S 2 A 102-103

قوله تعالى:

وَ لَمّٰا جٰاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللّٰهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِمٰا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتٰابَ كِتٰابَ اللّٰهِ وَرٰاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ لاٰ يَعْلَمُونَ

[Qur’an 2:101 — M. H. Shakir]

And when there came to them a messenger from Allah verifying that which they have, a party of those who were given the Book threw away the Book of Allah behind their backs as if they knew nothing.

99-/568 _1- قَالَ الْإِمَامُ الْعَسْكَرِيُّ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):«قَالَ الصَّادِقُ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ): وَ لَمّٰا جٰاءَهُمْ هَؤُلاَءِ الْيَهُودُ،وَ مَنْ يَلِيهِمْ مِنَ النَّوَاصِبِ رَسُولٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللّٰهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِمٰا مَعَهُمْ الْقُرْآنُ مُشْتَمِلاً عَلَى وَصْفِ فَضْلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلِيٍّ،وَ إِيجَابِ وَلاَيَتِهِمَا،وَ وَلاَيَةِ أَوْلِيَائِهِمَا،وَ عَدَاوَةِ أَعْدَائِهِمَا نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ كِتَابَ الْيَهُودِ التَّوْرَاةَ،وَ كُتُبَ أَنْبِيَاءِ اللَّهِ(عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ) وَرٰاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ تَرَكُوا الْعَمَلَ بِمَا فِيهَا،وَ حَسَدُوا مُحَمَّداً عَلَى نُبُوَّتِهِ،وَ عَلِيّاً عَلَى وَصِيَّتِهِ، وَ جَحَدُوا [1] مَا وَقَفُوا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ فَضَائِلِهِمَا كَأَنَّهُمْ لاٰ يَعْلَمُونَ فَعَلُوا فِعْلَ مَنْ جَحَدَ ذَلِكَ وَ الرَّدُّ لَهُ فِعْلُ مَنْ لاَ يَعْلَمُ، مَعَ عِلْمِهِمْ بِأَنَّهُ حَقٌّ».

99-/568 _1- Imam al-‘Askarī (peace be upon him) said: “Al-Sādiq (peace be upon him) said: And when there came to them—these Jews and those among the haters (al-nawāṣib) near to them—a messenger from Allah, confirming what they had, the Qur’an, containing the description of the excellence of Muhammad and ‘Alī, and the obligation of their guardianship (wilāyah), and the guardianship of their friends, and enmity toward their enemies—then a party of those who were given the Book threw the Jews’ scripture, the Torah, and the books of Allah’s prophets (peace be upon them) behind their backs; they abandoned acting upon what was in them, envied Muhammad for his prophethood and ‘Alī for his testamentary succession, and denied [1] what they had ascertained of their virtues, as though they did not know. They acted as those who deny that, and rejecting it is the act of one who does not know, despite their knowing that it is truth.”

_1) -التفسير المنسوب إلى الإمام العسكريّ(عليه السّلام):304/471.

_1) -al-Tafsīr al-mansūb ilā al-Imām al-‘Askarī (alayhi al-salām): 304/471.

_2) -التفسير المنسوب إلى الإمام العسكريّ(عليه السّلام):304/719.

_2) -al-Tafsīr al-mansūb ilā al-Imām al-‘Askarī (alayhi al-salām): 304/719.

[1] في المصدر زيادة:على.

[1] fī al-maṣdar ziyādah: ‘alā.

قوله تعالى:

وَ اتَّبَعُوا مٰا تَتْلُوا الشَّيٰاطِينُ عَلىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمٰانَ وَ مٰا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمٰانُ وَ لٰكِنَّ الشَّيٰاطِينَ كَفَرُوا يُعَلِّمُونَ النّٰاسَ السِّحْرَ وَ مٰا أُنْزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبٰابِلَ هٰارُوتَ وَ مٰارُوتَ وَ مٰا يُعَلِّمٰانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتّٰى يَقُولاٰ إِنَّمٰا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلاٰ تَكْفُرْ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمٰا مٰا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَ زَوْجِهِ وَ مٰا هُمْ بِضٰارِّينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلاّٰ بِإِذْنِ اللّٰهِ وَ يَتَعَلَّمُونَ مٰا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَ لاٰ يَنْفَعُهُمْ وَ لَقَدْ عَلِمُوا لَمَنِ اشْتَرٰاهُ مٰا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلاٰقٍ وَ لَبِئْسَ مٰا شَرَوْا بِهِ أَنْفُسَهُمْ لَوْ كٰانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ وَ لَوْ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا وَ اتَّقَوْا لَمَثُوبَةٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللّٰهِ خَيْرٌ لَوْ كٰانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ

[Qur’an 2:102-103 — M. H. Shakir]

And they followed what the Shaitans chanted of sorcery in the reign of Sulaiman, and Sulaiman did not disbelieve, but the Shaitans disbelieved, they taught men sorcery, and that was sent down to the two angels at Babel, Harut and Marut, yet these two taught no man until they had said, Surely we are only a trial, therefore do not be a disbeliever; then they learn from these two the means by which they might cause a separation between a man and his wife; and they cannot hurt with it any one except with Allah’s permission, and they learn what hurts them and does not profit them, and certainly they know that he who bought it should have no share of good in the hereafter, and evil was the price for which they sold their souls, had they but known. And if they had believed and guarded themselves (against evil), reward from Allah would certainly have been better; had they but known.

99-/569 _2- قَالَ الْإِمَامُ الْعَسْكَرِيُّ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)فِي(تَفْسِيرِهِ):«قَالَ الصَّادِقُ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ): وَ اتَّبَعُوا هَؤُلاَءِ الْيَهُودُ

99-/569 _2- Imam al-‘Askarī (peace be upon him) in his Tafsir said: “Al-Sādiq (peace be upon him) said: And these Jews followed

وَ النَّوَاصِبُ مٰا تَتْلُوا مَا تَقْرَأُ اَلشَّيٰاطِينُ عَلىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمٰانَ وَ زَعَمُوا أَنَّ سُلَيْمَانَ بِذَلِكَ السِّحْرِ وَ التَّدْبِيرِ وَ النِّيرَنْجَاتِ [1]،نَالَ مَا نَالَهُ مِنَ الْمُلْكِ الْعَظِيمِ،فَصَدُّوهُمْ بِهِ عَنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ.

And the haters (al-nawāṣib) what the devils recited concerning the kingdom of Sulaymān, and they claimed that Sulaymān, by that sorcery, contrivance, and tricks (al-nīranjāt) [1], attained what he attained of the great dominion, and by it they turned them away from the Book of Allah.

وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْيَهُودَ الْمُلْحِدِينَ وَ النَّوَاصِبَ الْمُشَارِكِينَ لَهُمْ فِي إِلْحَادِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ) فَضَائِلَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)،وَ شَاهَدُوا مِنْهُ وَ مِنْ عَلِيٍّ(عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ)الْمُعْجِزَاتِ الَّتِي أَظْهَرَهَا اللَّهُ تَعَالَى لَهُمْ عَلَى أَيْدِيهِمَا،أَفْضَى بَعْضُ الْيَهُودِ وَ النُّصَّابِ إِلَى بَعْضٍ،وَ قَالُوا:مَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلاَّ طَالِبُ الدُّنْيَا بِحِيَلٍ وَ مَخَارِيقَ وَ سِحْرٍ وَ نِيرَنْجَاتٍ تَعَلَّمَهَا،وَ عَلَّمَ عَلِيّاً بَعْضَهَا،فَهُوَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَتَمَلَّكَ عَلَيْنَا فِي حَيَاتِهِ،وَ يَعْقِدَ الْمُلْكَ لِعَلِيٍّ بَعْدَهُ،وَ لَيْسَ مَا يَقُولُهُ عَنِ اللَّهِ بِشَيْءٍ،إِنَّمَا هُوَ قَوْلُهُ،فَيَعْقِدُ عَلَيْنَا وَ عَلَى ضُعَفَاءِ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ بِالسِّحْرِ وَ النِّيرَنْجَاتِ الَّتِي يَسْتَعْمِلُهَا.

And that is because the atheistic Jews and the haters who shared with them in their atheism—when they heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) the virtues of ‘Alī b. Abī Ṭālib (peace be upon him), and witnessed from him and from ‘Alī (peace be upon them both) the miracles that Allah Most High manifested for them at their hands—some of the Jews and the haters confided to each other and said: Muhammad is nothing but a seeker of the world by stratagems, tricks, sorcery, and sleights (nīranjāt) he learned, and he taught ‘Alī some of them; he wants to gain dominion over us in his lifetime and bind the kingship to ‘Alī after him. What he says is nothing from Allah; it is his own speech, by which he binds us and the weak servants of Allah through the sorcery and tricks he employs.

وَ أَوْفَرُ النَّاسِ كَانَ حَظّاً مِنْ هَذَا السِّحْرِ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ،الَّذِي مَلَكَ بِسِحْرِهِ الدُّنْيَا كُلَّهَا مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَ الْإِنْسِ وَ الشَّيَاطِينِ،وَ نَحْنُ إِذَا تَعَلَّمْنَا بَعْضَ مَا كَانَ تَعَلَّمَهُ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ،تَمَكَّنَّا مِنْ إِظْهَارِ مِثْلِ مَا يُظْهِرُهُ مُحَمَّدٌ وَ عَلِيٌّ، وَ ادَّعَيْنَا لِأَنْفُسِنَا بِمَا يَجْعَلُهُ مُحَمَّدٌ لِعَلِيٍّ،وَ قَدِ اسْتَغْنَيْنَا عَنِ الاِنْقِيَادِ لِعَلِيٍّ.

And the one who had the greatest share of this sorcery was Sulaymān son of Dāwūd, who by his sorcery ruled the whole world—jinn, humankind, and devils. And if we learn some of what Sulaymān had learned, we can display the like of what Muhammad and ‘Alī display, and claim for ourselves what Muhammad assigns to ‘Alī; thus we become dispensed from submitting to ‘Alī.

فَحِينَئِذٍ ذَمَّ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى الْجَمِيعَ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ وَ النَّوَاصِبِ،فَقَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتٰابَ كِتٰابَ اللّٰهِ الْآمِرَ بِوَلاَيَةِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلِيٍّ وَرٰاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ [2]فَلَمْ يَعْمَلُوا بِهِ وَ اتَّبَعُوا مٰا تَتْلُوا كَفَرَةُ اَلشَّيٰاطِينُ مِنَ السِّحْرِ وَ النِّيرَنْجَاتِ عَلىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمٰانَ الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّ سُلَيْمَانَ بِهِ مَلَكَ،وَ نَحْنُ أَيْضاً بِهِ نُظْهِرُ الْعَجَائِبَ حَتَّى يَنْقَادَ لَنَا النَّاسُ،وَ نَسْتَغْنِي عَنِ الاِنْقِيَادِ لِعَلِيٍّ.

So at that time Allah Most High reproached all the Jews and the haters, and Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said: “A party of those who were given the Book threw away the Book of Allah,” which commands the guardianship of Muhammad and ‘Alī, “behind their backs” [2], so they did not act upon it, and they followed what the unbelieving devils recite of sorcery and tricks concerning the kingdom of Sulaymān—those who claim that by it Sulaymān ruled—and say, “We too will, by it, display marvels so that people will submit to us and we will dispense with submitting to ‘Alī.”

قَالُوا:وَ كَانَ سُلَيْمَانُ كَافِراً سَاحِراً مَاهِراً،بِسِحْرِهِ مَلَكَ مَا مَلَكَ،وَ قَدَرَ عَلَى مَا قَدَرَ،فَرَدَّ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِمْ،وَ قَالَ:

They said: “Sulaymān was a disbeliever, a skilled sorcerer; with his sorcery he ruled what he ruled and was able to do what he did.” So Allah Most High refuted them and said:

وَ مٰا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمٰانُ وَ لاَ اسْتَعْمَلَ السِّحْرَ،كَمَا قَالَ هَؤُلاَءِ الْكَافِرُونَ وَ لٰكِنَّ الشَّيٰاطِينَ كَفَرُوا يُعَلِّمُونَ النّٰاسَ السِّحْرَ أَيْ بِتَعْلِيمِهِمُ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ الَّذِي نَسَبُوهُ إِلَى سُلَيْمَانَ كَفَرُوا.

“And Sulaymān did not disbelieve; nor did he use sorcery, as these disbelievers claim; rather, the devils disbelieved—teaching people sorcery.” That is, by teaching people the sorcery which they attributed to Sulaymān, they disbelieved.

ثُمَّ قَالَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: وَ مٰا أُنْزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبٰابِلَ هٰارُوتَ وَ مٰارُوتَ قَالَ:كَفَرَ الشَّيَاطِينُ بِتَعْلِيمِهِمُ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ،وَ بِتَعْلِيمِهِمْ إِيَّاهُمْ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوتَ وَ مَارُوتَ،اسْمُ الْمَلَكَيْنِ.

Then He, Mighty and Majestic, said: “And what was sent down to the two angels at Babylon, Hārūt and Mārūt.” He said: The devils disbelieved by teaching people sorcery and by teaching them what had been sent down to the two angels at Babylon—Hārūt and Mārūt are the names of the two angels.

قَالَ الصَّادِقُ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):وَ كَانَ بَعْدَ نُوحٍ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)قَدْ كَثُرَ السَّحَرَةُ وَ الْمُمَوِّهُونَ،فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مَلَكَيْنِ إِلَى نَبِيِّ ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ بِذِكْرِ مَا يَسْحَرُ بِهِ السَّحَرَةُ،وَ ذِكْرِ مَا يُبْطِلُ بِهِ سِحْرَهُمْ،وَ يَرُدُّ بِهِ كَيْدَهُمْ،فَتَلَقَّاهُ النَّبِيُّ عَنِ الْمَلَكَيْنِ،وَ أَدَّاهُ إِلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ،وَ أَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَقِفُوا بِهِ عَلَى السِّحْرِ وَ أَنْ يُبْطِلُوهُ،وَ نَهَاهُمْ أَنْ يَسْحَرُوا بِهِ النَّاسَ،وَ هَذَا كَمَا يُدَلُّ عَلَى السَّمِّ مَا هُوَ،وَ عَلَى مَا يُدْفَعُ بِهِ غَائِلَةُ السَّمِّ،ثُمَّ يُقَالُ لِمُتَعَلِّمِ ذَلِكَ:هَذَا السَّمُّ فَمَنْ رَأَيْتَهُ سُمَّ فَادْفَعْ غَائِلَتَهُ بِكَذَا،وَ إِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَقْتُلَ بِالسَّمِّ أَحَداً.

Al-Sādiq (peace be upon him) said: After Nūḥ (peace be upon him), sorcerers and impostors became many, so Allah Most High sent two angels to the prophet of that time with knowledge of what the sorcerers use to bewitch, and knowledge of what nullifies their sorcery and repels their plotting. The prophet received it from the two angels and conveyed it to the servants of Allah by Allah’s command, and he commanded them to use it to recognize sorcery and to nullify it, and he forbade them from bewitching people with it. This is like identifying a poison and what wards off the harm of the poison; then it is said to the learner: “This is the poison; so whenever you see someone poisoned, ward off its harm with such-and-such, and beware of killing anyone with poison.”

ثُمَّ قَالَ: وَ مٰا يُعَلِّمٰانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ وَ هُوَ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ النَّبِيَّ أَمَرَ الْمَلَكَيْنِ أَنْ يَظْهَرَا لِلنَّاسِ بِصُورَةِ بَشَرَيْنِ،وَ يُعَلِّمَاهُمْ مَا عَلَّمَهُمَا اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَ يَعِظَاهُمْ؛فَقَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: وَ مٰا يُعَلِّمٰانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ ذَلِكَ السِّحْرَ وَ إِبْطَالَهُ حَتّٰى يَقُولاٰ لِلْمُتَعَلِّمِ: إِنَّمٰا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ امْتِحَانٌ لِلْعِبَادِ؛لِيُطِيعُوا اللَّهَ تَعَالَى فِيمَا يَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْ هَذَا،وَ يُبْطِلُوا بِهِ كَيْدَ السَّحَرَةِ،فَلاَ يَسْحَرُونَهُمْ [1].

Then he said: “And they did not teach anyone,” meaning that the prophet commanded the two angels to appear to the people in the form of two human beings and to teach them what Allah Most High had taught them of that, and to admonish them. So Allah Most High said: “They did not teach anyone that sorcery and its nullification until they said to the learner: ‘We are only a trial’—a test for the servants—so that they obey Allah Most High regarding what they learn of this and nullify thereby the plotting of the sorcerers, and so that the sorcerers do not bewitch them [1].”

قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: فَلاٰ تَكْفُرْ بِاسْتِعْمَالِ هَذَا السِّحْرِ وَ طَلَبِ الْإِضْرَارِ بِهِ وَ دُعَاءِ النَّاسِ إِلَى أَنْ يَعْتَقِدُوا بِهِ أَنَّكَ تُحْيِي وَ تُمِيتُ،وَ تَفْعَلُ مَا لاَ يَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى،فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ كُفْرٌ.

His, Most High, saying: “Do not disbelieve”—by using this sorcery, seeking to harm by it, and calling people to believe thereby that you give life and cause death, and do what none but Allah Most High is capable of; for that is disbelief.

قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ يَعْنِي طَالِبِي السِّحْرِ مِنْهُمٰا يَعْنِي مِمَّا كَتَبَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ عَلَى مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَانَ مِنَ النِّيرَنْجَاتِ،وَ مَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوتَ وَ مَارُوتَ،فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْ هَذَيْنِ الصِّنْفَيْنِ مٰا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَ زَوْجِهِ هَذَا يَتَعَلَّمُ لِلْإِضْرَارِ بِالنَّاسِ،يَتَعَلَّمُونَ التَّفْرِيقَ بِضُرُوبٍ مِنَ الْحِيَلِ وَ التَّمَائِمِ [2]،وَ الْإِيهَامِ أَنَّهُ قَدْ دَفَنَ كَذَا وَ عَمِلَ كَذَا،لِيَغْضَبَ [3] قَلْبُ الْمَرْأَةِ عَلَى [4] الرَّجُلِ،وَ قَلْبُ الرَّجُلِ عَلَى [5] الْمَرْأَةِ،وَ يُؤَدِّيَ إِلَى الْفِرَاقِ بَيْنَهُمَا.

Allah Most High said: “Then they learn”—meaning, the seekers of sorcery—“from them,” that is, from what the devils wrote regarding the kingdom of Sulaymān of tricks and what was sent down to the two angels at Babylon, Hārūt and Mārūt. Thus they learn from these two categories that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife—this is learning in order to harm people. They learn separation by various stratagems, amulets (al-tamā’im) [2], and by suggesting that “such-and-such has been buried” and “such-and-such has been done,” so that the woman’s heart grows angry [3] against [4] the man and the man’s heart against [5] the woman, leading to separation between them.

ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: وَ مٰا هُمْ بِضٰارِّينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلاّٰ بِإِذْنِ اللّٰهِ أَيْ مَا الْمُتَعَلِّمُونَ لِذَلِكَ بِضَارِّينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ،بِتَخْلِيَةِ [6] اللَّهِ وَ عِلْمِهِ،فَإِنَّهُ لَوْ شَاءَ لَمَنَعَهُمْ بِالْجَبْرِ وَ الْقَهْرِ.

Then Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said: “And they cannot harm with it anyone except by Allah’s permission,” that is, those who learn that cannot harm anyone by it except by Allah’s permission—by Allah’s allowing [6] and His knowledge—for if He willed, He would prevent them by compulsion and force.

ثُمَّ قَالَ: وَ يَتَعَلَّمُونَ مٰا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَ لاٰ يَنْفَعُهُمْ لِأَنَّهُمْ إِذَا تَعَلَّمُوا ذَلِكَ السِّحْرَ لِيَسْحَرُوا بِهِ وَ يَضُرُّوا،فَقَدْ تَعَلَّمُوا مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ فِي دِينِهِمْ وَ لاَ يَنْفَعُهُمْ فِيهِ،بَلْ يَنْسَلِخُونَ عَنْ دِينِ اللَّهِ بِذَلِكَ وَ لَقَدْ عَلِمُوا هَؤُلاَءِ الْمُتَعَلِّمُونَ لَمَنِ اشْتَرٰاهُ بِدِينِهِ الَّذِي يَنْسَلِخُ عَنْهُ بِتَعَلُّمِهِ مٰا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلاٰقٍ نَصِيبٍ [7] فِي ثَوَابِ الْجَنَّةِ.

Then He said: “And they learn what harms them and does not benefit them,” because when they learn that sorcery in order to bewitch and harm, then indeed they have learned what harms them in their religion and does not benefit them therein; rather, by it they strip themselves of Allah’s religion. “And certainly these learners knew that whoever purchases it”—by giving up his religion, from which he strips himself by learning it—“shall have no share [7] in the reward of Paradise in the Hereafter.”

وَ لَبِئْسَ مٰا شَرَوْا بِهِ أَنْفُسَهُمْ رَهَنُوهَا بِالْعَذَابِ لَوْ كٰانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ أَيْ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ بَاعُوا الْآخِرَةَ،وَ تَرَكُوا نَصِيبَهُمْ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ،لِأَنَّ الْمُتَعَلِّمِينَ لِهَذَا السِّحْرِ هُمُ الَّذِينَ يَعْتَقِدُونَ أَنْ لاَ رَسُولَ،وَ لاَ إِلَهَ،وَ لاَ بَعْثَ،وَ لاَ نُشُورَ.

“And evil is what they sold themselves for”—they pledged them for punishment—“if they but knew,” that is, if they knew that they have sold the Hereafter and abandoned their portion in Paradise; for the learners of this sorcery are those who believe there is no Messenger, no God, no resurrection, and no rising.

فَقَالَ: وَ لَقَدْ عَلِمُوا لَمَنِ اشْتَرٰاهُ مٰا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلاٰقٍ لِأَنَّهُمْ يَعْتَقِدُونَ أَنْ لاَ آخِرَةَ،وَ هُمْ يَعْتَقِدُونَ أَنَّهَا إِذَا لَمْ تَكُنْ آخِرَةٌ فَلاَ خَلاَقَ لَهُمْ فِي دَارٍ بَعْدَ الدُّنْيَا،وَ إِنْ كَانَتْ آخِرَةٌ فَهُمْ مَعَ كُفْرِهِمْ بِهَا لاَ خَلاَقَ لَهُمْ فِيهَا.

Thus He said: “And certainly they knew that whoever purchased it shall have no share in the Hereafter,” because they hold that there is no Hereafter; and they hold that if there is no Hereafter, then they have no share in any abode after this world; and if there is an Hereafter, then, given their disbelief in it, they have no share in it.

ثُمَّ قَالَ: وَ لَبِئْسَ مٰا شَرَوْا بِهِ أَنْفُسَهُمْ بَاعُوا بِهِ أَنْفُسَهُمْ،إِذْ بَاعُوا الْآخِرَةَ بِالدُّنْيَا،وَ رَهَنُوا بِالْعَذَابِ أَنْفُسَهُمْ لَوْ كٰانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ بَاعُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ بِالْعَذَابِ،وَ لَكِنْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ ذَلِكَ لِكُفْرِهِمْ بِهِ،لِمَا تَرَكُوا النَّظَرَ فِي حُجَجِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى حَتَّى يَعْلَمُوا،عَذَّبَهُمْ عَلَى اعْتِقَادِهِمُ الْبَاطِلَ،وَ جَحْدِهِمُ الْحَقَّ».

Then He said: “And evil is what they sold themselves for”—they sold themselves, for they sold the Hereafter for this world and pledged themselves for punishment. If only they knew that they have sold themselves for punishment—but they do not know that, due to their disbelief in it; because they abandoned reflecting upon the proofs of Allah Most High so that they might know—He punished them for their false belief and their denial of the truth.”

[1] النّيرنج:أخذ كالسحر و ليس به،أي ليس،بحقيقته و لا كالسحر،إنّما هو تشبيه و تلبيس.«تاج العروس-نرج-2:105».

[1] al-nīranj: akhdh kal-siḥr wa laysa bih, ayy laysa bi-ḥaqīqatihi wa lā kal-siḥr, innamā huwa tashbīh wa talbīs. “Tāj al-‘Arūs – narj – 2:105.”

[2] سورة البقرة 2:101.

[2] Sūrat al-Baqarah 2:101.

[3] الغائلة:الشر،و المراد هنا:المضرّة.

[3] al-ghā’ilah: al-sharr; wa al-murād hunā: al-maḍarrah.

[1] في المصدر:كيد الساحر و لا يسحروا لهم،و في«ط»نسخة بدل:كيد السحر و لا يسحروا لهم.

[1] fī al-maṣdar: kayd al-sāḥir wa lā yasaḥharū lahum; wa fī “Ṭ” nuskhat badal: kayd al-siḥr wa lā yasaḥharū lahum.

[2] التمائم:جمع تميمة،و هي عوذة تعلّق على الإنسان.«الصحاح-تمم-5:1878».

[2] al-tamā’im: jam‘ tamīmah, wa hiya ‘awdhah tu‘allaqu ‘ala al-insān. “al-Ṣiḥāḥ – tmm – 5:1878.”

[3] في المصدر:ليجلب.

[3] fī al-maṣdar: liyajlib.

[4] [5] في المصدر:عن.

[4] [5] fī al-maṣdar: ‘an.

[6] التخلية:الترك.«مجمع البحرين-خلا-1:129».

[6] al-takhlīyah: al-tark. “Majma‘ al-Baḥrayn – khla – 1:129.”

[7] في المصدر:من نصيب.

[7] fī al-maṣdar: min naṣīb.

[8] في المصدر:أنفسهم بالعذاب إذا.

[8] fī al-maṣdar: anfusahum bi-l-‘adhāb idhā.

[9] في المصدر زيادة:الدائم.

[9] fī al-maṣdar ziyādah: al-dā’im.

[10] في«ط»نسخة بدل:و قلما تركوا.

[10] fī “Ṭ” nuskhat badal: wa qallamā tarakū.

قَالَ أَبُو يَعْقُوبَ وَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ:قُلْنَا لِلْحَسَنِ أَبِي الْقَائِمِ(عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ):فَإِنَّ عِنْدَنَا قَوْماً يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّ هَارُوتَ وَ مَارُوتَ مَلَكَانِ اخْتَارَتْهُمَا الْمَلاَئِكَةُ لَمَّا كَثُرَ عِصْيَانُ بَنِي آدَمَ،وَ أَنْزَلَهُمَا اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مَعَ ثَالِثٍ لَهُمَا إِلَى الدُّنْيَا،وَ أَنَّهُمَا افْتَتَنَا بِالزُّهَرَةِ،وَ أَرَادَا الزِّنَا بِهَا،وَ شَرِبَا الْخَمْرَ،وَ قَتَلاَ النَّفْسَ الْمُحَرَّمَةَ،وَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُعَذِّبُهُمَا بِبَابِلَ،وَ أَنَّ السَّحَرَةَ مِنْهُمَا يَتَعَلَّمُونَ السِّحْرَ،وَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى مَسَخَ تِلْكَ الْمَرْأَةَ هَذَا الْكَوْكَبَ الَّذِي هُوَ الزُّهَرَةُ.

Abū Ya‘qūb and Abū al-Ḥasan said: We said to al-Ḥasan Abī al-Qā’im (peace be upon them): Among us are people who claim that Hārūt and Mārūt were two angels whom the angels chose when the disobedience of the children of Adam increased, and that Allah Most High sent them down with a third to this world; and that they were tempted by al-Zuhrah (Venus), intended to commit adultery with her, drank wine, and killed a forbidden soul; that Allah is punishing them in Babylon; that sorcerers learn sorcery from them; and that Allah Most High transformed that woman into this star which is al-Zuhrah.

فَقَالَ الْإِمَامُ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):«مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ،إِنَّ الْمَلاَئِكَةَ مَعْصُومُونَ مِنَ الْخَطَأِ مَحْفُوظُونَ مِنَ الْكُفْرِ وَ الْقَبَائِحِ بِأَلْطَافِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى،فَقَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِيهِمْ: لاٰ يَعْصُونَ اللّٰهَ مٰا أَمَرَهُمْ وَ يَفْعَلُونَ مٰا يُؤْمَرُونَ [1]وَ قَالَ: وَ لَهُ مَنْ فِي السَّمٰاوٰاتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ وَ مَنْ عِنْدَهُ يَعْنِي الْمَلاَئِكَةَ لاٰ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبٰادَتِهِ وَ لاٰ يَسْتَحْسِرُونَ* يُسَبِّحُونَ اللَّيْلَ وَ النَّهٰارَ لاٰ يَفْتُرُونَ [2].

The Imam (peace be upon him) said: “Allah forbid such a thing. Indeed, the angels are protected from error, safeguarded from disbelief and vile acts by Allah’s subtle care. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said about them: ‘They do not disobey Allah in what He commands them, and they do as they are commanded’ [1]; and He said: ‘And His are those in the heavens and the earth; and those with Him—meaning the angels—are not proud to serve Him, nor do they tire. They glorify [Him] night and day; they do not flag’ [2].”

وَ قَالَ فِي الْمَلاَئِكَةِ: بَلْ عِبٰادٌ مُكْرَمُونَ* لاٰ يَسْبِقُونَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ وَ هُمْ بِأَمْرِهِ يَعْمَلُونَ* يَعْلَمُ مٰا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَ مٰا خَلْفَهُمْ وَ لاٰ يَشْفَعُونَ إِلاّٰ لِمَنِ ارْتَضىٰ وَ هُمْ مِنْ خَشْيَتِهِ مُشْفِقُونَ [3]».

And He said of the angels: “Nay! They are honored servants; they do not precede Him in speech, and they act by His command; He knows what is before them and what is behind them; and they do not intercede except for him whom He approves, and they are fearful of Him” [3].

ثُمَّ قَالَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):لَوْ كَانَ كَمَا يَقُولُونَ كَانَ اللَّهُ قَدْ جَعَلَ هَؤُلاَءِ الْمَلاَئِكَةَ خُلَفَاءَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ،فَكَانُوا كَالْأَنْبِيَاءِ فِي الدُّنْيَا أَوْ كَالْأَئِمَّةِ،أَ فَيَكُونُ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَ الْأَئِمَّةِ قَتْلُ النَّفْسِ وَ فِعْلُ الزِّنَا؟!».

Then he (peace be upon him) said: “If it were as they say, Allah would have made these angels vicegerents on earth; they would have been like the prophets in this world, or like the Imams. Would killing a soul and committing adultery be among the prophets and the Imams?!”

ثُمَّ قَالَ:«أَ وَ لَسْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى لَمْ يُخْلِ الدُّنْيَا قَطُّ مِنْ نَبِيٍّ أَوْ إِمَامٍ مِنَ الْبَشَرِ؟أَ وَ لَيْسَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ:

وَ مٰا أَرْسَلْنٰا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ يَعْنِي إِلَى الْخَلْقِ إِلاّٰ رِجٰالاً نُوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرىٰ [6]فَأَخْبَرَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَبْعَثِ الْمَلاَئِكَةَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ لِيَكُونُوا أَئِمَّةً وَ حُكَّاماً،وَ إِنَّمَا أُرْسِلُوا إِلَى أَنْبِيَاءِ اللَّهِ».

Then he said: “Do you not know that Allah Most High has never left the world without a prophet or an Imam from among human beings? Does not Allah Most High say: ‘And We did not send before you—meaning, to the creation—any but men to whom We sent revelation, from among the people of the towns’ [6]? Allah informed that He did not send angels to the earth to be Imams and rulers; rather, they were sent to the prophets of Allah.”

قَالاَ:قُلْنَا لَهُ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):فَعَلَى هَذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ إِبْلِيسُ أَيْضاً مَلَكاً؟ فَقَالَ:«لاَ،بَلْ كَانَ مِنَ الْجِنِّ،أَ مَا تَسْمَعَانِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ: وَ إِذْ قُلْنٰا لِلْمَلاٰئِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلاّٰ إِبْلِيسَ كٰانَ مِنَ الْجِنِّ [7]فَأَخْبَرَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْجِنِّ،وَ هُوَ الَّذِي قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: وَ الْجَانَّ خَلَقْنٰاهُ مِنْ قَبْلُ مِنْ نٰارِ السَّمُومِ [8]».

They said: We said to him (peace be upon him): Then on this, Iblīs too was not an angel? He said: “No. Rather, he was of the jinn. Do you not hear that Allah Most High says: ‘And when We said to the angels: Bow down to Adam, so they bowed down, but Iblīs—he was of the jinn’ [7]? He informed that he was of the jinn. And he is the one of whom Allah Most High said: ‘And the jinn We created before from intensely hot fire’ [8].”

ثُمَّ قَالَ الْإِمَامُ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):«حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي،عَنْ جَدِّي،عَنِ الرِّضَا(عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ)،عَنْ آبَائِهِ(صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ)،عَنْ عَلِيٍّ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)،عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ):أَنَّ اللَّهَ اخْتَارَنَا مَعَاشِرَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ،وَ اخْتَارَ النَّبِيِّينَ،وَ اخْتَارَ الْمَلاَئِكَةَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ،وَ مَا اخْتَارَهُمْ إِلاَّ عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْهُ بِهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ لاَ يُوَاقِعُونَ مَا يَخْرُجُونَ بِهِ عَنْ وَلاَيَتِهِ،وَ يَنْقَطِعُونَ بِهِ عَنْ عِصْمَتِهِ، وَ يَنْضَمُّونَ بِهِ إِلَى الْمُسْتَحِقِّينَ لِعَذَابِهِ وَ نَقِمَتِهِ».

Then the Imam (peace be upon him) said: “My father narrated to me, from my grandfather, from al-Riḍā (peace be upon them), from his forefathers (blessings of Allah be upon them), from ‘Alī (peace be upon him), from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family): Indeed Allah chose us, the Household of Muhammad; He chose the prophets; and He chose the angels who are brought near; and He did not choose them except on His knowledge of them—that they would not commit that by which they would depart from His guardianship, be cut off thereby from His protection, and be joined thereby to those deserving His punishment and vengeance.”

قَالاَ:فَقُلْنَا:لَقَدْ رُوِيَ لَنَا أَنَّ عَلِيّاً(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)لَمَّا نَصَّ عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)بِالْوَلاَيَةِ وَ الْإِمَامَةِ عَرَضَ اللَّهُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلاَيَتَهُ عَلَى فِئَامٍ وَ فِئَامٍ وَ فِئَامٍ مِنَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ،فَأَبَوْهَا فَمَسَخَهُمُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى ضَفَادِعَ.

They said: We said: It has been narrated to us that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) designated ‘Alī (peace be upon him) for guardianship and leadership, Allah presented his guardianship in the heavens to multitudes upon multitudes of angels, and they refused it, so Allah Most High transformed them into frogs.

فَقَالَ:«مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ،هَؤُلاَءِ الْمُكَذِّبُونَ عَلَيْنَا،الْمَلاَئِكَةُ هُمْ رُسُلُ اللَّهِ،فَهُمْ كَسَائِرِ أَنْبِيَاءِ اللَّهِ إِلَى الْخَلْقِ،أَ فَيَكُونُ مِنْهُمُ الْكُفْرُ بِاللَّهِ؟»قُلْنَا:لاَ.قَالَ:«فَكَذَلِكَ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ،إِنَّ شَأْنَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ عَظِيمٌ،وَ إِنَّ خَطْبَهُمْ جَلِيلٌ».

He said: “Allah forbid. These are fabricators against us. Angels are the messengers of Allah; they are like the other prophets of Allah to the creation. Would disbelief in Allah occur from them?” We said: No. He said: “So it is with the angels; the station of the angels is great, and their matter is momentous.”

99-/570 _2- ابْنُ بَابَوَيْهِ،قَالَ:حَدَّثَنَا تَمِيمُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ تَمِيمٍ الْقُرَشِيُّ(رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ)،قَالَ:حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي،عَنْ أَحْمَدَ ابْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ،عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْجَهْمِ،قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْمَأْمُونَ يَسْأَلُ الرِّضَا عَلِيَّ بْنَ مُوسَى(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)عَمَّا يَرْوِيهِ النَّاسُ مِنْ أَمْرِ الزُّهَرَةِ،وَ أَنَّهَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَةً فُتِنَ بِهَا هَارُوتُ وَ مَارُوتُ،وَ مَا يَرْوُونَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ سُهَيْلٍ،وَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ عَشَّاراً بِالْيَمَنِ.

99-/570 _2- Ibn Bābawayh said: Tamīm b. ‘Abd Allāh b. Tamīm al-Qurashī (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated to us, who said: My father narrated to me, from Aḥmad b. ‘Alī al-Anṣārī, from ‘Alī b. Muḥammad b. al-Jahm, who said: I heard al-Ma’mūn ask al-Riḍā ‘Alī b. Mūsā (peace be upon him) about what people narrate concerning al-Zuhrah, that she was a woman with whom Hārūt and Mārūt were infatuated, and what they narrate concerning Suhayl, that he was a tax collector in Yemen.

فَقَالَ الرِّضَا(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):«كَذَبُوا فِي قَوْلِهِمْ:إِنَّهُمَا كَوْكَبَانِ،وَ إِنَّمَا كَانَتَا دَابَّتَيْنِ مِنْ دَوَابِّ الْبَحْرِ،وَ غَلِطَ النَّاسُ [وَ ظَنُّوا]أَنَّهُمَا كَوْكَبَانِ،وَ مَا كَانَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى لِيَمْسَخَ أَعْدَاءَهُ أَنْوَاراً مُضِيئَةً،ثُمَّ يُبْقِيَهُمَا مَا بَقِيَتِ السَّمَاءُ وَ الْأَرْضُ،وَ إِنَّ الْمُسُوخَ لَمْ تَبْقَ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ حَتَّى تَمُوتَ،وَ مَا تَنَاسَلَ مِنْهَا شَيْءٌ،وَ مَا عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ الْيَوْمَ مَسْخٌ،وَ إِنَّ الَّتِي وَقَعَ عَلَيْهَا اسْمُ الْمُسُوخِيَّةِ مِثْلُ الْقِرَدةِ وَ الْخِنْزِيرِ وَ الدُّبِّ وَ أَشْبَاهِهَا،إِنَّمَا هِيَ مِثْلُ مَا مَسَخَ اللَّهُ عَلَى صُوَرِهَا قَوْماً غَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ لَعَنَهُمْ بِإِنْكَارِهِمْ تَوْحِيدَ اللَّهِ،وَ تَكْذِيبِهِمْ رُسُلَهُ.

Al-Riḍā (peace be upon him) said: “They have lied in their saying that they are two stars; rather, they were two creatures from the creatures of the sea, and people erred and supposed them to be two stars. Allah Most High would not transform His enemies into shining lights and then keep them as long as the heavens and the earth endure. The transformed beings (al-musūkh) did not remain more than three days before dying; nothing reproduced from them; and there is no transformed being upon the earth today. Those upon whom the name ‘transformed’ falls, like apes, swine, bears, and their likes, are only like those whose forms Allah transformed a people into, with whom He was angry and whom He cursed for denying Allah’s oneness and belied His messengers.

وَ أَمَّا هَارُوتُ وَ مَارُوتُ،فَكَانَا مَلَكَيْنِ عَلَّمَا النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ،لِيَحْتَرِزُوا بِهِ مِنْ سِحْرِ السَّحَرَةِ،وَ يُبْطِلُوا بِهِ كَيْدَهُمْ، وَ مَا عَلَّمَا أَحَداً مِنْ ذَلِكَ شَيْئاً إِلاَّ قَالاَ لَهُ: إِنَّمٰا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلاٰ تَكْفُرْ فَكَفَرَ قَوْمٌ بِاسْتِعْمَالِهِمْ لِمَا أُمِرُوا بِالاِحْتِرَازِ مِنْهُ،وَ جَعَلُوا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِمَا تَعَلَّمُوهُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَ زَوْجِهِ،قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: وَ مٰا هُمْ بِضٰارِّينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلاّٰ بِإِذْنِ اللّٰهِ يَعْنِي بِعِلْمِهِ».

As for Hārūt and Mārūt, they were two angels who taught people sorcery so that they might guard themselves thereby from the sorcery of the sorcerers and nullify their plotting; and they did not teach anyone anything of that except that they said to him: ‘We are only a trial, so do not disbelieve.’ But a people disbelieved by using what they were commanded to guard against and began to cause separation, by what they learned, between a man and his wife. Allah Most High said: ‘And they cannot harm with it anyone except by Allah’s permission,’ meaning: by His knowledge.”

99-/571 _3- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ،قَالَ:حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي،عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ،عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ،عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ،عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)،قَالَ: «إِنَّ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ دَاوُدَ(عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ)أَمَرَ الْجِنَّ أَنْ يَبْنُوا لَهُ بَيْتاً مِنْ قَوَارِيرَ-قَالَ-:فَبَيْنَا هُوَ مُتَّكِئٌ عَلَى عَصَاهُ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى الشَّيَاطِينِ كَيْفَ يَعْمَلُونَ،وَ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَيْهِ إِذْ حَانَتْ مِنْهُ الْتِفَاتَةٌ،فَإِذَا هُوَ بِرَجُلٍ مَعَهُ فِي الْقُبَّةِ فَفَزِعَ مِنْهُ،وَ قَالَ:مَنْ أَنْتَ؟قَالَ:أَنَا الَّذِي لاَ أَقْبَلُ الرِّشَا،وَ لاَ أَهَابُ الْمُلُوكَ،أَنَا مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ،فَقَبَضَهُ وَ هُوَ مُتَّكِئٌ عَلَى عَصَاهُ.

99-/571 _3- ‘Alī b. Ibrāhīm said: My father narrated to me, from Ibn Abī ‘Umayr, from Abān b. ‘Uthmān, from Abū Baṣīr, from Abū Ja‘far (peace be upon him), who said: “Sulaymān b. Dāwūd (peace be upon them both) commanded the jinn to build for him a house of glass. He said: While he was reclining on his staff, looking at the devils—how they were working—and they were looking at him, there came from him a glance, and behold, there was a man with him in the pavilion. He was startled by him and said: ‘Who are you?’ He said: ‘I am the one who accepts no bribes and fears no kings; I am the Angel of Death.’ Then he took his soul while he was reclining on his staff.

فَمَكَثُوا سَنَةً يَبْنُونَ وَ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَيْهِ،وَ يُدَانُونَ لَهُ،وَ يَعْمَلُونَ حَتَّى بَعَثَ اللَّهُ الْأَرَضَةَ،فَأَكَلَتْ مِنْسَأَتَهُ-وَ هِيَ الْعَصَا-فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الْإِنْسُ أَنْ لَوْ كَانَ الْجِنُّ يَعْلَمُونَ الْغَيْبَ،مَا لَبِثُوا سَنَةً فِي الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِينِ،فَالْجِنُّ تَشْكُرُ الْأَرَضَةَ بِمَا عَمِلَتْ بِعَصَا سُلَيْمَانَ،فَلاَ تَكَادُ تَرَاهَا فِي مَكَانٍ إِلاَّ وُجِدَ عِنْدَهَا مَاءٌ وَ طِينٌ.

So they continued for a year building, looking at him, drawing near to him, and working, until Allah sent the termite, and it ate his staff—which is the stick. When he fell, humankind realized that if the jinn had known the unseen, they would not have remained for a year in the humiliating torment. The jinn thank the termite for what it did to the staff of Sulaymān; hardly do you see it in a place except that water and clay are found with it.

فَلَمَّا هَلَكَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَضَعَ إِبْلِيسُ السِّحْرَ وَ كَتَبَهُ فِي كِتَابٍ،ثُمَّ طَوَاهُ وَ كَتَبَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ:هَذَا مَا وَضَعَ آصَفُ بْنُ بَرْخِيَا لِلْمَلِكِ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ مِنْ ذَخَائِرِ كُنُوزِ الْعِلْمِ،وَ مَنْ أَرَادَ كَذَا وَ كَذَا فَلْيَفْعَلْ كَذَا وَ كَذَا،ثُمَّ دَفَنَهُ تَحْتَ السَّرِيرِ، ثُمَّ اسْتَثَارَهُ لَهُمْ فَقَرَأَهُ؛فَقَالَ الْكَافِرُونَ:مَا كَانَ سُلَيْمَانُ يَغْلِبُنَا إِلاَّ بِهَذَا،وَ قَالَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ:بَلْ هُوَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَ نَبِيُّهُ،فَقَالَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ: وَ اتَّبَعُوا مٰا تَتْلُوا الشَّيٰاطِينُ عَلىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمٰانَ وَ مٰا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمٰانُ وَ لٰكِنَّ الشَّيٰاطِينَ كَفَرُوا يُعَلِّمُونَ النّٰاسَ السِّحْرَ وَ مٰا أُنْزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبٰابِلَ هٰارُوتَ وَ مٰارُوتَ -إِلَى قَوْلِهِ-: فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمٰا مٰا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَ زَوْجِهِ وَ مٰا هُمْ بِضٰارِّينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلاّٰ بِإِذْنِ اللّٰهِ ».

When Sulaymān perished, Iblīs set down sorcery and wrote it in a book; then he folded it and wrote on its back: “This is what Āṣif b. Barkhiyā set down for King Sulaymān b. Dāwūd of the treasures of the stores of knowledge. Whoever desires such-and-such, let him do such-and-such.” Then he buried it under the throne, then brought it out for them; so they read it. The disbelievers said: “Sulaymān did not prevail over us except by this.” The believers said: “Rather, he is the servant of Allah and His prophet.” So Allah—exalted is His remembrance—said: “And they followed what the devils recited concerning the kingdom of Sulaymān… to His saying: Then they learn from them how to cause separation between a man and his wife; and they cannot harm with it anyone except by Allah’s permission.”

الْعَيَّاشِيُّ:عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ،عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)،وَ ذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ بِعَيْنِهِ.

Al-‘Ayyāshī: from Abū Baṣīr, from Abū Ja‘far (peace be upon him), and he mentioned the very same hadith.

_2) -عيون أخبار الرّضا(عليه السّلام)1:2/271.

_2) -‘Uyūn Akhbār al-Riḍā (alayhi al-salām) 1:2/271.

_3) -تفسير القمّيّ 1:54.

_3) -Tafsīr al-Qummī 1:54.

[1] الفئام:الجماعة الكثيرة.«مجمع البحرين-فأم-6:130».

[1] al-fi’ām: al-jamā‘ah al-kathīrah. “Majma‘ al-Baḥrayn – fa’m – 6:130.”

[2] العشّار:قابض العشر.«لسان العرب-عشر-4:570».

[2] al-‘ashshār: qābiḍ al-‘ushr. “Lisān al-‘Arab – ‘shr – 4:570.”

[3] في المصدر:الجنّ و الإنس فبنوا له.

[3] fī al-maṣdar: al-jinn wa al-ins fabanaw lahu.

قوله تعالى:

يٰا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاٰ تَقُولُوا رٰاعِنٰا وَ قُولُوا انْظُرْنٰا وَ اسْمَعُوا وَ لِلْكٰافِرِينَ عَذٰابٌ أَلِيمٌ

[Qur’an 2:104 — M. H. Shakir]

O you who believe! do not say Ra‘ina and say Unzurna, and listen; and for the unbelievers there is a painful chastisement.

99-/572 _1- قَالَ الْإِمَامُ الْعَسْكَرِيُّ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):«قَالَ مُوسَى بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ(عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ): إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)لَمَّا قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ كَثُرَ حَوْلَهُ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ وَ الْأَنْصَارُ،وَ كَثُرَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْمَسَائِلُ،وَ كَانُوا يُخَاطِبُونَهُ بِالْخِطَابِ الشَّرِيفِ الْعَظِيمِ الَّذِي يَلِيقُ بِهِ،وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى كَانَ قَالَ لَهُمْ: يٰا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاٰ تَرْفَعُوا أَصْوٰاتَكُمْ فَوْقَ صَوْتِ النَّبِيِّ وَ لاٰ تَجْهَرُوا لَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ كَجَهْرِ بَعْضِكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ أَنْ تَحْبَطَ أَعْمٰالُكُمْ وَ أَنْتُمْ لاٰ تَشْعُرُونَ [3].

99-/572 _1- Imam al-‘Askarī (peace be upon him) said: “Mūsā b. Ja‘far (peace be upon them both) said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) arrived in Medina, the Emigrants and the Helpers gathered around him, and questions to him became many. They addressed him with the noble, exalted address befitting him, for Allah Most High had said to them: ‘O you who believe! do not raise your voices above the Prophet’s voice, and do not speak loud to him as you speak loud to one another, lest your deeds become null while you do not perceive’ [3].

وَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)بِهِمْ رَحِيماً،وَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَطُوفاً،وَ فِي إِزَالَةِ الْآثَامِ عَنْهُمْ مُجْتَهِداً،حَتَّى إِنَّهُ كَانَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى كُلِّ مَنْ كَانَ يُخَاطِبُهُ فَيَعْمِدُ عَلَى أَنْ يَكُونَ صَوْتُهُ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)مُرْتَفِعاً عَلَى صَوْتِهِ،لِيُزِيلَ عَنْهُ مَا تَوَعَّدَهُ اللَّهُ بِهِ مِنْ إِحْبَاطِ أَعْمَالِهِ،حَتَّى إِنَّ رَجُلاً أَعْرَابِيّاً نَادَاهُ يَوْماً وَ هُوَ خَلْفَ حَائِطٍ بِصَوْتٍ لَهُ جَهْوَرِيٍّ:يَا مُحَمَّدُ،فَأَجَابَهُ بِأَرْفَعَ مِنْ

And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was merciful to them, compassionate toward them, and diligent in removing sins from them—such that he would look at everyone who addressed him and make sure that his own voice (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) would be raised above that person’s voice, in order to remove from him what Allah had threatened him with of nullifying his deeds. So much so that one day a Bedouin called out to him from behind a wall, with a booming voice: ‘O Muhammad!’ and he answered him with a voice louder than…”

_1) -التفسير المنسوب إلى الإمام العسكريّ(عليه السّلام):305/477.

_1) -al-Tafsīr al-mansūb ilā al-Imām al-‘Askarī (alayhi al-salām): 305/477.

[3] الحجرات 49:2.

[3] al-Ḥujurāt 49:2.

[4] في المصدر:فيعمل.

[4] fī al-maṣdar: faya‘mal.