Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (5/119)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

The case of the Negus and his companions was different, for they openly adhered to many Christian practices, and their true status could therefore be unclear. For this reason, it is related concerning the occasion of this verse’s revelation that when the Negus (1) died, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—offered the funeral prayer over him. Someone then said, “Are we to pray over this Christian barbarian while he is in his own land?” Thereupon this verse was revealed. This is reported from Jābir, Anas ibn Mālik, and Ibn Abbās, all of whom were Companions who personally took part in the funeral prayer over the Negus (2).

This was unlike the case of Ibn Salām and Salmān al-Fārisī: if the funeral prayer were offered over either of them, no one would object. This demonstrates that among those who outwardly profess Islam may be a hypocrite over whom the funeral prayer is not to be offered, as was revealed (3) concerning Ibn Ubayy and others like him; while someone living in the land of unbelief may be a believer over whom the funeral prayer is to be offered, as in the case of the Negus.

A passage resembling this verse occurs where Allah Most High speaks of the People of the Book and says:

“Had the People of the Book believed, it would have been better for them. Some of them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient. They will never harm you beyond causing annoyance; and if they fight you, they will turn their backs to you, and then they will not be helped. Humiliation has been laid upon them wherever they are found, unless they are protected by a covenant from Allah and a covenant from the people. They have incurred wrath from Allah, and misery has been laid upon them. That is because they disbelieved in Allah’s signs and killed the prophets without right. That is because they disobeyed and habitually transgressed. They are not all alike: among the People of the Book is an upright community who recite Allah’s signs throughout the night while prostrating themselves. They believe in Allah and the Last Day, enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and hasten to perform good deeds. They are among the righteous.”

(1) “The Negus”: an addition in (H). (2) (N) and (M): “the funeral prayer over him.” See the discussion of this hadith a few pages earlier, p. 112. (3) (R), (H), and (Y): “as it [the verse] was revealed.”

بِخِلَافِ أَمْرِ النَّجَّاشِيِّ وَأَصْحَابِهِ مِمَّنْ كَانُوا مُتَظَاهِرِينَ بِكَثِيرٍ مِمَّا عَلَيْهِ النَّصَارَى ; فَإِنَّ أَمْرَهُمْ قَدْ يَشْتَبِهُ، وَلِهَذَا ذَكَرُوا فِي سَبَبِ نُزُولِ هَذِهِ الْآيَةِ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا مَاتَ النَّجَاشِيُّ (١) صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فَقَالَ قَائِلٌ: نُصَلِّي عَلَى هَذَا الْعِلْجِ النَّصْرَانِيِّ وَهُوَ فِي أَرْضِهِ؟ فَنَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ. هَذَا مَنْقُولٌ عَنْ جَابِرٍ وَأَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ وَابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، وَهُمْ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ الَّذِينَ بَاشَرُوا الصَّلَاةَ عَلَى النَّجَاشِيِّ (٢) . وَهَذَا بِخِلَافِ ابْنِ سَلَامٍ وَسَلْمَانَ الْفَارِسِيِّ ; فَإِنَّهُ إِذَا صَلَّى عَلَى وَاحِدٍ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ لَمْ يُنْكِرْ ذَلِكَ أَحَدٌ. وَهَذَا مِمَّا يُبَيِّنُ أَنَّ الْمُظْهِرِينَ لِلْإِسْلَامِ فِيهِمْ مُنَافِقٌ لَا يُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ كَمَا نَزَلَ (٣) فِي حَقِّ ابْنِ أُبَيٍّ وَأَمْثَالِهِ، وَأَنَّ مَنْ هُوَ فِي أَرْضِ الْكُفْرِ قَدْ يَكُونُ مُؤْمِنًا يُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ كَالنَّجَاشِيِّ. وَيُشْبِهُ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا ذَكَرَ تَعَالَى أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ فَقَالَ: {وَلَوْ آمَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ مِنْهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ - لَنْ يَضُرُّوكُمْ إِلَّا أَذًى وَإِنْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ يُوَلُّوكُمُ الْأَدْبَارَ ثُمَّ لَا يُنْصَرُونَ - ضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ أَيْنَمَا ثُقِفُوا إِلَّا بِحَبْلٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَحَبْلٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَبَاءُوا بِغَضَبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَسْكَنَةُ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ ذَلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوْا وَكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ - لَيْسُوا سَوَاءً مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أُمَّةٌ قَائِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ - يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَأُولَئِكَ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ}

(١) النَّجَاشِيُّ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (ح) (٢) ن، م: الصَّلَاةَ عَلَيْهِ، وَانْظُرِ الْكَلَامَ عَلَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ قَبْلَ صَفَحَاتٍ ص ١١٢ (٣) ر، ح، ي: كَمَا نَزَلَتْ.