Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (5/221)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

“O John, hold firmly to the Scripture.” And We gave him sound judgment while he was still a child, along with mercy from Us and purity; and he was devout. (12–13)

The words of Allah, exalted is He: “Then he came out to his people from the sanctuary.” The people were behind the sanctuary, waiting for him to open the door for them so that they could enter and pray. When Zachariah came out to them with his complexion changed, they found this strange and said, “What is the matter with you, Zachariah?” “Then he signaled to them”: that is, he gestured to them. Mujahid said: He wrote to them on the ground. “Glorify Allah”: that is, pray to Allah (1), “morning and evening.” Its meaning is that he would come out to his people morning and evening and instruct them to pray. Then, when the time came for his wife to conceive and he was prevented from speaking, he came out to them and instructed them by gesture to pray. (2)

The words of Allah, exalted is He: “O John.” It was said that there is an ellipsis here, the meaning being: “And We bestowed John upon him, and We said to him: ‘O John, hold firmly to the Scripture,’” meaning the Torah, “with determination,” that is, with earnestness. “And We gave him sound judgment.” Ibn Abbas said: “Prophethood,” “while he was still a child”; he was three years old.

It was also said that by “sound judgment” He meant understanding of the Scripture (3); thus, he read the Torah while still young.

It is related from some of the righteous predecessors: Whoever reads the Quran before reaching puberty is among those who were given sound judgment while still children. (4) “And mercy from Us”: mercy from Our presence. Al-Hutay'ah said to Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him:

“Show me compassion—may the Sovereign guide you—
For every occasion has words suited to it.” (5)

(1) Omitted from manuscript “A.” (2) Omitted from manuscript “B.” (3) This is the view regarded as most likely correct by al-Tabari and other scholars. (4) Reported by Ibn Mardawayh and al-Bayhaqi in Shuab al-Iman (Branches of Faith), from Ibn Abbas as a marfu report, attributed to the Prophet. Ibn Abi Hatim and al-Daylami also reported it as a mawquf report, stopping at Ibn Abbas. See al-Durr al-Manthur, 5:485; Kashf al-Khafa by al-Ajluni, 2:86; Kanz al-Ummal, no. 2452. (5) See Diwan al-Hutay'ah, p. 222; Tafsir al-Tabari, 16:57; al-Bahr al-Muhit, 6:177.

﴿يَا يَحْيَى خُذِ الْكِتَابَ بِقُوَّةٍ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْحُكْمَ صَبِيًّا (١٢) وَحَنَانًا مِنْ لَدُنَّا وَزَكَاةً وَكَانَ تَقِيًّا (١٣) ﴾ قَوْلُهُ ﷿: ﴿فَخَرَجَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ مِنَ الْمِحْرَابِ﴾ وَكَانَ النَّاسُ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْمِحْرَابِ يَنْتَظِرُونَهُ أَنْ يَفْتَحَ لَهُمُ الْبَابَ فَيَدْخُلُونَ وَيُصَلُّونَ، إِذْ خَرَجَ عَلَيْهِمْ زَكَرِيَّا مُتَغَيِّرًا لَوْنُهُ فَأَنْكَرُوهُ، وَقَالُوا: مَا لَكَ يَا زَكَرِيَّا؟ ﴿فَأَوْحَى إِلَيْهِمْ﴾ فَأَوْمَأَ إِلَيْهِمْ، قَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ: كَتَبَ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ، ﴿أَنْ سَبِّحُوا﴾ أَيْ: صَلُّوا لِلَّهِ (١) ﴿بُكْرَةً﴾ غُدْوَةً ﴿وَعَشِيًّا﴾ وَمَعْنَاهُ: أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَخْرُجُ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ بُكْرَةً وَعَشِيًّا فَيَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالصَّلَاةِ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ وَقْتُ حَمْلِ امْرَأَتِهِ وَمَنَعَ الْكَلَامَ حَتَّى (٢) خَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ فَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالصَّلَاةِ إِشَارَةً. قَوْلُهُ ﷿: ﴿يَا يَحْيَى﴾ قِيلَ: فِيهِ حَذْفٌ مَعْنَاهُ: وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ يَحْيَى وَقُلْنَا لَهُ: يَا يَحْيَى، ﴿خُذِ الْكِتَابَ﴾ يَعْنِي التَّوْرَاةَ ﴿بِقُوَّةٍ﴾ بِجَدٍّ ﴿وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْحُكْمَ﴾ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ﵄: النُّبُوَّةَ ﴿صَبِيًّا﴾ وَهُوَ ابْنُ ثَلَاثِ سِنِينَ. وَقِيلَ: أَرَادَ بِالْحُكْمِ فَهْمَ الْكِتَابِ (٣) فَقَرَأَ التَّوْرَاةَ وَهُوَ صَغِيرٌ. وَعَنْ بَعْضِ السَّلَفِ: مَنْ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَبْلُغَ فَهُوَ مِمَّنْ أُوتِيَ الْحُكْمَ صَبِيًّا (٤) . ﴿وَحَنَانًا مِنْ لَدُنَّا﴾ رَحْمَةً مِنْ عِنْدِنَا، قَالَ الْحُطَيْئَةُ لِعُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ ﵁: تَحَنَّنْ عَلَيَّ هَدَاكَ المَلِيكُ ... فَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ مَقَامٍ مَقَالًا (٥)

(١) ساقط من "أ". (٢) ساقط من "ب". (٣) وهو الراجح عند الطبري وغيره من العلماء. (٤) أخرجه ابن مردويه والبيهقي في "شعب الإيمان" عن ابن عباس مرفوعا. وأخرجه ابن أبي حاتم والديلمي موقوفا على ابن عباس أيضا انظر: "الدر المنثور": ٥ / ٤٨٥، "كشف الخفاء" للعجلوني: ٢ / ٨٦، كنز العمال برقم (٢٤٥٢) . (٥) انظر: "ديوان الحطيئة" ص (٢٢٢) ، "تفسير الطبري": ١٦ / ٥٧، "البحر المحيط": ٦ / ١٧٧.