Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (6/213)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

“We have certainly conveyed the Word to them in succession, so that they may take heed. Those to whom We gave the Scripture before it believe in it.” (51–52)

Regarding His saying, “We have certainly conveyed the Word to them in succession,” Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: “Clearly.” Al-Farra said: “We sent down the verses of the Quran, one following another.” Qatadah said: “He conveyed the Word to them in this Quran”—that is, how He dealt with those who came before. Muqatil said: “He made clear to the disbelievers of Mecca, through the accounts in the Quran of the former nations, how they were punished (1) for their denial.” Ibn Zayd said: “We connected for them the account of this world with the account of the Hereafter (2), until it was as though they had witnessed the Hereafter while still in this world,” so that they might take heed.

“Those to whom We gave the Scripture before it,” that is, before Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. It is also said: before the Quran. “They believe in it.” This was revealed concerning the believing People of the Book: Abdullah ibn Salam and his companions (3). Muqatil said: Rather, they were followers of the Gospel who came from Abyssinia and believed in the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him (4).

Sa'id ibn Jubayr said: They were forty men who came with Ja'far from Abyssinia to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him (5). When they saw the hardship suffered by the Muslims, they said: “O Prophet of Allah, we possess wealth. If you permit us, we shall return (6), bring our wealth, and use it to support the Muslims.” He permitted them, so they returned, brought their wealth, and supported the Muslims with it (7). Thereupon, the following was revealed concerning them: “Those to whom We gave the Scripture,” up to His saying, Most High: “and from what We have provided them they spend” (8).

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, reported that it was revealed concerning eighty among the People of the Book: forty from Najran, thirty-two from Abyssinia, and eight from Syria (9). Then Allah described them, saying: “And when it is recited to them”

(1) In manuscript “A”: “How did they count?” (2) In manuscript “B”: “the good of this world for the good of the Hereafter.” (3) Reported by Ibn Abi Hatim from al-Suddi. See: al-Durr al-Manthur, 6:426; Zad al-Masir, 6:229; al-Bahr al-Muhit, 7:125. (4) See: al-Durr al-Manthur, 2:87. (5) The text within the parentheses is omitted in manuscript “A.” (6) The text within the parentheses is omitted in manuscript “A.” (7) The text within the parentheses is omitted in manuscript “A.” (8) Reported by Ibn Abi Hatim from Said ibn Jubayr. See: al-Durr al-Manthur, 6:427. Al-Tabarani also reported a longer similar narration from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, through a chain containing an unknown narrator. See al-Suyuti’s Asbab al-Nuzul, printed in the margin of Tafsir al-Jalalayn, p. 721, under the occasions of revelation of Surah al-Hadid. (9) See: Zad al-Masir, 6:229; Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 3:394-395. For the preceding discussion, see 2:85-87. Allah knows best which of these was the case. “Whoever the people were concerning whom these verses were revealed, the Quran refers the polytheists back to an event that occurred, which they knew and did not deny, in order to confront them directly with an example of sincere souls: how they receive this Quran, find reassurance in it, see the truth in it, and recognize its conformity with the Book in their possession. Neither caprice nor arrogance turns them away from it. For the sake of the truth in which they have believed, they endure the harm and insolence of the ignorant, and remain steadfast upon the truth in the face of desires and persecution.” See: Fi Zilal al-Quran, 5:2700-2701.

﴿وَلَقَدْ وَصَّلْنَا لَهُمُ الْقَوْلَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ (٥١) الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ هُمْ بِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ (٥٢) ﴾ ﴿وَلَقَدْ وَصَّلْنَا لَهُمُ الْقَوْلَ﴾ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ﵄: بَيِّنًا. قَالَ الْفَرَّاءُ: أَنْزَلْنَا آيَاتِ الْقُرْآنِ يَتْبَعُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا. قَالَ قَتَادَةُ: وَصَّلَ لَهُمُ الْقَوْلَ فِي هَذَا الْقُرْآنِ، يَعْنِي كَيْفَ صَنَعَ بِمَنْ مَضَى. قَالَ مُقَاتِلٌ: بَيِّنًا لِكَفَّارِ مَكَّةَ بِمَا فِي الْقُرْآنِ مِنْ أَخْبَارِ الْأُمَمِ الْخَالِيَةِ كَيْفَ عُذِّبُوا (١) بِتَكْذِيبِهِمْ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ زَيْدٍ: وَصَّلْنَا لَهُمْ خَبَرَ الدُّنْيَا بِخَبَرِ الْآخِرَةِ (٢) حَتَّى كَأَنَّهُمْ عَايَنُوا الْآخِرَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا، ﴿لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ﴾ ﴿الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ﴾ مِنْ قَبْلِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ. وَقِيلَ: مِنْ قَبْلِ الْقُرْآنِ، ﴿هُمْ بِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ﴾ نَزَلَتْ فِي مُؤْمِنِي أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ؛ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَلَامٍ وَأَصْحَابِهِ (٣) . وَقَالَ مُقَاتِلٌ: بَلْ هُمْ أَهْلُ الْإِنْجِيلِ الَّذِينَ قَدِمُوا مِنَ الْحَبَشَةِ وَآمَنُوا بِالنَّبِيِّ ﷺ (٤) . [وَقَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ: هُمْ أَرْبَعُونَ رَجُلًا قَدِمُوا مَعَ جَعْفَرٍ مِنَ الْحَبَشَةِ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ] (٥) ، فَلَمَّا رَأَوْا مَا بِالْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنَ الْخَصَاصَةِ قَالُوا: يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ إِنَّ لَنَا أَمْوَالًا [فَإِنْ أَذِنْتَ لَنَا انْصَرَفْنَا] (٦) وَجِئْنَا بِأَمْوَالِنَا فَوَاسَيْنَا الْمُسْلِمِينَ بِهَا [فَأَذِنَ لَهُمْ، فَانْصَرَفُوا فَأَتَوْا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ، فَوَاسَوْا بِهَا الْمُسْلِمِينَ] (٧) ، فَنَزَلَ فِيهِمْ: ﴿الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ﴾ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ﴾ (٨) . وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُمَا قَالَ: نَزَلَتْ فِي ثَمَانِينَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ، أَرْبَعُونَ مِنْ نَجْرَانَ، وَاثْنَانِ وَثَلَاثُونَ مِنَ الْحَبَشَةِ، وَثَمَانِيَةٌ مِنَ الشَّامِ (٩) . ثُمَّ وَصَفَهُمُ اللَّهُ فَقَالَ: ﴿وَإِذَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ﴾

(١) في "أ": كيف عدوا. (٢) في "ب": خير الدنيا بخير الآخرة. (٣) أخرجه ابن أبي حاتم عن السدي. انظر: الدر المنثور: ٦ / ٤٢٦، زاد المسير: ٦ / ٢٢٩، البحر المحيط: ٧ / ١٢٥. (٤) انظر الدر المنثور: ٢ / ٨٧. (٥) ما بين القوسين ساقط من "أ". (٦) ما بين القوسين ساقط من "أ". (٧) ما بين القوسين ساقط من "أ". (٨) أخرجه ابن أبي حاتم عن سعيد بن جبير، انظر: الدر المنثور: ٦ / ٤٢٧. وأخرج الطبراني نحوه مطولا عن ابن عباس ﵄ بسند فيه من لا يعرف. انظر: أسباب النزول للسيوطي بهامش تفسير الجلالين ص (٧٢١) في أسباب نزول سورة الحديد. (٩) انظر: زاد المسير ٦ / ٢٢٩، تفسير ابن كثير: ٣ / ٣٩٤-٣٩٥، وراجع فيما سبق: ٢ / ٨٥-٨٧. والله أعلم أي ذلك كان. "وأيا كان الذين نزلت في أمرهم هذه الآيات، فالقرآن يرد المشركين إلى حادث وقع، يعلمونه ولا ينكرونه، كي يقفهم وجها لوجه أمام نموذج من النفوس الخالصة كيف تتلقى هذا القرآن، وتطمئن إليه، وترى فيه الحق، وتعلم مطابقته لما بين أيديها من الكتاب. ولا يصدها عنه صاد من هوى ولا من كبرياء، وتحتمل في سبيل الحق الذي آمنت به ما يصيبها من أذى وتطاول من الجهلاء، وتصبر على الحق في وجه الأهواء ووجه الإيذاء". انظر: في ظلال القرآن: ٥ / ٢٧٠٠-٢٧٠١.