Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (3/133)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

“Say, ‘What thing is greatest in testimony?’ Say, ‘Allah is Witness between me and you. And this Quran has been revealed to me so that I may warn you thereby, and whomever it reaches. Do you truly testify that there are other gods alongside Allah?’ Say, ‘I do not testify.’ Say, ‘He is only one God, and indeed I am free of what you associate with Him.’ (19)

Those to whom We have given the Scripture recognize him as they recognize their own sons. Those who have lost themselves will not believe. (20)

And who is more unjust than one who fabricates a lie against Allah or denies His signs? Indeed, the wrongdoers will not succeed. (21)”

“And He is the Subduer above His servants.” The Subduer is the Overpowering One. Subjugation carries an additional meaning beyond mere power: it is preventing another from attaining what he seeks. It has also been said that He alone directs all affairs and compels creation to conform to His will. His being above His servants is an attribute of exaltedness uniquely belonging to Allah, glorified and exalted is He. “And He is the All-Wise” in His command, “the All-Aware” of the deeds of His servants.

His saying, glorified and exalted is He: “Say, ‘What thing is greatest in testimony?’” — the verse. Al-Kalbi said: The people of Mecca came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and said, “Show us someone who can testify that you are the Messenger of Allah, for we do not see anyone affirming you. We have asked the Jews and Christians about you, and they claimed that they have no mention of you.” So Allah, exalted is He, revealed: “Say, ‘What thing is greatest’”—that is, greatest—“in testimony?” If they answer you, then so be it; otherwise, “say, ‘Allah’ is ‘Witness between me and you’” regarding what I say. He bears witness for me with the truth and against you with falsehood. “And this Quran has been revealed to me so that I may warn you thereby”: that I may warn you by it, O people of Mecca. “And whomever it reaches”: meaning, whoever among the non-Arabs and other nations, until the Day of Resurrection, receives the Quran.

Abu al-Fadl Ziyad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hanafi narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Bishr ibn Muhammad al-Muzani narrated to us; Abu Bakr

﴿قُلْ أَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَكْبَرُ شَهَادَةً قُلِ اللَّهُ شَهِيدٌ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَأُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنُ لِأُنْذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَنْ بَلَغَ أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّ مَعَ اللَّهِ آلِهَةً أُخْرَى قُلْ لَا أَشْهَدُ قُلْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ وَإِنَّنِي بَرِيءٌ مِمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ (١٩) الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمُ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ (٢٠) وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِآيَاتِهِ إِنَّهُ لَا يُفْلِحُ الظَّالِمُونَ (٢١) ﴾ ﴿وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ﴾ الْقَاهِرُ الْغَالِبُ، وَفِي الْقَهْرِ زِيَادَةُ مَعْنًى عَلَى الْقُدْرَةِ، وَهِيَ مَنْعُ غَيْرِهِ عَنْ بُلُوغِ الْمُرَادِ، وَقِيلَ: هُوَ الْمُنْفَرِدُ بِالتَّدْبِيرِ الَّذِي يُجْبِرُ الْخَلْقَ عَلَى مُرَادِهِ، فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ هُوَ صِفَةُ الِاسْتِعْلَاءِ الَّذِي تَفَرَّدَ بِهِ اللَّهُ ﷿. ﴿وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ﴾ فِي أَمْرِهِ، ﴿الْخَبِيرُ﴾ بِأَعْمَالِ عِبَادِهِ. قَوْلُهُ ﷿: ﴿قُلْ أَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَكْبَرُ شَهَادَةً﴾ ؟ الْآيَةَ، قَالَ الْكَلْبِيُّ: أَتَى أَهْلُ مَكَّةَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالُوا: أَرِنَا مَنْ يَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّا لَا نَرَى أَحَدًا يُصَدِّقُكَ، وَلَقَدْ سَأَلَنَا عَنْكَ الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى فَزَعَمُوا أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَكَ عِنْدَهُمْ ذِكْرٌ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿قُلْ أَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَكْبَرُ﴾ أَعْظَمُ، ﴿شَهَادَةً﴾ ؟ فَإِنْ أَجَابُوكَ، وَإِلَّا ﴿قُلِ اللَّهُ﴾ هُوَ ﴿شَهِيدٌ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ﴾ عَلَى مَا أَقُولُ، وَيَشْهَدُ لِي بِالْحَقِّ وَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ، ﴿وَأُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنُ لِأُنْذِرَكُمْ بِهِ﴾ لِأُخَوِّفَكُمْ بِهِ يَا أَهْلَ مَكَّةَ، ﴿وَمَنْ بَلَغَ﴾ يَعْنِي: وَمَنْ بَلَغَهُ الْقُرْآنُ مِنَ الْعَجَمِ وَغَيْرِهِمْ مِنَ الْأُمَمِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ. حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْفَضْلِ زِيَادُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَنَفِيِّ أَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بِشْرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمُزَنِيُّ أَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ