Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (2/104)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: to Islam. It is also narrated from him: to repentance; and this was also the view of Ikrimah. Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said: to fulfilling the obligatory duties. Abu al-Aliyah said: to emigration. Al-Dahhak said: to jihad. Muqatil said: to righteous deeds. It is narrated from Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, that it refers to the opening takbir.

“And a Garden”: that is, and toward a Garden, “as wide as the heavens and the earth”—meaning, its breadth is like the breadth of the heavens and the earth, as He says in Surah al-Hadid: “and a Garden as wide as the heavens and the earth” (Surah al-Hadid, 21)—that is, its vastness. Breadth is mentioned for emphasis, since the length of anything is generally greater than its breadth. In other words, if this is the description of its breadth, then what must its length be like?

Al-Zuhri said: He described only its breadth; as for its length, none knows it except Allah. This is illustrative; it does not mean that it is simply equal to the heavens and the earth. Rather, it means: as broad as the seven heavens and the seven earths, as you would conceive of them—like His saying, Exalted is He: “abiding therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure” (Surah Hud, 107). That is, according to your estimation; otherwise, both of them will pass away.

It is narrated from Tariq ibn Shihab that some Jews asked Umar ibn al-Khattab, while his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, were with him: “What do you say concerning His statement, ‘a Garden as wide as the heavens and the earth’? Then where is Hellfire?” Umar replied, “Tell me: when night comes, where is the day? And when day comes, where is the night?” They said, “It is stated likewise in the Torah (1).” Its meaning is that it is wherever Allah wills.

If it is asked: Allah, Exalted is He, has said, “And in heaven is your provision and whatever you are promised” (Surah al-Dhariyat, 22), and by what He has promised us He meant Paradise. If Paradise is in heaven, then how can it be as wide as the heavens and the earth? It is said: the gate of Paradise is in heaven, while its breadth is as wide as the heavens and the earth, just as He has informed us.

Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, was asked about Paradise: “Is it in heaven or on earth?” He replied, “What earth or heaven could contain Paradise?” He was asked, “Then where is it?” He said, “Above the seven heavens, beneath the Throne.” Qatadah said: They held that Paradise is above the seven heavens and that Jahannam is beneath the seven earths.

“Prepared for those who are mindful of Allah:

those who spend in prosperity and adversity, who restrain their anger and pardon people—and Allah loves those who do good. (134)”

“Those who spend in prosperity and adversity”: that is, in ease and hardship. The first of their qualities that entitle them to Paradise which He mentions is generosity. It has been related in a hadith: Abu Sa'id al-Shurayhi informed us; Abu Ishaq al-Tha'labi informed us;

(1) Al-Tabari narrated it in his Tafsir, 7:133. Ibn Hibban narrated from Abu Hurayrah: A man came to the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, and said, “O Muhammad, what of a Paradise whose breadth is the heavens and the earth—where, then, is the Fire?” The Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, replied, “Have you seen this night? It was present, then it is no more; where was it placed?” He said, “Allah knows best.” He replied, “Indeed, Allah does whatever He wills.” Mawarid al-Zam'an, p. 428. Al-Hakim also narrated it in al-Mustadrak, 1:36, and declared it authentic according to the criteria of the two Shaykhs. Al-Haythami said in Majma al-Zawa'id, 6:327: “Al-Bazzar narrated it, and its narrators are those of the Sahih.” See also al-Tabari's Tafsir, with Shaykh Shakir's annotations, 7:212.

قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ﵄: إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ، وَرُوِيَ عَنْهُ: إِلَى التَّوْبَةِ، وَبِهِ قَالَ عِكْرِمَةُ، وَقَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ﵁: إِلَى أَدَاءِ الْفَرَائِضِ، وَقَالَ أَبُو الْعَالِيَةِ: إِلَى الْهِجْرَةِ، وَقَالَ الضَّحَّاكُ: إِلَى الْجِهَادِ، وَقَالَ مُقَاتِلٌ: إِلَى الْأَعْمَالِ الصَّالِحَةِ. رُوِيَ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ أَنَّهَا التَّكْبِيرَةُ الْأُولَى. ﴿وَجَنَّةٍ﴾ أَيْ وَإِلَى جَنَّةٍ ﴿عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ﴾ أَيْ: عرضها كعرض السموات وَالْأَرْضِ، كَمَا قَالَ فِي سُورَةِ الْحَدِيدِ: " وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ " (سُورَةُ الْحَدِيدِ -٢١) أَيْ: سَعَتُهَا، وَإِنَّمَا ذُكِرَ الْعَرْضُ عَلَى الْمُبَالَغَةِ لِأَنَّ طُولَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ فِي الْأَغْلَبِ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ عَرْضِهِ يَقُولُ: هَذِهِ صِفَةُ عَرْضِهَا فَكَيْفَ طُولُهَا؟ قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ: إِنَّمَا وَصَفَ عَرْضَهَا فَأَمَّا طُولُهَا فَلَا يَعْلَمُهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَهَذَا عَلَى التَّمْثِيلِ لا أنها كالسموات وَالْأَرْضِ لَا غَيْرَ، معناه: كعرض السموات السَّبْعِ وَالْأَرْضِينَ السَّبْعِ عِنْدَ ظَنِّكُمْ كَقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: " خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ما دامت السمواتُ وَالْأَرْضُ " (سُورَةُ هُودٍ -١٠٧) يَعْنِي: عِنْدَ ظَنِّكُمْ وَإِلَّا فُهُمَا زَائِلَتَانِ، وَرُوِيَ عَنْ طَارِقِ بْنِ شِهَابٍ أَنَّ نَاسًا مِنَ الْيَهُودِ سَأَلُوا عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ وَعِنْدَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ ﵃ وَقَالُوا: أَرَأَيْتُمْ قَوْلَهُ ﴿وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ﴾ فَأَيْنَ النَّارُ؟ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِذَا جَاءَ اللَّيْلُ أَيْنَ يَكُونُ النَّهَارُ، وَإِذَا جَاءَ النَّهَارُ أَيْنَ يَكُونُ اللَّيْلُ؟ فَقَالُوا: إِنَّهُ لَمِثْلُهَا فِي التَّوْرَاةِ (١) وَمَعْنَاهُ أَنَّهُ حَيْثُ يَشَاءُ اللَّهُ. فَإِنْ قِيلَ: قَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: " وَفِي السَّمَاءِ رِزْقُكُمْ وَمَا تُوعَدُونَ " (سُورَةُ الذَّارِيَاتِ -٢٢) وَأَرَادَ بِالَّذِي وَعَدَنَا: الْجَنَّةَ فَإِذَا كَانَتِ الْجَنَّةُ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَكَيْفَ يكون عرضُها السموات وَالْأَرْضَ؟ وَقِيلَ: إِنَّ بَابَ الْجَنَّةِ فِي السماء وعرضها السموات وَالْأَرْضُ كَمَا أَخْبَرَ، وَسُئِلَ أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ ﵁ عَنِ الْجَنَّةِ: أَفِي السَّمَاءِ أَمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ؟ فَقَالَ: وَأَيُّ أَرْضٍ وَسَمَاءٍ تَسَعُ الْجَنَّةَ؟ قِيلَ: فَأَيْنَ هِيَ؟ قال: فوق السموات السَّبْعِ تَحْتَ الْعَرْشِ. وَقَالَ قَتَادَةُ: كَانُوا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّ الجنة فوق السموات السَّبْعِ وَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ تَحْتَ الْأَرْضِينَ السَّبْعِ ﴿أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ﴾ ﴿الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ (١٣٤) ﴾ ﴿الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ﴾ أَيْ: فِي الْيُسْرِ وَالْعُسْرِ فَأَوَّلُ مَا ذَكَرَ مِنْ أَخْلَاقِهِمُ الْمُوجِبَةِ لِلْجَنَّةِ ذِكْرُ السَّخَاوَةِ وَقَدْ جَاءَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ. أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو سَعِيدٍ الشُّرَيْحِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ الثَّعْلَبِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا

(١) أخرجه الطبري في التفسير: ٧ / ١٣٣، وأخرج ابن حبان عن أبي هريرة قال: جاء رجل إلى رسول الله ﷺ فقال يا محمد: أرأيت جنة عرضها السموات والأرض فأين النار؟ فقال النبي ﷺ: أرأيت هذا الليل قد كان ثم ليس شيء أين جعل؟ قال: الله أعلم. قال: فإن الله يفعل ما يشاء". موارد الظمآن ص (٤٢٨) ورواه الحاكم في المستدرك: ١ / ٣٦ وصححه على شرط الشيخين وقال الهيثمي في المجمع: ٦ / ٣٢٧: "رواه البزار ورجاله رجال الصحيح". وانظر: تفسير الطبري بتعليق الشيخ شاكر: ٧ / ٢١٢.