Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (5/197)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

“I did not do it of my own accord”; that is, by my own choice and judgment. Rather, I did it by Allah’s command and inspiration. “That is the explanation of what you could not bear patiently”; that is, what you were unable to endure patiently. Istaṭāʿa and isṭāʿa have the same meaning.

It is reported that, when Moses wished to part from him, he said, “Give me counsel.” He replied, “Do not seek knowledge merely to relate it; rather, seek it in order to act upon it.”

They differed over whether al-Khidr is alive or dead. (1) It was said that al-Khidr and Elijah are alive and meet each year during the pilgrimage season. (2) According to what is related, the reason for his continued life was that he drank from the Fountain of Life. Dhul-Qarnayn had entered the land of darkness in search of the Fountain of Life, and al-Khidr was at the head of his forces. Al-Khidr came upon the fountain, descended, bathed, performed ablution, drank from it, and prayed in gratitude to Allah; but Dhul-Qarnayn missed the way and returned. (3) (4)

Others held that he is dead, citing the words of the Exalted: “We have not granted immortality to any human before you.” (al-Anbiya 21:34)

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said one night after praying the night prayer: “Do you see this night of yours? At the end of one hundred years from it, none of those who are alive today upon the face of the earth will remain.” (5) Had al-Khidr been alive, he would not have remained alive after him.

“And they ask you about Dhul-Qarnayn. Say, ‘I will recount to you something of his story.’” (83)

His words, exalted is He, “And they ask you about Dhul-Qarnayn. Say, ‘I will recount to you something of his story,’” mean: an account. They differed as to whether he was a prophet. Some said that he was a prophet. (6)

[Abu al-Tufayl said: Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, was asked about Dhul-Qarnayn: “Was he a prophet”] (7) or a king? He replied, “He was neither a prophet nor a king. Rather, he was a servant who loved Allah, and Allah loved him; he was sincere toward Allah, and Allah was sincere toward him.” (8)

(1) See the preceding comment on verse 65 of the surah. (2) A weak report. See Ibn Hajar, al-Zahr al-Nadir, 2:201 (Majmu'at al-Rasa'il al-Muniriyyah). (3) Added from manuscript B. (4) The preceding reference, 2:200-201. See also Ibn Kathir, 3:101. He likewise indicated the weakness of the account as narrated by al-Tabari. Al-Qurtubi, 11:41, said: “All these reports have no sound basis.” (5) Reported by al-Bukhari, Kitab Mawaqit al-Salah, chapter: “Conversing after the night prayer concerning knowledge and good,” 2:73-74; Muslim, Kitab Fada'il al-Sahabah, chapter on the Prophet’s saying, “No living soul upon the earth will remain after one hundred years,” no. 2537, 4:1965; and by the compiler in Sharh al-Sunnah, 2:192-193. See also Ibn Hajar, al-Zahr al-Nadir, 2:205-207 (Majmu'at al-Rasa'il al-Muniriyyah). Ibn Umar said in the same narration: “People misunderstood that statement of the Messenger of Allah concerning the reports they related about one hundred years. The Messenger of Allah only meant: ‘None of those who are upon the earth will remain,’ meaning that that generation would come to an end and pass away.” (6) This was stated by Abdullah ibn Amr and al-Dahhak ibn Muzahim. See Zad al-Masir, 5:184; al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, 2:103. (7) The text within parentheses is omitted from manuscript B. (8) See al-Tabari, 16:8.

﴿وَمَا فَعَلْتُهُ عَنْ أَمْرِي﴾ أَيْ بِاخْتِيَارِي وَرَأْيِي بَلْ فَعَلْتُهُ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ وَإِلْهَامِهِ ﴿ذَلِكَ تَأْوِيلُ مَا لَمْ تَسْطِعْ عَلَيْهِ صَبْرًا﴾ أَيْ لَمْ تُطِقْ عَلَيْهِ صَبْرًا وَ"اسْتَطَاعَ" وَ"اسْطَاعَ" بِمَعْنًى وَاحِدٍ. رُوِيَ أَنَّ مُوسَى لَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يُفَارِقَهُ قَالَ لَهُ: أَوْصِنِي، قَالَ: لَا تَطْلُبِ الْعِلْمَ لِتُحَدِّثَ بِهِ وَاطْلُبْهُ لِتَعْمَلَ بِهِ. وَاخْتَلَفُوا فِي أَنَّ الْخَضِرَ حَيٌّ أَمْ مَيِّتٌ (١) ؟ قِيلَ: إِنَّ الْخَضِرَ وَإِلْيَاسَ حَيَّانِ يَلْتَقِيَانِ كُلَّ سَنَةٍ بِالْمَوْسِمِ (٢) . وَكَانَ سَبَبُ حَيَاتِهِ فِيمَا يُحْكَى أَنَّهُ شَرِبَ مِنْ عَيْنِ الْحَيَاةِ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ دَخَلَ الظُّلُمَاتِ لِطَلَبِ عَيْنِ الْحَيَاةِ. وَكَانَ الْخَضِرُ عَلَى مُقَدَّمَتِهِ فَوَقَعَ الْخَضِرُ عَلَى الْعَيْنِ فَنَزَلَ وَاغْتَسَلَ وَتَوَضَّأَ (٣) وَشَرِبَ وَصَلَّى شُكْرًا لِلَّهِ ﷿ وَأَخْطَأَ ذُو الْقَرْنَيْنِ الطَّرِيقَ فَعَادَ (٤) . وَذَهَبَ آخَرُونَ إِلَى أَنَّهُ مَيِّتٌ لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: "وَمَا جَعَلْنَا لِبَشَرٍ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ الْخُلْدَ" (الْأَنْبِيَاءِ-٣٤) . وَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ بَعْدَمَا صَلَّى الْعَشَاءَ لَيْلَةً: "أَرَأَيْتُكُمْ لَيْلَتَكُمْ هَذِهِ؟ فَإِنَّ عَلَى رَأْسِ مِائَةِ سَنَةٍ مِنْهَا لَا يَبْقَى مِمَّنْ هُوَ الْيَوْمَ حَيٌّ عَلَى ظَهْرِ الْأَرْضِ أَحَدٌ" (٥) . وَلَوْ كَانَ الْخَضِرُ حَيًّا لَكَانَ لَا يَعِيشُ بَعْدَهُ". ﴿وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا (٨٣) ﴾ قَوْلُهُ ﷿: ﴿وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا﴾ خَبَرًا وَاخْتَلَفُوا فِي نُبُوَّتِهِ: فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: كَانَ نَبِيًّا (٦) . [وَقَالَ أَبُو الطُّفَيْلِ: سُئِلَ عَلِيٌّ ﵁ عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ أَكَانَ نَبِيًّا] (٧) أَمْ مَلِكًا؟ قَالَ: لَمْ يَكُنْ نَبِيًّا وَلَا مَلِكًا وَلَكِنْ كَانَ عَبْدًا أَحَبَّ اللَّهَ وَأَحَبَّهُ اللَّهُ، نَاصَحَ اللَّهَ فَنَاصَحَهُ اللَّهُ (٨) .

(١) انظر فيما سبق التعليق على الآية (٦٥) من السورة. (٢) خبر ضعيف. انظر: الزهر النضر لابن حجر: ٢ / ٢٠١ (مجموعة الرسائل المنيرية) . (٣) زيادة من "ب". (٤) المرجع السابق: ٢ / ٢٠٠-٢٠١، وانظر: ابن كثير: ٣ / ١٠١، وأشار إلى ضعف القصة من رواية الطبري بنحوه، القرطبي: ١١ / ٤١ وقال: هذه الروايات كلها لا تقوم على ساق. (٥) أخرجه البخاري في مواقيت الصلاة باب السمر في الفقه والخير بعد العشاء: ٢ / ٧٣-٧٤، ومسلم في فضائل الصحابة، باب قوله ﷺ: "لا تأتي مائة سنة وعلى الأرض نفس منفوسة" برقم (٢٥٣٧) : ٤ / ١٩٦٥، والمصنف في شرح السنة: ٢ / ١٩٢-١٩٣. وانظر: الزهر النضر لابن الحجر: ٢ / ٢٠٥-٢٠٧ (مجموعة الرسائل المنيرية) قال ابن عمر ﵄ -في الرواية نفسها: "فوهل الناس من مقالة رسول الله ﷺ تلك، فيما يتحدثون من هذه الأحاديث، عن مائة سنة، وإنما قال رسول الله ﷺ: لايبقى ممن هو على ظهر الأرض أحد، يريد بذلك: أن ينخرم ذلك القرن" أي: ينقطع وينقضي. (٦) قاله عبد الله بن عمرو، والضحاك بن مزاحم. انظر: زاد المسير: ٥ / ١٨٤، البداية والنهاية: ٢ / ١٠٣. (٧) ما بين القوسين ساقط من "ب". (٨) انظر: الطبري: ١٦ / ٨.