Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (7/438)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

Surah al-Rahman

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

“THE MOST MERCIFUL (1) taught the Quran (2); He created man (3) and taught him expression (4).”

Concerning “The Most Merciful,” it was said that this was revealed when they said, “And what is the Most Merciful?” (2) It was also said that it is an answer to the people of Mecca when they said, “It is only a human being who teaches him.”

“Taught the Quran”: Al-Kalbi said: He taught the Quran to Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. It was also said that “taught the Quran” means that He made it easy to remember.

“Created man”: that is, Adam, peace be upon him. This was stated by Ibn Abbas and Qatadah. “And taught him expression”: the names of everything. It was also said: He taught him all languages, and Adam spoke seven hundred thousand languages, the finest of which was Arabic.

Others said: “Man” is a generic term, referring to all people. “And taught him expression” means speech, writing, understanding, and making oneself understood, so that he came to know what he says and what is said to him. This is the view of Abu al-Aliyah, Ibn Zayd, and al-Hasan.

Al-Suddi said: He taught every people the language in which they speak.

Ibn Kaysan said: “Created man” means Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him; “and taught him expression” means the explanation of what has been and what will be, for he used to relate matters concerning the earlier and later peoples, and concerning the Day of Recompense.

(1) Al-Nahhas narrated from Ibn Abbas that Surat al-Rahman was revealed in Mecca. Ibn Mardawayh narrated from Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, who said: “Surat al-Rahman was revealed in Mecca.” Ibn Mardawayh also narrated from Aishah, who said: “Surat al-Rahman was revealed in Mecca.” See al-Durr al-Manthur, 7:689; al-Qurtubi, 17:151. (2) See al-Bahr al-Muhit, 8:187-188. (3) Omitted from manuscript A. (4) Added from manuscript B.

سُورَةُ الرَّحْمَنِ مَكِّيَّةٌ (١) بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ ﴿الرَّحْمَنُ (١) عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ (٢) خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ (٣) عَلَّمَهُ الْبَيَانَ (٤) ﴾ ﴿الرَّحْمَنُ﴾ قِيلَ: نَزَلَتْ حِينَ قَالُوا: وَمَا الرَّحْمَنُ؟ (٢) . وَقِيلَ: هُوَ جَوَابٌ لِأَهْلِ مَكَّةَ حِينَ قالوا: إنما يعمله بَشَرٌ. ﴿عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ﴾ قَالَ الْكَلْبِيُّ: عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ مُحَمَّدًا. وَقِيلَ: "عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ" يَسَّرَهُ لِلذِّكْرِ. ﴿خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ﴾ يَعْنِي آدَمَ ﵇، قَالَهُ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ وقَتَادَةُ. ﴿عَلَّمَهُ الْبَيَانَ﴾ أَسْمَاءَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، وَقِيلَ:عَلَّمَهُ اللُّغَاتِ كُلَّهَا، وَكَانَ آدَمُ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِسَبْعِمِائَةِ [أَلْفِ] (٣) لُغَةٍ أَفْضَلُهَا الْعَرَبِيَّةُ. وَقَالَ الْآخَرُونَ: "الْإِنْسَانُ" اسْمُ جِنْسٍ، وَأَرَادَ بِهِ جَمِيعَ النَّاسِ "عَلَّمَهُ الْبَيَانَ" النُّطْقَ وَالْكِتَابَةَ وَالْفَهْمَ وَالْإِفْهَامَ، حَتَّى عَرَفَ مَا يَقُولُ وَمَا يُقَالُ لَهُ. هَذَا قَوْلُ أَبِي الْعَالِيَةِ وَابْنِ زَيْدٍ وَالْحَسَنِ. وَقَالَ السُّدِّيُّ: عَلَّمَ كُلَّ قَوْمٍ لِسَانَهُمُ الَّذِي يَتَكَلَّمُونَ بِهِ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ كَيْسَانَ: "خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ" يَعْنِي: مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ "عَلَّمَهُ الْبَيَانَ" يَعْنِي بَيَانَ مَا كَانَ وَمَا يَكُونُ لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ يُبِينُ [عَنِ] (٤) الْأَوَّلِينَ وَالْآخَرِينَ وَعَنْ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ.

(١) أخرج النحاس عن ابن عباس ﵄ نزلت سورة الرحمن بمكة، وأخرج ابن مردويه عن عبد الله بن الزبير ﵁ قال: أنزل بمكة سورة الرحمن، وأخرج بن مردويه عن عائشة ﵄ قالت: نزلت سورة الرحمن بمكة. انظر: الدر المنثور: ٧ / ٦٨٩، القرطبي: ١٧ / ١٥١. (٢) انظر البحر المحيط: ٨ / ١٨٧-١٨٨. (٣) ساقط من "أ". (٤) زيادة من "ب".