Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (5/187)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

Allah Most High also says:

“Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of humankind, the Sovereign of humankind, the God of humankind, from the evil of the retreating whisperer, who whispers into the breasts of humankind, from among jinn and humankind.”

[Surah al-Nās: 1–6]

It has been said that the meaning is: from the one who whispers into the breasts of humankind, whether from among the jinn or humankind. On this interpretation, the first occurrence of nās (humankind) encompasses both jinn and humans: He called them nās (people), just as He called them rijāl (men). This was stated by al-Farrā.

It has also been said that the meaning is: from the evil of the one among the jinn who whispers into the breasts of humankind, and from the evil of humankind without qualification. This was stated by al-Zajjāj. Some commentators, such as Abū al-Faraj ibn al-Jawzī, mentioned only these two interpretations, but both are weak. The correct interpretation is the third: namely, that (1) refuge is to be sought from the evil of the whisperer—whether from among the jinn or humankind—who whispers into the breasts of humankind. Thus, He commanded that refuge be sought from the evil of the devils among humankind and the jinn (2).

As Allah Most High says:

“And thus We have made for every prophet enemies: devils from humankind and jinn, inspiring one another with embellished words by way of deception. Had your Lord willed, they would not have done so. Therefore, leave them to their fabrications.”

[Surah al-An‘ām: 112]

And in the lengthy hadith of Abū Dharr, which Abū Hātim ibn Hibbān narrated in his Sahīh

(1) The word *anna* (“that”) is an addition in A and B. (2) See the first and second interpretations in Ibn al-Jawzī’s tafsir, *Zād al-Masīr*, 9:279. Ibn Kathīr adopted the third interpretation mentioned by Ibn Taymiyya. In his tafsir, he cited verse 112 of Surah al-Anʿām and then the hadith of Abū Dharr—may Allah be pleased with him. Al-Qurtubī had adopted this interpretation before Ibn Taymiyya, saying: “This states that the whisperer may be from among humankind. Al-Hasan said: ‘There are two devils: the devil from among the jinn whispers into people’s breasts, whereas the human devil approaches openly.’ Qatāda said: ‘There are devils among the jinn and devils among humankind, so seek refuge in Allah from the devils of humankind and the jinn.’” Al-Qurtubī then cited the hadith of Abū Dharr in a version differing from the hadith given here, and quoted verse 112 of [Surah al-Anʿām].

وَقَدْ قَالَ تَعَالَى: {قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ - مَلِكِ النَّاسِ - إِلَهِ النَّاسِ - مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ - الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ - مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ} [سُورَةُ النَّاسِ: ١ - ٦] . وَقَدْ قِيلَ إِنَّ الْمَعْنَى: مِنَ الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ: مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَمِنَ النَّاسِ، وَأَنَّهُ جَعَلَ النَّاسَ أَوَّلًا تَتَنَاوَلُ الْجِنَّةَ وَالنَّاسَ، فَسَمَّاهُمْ نَاسًا، كَمَا سَمَّاهُمْ رِجَالًا. قَالَهُ الْفَرَّاءُ. وَقِيلَ: الْمَعْنَى: مِنْ شَرِّ الْمُوَسْوِسِ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ مِنَ الْجِنِّ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ النَّاسِ مُطْلَقًا. قَالَهُ الزَّجَّاجُ. وَمِنَ الْمُفَسِّرِينَ كَأَبِي الْفَرَجِ بْنِ الْجَوْزِيِّ مَنْ لَمْ يَذْكُرْ غَيْرَهُمَا، وَكِلَاهُمَا ضَعِيفٌ. وَالصَّحِيحُ أَنَّ الْمُرَادَ الْقَوْلُ الثَّالِثُ، وَهُوَ أَنَّ (١) الِاسْتِعَاذَةَ مِنْ شَرِّ الْمُوَسْوِسِ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَمِنَ النَّاسِ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ، فَأَمَرَ بِالِاسْتِعَاذَةِ مِنْ شَرِّ شَيَاطِينِ الْإِنْسِ وَالْجِنِّ (٢) . كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: {وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا شَيَاطِينَ الْإِنْسِ وَالْجِنِّ يُوحِي بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ زُخْرُفَ الْقَوْلِ غُرُورًا وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ مَا فَعَلُوهُ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ} [سُورَةُ الْأَنْعَامِ: ١١٢] . وَفِي حَدِيثِ أَبِي ذَرٍّ الطَّوِيلِ الَّذِي رَوَاهُ أَبُو حَاتِمِ بْنُ حِبَّانَ فِي صَحِيحِهِ

(١) أَنَّ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٢) انْظُرِ الْقَوْلَيْنِ الْأَوَّلَ وَالثَّانِي فِي تَفْسِيرِ ابْنِ الْجَوْزِيِّ زَادَ الْمَسِيرِ ٩/٢٧٩ وَذَهَبَ إِلَى الْقَوْلِ الثَّالِثِ الَّذِي ذَكَرَهُ ابْنُ تَيْمِيَّةَ ابْنُ كَثِيرٍ فِي تَفْسِيرِهِ فَذَكَرَ آيَةَ ١١٢ مِنْ سُورَةِ الْأَنْعَامِ ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ حَدِيثَ أَبِي ذَرٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، وَذَهَبَ إِلَى هَذَا التَّفْسِيرِ الْقُرْطُبِيُّ قَبْلَ ابْنِ تَيْمِيَّةَ فَقَالَ: (أَخْبَرَ أَنَّ الْمُوَسْوِسَ قَدْ يَكُونُ مِنَ النَّاسِ قَالَ الْحَسَنُ: هُمَا شَيْطَانَانِ، أَمَّا شَيْطَانُ الْجِنِّ فَيُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ، وَأَمَّا شَيْطَانُ الْإِنْسِ فَيَأْتِي عَلَانِيَةً، وَقَالَ قَتَادَةُ، إِنَّ مِنَ الْجِنِّ شَيَاطِينَ وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْإِنْسِ شَيَاطِينَ، فَتَعَوَّذُوا بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شَيَاطِينِ الْإِنْسِ وَالْجِنِّ، ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ الْقُرْطُبِيُّ حَدِيثَ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، رِوَايَةً مُخَالِفَةً لِلْحَدِيثِ هُنَا، وَأَوْرَدَ آيَةَ ١١٢ مِنْ [سُورَةِ الْأَنْعَامِ] .