Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (264)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(91) “They did not show Allah the reverence due to Him when they said, ‘Allah has never revealed anything to any human being.’ Say, ‘Who then revealed the Scripture that Moses brought as a light and guidance for mankind? You put it on separate sheets, disclosing some of it while concealing much. And you were taught what neither you nor your forefathers knew.’ Say, ‘Allah.’ Then leave them to amuse themselves in their vain discourse.”

This is a forceful condemnation of those who denied the sending of messengers [among the Jews and the polytheists] (1), claiming that Allah had never revealed anything to any human being. Whoever says this has not shown Allah the reverence due to Him or magnified Him as He deserves. Such a claim impugns His wisdom and alleges that He leaves His servants neglected, neither commanding nor forbidding them. It also denies the greatest blessing Allah has bestowed upon His servants: the sending of messengers, without which they have no way to attain happiness, honor, and success. What could impugn Allah more grievously than this?

“Say” to them—confronting them with the falsity of their claim and pressing them on the basis of what they themselves acknowledge—“Who revealed the Scripture that Moses brought?” It was the magnificent Torah, “a light” amid the darkness of ignorance, “and guidance” away from misguidance, directing people to the straight path in both knowledge and practice. It was the Scripture whose renown spread far and wide and whose mention filled hearts and ears. They even began copying it onto sheets and treating it however they wished: whatever accorded with their desires they disclosed and displayed, while whatever opposed them they concealed and suppressed—and much of it was of this latter kind.

“And you were taught,” through that glorious Scripture, “what neither you nor your forefathers knew.” So when you ask them who revealed this Scripture bearing such qualities, answer the question yourself: “Say, ‘Allah’”—He is the One who revealed it. The truth will then become as clear and radiant as the sun, and the proof will be established against them. Once you have confronted them with this inescapable argument, “leave them to amuse themselves in their vain discourse.” That is, leave them to plunge into falsehood and amuse themselves with what is of no benefit until they meet the day they have been promised.

(1) Added from the margin of manuscript B.

﴿٩١﴾ ﴿وَمَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ إِذْ قَالُوا مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى بَشَرٍ مِنْ شَيْءٍ قُلْ مَنْ أَنْزَلَ الْكِتَابَ الَّذِي جَاءَ بِهِ مُوسَى نُورًا وَهُدًى لِلنَّاسِ تَجْعَلُونَهُ قَرَاطِيسَ تُبْدُونَهَا وَتُخْفُونَ كَثِيرًا وَعُلِّمْتُمْ مَا لَمْ تَعْلَمُوا أَنْتُمْ وَلا آبَاؤُكُمْ قُلِ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِي خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ﴾ . هذا تشنيع على من نفى الرسالة، [من اليهود والمشركين] (١) وزعم أن الله ما أنزل على بشر من شيء، فمن قال هذا، فما قدر الله حق قدره، ولا عظمه حق عظمته، إذ هذا قدح في حكمته، وزعم أنه يترك عباده هملا لا يأمرهم ولا ينهاهم، ونفي لأعظم منة، امتن الله بها على عباده، وهي الرسالة، التي لا طريق للعباد إلى نيل السعادة، والكرامة، والفلاح، إلا بها، فأي قدح في الله أعظم من هذا؟ " ﴿قُلْ﴾ لهم -ملزما بفساد قولهم، وقرِّرْهم، بما به يقرون-: ﴿مَنْ أَنزلَ الْكِتَابَ الَّذِي جَاءَ بِهِ مُوسَى﴾ وهو التوراة العظيمة ﴿نُورًا﴾ في ظلمات الجهل ﴿وَهُدًى﴾ من الضلالة، وهاديا إلى الصراط المستقيم علما وعملا وهو الكتاب الذي شاع وذاع، وملأ ذكره القلوب والأسماع. حتى أنهم جعلوا يتناسخونه في القراطيس، ويتصرفون فيه بما شاءوا، فما وافق أهواءهم منه، أبدوه وأظهروه، وما خالف ذلك، أخفوه وكتموه، وذلك كثير. ﴿وَعُلِّمْتُمْ﴾ من العلوم التي بسبب ذلك الكتاب الجليل ﴿مَا لَمْ تَعْلَمُوا أَنْتُمْ وَلا آبَاؤُكُمْ﴾ فإذا سألتهم عمن أنزل هذا الكتاب الموصوف بتلك الصفات، فأجب عن هذا السؤال. و ﴿قل الله﴾ الذي أنزله، فحينئذ يتضح الحق وينجلي مثل الشمس، وتقوم عليهم الحجة، ثم إذا ألزمتهم بهذا الإلزام ﴿ذَرْهُمْ فِي خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ﴾ أي: اتركهم يخوضوا في الباطل، ويلعبوا بما لا فائدة فيه، حتى يلاقوا يومهم الذي يوعدون.

(١) زيادة من هامش ب.