Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (7/188)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

“As for those who dispute concerning Allah after people have responded to Him, their argument is invalid before their Lord; upon them is wrath, and theirs will be a severe punishment. (16) It is Allah who has sent down the Book with the truth and the Balance. And what could make you know? Perhaps the Hour is near. (17) Those who do not believe in it seek to hasten it, whereas those who believe are fearful of it and know that it is the truth. Indeed, those who dispute concerning the Hour are far astray.” (18)

“As for those who dispute concerning Allah”: that is, they dispute with His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, concerning Allah’s religion. Qatadah said: “They are the Jews. They said, ‘Our Book came before your Book, and our prophet came before your prophet; therefore, we are better than you.’ This was their contention.” (1)

“After people have responded to Him”: [that is, responded to him] (2) and embraced Islam and entered his religion, due to the manifestness of his miracle. “Their argument is invalid”: their contention is false. “Before their Lord; upon them is wrath, and theirs will be a severe punishment”: in the Hereafter.

“It is Allah who has sent down the Book with the truth and the Balance.” Qatadah, Mujahid, and Muqatil said: Justice was called a balance because the balance is an instrument of fairness and equality. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: Allah Most High commanded giving full measure and prohibited shortchanging.

“And what could make you know? Perhaps the Hour is near.” He did not say “near” in the feminine form because its feminine gender is figurative; the intended meaning is “the time.” Al-Kisa’i said: “Its coming is near.” Muqatil said: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, mentioned the Hour while a group of polytheists were with him. Denying it, they said, “When will the Hour come?” So Allah sent down this verse: “Those who do not believe in it seek to hasten it,” thinking that it would never come; “whereas those who believe are fearful of it,” that is, afraid of it, “and know that it is the truth”: that it is surely coming, without doubt.

(1) See al-Tabari, 25:19. (2) Added from manuscript B.

﴿وَالَّذِينَ يُحَاجُّونَ فِي اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا اسْتُجِيبَ لَهُ حُجَّتُهُمْ دَاحِضَةٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ (١٦) اللَّهُ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ وَالْمِيزَانَ وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ السَّاعَةَ قَرِيبٌ (١٧) يَسْتَعْجِلُ بِهَا الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهَا وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مُشْفِقُونَ مِنْهَا وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهَا الْحَقُّ أَلَا إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُمَارُونَ فِي السَّاعَةِ لَفِي ضَلَالٍ بَعِيدٍ (١٨) ﴾ ﴿وَالَّذِينَ يُحَاجُّونَ فِي اللَّهِ﴾ يُخَاصِمُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى نَبِيَّهُ ﷺ. وَقَالَ قَتَادَةُ: هُمُ الْيَهُودُ قَالُوا: كِتَابُنَا قَبْلَ كِتَابِكُمْ، وَنَبِيُّنَا قَبْلَ نَبِيِّكُمْ، فَنَحْنُ خَيْرٌ مِنْكُمْ، فَهَذِهِ خُصُومَتُهُمْ. (١) ﴿مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا اسْتُجِيبَ لَهُ﴾ [أَيْ: اسْتَجَابَ لَهُ] (٢) النَّاسُ فَأَسْلَمُوا وَدَخَلُوا فِي دِينِهِ لِظُهُورِ مُعْجِزَتِهِ، ﴿حُجَّتُهُمْ دَاحِضَةٌ﴾ خُصُومَتُهُمْ بَاطِلَةٌ، ﴿عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ﴾ فِي الْآخِرَةِ. ﴿اللَّهُ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ وَالْمِيزَانَ﴾ قَالَ قَتَادَةُ، وَمُجَاهِدٌ، وَمُقَاتِلٌ: سُمِّيَ الْعَدْلُ مِيزَانًا لِأَنَّ الْمِيزَانَ آلَةُ الْإِنْصَافِ وَالتَّسْوِيَةِ. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ﵄: أَمَرَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِالْوَفَاءِ، وَنَهَى عَنِ الْبَخْسِ ﴿وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ السَّاعَةَ قَرِيبٌ﴾ وَلَمْ يَقُلْ قَرِيبَةً لِأَنَّ تَأْنِيثَهَا غَيْرُ حَقِيقِيٍّ، وَمَجَازُهُ: الْوَقْتُ. وَقَالَ الْكِسَائِيُّ: إِتْيَانُهَا قَرِيبٌ. قَالَ مُقَاتِلٌ: ذَكَرَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ السَّاعَةَ وَعِنْدَهُ قَوْمٌ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ، قَالُوا تَكْذِيبًا: مَتَى تَكُونُ السَّاعَةُ؟ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ: ﴿يَسْتَعْجِلُ بِهَا الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهَا﴾ ظَنًّا مِنْهُمْ أَنَّهَا غَيْرُ آتِيَةٍ، ﴿وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مُشْفِقُونَ﴾ أَيْ: خَائِفُونَ، ﴿مِنْهَا وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهَا الْحَقُّ﴾ أَنَّهَا آتِيَةٌ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهَا،

(١) انظر: الطبري: ٢٥ / ١٩. (٢) زيادة من "ب".