Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (2/17)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

the dawn prayer. Al-Hasan said: “Extend the prayer until the pre-dawn hours, then seek forgiveness.” Nafiʿ said: Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, would spend the night in worship and then ask, “O Nafiʿ, has the pre-dawn time come?” I would reply, “No,” and he would resume praying. When I said, “Yes,” he would sit seeking Allah’s forgiveness and supplicating until morning.

Abd al-Wahid ibn Ahmad al-Mulayhi informed us; Abu Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ahmad al-Makhladi informed us; Abu al-Abbas Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Sarraj related to us; Qutaybah ibn Saʿid (1) related to us; Yaʿqub ibn Abd al-Rahman related to us from Suhayl ibn Abi Salih, from his father, from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Allah descends to the lowest heaven every night when the last third of the night remains, and He says: ‘I am the King, I am the King. Who is there to call upon Me, so that I may answer him? Who is there to ask Me, so that I may give him? Who is there to seek My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?’” (2)

It is reported from al-Hasan that Luqman said to his son: “My dear son, do not be more incapable than this rooster: it calls out in the pre-dawn hours while you lie asleep in your bed.”

“Allah bears witness that there is no deity except Him, as do the angels and those endowed with knowledge, upholding justice. There is no deity except Him, the Mighty, the Wise.” (18)

Regarding His words, “Allah bears witness that there is no deity except Him”: it was said that this verse was revealed concerning the Christians of Najran. Al-Kalbi said: Two rabbis from the rabbis of Syria came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. When they saw Madinah, one of them said to his companion, “How closely this city resembles the description of the city of the Prophet who is to emerge at the end of time!” When they entered upon him, they recognized him by his description. They said to him, “Are you Muhammad?” He replied, “Yes.” They said, “And are you Ahmad?” He said, “I am Muhammad and Ahmad.” They said, “We shall ask you about something; if you inform us of it, we will believe in you and affirm you.” He said, “Ask.” They said, “Tell us of the greatest testimony in the Book of Allah.” Then Allah Most High revealed this verse, and the two men embraced Islam. (3)

Regarding His words, “Allah bears witness”: that is, Allah has made clear, for testimony makes clear. Mujahid said: “Allah has decreed.” [It was also said: “Allah knew.”] (4) It was also said: Allah has made known that there is no deity except Him.

(1) Omitted from manuscript B. (2) Reported by al-Bukhari in the Book of Tahajjud, chapter: “Supplication and prayer at the end of the night,” 3:29; by Muslim in the Book of Travelers’ Prayers, chapter: “Encouragement to supplicate and remember Allah at the end of the night, and the acceptance of supplication therein,” no. 758, 1:521; and by the author of Sharh al-Sunnah, 4:63-64. (3) See al-Bahr al-Muhit by Abu Hayyan, 2:401-402. This hadith is narrated through al-Kalbi, who was accused of lying. See also the forthcoming commentary on verse 23 and al-Wahidi’s Asbab al-Nuzul, p. 130. (4) Omitted from manuscript B.

الصُّبْحِ وَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ: مَدُّوا الصَّلَاةَ إِلَى السَّحَرِ ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرُوا، وَقَالَ نَافِعٌ كَانَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ ﵁ يُحْيِي اللَّيْلَ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: يَا نَافِعُ أَسْحَرْنَا؟ فَأَقُولُ لَا فَيُعَاوِدُ الصَّلَاةَ فَإِذَا قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ قَعَدَ يَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ وَيَدْعُو حَتَّى يُصْبِحَ. أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ الْمُلَيْحِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مُحَمَّدِ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ الْمَخْلَدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ السَّرَّاجُ، أَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ [بْنُ سَعِيدٍ] (١) أَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ سُهَيْلِ بْنِ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ﵁ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ: "يَنْزِلُ اللَّهُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ حِينَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ فَيَقُولُ: أَنَا الْمَلِكُ أَنَا الْمَلِكُ، مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَدْعُونِي فَأَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ؟ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَسْأَلُنِي فَأُعْطِيهِ؟ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَسْتَغْفِرُنِي فَأَغْفِرُ لَهُ" (٢) . وَحُكِيَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ أَنَّ لُقْمَانَ قَالَ لِابْنِهِ: يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تَكُنْ أَعْجَزَ مِنْ هَذَا الدِّيكِ يُصَوِّتُ مِنَ الْأَسْحَارِ وَأَنْتَ نَائِمٌ عَلَى فِرَاشِكَ. ﴿شَهِدَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ وَأُولُو الْعِلْمِ قَائِمًا بِالْقِسْطِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ (١٨) ﴾ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿شَهِدَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ﴾ قِيلَ: نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ فِي نَصَارَى نَجْرَانَ. وَقَالَ الْكَلْبِيُّ: قَدِمَ حَبْرَانِ مِنْ أَحْبَارِ الشَّامِ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَلَمَّا أَبْصَرَا الْمَدِينَةَ قَالَ: أَحَدُهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ مَا أَشْبَهَ هَذِهِ الْمَدِينَةَ بِصِفَةِ مَدِينَةِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ الَّذِي يَخْرُجُ فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ؟ فَلَمَّا دَخَلَا عَلَيْهِ عَرَفَاهُ بِالصِّفَةِ، فَقَالَا لَهُ: أَنْتَ مُحَمَّدٌ، قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَا لَهُ: وَأَنْتَ أَحْمَدُ؟ قَالَ: "أَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ وَأَحْمَدُ" قَالَا لَهُ: فَإِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ فَإِنْ أَخْبَرْتَنَا بِهِ آمَنَّا بِكَ وَصَدَّقْنَاكَ، فَقَالَ اسْأَلَا فَقَالَا أَخْبِرْنَا عَنْ أَعْظَمِ شَهَادَةٍ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ ﷿، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ، فَأَسْلَمَ الرَّجُلَانِ (٣) . قَوْلُهُ ﴿شَهِدَ اللَّهُ﴾ أَيْ بَيَّنَ اللَّهُ لِأَنَّ الشَّهَادَةَ تُبَيِّنُ، وَقَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ: حَكَمَ اللَّهُ [وَقِيلَ: عَلِمَ اللَّهُ] (٤) وَقِيلَ: أَعْلَمَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ.

(١) ساقط من "ب". (٢) أخرجه البخاري في التهجد. باب: الدعاء والصلاة من آخر الليل: ٣ / ٢٩ ومسلم في صلاة المسافرين باب الترغيب في الدعاء والذكر في آخر الليل والإجابة فيه برقم (٧٥٨) ١ / ٥٢١ والمصنف في شرح السنة: ٤ / ٦٣ - ٦٤. (٣) انظر: البحر المحيط لأبي حيان: ٢ / ٤٠١ - ٤٠٢ والحديث من رواية الكلبي وهو متهم بالكذب. وانظر فيما سيأتي تفسير الآية (٢٣) وأسباب النزول للواحدي ص (١٣٠) . (٤) ساقط من "ب".