Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (7/168)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

if he says something, he does not lie; so I feared that the punishment might descend upon you. (1)

Muhammad ibn Kab al-Qurazi said: “I was told that Utbah ibn Rabiah was a dignified and forbearing leader. One day, while he was sitting among the assembly of Quraysh and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was sitting alone in the mosque, he said: ‘O people of Quraysh, shall I not go to Muhammad, speak with him, and offer him certain proposals? Perhaps he will accept some of them from us, and we will give him what he wants, so that he will leave us alone.’ This was after Hamzah had embraced Islam, and they saw that the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, were increasing in number. They said, ‘Yes, O Abu al-Walid; go to him and speak with him.’

“Utbah went and sat with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He said, ‘My nephew, you know the standing you hold among us: you belong to a numerous clan and possess a noble lineage. Yet you have brought your people a grave matter: you have divided their community, disparaged their understanding, condemned their gods, and declared the forefathers who have passed away to be unbelievers. So listen to me: I shall offer you some proposals for you to consider.’

“The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Speak, O Abu al-Walid.’

“He said, ‘My nephew, if by what you have brought you seek wealth, we shall gather from our wealth until you become the richest among us. If you seek honour, we shall make you our chief. And if what has come upon you is an apparition that you see and are unable to repel, we shall seek medical treatment for you. Perhaps this is poetry that has welled up in your breast; for, by my life, you, Banu Abd al-Muttalib, are capable of what no others are capable.’

“When he had finished, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Have you finished, O Abu al-Walid?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘Then listen to me.’ He replied, ‘I shall do so.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. Ha-Mim. This is a revelation from the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful: a Book whose verses are made distinct, an Arabic Quran.”

“He then continued reciting it. When Utbah heard it, he listened attentively, leaning back upon his hands, which he had placed behind him. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, continued until he reached the verse of prostration, whereupon he prostrated. He then said, ‘You have heard it, O Abu al-Walid; the matter is now yours to decide.’

“Utbah returned to his companions. Some of them said to one another, ‘By Allah, Abu al-Walid has returned to you with a face unlike the one with which he left.’ When he sat among them, they asked, ‘What news do you bring, O Abu al-Walid?’ He said, ‘I bring you the news that I have heard words the like of which, by Allah, I have never heard before. They are neither poetry, nor sorcery, nor soothsaying. O people of Quraysh, heed me: leave this man to what he is pursuing, and keep out of his way. By Allah, the words I have heard from him will surely have great consequence. If the Arabs overcome him, then others will have rid you of him; but if he prevails over the Arabs, his dominion will be your dominion, and his honour will be your honour, and through him you will be the happiest of people.’

“They said, ‘By Allah, O Abu al-Walid, he has bewitched you with his speech.’ He replied, ‘This is my counsel to you, so do whatever you see fit.’” (2)

“As for Aad, they behaved arrogantly in the land without any right, saying, ‘Who could be stronger than us?’ Did they not see that Allah, who created them, was stronger than they were? Yet they persistently rejected Our signs.” (15)

His, exalted is He, words: “As for Aad, they behaved arrogantly in the land without any right, saying, ‘Who could be stronger than us?’”

(1) Al-Suyuti, in al-Durr al-Manthur, 7:310, attributed it to al-Bayhaqi in al-Dala'il and to Ibn Asakir. Al-Ajlah is somewhat weak. (2) Al-Suyuti, in al-Durr al-Manthur, 7:309, attributed it to Ibn Ishaq, 1:293 of Sirat Ibn Hisham, as well as to Ibn al-Mundhir, al-Bayhaqi in al-Dala'il, and Ibn Asakir.

إِذَا قَالَ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَكْذِبْ، فَخِفْتُ أَنْ يَنْزِلَ بِكُمُ الْعَذَابُ. (١) وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَعْبٍ الْقُرَظِيُّ: حُدِّثْتُ أَنَّ عُتْبَةَ بْنَ رَبِيعَةَ كَانَ سَيِّدًا حَلِيمًا، قَالَ يَوْمًا وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ فِي نَادِي قُرَيْشٍ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ جَالِسٌ وَحْدَهُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ: يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ أَلَا أَقُومُ إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَأُكَلِّمُهُ وَأُعْرِضُ عَلَيْهِ أُمُورًا لَعَلَّهُ يَقْبَلُ مِنَّا بَعْضَهَا، فَنُعْطِيَهُ وَيَكُفَّ عَنَّا، وَذَلِكَ حِينَ أَسْلَمَ حَمْزَةُ وَرَأَوْا أَصْحَابَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَزِيدُونَ وَيَكْثُرُونَ، فَقَالُوا: بَلَى يَا أَبَا الْوَلِيدِ فَقُمْ إِلَيْهِ فَكَلِّمْهُ، فَقَامَ عُتْبَةُ حَتَّى جَلَسَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَقَالَ: يَا ابْنَ أَخِي إِنَّكَ مِنَّا حَيْثُ عَلِمْتَ مِنَ الْبَسْطَةِ فِي الْعَشِيرَةِ وَالْمَكَانِ فِي النَّسَبِ، وَإِنَّكَ قَدْ أَتَيْتَ قَوْمَكَ بِأَمْرٍ عَظِيمٍ، فَرَّقْتَ جَمَاعَتَهُمْ، وَسَفَّهْتَ أَحْلَامَهُمْ، وَعِبْتَ آلِهَتَهُمْ، وَكَفَّرْتَ مَنْ مَضَى مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ، فَاسْمَعْ مِنِّي أَعْرِضْ عَلَيْكَ أُمُورًا تَنْظُرُ فِيهَا، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: قُلْ يَا أَبَا الْوَلِيدِ، فَقَالَ: يَا ابْنَ أَخِي إِنْ كُنْتَ إِنَّمَا تُرِيدُ بِمَا جِئْتَ بِهِ مَالًا جَمَعْنَا لَكَ مِنْ أَمْوَالِنَا حَتَّى تَكُونَ أَكْثَرَنَا مَالًا وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تُرِيدُ شَرَفًا سَوَّدْنَاكَ عَلَيْنَا، وَإِنْ كَانَ هَذَا الَّذِي بِكَ رِئْيًا تَرَاهُ لَا تَسْتَطِيعُ رَدَّهُ طَلَبْنَا لَكَ الطِّبَّ، وَلَعَلَّ هَذَا شِعْرٌ جَاشَ بِهِ صَدْرُكَ، فَإِنَّكُمْ لَعَمْرِي بَنِي عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ يَقْدِرُونَ على ذلك عَلَى مَا لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ غَيْرُكُمْ، حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ رسول الله ﷺ: أو قد فَرَغْتَ يَا أَبَا الْوَلِيدِ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: فَاسْتَمِعْ مِنِّي، قَالَ: أَفْعَلُ، فَقَالَ ﷺ: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ "حم تَنْزِيلٌ مِنَ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ كِتَابٌ فُصِّلَتْ آيَاتُهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا"، ثُمَّ مَضَى فِيهَا يَقْرَأُ، فَلَمَّا سَمِعَهَا عُتْبَةُ أَنْصَتَ لَهُ، وَأَلْقَى يَدَيْهِ خَلْفَ ظَهْرِهِ مُعْتَمِدًا عَلَيْهِمَا يَسْتَمِعُ مِنْهُ، حَتَّى انْتَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى السَّجْدَةِ فَسَجَدَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: قَدْ سَمِعْتَ يَا أَبَا الْوَلِيدِ فَأَنْتَ وَذَاكَ، فَقَامَ عُتْبَةُ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ: نَحْلِفُ بِاللَّهِ لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ بِغَيْرِ الْوَجْهِ الَّذِي ذَهَبَ بِهِ، فَلَمَّا جَلَسَ إِلَيْهِمْ قَالُوا: مَا وَرَاءَكَ يَا أَبَا الْوَلِيدِ؟ فَقَالَ: وَرَائِي أَنِّي قَدْ سَمِعْتُ قَوْلًا وَاللَّهِ مَا سَمِعْتُ بِمِثْلِهِ قَطُّ، مَا هُوَ بِالشِّعْرِ وَلَا السِّحْرِ وَلَا الْكِهَانَةِ، يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ، أَطِيعُونِي، خَلُّوا مَا بَيْنَ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ وَبَيْنَ مَا هُوَ فِيهِ وَاعْتَزِلُوهُ، فَوَاللَّهِ لَيَكُونَنَّ لِقَوْلِهِ الَّذِي سَمِعْتُ نَبَأٌ، فَإِنْ تُصِبْهُ الْعَرَبُ فَقَدْ كُفِيْتُمُوهُ بِغَيْرِكُمْ، وَإِنْ يَظْهَرْ عَلَى الْعَرَبِ فَمُلْكُهُ مُلْكُكُمْ وَعِزُّهُ عِزُّكُمْ، فَأَنْتُمْ أَسْعَدُ النَّاسِ بِهِ، فَقَالُوا: سَحَرَكَ وَاللَّهِ يَا أَبَا الْوَلِيدِ بِلِسَانِهِ، قَالَ: هَذَا رَأْيِي لَكُمْ، فَاصْنَعُوا مَا بَدَا لَكُمْ. (٢) ﴿فَأَمَّا عَادٌ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَقَالُوا مَنْ أَشَدُّ مِنَّا قُوَّةً أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِي خَلَقَهُمْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَكَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَ (١٥) ﴾ قَوْلُهُ ﷿: ﴿فَأَمَّا عَادٌ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَقَالُوا مَنْ أَشَدُّ مِنَّا قُوَّةً﴾

(١) عزاه السيوطي في الدر المنثور: ٧ / ٣١٠ للبيهقي في الدلائل، وابن عساكر، والأجلح فيه لين. (٢) عزاه السيوطي في الدر المنثور: ٧ / ٣٠٩ لابن إسحاق: ١ / ٢٩٣ من (سيرة ابن هشام) ، وابن المنذر والبيهقي في الدلائل وابن عساكر.