Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (8/537)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

Mecca’s caravan, who feeds the people in the plains and the wild beasts on the mountain peaks. The king has taken two hundred of his camels. If you are able to help him with the king, then do so, for he is a friend of mine, and I would be pleased by any kindness shown to him.”

Unays then went in to Abraha and said, “O King, this is the chief of Quraysh and the owner of Mecca’s caravan, who feeds the people in the plains and the wild beasts on the mountain peaks. He seeks permission to come before you, and I would like you to grant him leave to speak with you. He has come neither to oppose you nor to fight you.” So he granted him permission.

Abd al-Muttalib was a man of imposing stature and handsome appearance. When Abraha saw him, he held him in high esteem and honored him. Yet he did not wish either to seat him with him upon the throne or to have him sit beneath him. So he stepped down ⦗200/b⦘ onto the carpet, sat upon it, and then summoned him and seated him beside him. He then said to his interpreter, “Ask him: What is your request of the king?”

The interpreter conveyed this to him, and Abd al-Muttalib replied, “My request of the king is that he restore to me the two hundred camels he has taken.”

Abraha said to his interpreter, “Tell him: When I first saw you, I was impressed by you, but now I have lost all regard for you.” Abd al-Muttalib said,(1) “Why?”

He said, “I have come to destroy a House which is your religion and the religion of your forefathers, your honor and your protection; yet you do not speak to me about it, but speak to me about two hundred camels that I have taken?”

Abd al-Muttalib replied, “I am the owner of these camels, but this House has a Lord who will protect it.”

Abraha said, “He will not be able to protect it from me.”

He replied, “Then it is between you and Him.” Abraha then ordered that his camels be returned to him.

When the camels had been restored to Abd al-Muttalib, he went out and informed Quraysh of what had happened. He instructed them to disperse among the mountain passes and seek refuge on the mountaintops, fearing that the army would harm them. They did so. Abd al-Muttalib then came to the Ka‘bah, took hold of the door-ring, and began to say:

“O Lord, I place no hope against them in anyone but You;
O Lord, defend Your sacred precinct from them.
The enemy of the House is the one who is hostile to You;
Prevent them from laying waste to Your towns.”

He also said:

“O Allah! (2) A man protects his own dwelling, so protect Your sacred domain.(3)
Let not their cross and their might, tomorrow,(4) overcome Your might.(5)
They have brought together the forces of their lands and the elephant to take captive those under Your protection.
In their ignorance, they have set upon Your sanctuary with their plot, showing no reverence for Your majesty.”

(1) An addition from manuscript A. (2) Its original form is Allahumma. The Arabs omit its alif and lam, retaining what remains; thus they say, “lah abuka,” meaning “lillahi abuka.” (3) The plural of hillah, meaning a group of houses; here it refers to the people dwelling there. Hilal may also mean household furnishings. (4) Ghadwan means “tomorrow,” the day following the present day. Its final radical has been omitted; the complete form is used only in poetry. (5) Strength and intensity.

عِيرِ مَكَّةَ الَّذِي يُطْعِمُ النَّاسَ فِي السَّهْلِ وَالْوُحُوشَ فِي رُءُوسِ الْجِبَالِ، وَقَدْ أَصَابَ لَهُ الْمَلِكُ مِائَتَيْ بَعِيرٍ، فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ تَنْفَعَهُ عِنْدَهُ فَانْفَعْهُ فَإِنَّهُ صَدِيقٌ لِي، أُحِبُّ، مَا وَصَلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ، فَدَخَلَ أُنَيْسٌ عَلَى أَبْرَهَةَ فَقَالَ: أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ هَذَا سَيِّدُ قُرَيْشٍ وَصَاحِبُ عِيرِ مَكَّةَ الَّذِي يُطْعِمُ النَّاسَ فِي السَّهْلِ وَالْوُحُوشَ فِي رُءُوسِ الْجِبَالِ، يَسْتَأْذِنُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَأْذَنَ لَهُ فَيُكَلِّمَكَ، وَقَدْ جَاءَ غَيْرَ نَاصِبٍ لَكَ وَلَا مُخَالِفٍ عَلَيْكَ، فَأَذِنَ لَهُ، وَكَانَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ رَجُلًا جَسِيمًا وَسِيمًا، فَلَمَّا رَآهُ أَبْرَهَةُ أَعْظَمَهُ وَأَكْرَمَهُ، وَكَرِهَ أَنْ يَجْلِسَ مَعَهُ عَلَى السَّرِيرِ وَأَنْ يَجْلِسَ تَحْتَهُ، فهبط إلى ٢٠٠/ب الْبِسَاطِ فَجَلَسَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ دَعَاهُ فَأَجْلَسَهُ مَعَهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لِتُرْجُمَانِهِ قُلْ لَهُ: مَا حَاجَتُكَ إِلَى الْمَلِكِ؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ التُّرْجُمَانُ ذَلِكَ، فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ: حَاجَتِي إِلَى الْمَلِكِ أَنْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيَّ مِائَتَيْ بَعِيرٍ أَصَابَهَا لِي، فَقَالَ أَبْرَهَةُ لِتُرْجُمَانِهِ قُلْ لَهُ: لَقَدْ كُنْتَ أَعْجَبْتَنِي حِينَ رَأَيْتُكَ، وَقَدْ زَهِدْتُ فِيكَ، قَالَ [عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ] : (١) لِمَ؟ قَالَ: جِئْتُ إِلَى بَيْتٍ هُوَ دِينُكَ وَدِينُ آبَائِكَ وَهُوَ شَرَفُكُمْ وَعِصْمَتُكُمْ لِأَهْدِمَهُ لَمْ تُكَلِّمْنِي فِيهِ وَتُكَلِّمُنِي فِي مِائَتَيْ بَعِيرٍ أَصَبْتُهَا؟ قَالَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ: أَنَا رَبُّ هَذِهِ الْإِبِلِ وَإِنَّ لِهَذَا الْبَيْتِ رِبًّا سَيَمْنَعُهُ، قَالَ مَا كَانَ لِيَمْنَعَهُ مِنِّي، قَالَ فَأَنْتَ وَذَاكَ، فَأَمَرَ بِإِبِلِهِ فَرُدَّتْ عَلَيْهِ. فَلَمَّا رُدَّتِ الْإِبِلُ إِلَى عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ خَرَجَ فَأَخْبَرَ قُرَيْشًا الْخَبَرَ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَتَفَرَّقُوا فِي الشِّعَابِ وَيَتَحَرَّزُوا فِي رُءُوسِ الْجِبَالِ، تَخَوُّفًا عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ مَعَرَّةِ الْجَيْشِ، فَفَعَلُوا، وَأَتَى عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ الْكَعْبَةَ، وَأَخَذَ بِحَلْقَةِ الْبَابِ وَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ: يَا رَبِّ لَا أَرْجُو لَهُمْ سِوَاكَا ... يَا رَبِّ فَامْنَعْ مِنْهُمْ حِمَاكَا إِنَّ عَدُوَّ الْبَيْتِ مَنْ عَادَاكَا ... امْنَعْهُمْ أَنْ يُخَرِّبُوا قُرَاكَا وَقَالَ أَيْضًا: لَا هُمَّ (٢) إِنَّ العَبْدَ يَمْنَعُ ... رَحْلَهُ فَامْنَعْ حِلَالَكَ (٣) لَا يَغْلِبَنَّ صَلِيبُهُمْ ... وَمِحَالُهُمْ غَدْوًا (٤) مِحَالُكْ (٥) جَرُّوا جُمُوعَ بِلَادِهِمْ ... وَالْفِيلَ كَيْ يَسْبُوا عِيَالَكْ عَمَدُوا حِمَاكَ بِكَيْدِهِمْ ... جَهْلًا وَمَا رَقَبُوا جَلَالَكَ

(١) زيادة من "أ". (٢) أصلها اللهم، والعرب تحذف الألف واللام منها وتكتفي بما بقي، تقول لاه أبوك، وهي تريد لله أبوك. (٣) جمع حلة، وهي جماعة البيوت، ويريد هنا القوم الحلول. والحلال أيضا: متاع البيوت. (٤) غدوا: غدا، وهو اليوم الذي يأتي بعد يومك، فحذف لامه، ولم يستعمل تاما إلا في الشعر. (٥) القوة والشدة.