S 29 Ayat 45 to 46
وله تعالى:
اُتْلُ مٰا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتٰابِ وَ أَقِمِ الصَّلاٰةَ إِنَّ الصَّلاٰةَ تَنْهىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشٰاءِ وَ الْمُنْكَرِ -إلى قوله تعالى- وَ لاٰ تُجٰادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتٰابِ إِلاّٰ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ
45-/29:45-46
And His, the Most High, saying:
"Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and keep up prayer; surely prayer keeps (one) away from indecency and evil, and certainly the remembrance of Allah is the greatest, and Allah knows what you do. And do not dispute with the followers of the Book except by what is best..." (Surah al-‘Ankabut, 29:45-46, M H Shakir translation)
[45-46] /8275 _1-علي بن إبراهيم:ثم خاطب اللّه نبيه(صلّى اللّه عليه و آله)،فقال: اُتْلُ مٰا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتٰابِ وَ أَقِمِ الصَّلاٰةَ إِنَّ الصَّلاٰةَ تَنْهىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشٰاءِ وَ الْمُنْكَرِ قال:من لم تنهه الصلاة عن الفحشاء و المنكر لم يزدد من اللّه إلا بعدا.
45-46 /8275
‘Ali ibn Ibrahim said: Then Allah addressed His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), saying: "Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and keep up prayer; surely prayer keeps (one) away from indecency and evil." (Surah al-‘Ankabut, 29:45, M H Shakir translation) He said: Whoever’s prayer does not prevent him from indecency and evil only increases in distance from Allah.
99-/8276 _2- الطَّبْرِسِيُّ،قَالَ:رَوَى أَصْحَابُنَا،عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)،قَالَ: «مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ أَ قُبِلَتْ صَلاَتُهُ أَمْ لَمْ تُقْبَلْ،فَلْيَنْظُرْ هَلْ مَنَعَتْهُ صَلاَتُهُ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَ الْمُنْكَرِ؟فَبِقَدْرِ مَا مَنَعَتْهُ قُبِلَتْ مِنْهُ».
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Al-Tabrisi narrated: Our companions reported from Abu ‘Abdillah (peace be upon him), who said: "Whoever wishes to know whether his prayer has been accepted or not, let him observe—has his prayer prevented him from indecency and evil? To the extent that it has prevented him, it has been accepted from him."
99-/8277 _3- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ:عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ،عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ،عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ،عَنْ سُفْيَانَ الْحَرِيرِيِّ،عَنْ أَبِيهِ،عَنْ سَعْدٍ الْخَفَّافِ،عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)-فِي حَدِيثٍ طَوِيلٍ- قُلْتُ:يَا أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ،هَلْ يَتَكَلَّمُ الْقُرْآنُ؟فَتَبَسَّمَ،ثُمَّ قَالَ:«رَحِمَ اللَّهُ الضُّعَفَاءَ مِنْ شِيعَتِنَا،إِنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ تَسْلِيمٍ».ثُمَّ قَالَ:«نَعَمْ يَا سَعْدُ،وَ الصَّلاَةُ تَتَكَلَّمْ،وَ لَهَا صُورَةٌ وَ خَلْقٌ،تَأْمُرُ وَ تَنْهَى».
قَالَ سَعْدٌ:فَتَغَيَّرَ لِذَلِكَ لَوْنِي،وَ قُلْتُ:هَذَا شَيْءٌ لاَ أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أَتَكَلَّمَ بِهِ فِي النَّاسِ.فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):
«وَ هَلِ النَّاسُ إِلاَّ شِيعَتُنَا،فَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفِ الصَّلاَةَ فَقَدْ أَنْكَرَ حَقَّنَا».ثُمَّ قَالَ:«يَا سَعْدُ،أُسْمِعُكَ كَلاَمَ الْقُرْآنِ؟».قُلْتُ:
بَلَى،(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ).قَالَ:« إِنَّ الصَّلاٰةَ تَنْهىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشٰاءِ وَ الْمُنْكَرِ وَ لَذِكْرُ اللّٰهِ أَكْبَرُ ،فَالنَّهْيُ كَلاَمٌ،وَ الْفَحْشَاءُ وَ الْمُنْكَرُ رِجَالٌ،وَ نَحْنُ ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ،وَ نَحْنُ أَكْبَرُ».
99-/8277
Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub narrated from ‘Ali ibn Muhammad, from ‘Ali ibn al-‘Abbas, from al-Husayn ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman, from Sufyan al-Hariri, from his father, from Sa‘d al-Khaffaf, from Abu Ja‘far (peace be upon him) — in a lengthy narration — who said:
I said: "O Abu Ja‘far, does the Qur’an speak?" He smiled and then said: "May Allah have mercy on the weak ones from our Shia; indeed, they are people of submission." Then he said: "Yes, O Sa‘d, the prayer speaks, and it has a form and creation; it commands and forbids."
Sa‘d said: I became distressed at that, and I said: "This is something I cannot speak of among the people." Abu Ja‘far (peace be upon him) said: "And who are the people except our Shia? So whoever does not recognize the prayer has denied our right."
Then he said: "O Sa‘d, shall I make you hear the speech of the Qur’an?" I said: "Indeed, may Allah bless you." He said: "Surely prayer keeps (one) away from indecency and evil, and certainly the remembrance of Allah is the greatest." (Surah al-‘Ankabut, 29:45, M H Shakir translation) He explained: "The forbidding (nahy) is speech, indecency and evil are men, and we are the remembrance of Allah, and we are greater."
99-/8278 _4- الْعَيَّاشِيُّ،قَالَ:قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ): «وَ لَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ عِنْدَ مَا أَحَلَّ وَ حَرَّمَ».
99-/8278
Al-‘Ayyashi narrated that Abu ‘Abdillah (peace be upon him) said: "And certainly the remembrance of Allah is the greatest" — meaning: at the time of what He has made lawful and unlawful.
_1) -تفسير القمّيّ 2 ِّ 150.
_2) -مجمع البيان 8:447.
_3) -الكافي 2:1/437.
_4) -...البحار 82:200،و أخرجه في نور الثقلين 4:61/162 عن مجمع البيان.
[1] العنكبوت 29:49.
Page 322 in Arabic
99-/8279 _5- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ،قَالَ:وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ أَبِي الْجَارُودِ،عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ) ،فِي قَوْلِهِ: وَ لَذِكْرُ اللّٰهِ أَكْبَرُ ،يَقُولُ:«ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ لِأَهْلِ الصَّلاَةِ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ ذِكْرِهِمْ إِيَّاهُ،أَ لاَ تَرَى أَنَّهُ يَقُولُ: فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ [1]؟».
قَوْلُهُ: وَ لاٰ تُجٰادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتٰابِ إِلاّٰ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ ،قَالَ:اَلْيَهُودُ وَ النَّصَارَى إِلاّٰ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ ، قَالَ:بِالْقُرْآنِ.
99-/8279
‘Ali ibn Ibrahim said: In the narration of Abu al-Jarud from Abu Ja‘far (peace be upon him), regarding His saying: "And certainly the remembrance of Allah is the greatest," (Surah al-‘Ankabut, 29:45, M H Shakir translation) he said: "Allah’s remembrance of the people of prayer is greater than their remembrance of Him. Do you not see that He says: 'Therefore remember Me, I will remember you'?" (Surah al-Baqarah, 2:152, M H Shakir translation)
Regarding His saying: "And do not dispute with the followers of the Book except by what is best," (Surah al-‘Ankabut, 29:46, M H Shakir translation) he said: It refers to the Jews and the Christians — except by what is best, meaning with the Qur’an.
99-/8280 _6- الْإِمَامُ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ الْعَسْكَرِيُّ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)،قَالَ:«قَالَ الصَّادِقُ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ) ،وَ قَدْ ذُكِرَ عِنْدَهُ الْجِدَالُ فِي الدِّينِ،وَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)وَ الْأَئِمَّةَ(عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ)قَدْ نَهَوْا عَنْهُ،فَقَالَ الصَّادِقُ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):لَمْ يُنْهَ عَنْهُ مُطْلَقاً،لَكِنَّهُ نُهِيَ عَنِ الْجِدَالِ بِغَيْرِ الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ،أَ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ: وَ لاٰ تُجٰادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتٰابِ إِلاّٰ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ ،وَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: اُدْعُ إِلىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَ الْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَ جٰادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ [2]؟ فَالْجِدَالُ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ قَدْ قَرَنَهُ الْعُلَمَاءُ بِالدِّينِ،وَ الْجِدَالُ بِغَيْرِ الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ مُحَرَّمٌ،حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَى شِيعَتِنَا؛وَ كَيْفَ يُحَرِّمُ اللَّهُ الْجِدَالَ جُمْلَةً،وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ: وَ قٰالُوا لَنْ يَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ إِلاّٰ مَنْ كٰانَ هُوداً أَوْ نَصٰارىٰ [3]وَ قَالَ تَعَالَى: تِلْكَ أَمٰانِيُّهُمْ قُلْ هٰاتُوا بُرْهٰانَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صٰادِقِينَ [4]؟فَجَعَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَمَ الصِّدْقِ وَ الْإِيمَانِ بِالْبُرْهَانِ،وَ هَلْ يَكُونُ الْبُرْهَانُ إِلاَّ فِي الْجِدَالِ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ؟ فَقِيلَ:يَا بْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ،فَمَا الْجِدَالُ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ،وَ الَّتِي لَيْسَتْ بِأَحْسَنَ؟
99-/8280
Imam Abu Muhammad al-‘Askari (peace be upon him) said:
Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) was asked regarding debate (jidāl) in religion, and it was mentioned before him that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) and the Imams (peace be upon them) had prohibited it. So al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:
"It was not prohibited absolutely, but rather the debate that is not in the manner which is best (bil-latī hiya aḥsan) was prohibited. Do you not hear that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: 'And do not dispute with the followers of the Book except by what is best,' (Surah al-‘Ankabut, 29:46, M H Shakir translation) and His saying, the Most High: 'Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in the best manner'?" (Surah an-Nahl, 16:125, M H Shakir translation)
Thus, debating in the manner which is best has been associated with the scholars of religion, while debating in a way other than that which is best is forbidden; Allah, the Most High, has prohibited it for our Shia.
And how could Allah prohibit debate entirely, while He says: 'And they say: None shall enter the garden except he who is a Jew or a Christian.' (Surah al-Baqarah, 2:111, M H Shakir translation) And He says: 'These are their vain desires. Say: Bring your proof if you are truthful.' (Surah al-Baqarah, 2:111, M H Shakir translation)
So Allah has made the sign of truth and faith to be through proof (burhān), and how could proof be established except through debate in the manner which is best?"
It was then asked: "O son of the Messenger of Allah, what is the debate in the manner which is best, and what is that which is not best?"
قَالَ:أَمَّا الْجِدَالُ بِغَيْرِ الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ،بِأَنْ تُجَادِلَ مُبْطِلاً،فيُورِدَ عَلَيْكَ بَاطِلاً،فَلاَ تَرُدَّهُ بِحُجَّةٍ قَدْ نَصَبَهَا اللَّهُ،وَ لَكِنْ تَجْحَدُ قَوْلَهُ،أَوْ تَجْحَدَ حَقّاً يُرِيدُ ذَلِكَ الْمُبْطِلُ أَنْ يُعِينَ بِهِ بَاطِلَهُ،فَتَجْحَدَ ذَلِكَ الْحَقَّ مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ عَلَيْكَ فِيهِ حُجَّةٌ،لِأَنَّكَ لاَ تَدْرِي كَيْفَ الْمَخْلَصُ مِنْهُ،فَذَلِكَ حَرَامٌ عَلَى شِيعَتِنَا أَنْ يَصِيرُوا فِتْنَةً عَلَى ضُعَفَاءِ إِخْوَانِهِمْ،وَ عَلَى الْمُبْطِلِينَ:أَمَّا الْمُبْطِلُونَ فَيَجْعَلُونَ ضَعْفَ الضَّعِيفِ مِنْكُمْ إِذَا تَعَاطَى مُجَادَلَتَهُ،وَ ضَعْفَ مَا فِي يَدِهِ،حُجَّةً لَهُ عَلَى بَاطِلِهِ،وَ أَمَّا الضُّعَفَاءُ مِنْكُمْ فَتُغَمُّ [5] قُلُوبُهُمْ لِمَا يَرَوْنَ مِنْ ضَعْفِ الْمُحِقِّ فِي يَدِ الْمُبْطِلِ.
وَ أَمَّا الْجِدَالُ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ،فَهُوَ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِهِ نَبِيَّهُ أَنْ يُجَادِلَ بِهِ مَنْ جَحَدَ الْبَعْثَ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ، وَ إِحْيَاءَهُ لَهُ،فَقَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى حَاكِياً عَنْهُ: وَ ضَرَبَ لَنٰا مَثَلاً وَ نَسِيَ خَلْقَهُ قٰالَ مَنْ يُحْيِ الْعِظٰامَ وَ هِيَ رَمِيمٌ [6]؟ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ فِي الرَّدِّ عَلَيْهِ: قُلْ [7]يَا مُحَمَّدُ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِي أَنْشَأَهٰا أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَ هُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ*
Imam al-‘Askari (peace be upon him) continued:
"As for debate that is not in the manner which is best, it is that you argue with a person of falsehood, and he presents to you something false, but you do not refute it with a proof established by Allah. Instead, you deny his statement outright or deny a truth that he intends to use to support his falsehood. You deny that truth out of fear that he might use it as a proof against you, because you do not know how to escape from it. This is prohibited for our Shia, lest they become a trial for their weaker brothers and a tool for the people of falsehood.
Regarding the people of falsehood, they will take the weakness of one of your weak ones, if he engages in debate, and the weakness of what is in his hand, as a proof for their falsehood. As for the weak among you, their hearts will become distressed when they see the weakness of the one holding the truth in the face of the people of falsehood.
But debate in the manner which is best is that which Allah, the Most High, commanded His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) to engage in, such as when he was to argue with those who denied resurrection after death and the revival of the dead. Allah, the Most High, narrated regarding him: 'And he strikes out a likeness for Us and forgets his own creation. Says he: Who will give life to the bones when they are rotten?' (Surah Ya-Sin, 36:78, M H Shakir translation) So Allah replied to him: 'Say (O Muhammad): He will give life to them Who brought them into existence the first time, and He is Cognizant of all creation.' (Surah Ya-Sin, 36:79, M H Shakir translation)"
_5) -تفسير القمّيّ 2:150.
_6) -التفسير المنسوب إلى الإمام العسكريّ(عليه السلام):527.
[1] البقرة 2:152.
[2] النحل 16:125.
[3] البقرة 2:111.
[4] البقرة 2:111.
[5] في«ط،ي»:فعمي.
[6] يس 36:78.
[7] يس 36:79.
Page 323 in Arabic
اَلَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنَ الشَّجَرِ الْأَخْضَرِ نٰاراً فَإِذٰا أَنْتُمْ مِنْهُ تُوقِدُونَ [1] إِلَى آخِرِ السُّورَةِ.
فَأَرَادَ اللَّهُ مِنْ نَبِيِّهِ أَنْ يُجَادِلَ الْمُبْطِلُ الَّذِي قَالَ:كَيْفَ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَبْعَثَ اللَّهُ هَذِهِ الْعِظَامَ وَ هِيَ رَمِيمٌ؟فَقَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِي أَنْشَأَهٰا أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ ،أَ فَيَعْجِزُ مَنِ ابْتَدَأَهُ لاَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ أَنْ يُعِيدَهُ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَبْلَى؟بَلْ ابْتِدَاؤُهُ أَصْعَبُ عِنْدَكُمْ مِنْ إِعَادَتِهِ.
ثُمَّ قَالَ: اَلَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنَ الشَّجَرِ الْأَخْضَرِ نٰاراً ،أَيْ إِذَا كَانَ قَدْ أَكْمَنَ النَّارَ الْحَارَّةَ فِي الشَّجَرِ الْأَخْضَرِ الرَّطْبِ،يَسْتَخْرِجُهَا،فَعَرَّفَكُمْ أَنَّهُ عَلَى إِعَادَةِ مَا يَبْلَى أَقْدَرُ،ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَ وَ لَيْسَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمٰاوٰاتِ وَ الْأَرْضَ بِقٰادِرٍ عَلىٰ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُمْ بَلىٰ وَ هُوَ الْخَلاّٰقُ الْعَلِيمُ [2]،أَيْ إِذَا كَانَ خَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ أَعْظَمَ وَ أَبْعَدَ فِي أَوْهَامِكُمْ وَ قَدْرِكُمْ أَنْ تَقْدِرُوا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ إِعَادَةِ الْبَالِي،فَكَيْفَ جَوَّزْتُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ خَلْقَ هَذَا الْأَعْجَبِ عِنْدَكُمْ وَ الْأَصْعَبِ لَدَيْكُمْ،وَ لَمْ تُجَوِّزُوا مَا هُوَ أَسْهَلُ عِنْدَكُمْ مِنْ إِعَادَةِ الْبَالِي؟ فَقَالَ الصَّادِقُ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):فَهَذَا الْجِدَالُ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ،لِأَنَّ فِيهِ انْقِطَاعَ عُرَى الْكَافِرِينَ،وَ إِزَالَةَ شُبَهِهِمْ،وَ أَمَّا الْجِدَالُ بِغَيْرِ الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ،فَأَنْ تَجْحَدَ حَقّاً لاَ يُمْكِنُكَ أَنْ تُفَرِّقَ بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ بَاطِلِ مَنْ تُجَادِلُهُ،وَ إِنَّمَا تَدْفَعُهُ عَنْ بَاطِلِهِ بِأَنْ تَجْحَدَ الْحَقَّ،فَهَذَا هُوَ الْمُحَرَّمُ،لِأَنَّكَ مِثْلُهُ،جَحَدَ هُوَ حَقّاً،وَ جَحَدْتَ أَنْتَ حَقّاً آخَرَ».
Imam al-Ṣādiq (peace be upon him) continued:
Regarding Allah's saying: "He Who produces fire for you out of the green tree, so that you kindle (fire) from it." (Surah Yā-Sīn, 36:80, M H Shakir translation) until the end of the surah.
Allah intended for His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) to debate the one who argued falsely, saying: "How is it possible that Allah revives these bones when they are decayed?" So Allah, the Most High, said: "Say: He will give life to them Who brought them into existence the first time." (Surah Yā-Sīn, 36:79, M H Shakir translation) Meaning: will the One who initiated their creation from nothing be incapable of bringing them back after they have decayed? Rather, originating them is, in your view, more difficult than restoring them.
Then He said: "He Who produces fire for you out of the green tree," (Surah Yā-Sīn, 36:80, M H Shakir translation) i.e., if He has embedded the burning fire inside the moist green tree and extracts it, then surely He is even more capable of restoring what has perished.
Then He said: "Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth able to create the like of them? Yea! and He is the Creator (of all), the Knower." (Surah Yā-Sīn, 36:81, M H Shakir translation) Meaning: if the creation of the heavens and the earth—which is greater and more unimaginable in your estimation, and beyond your power—has been accomplished by Him, then how could you accept from Allah the creation of this more wondrous and difficult matter in your view, yet deny His ability to restore the perished, which is easier in your eyes?
Imam al-Ṣādiq (peace be upon him) concluded:
"This is debate in the manner which is best because it severs the arguments of the disbelievers and removes their doubts. As for debate that is not in the manner which is best, it is when you deny a truth that you cannot distinguish from the falsehood of the one you are debating, and you repel his falsehood by rejecting a truth. This is what is prohibited, because you become like him—he denies a truth, and you deny another truth."