Hidāyat al-Ḥayārā - Ibn al-Qayyim - (المقدمة/42)

Hidāyat al-ḤayārāIbn al-Qayyim

from following and supporting the messenger who comes after him, and his very prophethood may not stand in the way. Now Allah has indeed sent Muḥammad ﷺ, who arrived confirming the Scripture already in their possession (1). Moreover, Allah had taken a solemn covenant from the People of the Book that they would believe in him; fulfilling that covenant is therefore incumbent upon them. The Almighty mentioned only the prophets in the verse because a pledge laid upon leaders automatically extends to their followers, and if belief in and support for him is obligatory for the prophets themselves, it is even more binding upon those who follow them.

This is what is meant by the report related from ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib and Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with them). They said: “Allah never sent a prophet except that He first took from him the pledge that, if Allah were to send Muḥammad during that prophet’s lifetime, the prophet would certainly believe in him and help him; and He commanded that prophet to take the same pledge from his community: if Muḥammad is sent while they are alive, they will surely believe in him and support him.” (2)

Glad tidings of Muḥammad’s prophethood in the previous Scriptures:

The People of the Book therefore have no excuse at all for failing to believe in Muḥammad ﷺ, for

(1) The phrase “tasdiq-an lima maʿahum” (confirming what they already possess)—despite the fact that the Prophet’s sharia differs from theirs—refers to their agreement on monotheism (tawhid), prophethood, and the fundamental principles of the revealed Law. As for the details of that Law, any apparent divergence is not a real disagreement, because all prophets, peace be upon them, concur that during the time of Moses the only valid law was his sharia, and that during the time of Muhammad the only valid law is his sharia. What may appear to be a conflict is therefore, in reality, complete harmony. Likewise, the Prophet’s appearance exactly as he is described in their scriptures—discussed below—also constitutes a confirmation of what they have. See: Fakhr al-Razi, Tafsir, 8:131. (2) See: al-Tabari, Tafsir, 6:555–556; Ibn Kathir, 1:376; Ruh al-maʿani, 3:209; al-Baghawi, 1:313; al-Radd ʿala al-Mantiqiyyin, 451.

والنبوة من اتباع من بُعث بعده ونصرته، وها قد بعث الله تعالى محمدًا ﷺ، وجاء مصدقًا لما بين يديه من الكتاب (١)، وقد أخذ الله الميثاق والعهد على أهل الكتاب أن يؤمنوا به، فوجب الوفاء بذلك الميثاق والعهد، واكتفى -سبحانه- بذكر الأنبياء في الآية لأن العهد على المتبوعين عهد على الأتباع، ولأنه إذا وجب على الأنبياء الإيمان به ونصره فوجوب ذلك على من اتبعهم أولى وأحرى. وهذا هو معنى ما روي عن علي بن أبي طالب وابن عباس ﵄ حيث قالا: ما بعث الله نبيًا من الأنبياء إلا أخذ عليه الميثاق: لئن بعث الله محمدًا وهو حي ليؤمِننَّ به ولينصرنَّه، وأمره أن يأخذ الميثاق على أمته: لئن بعث محمد وهم أحياء ليؤمنُنَّ به ولينصُرُنّه (٢). بشارات الكتب السابقة بنبوة محمد ﵊: وليس لأهل الكتاب أي عذر في عدم إيمانهم بمحمد ﷺ، وقد

(١) والمراد بالتصديق لما معهم -مع مخالفة شرعه ﵊ لشرعهم- حصول الموافقة في التوحيد والنبوات وأصول الشرائع، فأما تفاصيلها، وإن وقع الخلاف فيها، فذلك في الحقيقة ليس بخلاف، لأن جميع الأنبياء عليهم الصلاة والسلام متفقون على أن الحق في زمان موسى ﵊ ليس إلا شرعه، وأن الحق في زمان محمد ﵊ ليس إلا شرعه، فهذا وإن كان يوهم الخلاف إلا أنه في الحقيقة وفاق. وكذلك كان ظهوره ﵊ على ما هو مطابق لوصفه في كتبهم -كما سيأتي- تصديقًا لما معهم. انظر: "تفسير الفخر الرازي" (٨/ ١٣١). (٢) انظر: "تفسير الطبري" (٦/ ٥٥٥ - ٥٥٦)، ابن كثير (١/ ٣٧٦)، "روح المعاني" (٣/ ٢٠٩)، البغوي (١/ ٣١٣)، "الرد على المنطقيين": ٤٥١.