Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (8/309)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

Surah al-Nabaʾ (The Great News), Meccan (1)

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

“From what are they asking one another? (1) About the momentous news (2) concerning which they disagree. (3) No indeed! They will come to know. (4) Then again, no indeed! They will come to know.” (5)

The word ʿammā is originally ʿan mā; the letter nūn was assimilated into the mīm, and the alif of mā was omitted, as in fīma and bima. “From what are they asking one another?” That is: about what are these polytheists asking one another?

When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, called them to monotheism, informed them of the resurrection after death, and recited the Quran to them, they began asking one another, saying, “What has Muhammad brought?” Al-Zajjaj said: “The wording is interrogative, but its purpose is to magnify, as when you say, ‘What a man is Zayd?’ when you wish to emphasize his importance (3) and standing.”

He then mentioned what they were asking one another about, saying: “About the momentous news.” Mujahid and the majority said that it is the Quran, as indicated by His saying, “Say, ‘It is a momentous message’” (Sad 67). Qatadah said that it is the resurrection.

“Concerning which they disagree”: some affirm it, while others deny it. “No indeed! They will come to know”: kallā is a rejection of their claim; they will come to know the consequence of their denial when all matters are laid bare. “Then again, no indeed! They will come to know”: a threat added upon a threat.

Al-Dahhak said: “No indeed! They will come to know” refers to the disbelievers, while “Then again, no indeed! They will come to know” refers to the believers. Then He mentioned His acts of creation so that they might know His oneness, saying:

“Have We not made the earth a resting place, (6) and the mountains as pegs, (7) and created you in pairs, (8) and made your sleep a rest, (9) and made the night a covering, (10) and made the day for livelihood, (11) and built above you seven mighty heavens, (12) and made a blazing lamp, (13) and sent down from the rain clouds abundant pouring water?” (14)

“Have We not made the earth a resting place”: that is, a bed.

(1) Ibn al-Durays, al-Nahhas, Ibn Mardawayh, and al-Bayhaqi narrated from Ibn Abbas, and Ibn Mardawayh from Ibn al-Zubayr, that he said: Surat Amma yatasa'alun ("What are they asking one another about?") was revealed in Mecca. See: al-Durr al-Manthur, 8:389. (2) In manuscript B: "like their saying." (3) Omitted from manuscript B.

سُورَةُ النَّبَأِ مَكِّيَّةٌ (١) بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ ﴿عَمَّ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ (١) عَنِ النَّبَإِ الْعَظِيمِ (٢) الَّذِي هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ (٣) كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ (٤) ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ (٥) ﴾ ﴿عَمَّ﴾ أَصْلُهُ: "عَنْ مَا" فَأُدْغِمَتِ النُّونُ فِي الْمِيمِ وَحُذِفَتْ أَلِفُ "مَا" [كَقَوْلِهِ] (٢) "فِيمَ" وَ"بِمَ"؟ ﴿يَتَسَاءَلُونَ﴾ أَيْ: عَنْ أَيِّ شَيْءٍ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ، هَؤُلَاءِ الْمُشْرِكُونَ؟ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ لَمَّا دَعَاهُمْ إِلَى التَّوْحِيدِ وَأَخْبَرَهُمْ بِالْبَعْثِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ، وَتَلَا عَلَيْهِمُ الْقُرْآنَ جَعَلُوا يَتَسَاءَلُونَ بَيْنَهُمْ فَيَقُولُونَ: مَاذَا جَاءَ بِهِ مُحَمَّدٌ؟ قَالَ الزَّجَّاجُ: اللَّفْظُ لَفْظُ اسْتِفْهَامٍ وَمَعْنَاهُ التَّفْخِيمُ، كَمَا تَقُولُ: أَيُّ شَيْءٍ زَيْدٌ؟ إِذَا عَظَّمْتَ [أَمْرَهُ] (٣) وَشَأْنَهُ. ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ أَنَّ تَسَاؤُلَهُمْ عَمَّاذَا فَقَالَ: ﴿عَنِ النَّبَإِ الْعَظِيمِ﴾ قَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ وَالْأَكْثَرُونَ: هُوَ الْقُرْآنُ، دَلِيلُهُ: قَوْلُهُ: "قُلْ هُوَ نَبَأٌ عَظِيمٌ" (ص-٦٧) وَقَالَ قَتَادَةُ: هُوَ الْبَعْثُ. ﴿الَّذِي هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ﴾ فَمُصَدِّقٌ وَمُكَذِّبٌ ﴿كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ﴾ "كَلَّا" نَفْيٌ لِقَوْلِهِمْ، "سَيَعْلَمُونَ" عَاقِبَةَ تَكْذِيبِهِمْ حِينَ تَنْكَشِفُ الْأُمُورُ. ﴿ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ﴾ وَعِيدٌ لَهُمْ عَلَى إِثْرِ وَعِيدٍ. وَقَالَ الضَّحَّاكُ: "كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ" يَعْنِي الْكَافِرِينَ، "ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ" يَعْنِي: الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، ثم ذكر صنعائه لِيَعْلَمُوا تَوْحِيدَهُ فَقَالَ: ﴿أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ الْأَرْضَ مِهَادًا﴾ ﴿أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ الْأَرْضَ مِهَادًا (٦) وَالْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًا (٧) وَخَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا (٨) وَجَعَلْنَا نَوْمَكُمْ سُبَاتًا (٩) وَجَعَلْنَا اللَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا (١٠) وَجَعَلْنَا النَّهَارَ مَعَاشًا (١١) وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًا شِدَادًا (١٢) وَجَعَلْنَا سِرَاجًا وَهَّاجًا (١٣) وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ الْمُعْصِرَاتِ مَاءً ثَجَّاجًا (١٤) ﴾ ﴿أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ الْأَرْضَ مِهَادًا﴾ فِرَاشًا.

(١) أخرج ابن الضريس والنحاس وابن مردويه والبيهقي عن ابن عباس وابن مردويه عن ابن الزبير قال: نزلت سورة (عم يتساءلون) بمكة. انظر: الدر المنثور: ٨ / ٣٨٩. (٢) في "ب" كقولهم. (٣) ساقط من "ب".