Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (3/178)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

“Innahā (‘indeed it’)”—with the initial hamzah read with kasrah, as the beginning of a new sentence. They said: the statement ends with His words, “And what can make you know?” Thus, those who hold that the address is directed to the polytheists say that its meaning is: “What can make you know, O polytheists (1), whether, if it came, you would believe?” And those who hold that the address is directed to the believers say that its meaning is: “What can make you know, O believers, whether, if it came, they would believe?” For the Muslims had been asking the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, to supplicate to Allah to show them what they had demanded, so that they might believe. Therefore, He addressed them with His words, “And what can make you know?” Then He, majestic is His mention, began a new statement: “Indeed, when it comes, they will not believe.” This concerns a particular people, concerning whom Allah had decreed that they would not believe.

The other reciters read annahā (‘that indeed it’), with the initial hamzah read with fathah, and understood the address to be directed to the believers. They differed regarding His words, “they will not believe” (2). Al-Kisa’i said that the particle “not” is supplementary, and that the meaning of the verse is: “What can make you know, O believers, that, when the signs come to the polytheists, they will believe?” This is like His saying, exalted is He: “And it is forbidden for a town that We have destroyed that they return” [al-Anbiya 21:95]—meaning, that they return.

It was also said that it means “perhaps”; this is likewise found in the recitation of Ubayy. The Arabs say, “Go to the market; perhaps you may buy something.” ‘Adi ibn Zayd said:

“O reproacher, what can make you know that my death may come …
At some hour today, or in tomorrow’s forenoon?” (3)

That is, perhaps my death may come. It was also said that something has been omitted, the intended sense being: “What can make you know whether, when it comes, they will believe or not believe? Ibn ‘Amir and Hamzah recited, addressing the disbelievers, ‘you will not believe,’ citing Ubayy’s recitation: ‘when it comes to you’ (4)—you will not believe.” The other reciters read it with a ya, as a declarative statement; supporting this is the recitation of al-A‘mash: “that, when it comes to them, they will not believe.”

“And We will turn their hearts and their eyes away, just as they refused to believe in it the first time, and We will leave them wandering blindly in their defiance.” (110)

(1) In manuscript B: al-muminun (the believers). (2) Added from manuscript B. (3) See Jamharat Ashar al-Arab, 2:509, Imam Muhammad ibn Saud University edition, Riyadh; Lisan al-Arab, root ann, 13:34. (4) Omitted in manuscript B.

" إِنَّهَا " بِكَسْرِ الْأَلِفِ عَلَى الِابْتِدَاءِ، وَقَالُوا: تَمَّ الْكَلَامُ عِنْدَ قَوْلِهِ ﴿وَمَا يُشْعِرُكُمْ﴾ فَمَنْ جَعْلَ الْخِطَابَ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ قَالَ: مَعْنَاهُ: وَمَا يُشْعِرُكُمْ أَيُّهَا [الْمُشْرِكُونَ] (١) أَنَّهَا لَوْ جَاءَتْ آمَنْتُمْ؟ وَمَنْ جَعَلَ الْخِطَابَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ مَعْنَاهُ: وَمَا يُشْعِرُكُمْ أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ أَنَّهَا لَوْ جَاءَتْ آمَنُوا؟ لِأَنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ كَانُوا يَسْأَلُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ يَدْعُوَ اللَّهَ حَتَّى يُرِيَهُمْ مَا اقْتَرَحُوا حَتَّى يُؤْمِنُوا فَخَاطَبَهُمْ بِقَوْلِهِ: ﴿وَمَا يُشْعِرُكُمْ﴾ ثُمَّ ابْتَدَأَ فَقَالَ جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ: ﴿أَنَّهَا إِذَا جَاءَتْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ﴾ وَهَذَا فِي قَوْمٍ مَخْصُوصِينَ [حَكَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِأَنَّهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ] ، وَقَرَأَ الْآخَرُونَ: "أَنَّهَا" بِفَتْحِ الْأَلِفِ وَجَعَلُوا الْخِطَابَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَاخْتَلَفُوا فِي قَوْلِهِ: ﴿لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ﴾ (٢) فَقَالَ الْكِسَائِيُّ: ﴿لَا﴾ صِلَةٌ، وَمَعْنَى الْآيَةِ: وَمَا يُشْعِرُكُمْ أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ أَنَّ الْآيَاتِ إِذَا جَاءَتِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ؟ كَقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى "وَحَرَامٌ عَلَى قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَاهَا أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ" (الْأَنْبِيَاءِ، ٩٥) ، أَيْ: يَرْجِعُونَ وَقِيلَ: إِنَّهَا بِمَعْنَى لَعَلَّ، وَكَذَلِكَ هُوَ فِي قِرَاءَةِ أُبَيٍّ، تَقُولُ الْعَرَبُ: اذْهَبْ إِلَى السُّوقِ أَنَّكَ تَشْتَرِي شَيْئًا، أَيْ: لَعَلَّكَ، وَقَالَ عَدِيُّ بْنُ زَيْدٍ: أَعَاذِلُ مَا يُدْرِيكَ أَنَّ مَنِيَّتِي ... إِلَى سَاعَةٍ فِي الْيَوْمِ أَوْ فِي ضُحَى الْغَدِ (٣) أَيْ: لَعَلَّ مَنِيَّتِي، وَقِيلَ: فِيهِ حَذْفٌ وَتَقْدِيرُهُ: وَمَا يُشْعِرُكُمْ أَنَّهَا إِذَا جَاءَتْ [يُؤْمِنُونَ أَوْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ؟ وَقَرَأَ ابْنُ عَامِرٍ وَحَمْزَةُ " لَا تُؤْمِنُونَ " بِالتَّاءِ عَلَى الْخِطَابِ لِلْكَفَّارِ وَاعْتَبَرُوا بِقِرَاءَةِ أُبَيٍّ: إِذَا جَاءَتْكُمْ] (٤) لَا تُؤْمِنُونَ، وَقَرَأَ الْآخَرُونَ بِالْيَاءِ عَلَى الْخَبَرِ، دَلِيلُهَا قِرَاءَةُ الْأَعْمَشِ: أَنَّهَا إِذَا جَاءَتْهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ. ﴿وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَارَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَنَذَرُهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ (١١٠) ﴾

(١) في "ب": (المؤمنون) . (٢) زيادة من "ب". (٣) انظر: جمهرة أشعار العرب: ٢ / ٥٠٩، طبعة جامعة الإمام محمد بن سعود بالرياض. لسان العرب مادة "أنن": ١٣ / ٣٤. (٤) ساقط من "ب".