Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (8/301)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

Surah al-Mursalat (Those Sent Forth) is Meccan. (1)

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.

“By those sent forth in succession; by those that blow violently; by those that spread far and wide; and by those that separate decisively.”

“By those sent forth in succession”: that is, the winds, sent one after another like the mane of a horse. It was also said that this means in great abundance. The Arabs say, “The people came to so-and-so as one continuous throng,” when they turn toward him in large numbers. This is the meaning (2) of the statement of Mujahid and Qatadah. Muqatil said: It refers to the angels sent forth with what is right in Allah’s commands and prohibitions. This is also a narration from Masruq, from Ibn Mas‘ud.

“By those that blow violently”: that is, the winds that blow fiercely.

“By those that spread far and wide”: that is, the gentle winds. Al-Hasan said: They are the winds that Allah sends as glad tidings before His mercy. It was also said: They are the winds that spread the clouds and bring rain. Muqatil said: They are the angels who spread the Books. (3)

“And by those that separate decisively”: Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, and al-Dahhak said: This refers to the angels who bring that which distinguishes truth from falsehood. [Qatadah] (4) and al-Hasan said: They are the verses of the Quran, which distinguish between what is lawful and what is unlawful. And it is narrated from

(1) Ibn al-Durays, al-Nahhas, Ibn Mardawayh, and al-Bayhaqi narrated from Ibn Abbas that Surat al-Mursalat was revealed in Mecca. Al-Bukhari, Muslim, al-Nasai, and Ibn Mardawayh narrated from Ibn Masud: “While we were with the Prophet in a cave at Mina, Surat al-Mursalat was revealed to him. He was reciting it, and I was receiving it directly from his mouth, which was still moist with its recitation, when a snake sprang at him. The Prophet said, ‘Kill it!’ We rushed toward it, but it escaped. The Prophet then said, ‘You were spared its harm just as it was spared your harm.’” See al-Durr al-Manthur, 8:380. (2) Omitted in manuscript B. (3) Ibn Jarir cited these views, 29:230-231, then stated in preference: “The soundest view, in our opinion, is that God, exalted is He, swore by the spreaders that spread, without specifying one of them to the exclusion of another. The wind spreads the clouds, rain spreads over the earth, and the angels distribute the scriptures. There is no evidence that must be accepted indicating that only one of these, rather than another, is intended. Thus, it includes everything that spreads.” (4) In manuscript A: Muqatil.

سُورَةُ الْمُرْسَلَاتِ مَكِّيَّةٌ (١) بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ ﴿وَالْمُرْسَلَاتِ عُرْفًا (١) فَالْعَاصِفَاتِ عَصْفًا (٢) وَالنَّاشِرَاتِ نَشْرًا (٣) فَالْفَارِقَاتِ فَرْقًا (٤) ﴾ ﴿وَالْمُرْسَلَاتِ عُرْفًا﴾ يَعْنِي الرِّيَاحَ أُرْسِلَتْ مُتَتَابِعَةً كَعُرْفِ الْفَرَسِ. وَقِيلَ: عُرْفًا أَيْ كَثِيرًا تَقُولُ الْعَرَبُ: النَّاسُ إِلَى فُلَانٍ عُرْفٌ وَاحِدٌ، إِذَا تَوَجَّهُوا إِلَيْهِ فَأَكْثَرُوا، هَذَا [مَعْنَى] (٢) قَوْلِ مُجَاهِدٍ وَقَتَادَةَ. وَقَالَ مُقَاتِلٌ: يَعْنِي الْمَلَائِكَةَ الَّتِي أُرْسِلَتْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ وَنَهْيِهِ، وَهِيَ رِوَايَةُ مَسْرُوقٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ. ﴿فَالْعَاصِفَاتِ عَصْفًا﴾ يَعْنِي الرِّيَاحَ الشَّدِيدَةَ الْهُبُوبِ. ﴿وَالنَّاشِرَاتِ نَشْرًا﴾ يَعْنِي الرِّيَاحَ اللَّيِّنَةَ. وَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ: هِيَ الرِّيَاحُ الَّتِي يُرْسِلُهَا اللَّهُ بُشْرًا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَحْمَتِهِ. وَقِيلَ: هِيَ الرِّيَاحُ الَّتِي تَنْشُرُ السَّحَابَ وَتَأْتِي بِالْمَطَرِ. وَقَالَ مُقَاتِلٌ: هُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَنْشُرُونَ الْكُتُبَ (٣) . ﴿فَالْفَارِقَاتِ فَرْقًا﴾ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، وَمُجَاهِدٌ، وَالضَّحَّاكُ: يَعْنِي الْمَلَائِكَةَ تَأْتِي بِمَا يُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ الْحَقِّ وَالْبَاطِلِ. وَقَالَ [قَتَادَةُ] (٤) وَالْحَسَنُ: هِيَ آيُ الْقُرْآنِ تُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ الْحَلَالِ وَالْحَرَامِ. وَرُوِيَ عَنْ

(١) أخرج ابن الضريس، والنحاس، وابن مردويه، والبيهقي عن ابن عباس ﵄ قال: نزلت سورة المرسلات بمكة. وأخرج البخاري ومسلم والنسائي وابن مردويه عن ابن مسعود ﵁ قال: "بينما نحن مع النبي ﷺ في غار بمنى إذ نزلت عليه سورة المرسلات عرفا، فإنه يتلوها وإني لألقاها من فيه، وإن فاه لرطب بها إذ وثبت عليه حية، فقال النبي ﷺ: اقتلوها فابتدرناها فذهبت. فقال النبي ﷺ: وقيت شركم كما وقيتم شرها". انظر: الدر المنثور: ٨ / ٣٨٠. (٢) ساقط من "ب". (٣) ساق ابن جرير هذه الأقوال: ٢٩ / ٢٣٠-٢٣١، ثم قال مرجحا: "وأولى الأقوال في ذلك عندنا بالصواب أن يقال: إن الله تعالى ذكره أقسم بالناشرات نشرا، ولم يخصص شيئا من ذلك دون شيء، فالريح تنشر السحاب، والمطر ينشر الأرض، والملائكة تنشر الكتب، ولا دلالة من وجه يجب التسليم له على أن المراد من ذلك بعض دون بعض، فذلك على كل ما كان ناشرا". (٤) في "أ" مقاتل.