Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (60)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(101–103) “When a messenger from Allah came to them, confirming what they possessed, a group of those who had been given the Scripture cast the Book of Allah behind their backs as though they did not know.”

That is, when this noble Messenger came to them with the magnificent Book, bringing the truth that accorded with what they possessed—while they claimed to be holding fast to their own Scripture—they disbelieved in this Messenger and in what he brought. Thus, “a group of those who had been given the Scripture cast the Book of Allah” that had been revealed to them—that is, they discarded it out of aversion—“behind their backs.” This is an emphatic expression of their utter disregard. They acted as though they were ignorant, even though they knew his truthfulness and the truth (1) of what he brought.

This makes it clear that this group among the People of the Scripture had nothing left in their hands, for they did not believe in this Messenger. Their disbelief in him therefore amounted to disbelief in their own Scripture, though they did not realize it.

It is among the established patterns of divine decree and divine wisdom that whoever abandons what benefits him, despite being able to benefit from it, is afflicted with becoming occupied by what harms him. Whoever abandons worship of the Most Merciful is afflicted with worship of idols. Whoever abandons love of Allah, fear of Him, and hope in Him is afflicted with loving, fearing, and placing hope in other than Allah. Whoever does not spend his wealth in obedience to Allah spends it in obedience to Satan. Whoever refuses to humble himself before his Lord is afflicted ⦗61⦘ with humiliation before servants. And whoever abandons the truth is afflicted with falsehood.

Likewise, when these Jews cast aside the Book of Allah, they followed the magic that the devils recited and fabricated concerning Solomon’s kingdom. The devils had brought magic forth to the people and claimed that Solomon (peace be upon him) practiced it and that it was through this that he attained his mighty kingdom.

(1) B reads: “and the truth.”

﴿١٠١ - ١٠٣﴾ ﴿وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ لا يَعْلَمُونَ﴾ . أي: ولما جاءهم هذا الرسول الكريم بالكتاب العظيم بالحق الموافق لما معهم، وكانوا يزعمون أنهم متمسكون بكتابهم، فلما كفروا بهذا الرسول وبما جاء به، ﴿نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ﴾ الذي أنزل إليهم أي: طرحوه رغبة عنه ﴿وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ﴾ وهذا أبلغ في الإعراض كأنهم في فعلهم هذا من الجاهلين وهم يعلمون صدقه، وحقيّة (١) ما جاء به. تبين بهذا أن هذا الفريق من أهل الكتاب لم يبق في أيديهم شيء حيث لم يؤمنوا بهذا الرسول، فصار كفرهم به كفرا بكتابهم من حيث لا يشعرون. ولما كان من العوائد القدرية والحكمة الإلهية أن من ترك ما ينفعه، وأمكنه الانتفاع به فلم ينتفع، ابتلي بالاشتغال بما يضره، فمن ترك عبادة الرحمن، ابتلي بعبادة الأوثان، ومن ترك محبة الله وخوفه ورجاءه، ابتلي بمحبة غير الله وخوفه ورجائه، ومن لم ينفق ماله في طاعة الله أنفقه في طاعة الشيطان، ومن ترك الذل لربه، ابتلي ⦗٦١⦘ بالذل للعبيد، ومن ترك الحق ابتلي بالباطل. كذلك هؤلاء اليهود لما نبذوا كتاب الله اتبعوا ما تتلوا الشياطين وتختلق من السحر على ملك سليمان حيث أخرجت الشياطين للناس السحر، وزعموا أن سليمان ﵇ كان يستعمله وبه حصل له الملك العظيم.

(١) في ب: وحقيقة.