reports with their chains of transmission and said: “As for the two objections mentioned by al-Zamakhshari, the hadith has a sound interpretation that does not entail what al-Zamakhshari alleged. Pharaoh was an unbeliever out of stubborn rejection. Do you not see from his story that, when the Nile ceased to flow, he went off alone and professed sincerity, whereupon the Nile flowed for him? Yet he then persisted in his tyranny and unbelief. Jibril feared that he might repeat this practice and profess sincerity with his tongue, so that Allah’s mercy might reach him and his punishment in this world be deferred, allowing him to continue in his error and tyranny. Thus, he put mud in his mouth to prevent him from uttering words that would bring this about. This is the meaning of the hadith; it entails neither ignorance nor approval of unbelief. Rather, complete ignorance lies with one who objects to an authentic transmitted report on the basis of his corrupt opinion. Moreover, even if his faith at that moment had been sincere in his heart, it would not have been accepted, because it occurred under compulsion. This is why the verse follows with: ‘Now, when you had disobeyed before?’ There is also an indication of this in Allah’s saying: ‘Their faith did not benefit them once they saw Our punishment.’” See al-Kafi al-Shaf, pp. 85-86.

مُوسَى وَإِجَابَتِهِ أَرْبَعُونَ سَنَةً (١) . ﴿فَاسْتَقِيمَا﴾ عَلَى الرِّسَالَةِ وَالدَّعْوَةِ، وَامْضِيَا لِأَمْرِي إِلَى أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ ﴿وَلَا تَتَّبِعَانِّ﴾ نَهْيٌ بِالنُّونِ الثَّقِيلَةِ، وَمَحَلُّهُ جَزْمٌ، يُقَالُ فِي الْوَاحِدِ: لَا تَتَّبِعَنَّ بِفَتْحِ النُّونِ؛ لِالْتِقَاءِ السَّاكِنَيْنِ، وَبِكَسْرِ النُّونِ فِي التَّثْنِيَةِ لِهَذِهِ الْعِلَّةِ. وَقَرَأَ ابْنُ عَامِرٍ بِتَخْفِيفِ النُّونِ لِأَنَّ نُونَ التَّأْكِيدِ تُثَقَّلُ وَتُخَفَّفُ، ﴿سَبِيلَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ﴾ يَعْنِي: وَلَا تَسْلُكَا طَرِيقَ الَّذِينَ يَجْهَلُونَ حَقِيقَةَ وَعْدِي، فَإِنَّ وَعْدِي لَا خُلْفَ فِيهِ، وَوَعِيدِي نَازِلٌ بِفِرْعَوْنَ وَقَوْمِهِ. ﴿وَجَاوَزْنَا بِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ الْبَحْرَ فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ وَجُنُودُهُ بَغْيًا وَعَدْوًا حَتَّى إِذَا أَدْرَكَهُ الْغَرَقُ قَالَ آمَنْتُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الَّذِي آمَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ (٩٠) آلْآنَ وَقَدْ عَصَيْتَ قَبْلُ وَكُنْتَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ (٩١) ﴾ . ﴿وَجَاوَزْنَا بِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ الْبَحْرَ﴾ عَبَرْنَا بِهِمْ ﴿فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ﴾ لِحِقَهُمْ وَأَدْرَكَهُمْ، ﴿فِرْعَوْنُ وَجُنُودُهُ﴾ يُقَالُ: "أَتْبَعَهُ وَتَبِعَهُ" إِذَا أَدْرَكَهُ وَلَحِقَهُ، و"اتَّبَعَهُ" بِالتَّشْدِيدِ إِذَا سَارَ خَلْفَهُ وَاقْتَدَى بِهِ. وَقِيلَ: هُمَا وَاحِدٌ. ﴿بَغْيًا وَعَدْوًا﴾ أَيْ: ظُلْمًا وَاعْتِدَاءً. وَقِيلَ: بَغْيًا فِي الْقَوْلِ وَعَدْوًا فِي الْفِعْلِ. وَكَانَ الْبَحْرُ قَدِ انْفَلَقَ لِمُوسَى وَقَوْمِهِ، فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ فِرْعَوْنُ بِجُنُودِهِ إِلَى الْبَحْرِ هَابُوا دُخُولَهُ فَتَقَدَّمَهُمْ جِبْرِيلُ عَلَى فَرَسٍ وَدِيقٍ (٢) وَخَاضَ الْبَحْرَ، فَاقْتَحَمَتِ الْخُيُولُ خَلْفَهُ، فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ آخِرُهُمْ وَهَمَّ أَوَّلُهُمْ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ انْطَبَقَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَاءُ. وَقَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿حَتَّى إِذَا أَدْرَكَهُ الْغَرَقُ﴾ أَيْ: غَمَرَهُ الْمَاءُ وَقَرُبَ هَلَاكُهُ، ﴿قَالَ آمَنْتُ أَنَّهُ﴾ قَرَأَ حَمْزَةُ وَالْكِسَائِيُّ "إِنَّهُ" بِكَسْرِ الْأَلْفِ أَيْ: آمَنْتُ وَقُلْتُ إِنَّهُ. وَقَرَأَ الْآخَرُونَ "أَنَّهُ" بِالْفَتْحِ عَلَى وُقُوعِ آمَنْتُ عَلَيْهَا ﴿لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الَّذِي آمَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ﴾ فَدَسَّ جِبْرِيلُ ﵇ فِي فِيهِ مِنْ حَمْأَةِ الْبَحْرِ. وَقَالَ: ﴿آلْآنَ وَقَدْ عَصَيْتَ قَبْلُ وَكُنْتَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ﴾ وَرُوِيَ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ﵄ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ: "لَمَّا أَغْرَقَ اللَّهُ فِرْعَوْنَ قَالَ: آمَنْتُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ، فَقَالَ جِبْرِيلُ ﵇: يَا مُحَمَّدُ فَلَوْ رَأَيْتَنِي وَأَنَا آخُذُ مِنْ حَالِ (٣) الْبَحْرِ فَأَدُسُّهُ فِي فِيْهِ مَخَافَةَ أَنْ تُدْرِكَهُ (٤) الرَّحْمَةُ" (٥) . فَلَمَّا أَخْبَرَ مُوسَى قَوْمَهُ بِهَلَاكِ فِرْعَوْنَ وَقَوْمِهِ قَالَتْ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ مَا مَاتَ فِرْعَوْنُ فَأَمَرَ اللَّهُ الْبَحْرَ

(١) انظر: الطبري: ١٥ / ١٨٧. (٢) يقال: أتان وفرس ودوق ووديق، وودقت وداقا: أرادت الفحل. (٣) في "ب" (حمأ) . (٤) في "أ": (يدركه جانب الرحمة) . (٥) أخرجه الترمذي في تفسير سورة يونس: ٨ / ٢٢٥، وقال: هذا حديث حسن، وصححه الحاكم ووافقه الذهبي: ١ / ٥٧، ٤ / ٢٤٩، وابن حبان ص (٤٣٢) ، والطبري: ١٤ / ١٩٠-١٩٢، والطيالسي ص (٣٤١) والإمام أحمد في المسند: ١ / ٣٤٠. وانظر: الكافي الشاف ص (٨٥) . وقد زعم الزمخشري في "الكشاف" أن ما جاء في الحديث من قول جبريل ﵇: "خشية أن تدركه الرحمة" "من زيادات الباهتين لله وملائكته. وفيه جهالتان: إحداهما أن الإيمان بالقلب، كإيمان الأخرس، فحال البحر لا يمنعه. والأخرى: أن من كره إيمان الكافر وأحب بقاءه على الكفر فهو كافر، لأن الرضا بالكفر كفر". الكشاف: ٢ / ٢٠٢. وردَّ عليه الحافظ ابن حجر فقال: "وهذا إفراط منه في الجهل بالمنقول والغضّ من أهله، فإن الحديث صحيح الزيادات، وقد أخرجه الترمذي وصححه، والنسائي، وابن حبان، والحاكم، وإسحاق، والبزار، وأبو داود الطيالسي كلهم من رواية شعبة ... ثم ساق الروايات بأسانيدها - ثم قال: وأما الوجهان اللذان ذكرهما الزمخشري، فللحديث توجيه وجيه، لا يلزم منه ما ذكره الزمخشري، وذلك أن فرعون كان كافرا كفر عناد.. ألا ترى إلى قصته حيث توقف النيل، وكيف توجه منفردا وأظهر أنه مخلص، فأجرى له النيل، ثم تمادى على طغيانه وكفره، فخشي جبريل أن يعاود تلك العادة فيظهر الإخلاص بلسانه فتدركه رحمة الله فيؤخره في الدنيا، فيستمر في غيه وطغيانه فدسَّ في فمه الطين، ليمنعه التكلم بما يقتضي ذلك. هذا وجه الحديث، ولا يلزم منه جهل ولا رضا بكفر. بل الجهل كل الجهل ممن اعترض على المنقول الصحيح برأيه الفاسد. وأيضا: فإن إيمانه في تلك الحالة -على تقدير أنه كان صادقا- بقلبه لا يقبل، لأنه وقع في حال الاضطرار، ولذلك عقب في الآية بقوله: "الآن وقد عصيت قبل" وفيه إشارة في قوله تعالى: "فلم يك ينفعهم إيمانهم لما رأوا بأسنا". انظر: الكافي الشاف ص (٨٥-٨٦) .