Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (5/419)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

the plural of a tale. It is also said to be the plural of a report. Al-Akhfash said: “This is used only in reference to evil. As for good, one does not say, ‘I made them tales’ or ‘a tale’; rather, one says, ‘So-and-so became a report.’” “So away with a people who do not believe!”

“Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron with Our signs and a clear proof, to Pharaoh and his chiefs; but they acted arrogantly and were a haughty people. They said, ‘Are we to believe in two human beings like ourselves, while their people are subject to us?’ So they denied them, and thus became among those destroyed. And We certainly gave Moses the Scripture so that they might be guided. And We made the son of Mary and his mother a sign, and gave them refuge on a high ground, a place of rest and flowing water.”

“Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron with Our signs and a clear proof”: that is, with manifest evidence, such as the hand and the staff, and other signs. “To Pharaoh and his chiefs; but they acted arrogantly”: they considered themselves too great to believe. “And they were a haughty people”: arrogant people who subjugated others through injustice.

“They said”—that is, Pharaoh and his people—“Are we to believe in two human beings like ourselves?” meaning Moses and Aaron, “while their people are subject to us?” That is, obedient and subservient to us. The Arabs call everyone who submits to a king his servant. “So they denied them, and thus became among those destroyed”: by drowning. “And We certainly gave Moses the Scripture”: the Torah, “so that they might be guided”: that is, so that his people might be guided by it.

“And We made the son of Mary and his mother a sign”: an indication of Our power. He did not say “two signs.” It is said that this means: their affair was a sign. It is also said that it means that We made each one of them a sign, as Allah the Exalted says: “Both gardens yielded their fruit” (Al-Kahf, 33).

“And We gave them refuge on a high ground”: a high ground is an elevated place on the earth. There are differing views concerning its location. Abdullah ibn Salam said: “It is Damascus,” and this was also the view of Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib and Muqatil. Al-Dahhak said: “It is the Ghouta of Damascus.” Abu Hurayrah said: “It is Ramla.” Ata', narrating from Ibn Abbas, said: “It is Jerusalem,” and this was also the view of Qatadah and Ka'b. Ka'b said: “It is the closest part of the earth to heaven, by eighteen miles.” Ibn Zayd said: “It is Egypt.” Al-Suddi said: “The land of Palestine.” (1)

“A place of rest”: that is, level, open, and spacious, upon which its inhabitants may settle. “And flowing water”: ma'in is running water that is visible to the eye. Grammatically, it is a passive participle derived from a verb used when something is perceived by sight.

(1) Al-Tabari cites these views (18/25-27), then states in preference: “The soundest interpretation is that it was an elevated place with a level surface and visible water. This is not the description of a sand dune, for a sand dune has no flowing water; whereas Allah, exalted is He, described this hill as possessing firm ground and flowing water.”

جَمْعُ أُحْدُوثَةٍ. وَقِيلَ: جَمْعُ حَدِيثٍ. قَالَ الْأَخْفَشُ: إِنَّمَا هُوَ فِي الشَّرِّ، وَأَمَّا فِي الْخَيْرِ فَلَا يُقَالُ جَعَلْتُهُمْ أَحَادِيثَ وَأُحْدُوثَةً، إِنَّمَا يُقَالُ صَارَ فُلَانٌ حَدِيثًا، ﴿فَبُعْدًا لِقَوْمٍ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ﴾ ﴿ثُمَّ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَى وَأَخَاهُ هَارُونَ بِآيَاتِنَا وَسُلْطَانٍ مُبِينٍ (٤٥) إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا وَكَانُوا قَوْمًا عَالِينَ (٤٦) فَقَالُوا أَنُؤْمِنُ لِبَشَرَيْنِ مِثْلِنَا وَقَوْمُهُمَا لَنَا عَابِدُونَ (٤٧) فَكَذَّبُوهُمَا فَكَانُوا مِنَ الْمُهْلَكِينَ (٤٨) وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ (٤٩) وَجَعَلْنَا ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ آيَةً وَآوَيْنَاهُمَا إِلَى رَبْوَةٍ ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ وَمَعِينٍ (٥٠) ﴾ ﴿ثُمَّ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَى وَأَخَاهُ هَارُونَ بِآيَاتِنَا وَسُلْطَانٍ مُبِينٍ﴾ أَيْ بِحُجَّةٍ بَيِّنَةٍ مِنَ الْيَدِ وَالْعَصَا. وَغَيْرِهِمَا. ﴿إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا﴾ تَعَظَّمُوا عَنِ الْإِيمَانِ، ﴿وَكَانُوا قَوْمًا عَالِينَ﴾ مُتَكَبِّرِينَ قَاهِرِينَ غَيْرَهُمْ بِالظُّلْمِ. ﴿فَقَالُوا﴾ يَعْنِي فِرْعَوْنَ وَقَوْمَهُ، ﴿أَنُؤْمِنُ لِبَشَرَيْنِ مِثْلِنَا﴾ يَعْنِي: مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ، ﴿وَقَوْمُهُمَا لَنَا عَابِدُونَ﴾ مُطِيعُونَ مُتَذَلِّلُونَ، وَالْعَرَبُ تُسَمِّي كُلَّ مَنْ دَانَ لِلْمَلِكِ: عَابِدًا لَهُ. ﴿فَكَذَّبُوهُمَا فَكَانُوا مِنَ الْمُهْلَكِينَ﴾ بِالْغَرَقِ. ﴿وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ﴾ التَّوْرَاةَ، ﴿لَعَلَّهُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ﴾ أَيْ لِكَيْ يَهْتَدِيَ بِهِ قَوْمُهُ. ﴿وَجَعَلْنَا ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ آيَةً﴾ دَلَالَةً عَلَى قُدْرَتِنَا، وَلَمْ يَقُلْ آيَتَيْنِ، قِيلَ: مَعْنَاهُ شَأْنُهُمَا آيَةٌ. وَقِيلَ: مَعْنَاهُ جَعَلْنَا كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا آيَةً، كَقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: "كِلْتَا الْجَنَّتَيْنِ آتَتْ أُكُلَهَا" (الكَهْفِ -٣٣) . ﴿وَآوَيْنَاهُمَا إِلَى رَبْوَةٍ﴾ الرَّبْوَةُ الْمَكَانُ الْمُرْتَفِعُ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ، وَاخْتَلَفَتِ الْأَقْوَالُ فِيهَا، فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَلَامٍ: هِيَ دِمَشْقٌ، وَهُوَ قَوْلُ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ وَمُقَاتِلٍ، وَقَالَ الضَّحَّاكُ: غُوطَةُ دِمَشْقَ. وَقَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ: هِيَ الرَّمَلَةُ. وَقَالَ عَطَاءٌ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: هِيَ بَيْتُ الْمَقْدِسِ، وَهُوَ قَوْلُ قَتَادَةَ وَكَعْبٍ. وَقَالَ كَعْبٌ: هِيَ أَقْرَبُ الْأَرْضِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ بِثَمَانِيَةَ عَشَرَ مِيلًا. وَقَالَ ابْنُ زَيْدٍ: هِيَ مِصْرُ. وَقَالَ السُّدِّيُّ: أَرْضُ فِلَسْطِينَ (١) . ﴿ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ﴾ أَيْ: مُسْتَوِيَةٍ مُنْبَسِطَةٍ وَاسِعَةٍ يَسْتَقِرُّ عَلَيْهَا سَاكِنُوهَا. ﴿وَمَعِينٍ﴾ فَالْمَعِينُ الْمَاءُ الْجَارِي الظَّاهِرُ الَّذِي تَرَاهُ الْعُيُونُ، مَفْعُولٌ مَنْ عَانَهُ يُعِينُهُ إِذَا أَدْرَكَهُ الْبَصَرُ.

(١) ذكر هذه الأقوال الطبري: ١٨ / ٢٥ - ٢٧ ثم قال مرجحا: "وأولى هذه الأقوال بتأويل ذلك: أنها مكان مرتفع ذو استواء، وماء ظاهر، وليس كذلك صفة الرملة، لأن الرملة لا ماء بها معين، والله تعالى ذكره وصف هذه الربوة بأنها ذات قرار ومعينط.