Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (2/140)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

it means: “And do not suppose, O Muhammad, that those who disbelieve...” The word “those” is in the accusative as a substitutive apposition to “those.” “That Our granting them respite is good for them.” Granting respite means allowing time and delaying. One says, “I lived a long and pleasant life, and lingered for a while.” From this is His saying, Exalted is He: “Leave me for a good long while” (Maryam 46)—that is, for a long time. Then He begins anew, saying: “We grant them respite only so that they may increase in sin, and theirs will be a humiliating punishment.”

Muqatil said: “It was revealed concerning the idolaters of Mecca.” Ata said: “Concerning Qurayzah and al-Nadir.”

Abd al-Rahman ibn Abd Allah al-Qaffal informed us; Abu Mansur Ahmad ibn al-Fadl al-Barwanjirdi narrated to us; Abu Ahmad Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Hamdan al-Sayrafi narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Yunus narrated to us; Abu Dawud al-Tayalisi narrated to us; Shubah narrated to us from Ali ibn Zayd, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakrah, from his father, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked, “Which people are the best?” He replied, “The one whose life is long and whose deeds are good.” It was asked, “Then which people are the worst?” He replied, “The one whose life is long and whose deeds are evil.” (1)

“Allah would not leave the believers in the condition you are now in until He separates the wicked from the good. Nor would Allah disclose to you the unseen, but Allah chooses from His messengers whomever He wills. So believe in Allah and His messengers; and if you believe and fear Allah, then yours will be a great reward. (179)”

His saying, Exalted is He, “Allah would not leave the believers in the condition you are now in until He separates the wicked from the good”: They differed concerning this verse. Al-Kalbi said: Quraysh said, “O Muhammad, you claim that whoever opposes you will be in the Fire and that Allah is wrathful with him, while whoever follows you in your religion will be in Paradise and Allah is pleased with him. So tell us who will believe in you and who will not believe in you.” Thereupon Allah, Exalted is He, revealed this verse.

Al-Suddi said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “My community was shown to me in their forms in the clay, just as it was shown to Adam, and I was informed of who would believe in me and who would disbelieve in me.” This reached the hypocrites, and they said mockingly, “Muhammad claims that he knows who will believe in him and who will disbelieve in him among those who have not yet been created, while we are with him and he does not know us.” This reached the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, so he stood upon the pulpit, praised Allah and extolled Him, then said: “What is the matter with people who have impugned my knowledge? Do not ask me ⦗74/b⦘ about anything between you and”

(1) Reported by al-Tirmidhi in al-Zuhd, chapter “What Has Been Related Regarding the Believer’s Long Life,” 6:622; he said: “This hadith is hasan sahih (sound and authentic).” Also reported by al-Darimi in al-Riqaq, chapter “Which Believers Are Best?” 2:308; and by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak, 1:339, who authenticated it according to Muslim’s criteria. He also reported from Jabir: “Shall I not inform you of the best among you and the worst among you?” They said, “Indeed.” He said, “The best of you are those with the longest lives and the best deeds.” He said: “This hadith is authentic according to the criteria of the two Shaykhs, and it has an authentic supporting narration according to Muslim’s criteria.” He then mentioned the hadith of Abu Bakrah. It was also reported by Imam Ahmad, 4:188, 190; 5:40, 43, 44; and elsewhere; by the author in Sharh al-Sunnah, 14:287–288; and by al-Tayalisi in al-Musnad, p. 116.

يَعْنِي: وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ يَا مُحَمَّدُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا، وَإِنَّمَا نُصِبَ عَلَى الْبَدَلِ مِنَ الَّذِينَ، ﴿أَنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ خَيْرٌ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ﴾ وَالْإِمْلَاءُ الْإِمْهَالُ وَالتَّأْخِيرُ، يُقَالُ: عِشْتُ طَوِيلًا حَمِيدًا وَتَمَلَّيْتُ حِينًا وَمِنْهُ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: "وَاهْجُرْنِي مَلِيًّا" (مَرْيَمَ -٤٦) أَيْ: حِينًا طَوِيلًا ثُمَّ ابْتَدَأَ فَقَالَ: ﴿إِنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ﴾ نُمْهِلُهُمْ ﴿لِيَزْدَادُوا إِثْمًا وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُهِينٌ﴾ قَالَ مُقَاتِلٌ: نَزَلَتْ فِي مُشْرِكِي مَكَّةَ وَقَالَ عَطَاءٌ: فِي قُرَيْظَةَ وَالنَّضِيرِ. أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْقَفَّالُ، أَنَا أَبُو مَنْصُورٍ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ الْبَرْوَنْجِرْدِيُّ، أَنَا أَبُو أَحْمَدَ بَكْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَمْدَانَ الصَّيْرَفِيُّ، أَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ أَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ الطَّيَالِسِيُّ، أَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَيُّ النَّاسِ خَيْرٌ؟ قَالَ: "مَنْ طَالَ عُمْرُهُ وَحَسُنَ عَمَلُهُ" قِيلَ: فَأَيُّ النَّاسِ شَرٌّ؟ قَالَ: "مَنْ طَالَ عُمْرُهُ وَسَاءَ عَمَلُهُ" (١) . ﴿مَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَذَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى مَا أَنْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَمِيزَ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُطْلِعَكُمْ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَجْتَبِي مِنْ رُسُلِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَإِنْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَلَكُمْ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ (١٧٩) ﴾ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿مَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَذَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى مَا أَنْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَمِيزَ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ﴾ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهَا، فَقَالَ الْكَلْبِيُّ: قَالَتْ قُرَيْشٌ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ تَزْعُمُ أَنَّ مَنْ خَالَفَكَ فَهُوَ فِي النَّارِ وَاللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ غَضْبَانُ، وَأَنَّ مَنِ اتَّبَعَكَ عَلَى دِينِكَ فَهُوَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَاللَّهُ عَنْهُ رَاضٍ، فَأَخْبِرْنَا بِمَنْ يُؤْمِنُ بِكَ وَبِمَنْ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِكَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ. وَقَالَ السُّدِّيُّ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: "عُرِضَتْ عَلَيَّ أُمَّتِي فِي صُوَرِهَا فِي الطِّينِ كَمَا عُرِضَتْ عَلَى آدَمَ وَأُعْلِمْتُ مَنْ يُؤْمِنُ بِي وَمَنْ يَكْفُرُ بِي" فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ فَقَالُوا اسْتِهْزَاءً: زَعَمَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَنْ يُؤْمِنُ بِهِ وَمَنْ يَكْفُرُ مِمَّنْ لَمْ يُخْلَقْ بَعْدُ، وَنَحْنُ مَعَهُ وَمَا يَعْرِفُنَا، فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَامَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ: "مَا بَالُ أَقْوَامٍ طَعَنُوا فِي عِلْمِي لا تسألوني ٧٤/ب عَنْ شَيْءٍ فِيمَا بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ

(١) أخرجه الترمذي في الزهد باب ما جاء في طول العمر للمؤمن: ٦ / ٦٢٢ وقال: هذا حديث حسن صحيح والدارمي في الرقاق باب أي المؤمنين خير؟: ٢ / ٣٠٨ والحاكم في المستدرك: ١ / ٣٣٩ وصححه على شرط مسلم وأخرج أيضا عن جابر: "ألا أنبئكم بخياركم من شراركم؟ قالوا: بلى قال: خياركم أطولكم أعمارا وأحسنكم عملا" وقال هذا حديث صحيح على شرط الشيخين وله شاهد صحيح على شرط مسلم ثم ذكر حديث أبي بكرة. وأخرجه الإمام أحمد: ٤ / ١٨٨، ١٩٠ ٥ / ٤٠، ٤٣، ٤٤ وفي مواضع أخرى والمصنف في شرح السنة: ١٤ / ٢٨٧، ٢٨٨ والطيالسي في المسند ص (١١٦) .