S 2 A 75-77

الَّذِينَ بِجَاهِهِمْ وَ مَسْأَلَةِ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ بِهِمْ أَرْسَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قَوْمِ عَادٍ رِيحاً صَرْصَراً عَاتِيَةً،تَنْزِعُ النَّاسُ كَأَنَّهُمْ أَعْجَازُ نَخْلٍ خَاوِيَةٌ،وَ أَمَرَ جَبْرَئِيلَ أَنْ يَصِيحَ صَيْحَةً هَائِلَةً فِي قَوْمِ صَالِحٍ حَتَّى صَارُوا كَهَشِيمِ الْمُحْتَظَرِ [1]،لَمَّا انْقَلَعْتَ مِنْ مَكَانِكَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ،وَ جِئْتَ إِلَى حَضْرَتِي هَذِهِ؛وَ وَضَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ،فَتَزَلْزَلَ الْجَبَلُ،وَ سَارَ كَالْقَارِحِ [2]الْهَمْلاَجِ [3] حَتَّى صَارَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ،وَ دَنَا مِنْ إِصْبَعِهِ أَصْلِهِ فَلَزِقَ بِهَا،وَ وَقَفَ وَ نَادَاهَا:أَنَا لَكَ سَامِعٌ طَائِعٌ-يَا رَسُولَ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ-وَ إِنْ رَغِمَتْ أُنُوفُ هَؤُلاَءِ الْمُعَانِدِينَ،مُرْنِي بِأَمْرِكَ.

فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ):إِنَّ هَؤُلاَءِ الْمُعَانِدِينَ اقْتَرَحُوا عَلَيَّ أَنْ آمُرَكَ أَنْ تَنْقَلِعَ مِنْ أَصْلِكَ،فَتَصِيرَ نِصْفَيْنِ، ثُمَّ يَنْحَطَّ أَعْلاَكَ،وَ يَرْتَفِعَ أَصْفَلُكَ،فَتَصِيرَ ذِرْوَتُكَ أَصْلَكَ،وَ أَصْلُكَ ذِرْوَتَكَ.

فَقَالَ الْجَبَلُ:أَ تَأْمُرُنِي بِذَلِكَ،يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟قَالَ:بَلَى؛فَانْقَطَعَ الْجَبَلُ نِصْفَيْنِ،وَ انْحَطَّ أَعْلاَهُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ، وَ ارْتَفَعَ أَصْلُهُ [4] فَوْقَ أَعْلاَهُ،فَصَارَ فَرْعُهُ أَصْلَهُ،وَ أَصْلُهُ فَرْعَهُ.

ثُمَّ نَادَى الْجَبَلُ:مَعَاشِرَ الْيَهُودِ،هَذَا الَّذِي تَرَوْنَ دُونَ مُعْجِزَاتِ مُوسَى(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)الَّذِي تَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّكُمْ بِهِ مُؤْمِنُونَ.فَنَظَرَ الْيَهُودُ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ،فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ:مَا عَنْ [5] هَذَا مَحِيصٌ؛وَ قَالَ آخَرُونَ مِنْهُمْ:هَذَا رَجُلٌ مَبْخُوتٌ يُؤْتَى [6] لَهُ،وَ الْمَبْخُوتُ تَتَأَتَّى [7] لَهُ الْعَجَائِبُ،فَلاَ يَغُرَّنَّكُمْ مَا تُشَاهِدُونَ.

فَنَادَاهُمْ الْجَبَلُ:يَا أَعْدَاءَ اللَّهِ،قَدْ أَبْطَلْتُمْ بِمَا تَقُولُونَ نُبُوَّةَ مُوسَى،هَلاَّ قُلْتُمْ لِمُوسَى:إِنَّ قَلْبَ الْعَصَا ثُعْبَاناً، وَ انْفِلاَقَ الْبَحْرِ طُرُقاً،وَ وُقُوفَ الْجَبَلِ كَالظُّلَّةِ فَوْقَكُمْ؛إِنَّكَ يُؤْتَى لَكَ،يَأْتِيكَ جَدُّكَ [8] بِالْعَجَائِبِ،فَلاَ يَغُرُّنَا مَا نُشَاهِدُهُ [9]؛فَأَلْقَمَتْهُمُ الْجِبَالُ-بِمَقَالَتِهَا-اَلصُّخُورَ،وَ لَزِمَتْهُمْ حُجَّةُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ.

English translation:

Those by whose rank and through whom God is supplicated—by them God sent upon the people of ‘Ād a shrieking, raging wind, which plucked the people up as if they were hollow trunks of palm-trees; and He commanded Gabriel to cry out a terrifying cry upon the people of Ṣāliḥ until they became like dry, trampled twigs (al-hashīm al-muḥtaẓar) [1]. When you were uprooted from your place by God’s leave and came to this presence of mine—he placed his hand upon the ground before him—then the mountain trembled and moved like a young she-camel (al-qāriḥ) [2] with a smooth, swift gait (al-hamlaaj) [3] until it stood before him, and its base drew near to his finger and clung to it. It halted, and he called out to it: “I hear and obey you, O Messenger of the Lord of the worlds, even if the noses of these stubborn ones be rubbed in the dust. Command me as you will.”

The Messenger of God (may God bless him and his family) said: “These obstinate ones have proposed to me that I command you to uproot yourself from your base and split into two halves; then let your top descend and your bottom rise, so that your summit becomes your base and your base becomes your summit.”

The mountain said: “Do you command me to do that, O Messenger of God?” He said: “Yes.” So the mountain split into two halves; its top sank down to the ground, and its base [4] rose above its top, so that its branch became its base and its base became its branch.

Then the mountain cried out: “O assembly of Jews! What you see here is aside from the miracles of Moses (peace be upon him) in whom you claim to believe.” The Jews looked at each other; some said, “There is no escape [5] from this,” while others among them said, “This is a man of fortunate luck; marvels come [6] to him, and one of fortunate luck has wonders made easy [7] for him, so let not what you witness deceive you.”

The mountain called to them: “O enemies of God! By what you are saying you have invalidated the prophethood of Moses. Why didn’t you say to Moses regarding the staff becoming a serpent, the sea splitting into paths, and the mountain hovering over you like a canopy: ‘Indeed, things are brought to you; your good fortune [8] brings you wonders, so let not what we witness deceive us’ [9]?” Thus the mountains, by their speech, forced stones into their mouths, and the proof of the Lord of the worlds bound them.

قوله تعالى:

أَ فَتَطْمَعُونَ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا لَكُمْ وَ قَدْ كٰانَ فَرِيقٌ مِنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلاٰمَ اللّٰهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ مٰا عَقَلُوهُ وَ هُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ[75]

[Qur’an 2:75] M. H. Shakir: Do you then hope that they would believe in you, and a party from among them indeed used to hear the Word of Allah, then altered it after they had understood it, and they know (this).

[1] الهشيم:

al-hashīm — the dried remains of plants;

المحتظر:

al-muḥtaẓar — one who makes an enclosure or pen. Majma‘ al-Baḥrayn – Hashama – 6:186; Ḥaẓara – 3:273.

[2] القارح:

al-qāriḥ — the she-camel the first time it becomes pregnant. Lisān al-‘Arab – Qarḥ – 2:559.

[3] الهملاج:

al-hamlaaj — a swift, graceful manner of gait. Lisān al-‘Arab – Hamlaj – 2:394.

[4] في المصدر: أسفله —

fī al-maṣdar: asfaluh (in the source: “its bottom”).

[5] في «س»: من —

fī “S”: min (“from”).

[6] في «س»: به مؤتى —

fī “S”: bihi mu’tā (“it is brought to him”).

[7] تأتّى له الأمر:

ta’attā lahu al-amr — it became easy and feasible. Majma‘ al-Baḥrayn – Atā – 1:21.

[8] الجدّ:

al-jadd — good fortune. Majma‘ al-Baḥrayn – Jadd – 3:21.

[9] في المصدر زيادة: منك —

fī al-maṣdar ziyādah: minka (the source adds: “from you”).

وَ إِذٰا لَقُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قٰالُوا آمَنّٰا وَ إِذٰا خَلاٰ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلىٰ بَعْضٍ قٰالُوا أَ تُحَدِّثُونَهُمْ بِمٰا فَتَحَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لِيُحَاجُّوكُمْ بِهِ عِنْدَ رَبِّكُمْ أَ فَلاٰ تَعْقِلُونَ[76]

[Qur’an 2:76] M. H. Shakir: And when they meet those who believe they say: We believe, and when they are alone one with another they say: Do you talk to them of what Allah has disclosed to you that they may contend with you by this before your Lord? Do you not then understand?

أَ وَ لاٰ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللّٰهَ يَعْلَمُ مٰا يُسِرُّونَ وَ مٰا يُعْلِنُونَ[77]

[Qur’an 2:77] M. H. Shakir: Do they not know that Allah knows what they keep secret and what they make known?

99-/414 _1- قَالَ الْإِمَامُ الْعَسْكَرِيُّ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ): «فَلَمَّا بَهَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)،هَؤُلاَءِ الْيَهُودَ بِمُعْجِزَتِهِ،وَ قَطَعَ مَعَاذِيرَهُمْ بِوَاضِحِ دَلاَلَتِهِ،لَمْ يُمْكِنْهُمْ مُرَاجَعَتُهُ [1] فِي حُجَّتِهِ،وَ لاَ إِدْخَالُ التَّلْبِيسِ عَلَيْهِ فِي مُعْجِزَتِهِ،قَالُوا:يَا مُحَمَّدُ، قَدْ آمَنَّا بِأَنَّكَ الرَّسُولُ الْهَادِي الْمَهْدِيُّ،وَ أَنَّ عَلِيّاً أَخَاكَ هُوَ الْوَصِيُّ وَ الْوَلِيُّ.

وَ كَانُوا إِذَا خَلَوْا [2] بِالْيَهُودِ الْآخَرِينَ يَقُولُونَ لَهُمْ:إِنَّ إِظْهَارَنَا لَهُ الْإِيمَانَ بِهِ أَمْكَنُ لَنَا عَلَى دَفْعِ [3] مَكْرُوهِهِ، وَ أَعْوَنُ لَنَا عَلَى اصْطِلاَمِهِ [4] وَ اصْطِلاَمِ أَصْحَابِهِ،لِأَنَّهُمْ عِنْدَ اعْتِقَادِهِمْ أَنَّنَا مَعَهُمْ يَقِفُونَنَا عَلَى أَسْرَارِهِمْ،وَ لاَ يَكْتُمُونَنَا شَيْئاً،فَنُطْلِعُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَعْدَاءَهُمْ،فَيَقْصِدُونَ أَذَاهُمْ بِمُعَاوَنَتِنَا وَ مُظَاهَرَتِنَا،فِي أَوْقَاتِ اشْتِغَالِهِمْ وَ اضْطِرَابِهِمْ، وَ فِي أَحْوَالِ تَعَذُّرِ الْمُدَافَعَةِ وَ الاِمْتِنَاعِ مِنَ الْأَعْدَاءِ عَلَيْهِمْ.

وَ كَانُوا مَعَ ذَلِكَ يُنْكِرُونَ عَلَى سَائِرِ الْيَهُودِ إِخْبَارَ النَّاسِ عَمَّا كَانُوا يُشَاهِدُونَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِهِ،وَ يُعَايِنُونَهُ مِنْ مُعْجِزَاتِهِ، فَأَظْهَرَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مُحَمَّداً رَسُولَهُ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)عَلَى سُوءِ اعْتِقَادِهِمْ،وَ قُبْحِ دَخَائِلِهُمْ [5]،وَ عَلَى إِنْكَارِهِمْ عَلَى مَنِ اعْتَرَفَ بِمَا شَاهَدَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِ مُحَمَّدٍ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)وَ وَاضِحِ بَيِّنَاتِهِ،وَ بَاهِرِ مُعْجِزَاتِهِ.

فَقَالَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ:يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَ فَتَطْمَعُونَ أَنْتَ وَ أَصْحَابُكَ مِنْ عَلِيٍّ وَ آلِهِ الطَّيِّبِينَ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا لَكُمْ هَؤُلاَءِ الْيَهُودُ الَّذِي هُمْ بِحُجَجِ اللَّهِ قَدْ بَهَرْتُمُوهُمْ،وَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَ دَلاَئِلِهِ الْوَاضِحَةِ قَدْ قَهَرْتُمُوهُمْ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا لَكُمْ وَ يُصَدِّقُوكُمْ بِقُلُوبِهِمْ،وَ يُبْدُوا فِي الْخَلَوَاتِ لِشَيَاطِينِهِمْ شَرِيفَ أَحْوَالِكُمْ.

وَ قَدْ كٰانَ فَرِيقٌ مِنْهُمْ يَعْنِي مِنْ هَؤُلاَءِ الْيَهُودِ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلاٰمَ اللّٰهِ فِي أَصْلِ جَبَلِ طُورِ سَيْنَاءَ،وَ أَوَامِرِهِ وَ نَوَاهِيهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ عَمَّا سَمِعُوهُ،إِذَا أَدَّوْهُ إِلَى مَنْ وَرَائَهُمْ مِنْ سَائِرِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مٰا عَقَلُوهُ وَ عَلِمُوا أَنَّهُمْ فِيمَا يَقُولُونَهُ كَاذِبُونَ وَ هُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ فِي قِيلِهِمْ كَاذِبُونَ.

وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُمْ لَمَّا صَارُوا مَعَ مُوسَى إِلَى الْجَبَلِ،فَسَمِعُوا كَلاَمَ اللَّهِ،وَ وَقَفُوا عَلَى أَوَامِرِهِ وَ نَوَاهِيهِ،رَجَعُوا فَأَدَّوْهُ إِلَى مَنْ بَعْدَهُمْ فَشَقَّ عَلَيْهِمْ؛فَأَمَّا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ مِنْهُمْ فَثَبَتُوا عَلَى إِيمَانِهِمْ،وَ صَدَقُوا فِي نِيَّاتِهِمْ،وَ أَمَّا أَسْلاَفُ هَؤُلاَءِ الْيَهُودِ الَّذِينَ نَافَقُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)فِي هَذِهِ الْقِصَّةِ [1]،فَإِنَّهُمْ قَالُوا لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ:إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى قَالَ لَنَا هَذَا، وَ أَمَرَنَا بِمَا ذَكَرْنَاهُ لَكُمْ وَ نَهَانَا،وَ أَتْبَعَ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّكُمْ إِنْ صَعُبَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِهِ فَلاَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ لاَ تَفْعَلُوهُ،وَ إِنْ صَعُبَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَا عَنْهُ نَهَيْتُكُمْ فَلاَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ تَرْتَكِبُوهُ وَ تُوَاقِعُوهُ،وَ هُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ بِقَوْلِهِمْ هَذَا كَاذِبُونَ.

ثُمَّ أَظْهَرَ اللَّهُ عَلَى نِفَاقِهِمُ الْآخَرِ مَعَ جَهْلِهِمْ،فَقَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: وَ إِذٰا لَقُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قٰالُوا آمَنّٰا كَانُوا إِذَا لَقُوا سَلْمَانَ وَ الْمِقْدَادَ وَ أَبَا ذَرٍّ وَ عَمَّاراً،قَالُوا:آمَنَّا كَإِيمَانِكُمْ،آمَنَّا [2]بِنُبُوَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)مَقْرُونَةً [3]بِالْإِيمَانِ بِإِمَامَةِ أَخِيهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ،وَ بِأَنَّهُ أَخُوهُ الْهَادِي،وَ وَزِيرُهُ الْمُوَالِي،وَ خَلِيفَتُهُ عَلَى أُمَّتِهِ،وَ مُنْجِزُ عِدَتِهِ،وَ الْوَافِي بِذِمَّتِهِ،وَ النَّاهِضُ بِأَعْبَاءِ سِيَاسَتِهِ،وَ قَيِّمُ الْخَلْقِ،الذَّائِدُ لَهُمْ عَنْ سَخَطِ الرَّحْمَنِ،الْمُوجِبُ لَهُمْ-إِنْ أَطَاعُوهُ-رِضَا الرَّحْمَنِ،وَ أَنَّ خُلَفَاءَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ هُمُ النُّجُومُ الزَّاهِرَةُ،وَ الْأَقْمَارُ الْمُنِيرَةُ،وَ الشَّمْسُ الْمُضِيئَةُ الْبَاهِرَةُ،وَ أَنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ اللَّهِ،وَ أَنَّ أَعْدَاءَهُمْ أَعْدَاءُ اللَّهِ.

وَ يَقُولُ بَعْضُهُمْ:نَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)صَاحِبُ الْمُعْجِزَاتِ،وَ مُقِيمُ الدَّلاَلاَتِ الْوَاضِحَاتِ،هُوَ الَّذِي لَمَّا تَوَاطَأَتْ قُرَيْشٌ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ،وَ طَلَبُوهُ فَقْداً لِرُوحِهِ،يَبَّسَ اللَّهُ أَيْدِيَهُمْ فَلَمْ تَعْمَلْ،وَ أَرْجُلَهُمْ فَلَنْ تَنْهَضْ،حَتَّى رَجَعُوا عَنْهُ خَائِبِينَ [4] مَغْلُوبِينَ،وَ لَوْ شَاءَ مُحَمَّدٌ وَحْدَهُ قَتَلَهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ،وَ هُوَ الَّذِي لَمَّا جَاءَتْهُ قُرَيْشٌ،وَ أَشْخَصَتْهُ إِلَى هُبَلَ لِيَحْكُمَ عَلَيْهِ بِصِدْقِهِمْ وَ كِذْبِهِ خَرَّ هُبَلُ لِوَجْهِهِ،وَ شَهِدَ لَهُ بِنُبُوَّتِهِ،وَ لِعَلِيٍّ أَخِيهِ بِإِمَامَتِهِ،وَ لِأَوْلِيَائِهِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ بِوِرَاثَتِهِ، وَ الْقِيَامِ بِسِيَاسَتِهِ وَ إِمَامَتِهِ.وَ هُوَ الَّذِي لَمَّا أَلْجَأَتْهُ قُرَيْشٌ إِلَى الشِّعْبِ [5]،وَ وَكَّلُوا بِبَابِهِ مَنْ يَمْنَعُ مِنْ إِيصَالِ قُوتٍ،وَ مِنْ خُرُوجِ أَحَدٍ عَنْهُ،خَوْفاً أَنْ يَطْلُبَ لَهُمْ قُوتاً،غَذَا هُنَاكَ كَافِرُهُمْ وَ مُؤْمِنُهُمْ أَفْضَلَ مِنَ الْمَنِّ وَ السَّلْوَى،وَ كُلَّ مَا اشْتَهَى كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ أَنْوَاعِ الْأَطْعِمَاتِ الطَّيِّبَاتِ،وَ مِنْ أَصْنَافِ الْحَلاَوَاتِ،وَ كَسَاهُمْ أَحْسَنَ الْكِسْوَاتِ.

وَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِهِمْ إِذْ يَرَاهُمْ [6] وَ قَدْ ضَاقَتْ لِضِيقِ فَجِّهِمْ [7] صُدُورُهُمْ،قَالَ بِيَدِهِ [8]هَكَذَا بِيُمْنَاهُ إِلَى الْجِبَالِ،وَ هَكَذَا بِيُسْرَاهُ إِلَى الْجِبَالِ،وَ قَالَ لَهَا:اِنْدَفِعِي؛فَتَنْدَفِعُ وَ تَتَأَخَّرُ حَتَّى يَصِيرُوا بِذَلِكَ فِي صَحْرَاءَ لاَ تُرَى أَطْرَافُهَا،ثُمَّ يَقُولُ بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا،وَ يَقُولُ:أَطْلِعِي-يَا أَيَّتُهَا الْمُودَعَاتُ لِمُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَنْصَارِهِ-مَا أَوْدَعَكِهَا [9]اللَّهُ مِنَ الْأَشْجَارِ وَ الْأَثْمَارِ وَ الْأَنْهَارِ وَ أَنْوَاعِ الزُّهَرِ وَ النَّبَاتِ،فَتُطْلِعُ [10] الْأَشْجَارُ الْبَاسِقَةُ،وَ الرَّيَاحِينُ الْمُونِقَةُ وَ الْخُضْرَوَاتُ النُّزْهَةِ مَا تَتَمَتَّعُ بِهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَ الْأَبْصَارُ،وَ تَنْجَلِي [1] بِهِ الْهُمُومُ وَ الْغُمُومُ وَ الْأَفْكَارُ،وَ هُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ مُلُوكِ الْأَرْضِ مِثْلُ صَحْرَائِهِمْ،عَلَى مَا تَشْتَمِلُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ عَجَائِبِ أَشْجَارِهَا،وَ تَهَدُّلِ [2] ثِمَارِهَا،وَ اطِّرَادِ أَنْهَارِهَا،وَ غَضَارَةِ رَيَاحِينِهَا،وَ حُسْنِ نَبَاتِهَا.

وَ مُحَمَّدٌ هُوَ الَّذِي لَمَّا جَاءَهُ رَسُولُ أَبِي جَهْلٍ [3] يَتَهَدَّدُهُ وَ يَقُولُ:يَا مُحَمَّدُ،إِنَّ الْخُيُوطَ [4] الَّتِي فِي رَأْسِكَ هِيَ الَّتِي ضَيَّقَتْ عَلَيْكَ مَكَّةَ،وَ رَمَتْ بِكَ إِلَى يَثْرِبَ،وَ إِنَّهَا لاَ تَزَالُ بِكَ حَتَّى تُنْفِرَكَ وَ تَحُثَّكَ عَلَى مَا يُفْسِدُكَ وَ يُتْلِفُكَ،إِلَى أَنْ تُفْسِدَهَا عَلَى أَهْلِهَا،وَ تُصْلِيَهُمْ حَرَّ نَارِ تَعَدِّيكَ طَوْرَكَ،وَ مَا أَرَى ذَلِكَ إِلاَّ وَ سَيَئُولُ إِلَى أَنْ تَثُورَ [5] عَلَيْكَ قُرَيْشٌ ثَوْرَةَ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ بِقَصْدِ آثَارِكَ،وَ دَفْعِ ضَرَرِكَ وَ بَلاَئِكَ،فَتَلْقَاهُمْ بِسُفَهَائِكَ الْمُغْتَرِّينَ بِكَ،وَ يُسَاعِدُكَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ مَنْ هُوَ كَافِرٌ بِكَ وَ مُبْغِضٌ لَكَ،فَيُلْجِئُهُ إِلَى مُسَاعَدَتِكَ وَ مُضَافَرَتِكَ خَوْفُهُ لِأَنْ يَهْلِكَ بِهَلاَكِكَ،وَ تَعْطِبَ [6] عِيَالُهُ بِعَطَبِكَ، وَ يَفْتَقِرَ هُوَ وَ مَنْ يَلِيهِ بِفَقْرِكَ،وَ بِفَقْرِ شِيعَتِكَ [7]،أَوْ يَعْتَقِدُونَ [8] أَنَّ أَعْدَاءَكَ إِذَا قَهَرُوكَ وَ دَخَلُوا دِيَارَهُمْ عَنْوَةً لَمْ يُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَ مَنْ وَالاَكَ وَ عَادَاكَ،وَ اصْطَلَمُوهُمْ بِاصْطِلاَمِهِمْ لَكَ،وَ أَتَوْا عَلَى عِيَالاَتِهِمْ وَ أَمْوَالِهِمْ بِالسَّبْيِ وَ النَّهْبِ،كَمَا يَأْتُونَ عَلَى أَمْوَالِكَ وَ عِيَالِكَ،وَ قَدْ أَعْذَرَ مَنْ أَنْذَرَ [9]،وَ بَالَغَ مَنْ أَوْضَحَ.

أَدَّيْتَ هَذِهِ الرِّسَالَةَ إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)وَ هُوَ بِظَاهِرِ الْمَدِينَةِ،بِحَضْرَةِ كَافَّةِ أَصْحَابِهِ،وَ عَامَّةِ الْكُفَّارِ مِنْ يَهُودِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ،وَ هَكَذَا أَمَرَ الرَّسُولُ،لِيُجَنِّبُوا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ،وَ يُغْرُوا بِالْوُثُوبِ عَلَيْهِ سَائِرُ مَنْ هُنَاكَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ،فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)لِلرَّسُولِ:قَدْ أَطْرَيْتَ [10] مَقَالَتَكَ،وَ اسْتَكْمَلْتَ رِسَالَتَكَ؟قَالَ:بَلَى.

قَالَ:فَاسْمَعِ الْجَوَابَ:إِنَّ أَبَا جَهْلٍ بِالْمَكَارِهِ وَ الْعَطَبِ يُهَدِّدُنِي،وَ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ بِالنَّصْرِ وَ الظَّفَرِ يَعِدُنِي،وَ خَبَرُ اللَّهِ أَصْدَقُ،وَ الْقَبُولُ مِنَ اللَّهِ أَحَقُّ،لَنْ يَضُرَّ مُحَمَّداً مَنْ خَذَلَهُ،أَوْ يَغْضَبَ عَلَيْهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَنْصُرَهُ اللَّهُ،وَ يَتَفَضَّلَ بِجُودِهِ وَ كَرَمِهِ عَلَيْهِ،قُلْ لَهُ:يَا أَبَا جَهْلٍ،إِنَّكَ رَاسَلْتَنِي بِمَا أَلْقَاهُ فِي خَلَدِكَ [11] الشَّيْطَانُ،وَ أَنَا أُجِيبُكَ بِمَا أَلْقَاهُ فِي خَاطِرِي الرَّحْمَنِ،إِنَّ الْحَرْبَ بَيْنَنَا وَ بَيْنَكَ كَائِنَةٌ إِلَى تِسْعَةٍ وَ عِشْرِينَ يَوْماً،وَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَيَقْتُلُكَ فِيهَا بِأَضْعَفِ أَصْحَابِي،وَ سَتَلْقَى أَنْتَ وَ عُتْبَةُ وَ شَيْبَةُ وَ الْوَلِيدُ وَ فُلاَنٌ وَ فُلاَنٌ-وَ ذَكَرَ عَدَداً مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ-فِي قَلِيبِ بَدْرٍ [1] مُقَتَّلِينَ،أَقْتُلُ مِنْكُمْ سَبْعِينَ،وَ آسَرُ مِنْكُمْ سَبْعِينَ،أَحْمِلُهُمْ عَلَى الْفِدَاءِ الثَّقِيلِ.

ثُمَّ نَادَى جَمَاعَةَ مَنْ بِحَضْرَتِهِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ الْيَهُودِ وَ النَّصَارَى وَ سَائِرِ الْأَخْلاَطِ:أَ لاَ تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ أُرِيَكُمْ مَصْرَعَ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ هَؤُلاَءِ؟هَلُمُّوا إِلَى بَدْرٍ،فَإِنَّ هُنَاكَ الْمُلْتَقَى وَ الْمَحْشَرَ،وَ هُنَاكَ الْبَلاَءَ الْأَكْبَرَ،لَأَضَعُ قَدَمَيَّ عَلَى مَوَاضِعِ مَصَارِعِهِمْ،ثُمَّ سَتَجِدُونَهَا لاَ تَزِيدُ وَ لاَ تَنْقُصُ،وَ لاَ تَتَغَيَّرُ وَ لاَ تَتَقَدَّمُ،وَ لاَ تَتَأَخَّرُ لَحْظَةً،وَ لاَ قَلِيلاً وَ لاَ كَثِيراً؛فَلَمْ يَخْفَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ وَ لَمْ يُجِبْهُ إِلاَّ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)وَحْدَهُ،وَ قَالَ:نَعَمْ،بِسْمِ اللَّهِ؛فَقَالَ الْبَاقُونَ:نَحْنُ نَحْتَاجُ إِلَى مَرْكُوبٍ وَ آلاَتٍ وَ نَفَقَاتٍ،فَلاَ يُمْكِنُنَا الْخُرُوجُ إِلَى هُنَاكَ وَ هُوَ مَسِيرَةُ أَيَّامٍ.

فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)لِسَائِرِ الْيَهُودِ:فَأَنْتُمْ،مَاذَا تَقُولُونَ؟قَالُوا:نَحْنُ نُرِيدُ أَنْ نَسْتَقِرَّ فِي بُيُوتِنَا،وَ لاَ حَاجَةَ لَنَا فِي مُشَاهَدَةِ مَا أَنْتَ فِي ادِّعَائِهِ مُحِيلٌ.

فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ):لاَ نَصَبَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْمَسِيرِ [2] إِلَى هُنَاكَ،اخْطُوا خُطْوَةً وَاحِدَةً فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَطْوِي الْأَرْضَ لَكُمْ،وَ يُوصِلُكُمْ فِي الْخُطْوَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ إِلَى هُنَاكَ؛فَقَالَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ:صَدَقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)فَلْنَتَشَرَّفْ [3]بِهَذِهِ الْآيَةِ،وَ قَالَ الْكَافِرُونَ وَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ:سَوْفَ نَمْتَحِنُ هَذَا الْكَذِبَ لِيَنْقَطِعَ عُذْرُ مُحَمَّدٍ،وَ تَصِيرَ دَعْوَاهُ حُجَّةً عَلَيْهِ، وَ فَاضِحَةً لَهُ فِي كَذِبِهِ».

قَالَ:«فَخَطَا الْقَوْمُ خُطْوَةً،ثُمَّ الثَّانِيَةَ،فَإِذَا هُمْ عِنْدَ بِئْرِ بَدْرٍ فَعَجِبُوا مِنْ ذَلِكَ،فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)، فَقَالَ:اِجْعَلُوا الْبِئْرَ الْعَلاَمَةَ،وَ اذْرَعُوا مِنْ عِنْدِهَا كَذَا ذِرَاعاً؛فَذَرَعُوا،فَلَمَّا انْتَهَوْا إِلَى آخِرِهَا،قَالَ:هَذَا مَصْرَعُ أَبِي جَهْلٍ،يَجْرَحُهُ فُلاَنٌ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ،وَ يُجَهِّزُ عَلَيْهِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ أَضْعَفُ أَصْحَابِي.

ثُمَّ قَالَ:اِذْرَعُوا مِنَ الْبِئْرِ مِنْ جَانِبٍ آخَرَ،ثُمَّ جَانِبٍ آخَرَ،كَذَا وَ كَذَا ذِرَاعاً،وَ ذَكَرَ أَعْدَادَ الْأَذْرُعِ مُخْتَلِفَةً،فَلَمَّا انْتَهَى كُلُّ عَدَدٍ إِلَى آخِرِهِ قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ):هَذَا مَصْرَعُ عُتْبَةَ،وَ ذَاكَ مَصْرَعُ شَيْبَةَ،وَ ذَاكَ مَصْرَعُ الْوَلِيدِ، وَ سَيُقْتَلُ فُلاَنٌ وَ فُلاَنٌ-إِلَى أَنْ سَمَّى تَمَامَ سَبْعِينَ مِنْهُمْ بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ-وَ سَيُؤْسَرُ فُلاَنٌ وَ فُلاَنٌ؛إِلَى أَنْ ذَكَرَ سَبْعِينَ مِنْهُمْ بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ وَ أَسْمَاءِ آبَائِهِمْ وَ صِفَاتِهِمْ،وَ نَسَبِ الْمَنْسُوبِينَ إِلَى الْآبَاءِ مِنْهُمْ،وَ نَسَبِ الْمَوَالِي مِنْهُمْ إِلَى مَوَالِيهِمْ.

ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ):أَ وَقَفْتُمْ عَلَى مَا أَخْبَرْتُكُمْ بِهِ قَالُوا:بَلَى؛قَالَ:وَ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ لَحَقٌّ كَائِنٌ بَعْدَ ثَمَانِيَةٍ وَ عِشْرِينَ يَوْماً،فِي الْيَوْمِ التَّاسِعِ وَ الْعِشْرِينَ،وَعْداً مِنَ اللَّهِ مَفْعُولاً،وَ قَضَاءً حَتْماً لاَزِماً.

ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ):يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَ الْيَهُودِ،اكْتُبُوا مَا [4] سَمِعْتُمْ؛فَقَالُوا:يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ،قَدْ سَمِعْنَا وَ وَعَيْنَا وَ لاَ نَنْسَى.

فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ):اَلْكِتَابَةُ أَفْضَلُ وَ أَذْكَرُ لَكُمْ؛فَقَالُوا:يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ،وَ أَيْنَ الدَّوَاةُ وَ الْكَتِفُ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)ذَلِكَ لِلْمَلاَئِكَةِ،ثُمَّ قَالَ:يَا مَلاَئِكَةَ رَبِّي،اكْتُبُوا مَا سَمِعْتُمْ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْقِصَّةِ فِي أَكْتَافٍ،وَ اجْعَلُوا فِي كُمِّ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ كَتِفاً مِنْ ذَلِكَ.

ثُمَّ قَالَ:مَعَاشِرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ،فَأَمْلُوا أَكْمَامَكُمْ وَ مَا فِيهَا،وَ أَخْرِجُوهُ وَ أَقْرِءُوهُ؛فَتَأَمَّلُوهَا فَإِذَا فِي كُمِّ [1] كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ صَحِيفَةٌ،قَرَأَهَا،وَ إِذَا فِيهَا ذِكْرُ مَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)فِي ذَلِكَ سَوَاءً،لاَ يَزِيدُ وَ لاَ يَنْقُصُ،وَ لاَ يَتَقَدَّمُ وَ لاَ يَتَأَخَّرُ.

فَقَالَ:أَعِيدُوهَا فِي أَكْمَامِكُمْ تَكُنْ حُجَّةً عَلَيْكُمْ،وَ شَرَفاً لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْكُمْ،وَ حُجَّةً عَلَى أَعْدَائِكُمْ [2]؛فَكَانَتْ مَعَهُمْ،فَلَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ بَدْرٍ جَرَتِ الْأُمُورُ كُلُّهَا بِبَدْرٍ،وَ وَجَدُوهَا كَمَا قَالَ لاَ تَزِيدُ وَ لاَ تَنْقُصُ،وَ لاَ تَتَقَدَّمُ وَ لاَ تَتَأَخَّرُ،قَابَلُوا بِهَا مَا فِي كُتُبِهِمْ فَوَجَدُوهَا كَمَا كَتَبَتْهُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ فِيهَا،لاَ تَزِيدُ وَ لاَ تَنْقُصُ،وَ لاَ تَتَقَدَّمُ وَ لاَ تَتَأَخَّرُ،فَقَبِلَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ ظَاهِرَهُمْ،وَ وَكَلُوا بَاطِنَهُمْ إِلَى خَالِقِهِمْ.

فَلَمَّا أَفْضَى بَعْضُ هَؤُلاَءِ الْيَهُودِ إِلَى بَعْضٍ،قَالَ:أَيَّ شَيْءٍ صَنَعْتُمْ؟أَخْبَرْتُمُوهُمْ بِمٰا فَتَحَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَ الدَّلاَلاَتِ عَلَى صِدْقِ نُبُوَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ،وَ إِمَامَةِ أَخِيهِ عَلِيٍّ لِيُحَاجُّوكُمْ بِهِ عِنْدَ رَبِّكُمْ بِأَنَّكُمْ كُنْتُمْ قَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ هَذَا وَ شَاهَدْتُمُوهُ،فَلَمْ تُؤْمِنُوا بِهِ وَ لَمْ تُطِيعُوهُ،وَ قَدَّرُوا بِجَهْلِهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ إِنْ لَمْ يُخْبِرُوهُمْ بِتِلْكَ الْآيَاتِ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ حُجَّةٌ فِي غَيْرِهَا.

ثُمَّ قَالَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: أَ فَلاٰ تَعْقِلُونَ أَنَّ هَذَا الَّذِي تُخْبِرُونَهُمْ بِهِ مِمَّا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ دَلاَئِلِ نُبُوَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)حُجَّةٌ عَلَيْكُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّكُمْ؟! قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: أَ وَ لاٰ يَعْلَمُونَ -يَعْنِي أَوَّلاً يَعْلَمُ هَؤُلاَءِ الْقَائِلُونَ لِإِخْوَانِهِمْ: أَ تُحَدِّثُونَهُمْ بِمٰا فَتَحَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكُمْ - أَنَّ اللّٰهَ يَعْلَمُ مٰا يُسِرُّونَ مِنْ عَدَاوَةِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ يُضْمِرُونَهُ مِنْ أَنَّ إِظْهَارَهُمُ الْإِيمَانَ بِهِ أَمْكَنُ لَهُمْ مِنِ اصْطِلاَمِهِ،وَ إِبَادَةِ [3] أَصْحَابِهِ وَ مٰا يُعْلِنُونَ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ ظَاهِراً لِيُؤْنِسُوهُمْ،وَ يَقِفُوا بِهِ عَلَى أَسْرَارِهِمْ فَيُذِيعُوهَا بِحَضْرَةِ مَنْ يَضُرُّهُمْ [4]،وَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَّا عَلِمَ ذَلِكَ دَبَّرَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)تَمَامَ أَمْرِهِ،وَ بُلُوغَ غَايَةِ مَا أَرَادَهُ بِبَعْثِهِ،وَ إِنَّهُ يَتِمُّ أَمْرُهُ،وَ إِنَّ نِفَاقَهُمْ وَ كَيْدَهُمْ لاَ يَضُرُّهُ».

99-/414 _1- English translation:

Imam al-‘Askari (peace be upon him) said: When the Messenger of God (may God bless him and his family) overwhelmed those Jews with his miracle and cut off their excuses by his manifest proof, they were unable to revisit [1] his argument, nor to cast confusion upon his miracle. They said, “O Muhammad, we have believed that you are the rightly-guiding, rightly-guided Messenger, and that ‘Ali, your brother, is the executor and the guardian.” Yet when they were alone [2] with the other Jews, they would say to them, “Our outward display of faith in him will better enable us to ward off [3] his harm, and will help us more to annihilate him [4] and annihilate his companions. For when they believe that we are with them, they will acquaint us with their secrets and not hide anything from us; then we will inform their enemies of them, and those enemies will seek to harm them with our assistance and support, at times of their preoccupation and turmoil and when it is difficult for them to defend themselves or hold back their enemies.”

Along with this, they would censure the other Jews for informing people of the signs they witnessed and the miracles they beheld. So God, exalted is He, made His Messenger Muhammad (may God bless him and his family) aware of the vileness of their beliefs and the ugliness of their inner dispositions [5], and of their censure of those who acknowledged what they had seen of Muhammad’s signs, his clear evidences, and his dazzling miracles.

He, Mighty and Majestic, said: “O Muhammad, do you and your companions from among ‘Ali and his pure family hope that these Jews—whom you have overwhelmed with God’s proofs and subdued with God’s signs and manifest evidences—will believe in you, truly affirm you in their hearts, and disclose to their devils in private your noble states?”

“And indeed there was a party among them”—meaning these Jews of the Children of Israel—“who heard the Word of God at the base of Mount Ṭūr Sīnā’, His commands and prohibitions; then they distorted it from what they had heard when they conveyed it to those behind them among the rest of the Children of Israel, after they had understood it and knew that what they were saying was false, and they knew they were lying.”

When they went with Moses to the mountain, heard God’s speech, and came to know His commands and prohibitions, they returned and conveyed it to those after them; it was burdensome for them. The believers among them remained firm in their faith and were sincere in their intentions; but the ancestors of those Jews who hypocritically dealt with the Messenger of God (may God bless him and his family) in this matter [1] said to the Children of Israel, “God, exalted, said this to us, commanded us with what we have mentioned to you and forbade us; and He added: if what I commanded you proves hard, then it is no blame upon you not to do it; and if what I forbade you proves hard, then it is no blame upon you to commit it and fall into it”—even though they knew they were lying in saying this.

Then God exposed their further hypocrisy along with their ignorance. God, Mighty and Majestic, said: “And when they meet those who believe, they say: We believe.” When they met Salman, al-Miqdād, Abū Dharr, and ‘Ammār, they would say, “We have believed as you have believed. We believe [2] in the prophethood of Muhammad (may God bless him and his family) conjoined [3] with faith in the imamate of his brother ‘Ali son of Abī Ṭālib: that he is his guiding brother, his supportive minister, his successor over his community, the fulfiller of his promise, the keeper of his covenant, the one who bears the burdens of his governance, the steward of creation who wards off for them the wrath of the All-Merciful and, if they obey him, secures for them the pleasure of the All-Merciful; and that his successors after him are the shining stars, the luminous moons, and the radiant, dazzling sun; that their friends are the friends of God, and their enemies the enemies of God.”

Some of them said, “We witness that Muhammad (may God bless him and his family), the bearer of miracles and establisher of clear proofs—when Quraysh colluded to kill him and sought the extinction of his life—God dried up their hands so they could not act, and their legs so they could not rise, until they turned back from him humiliated [4] and overcome; and had Muhammad wished, by himself he could have slain them all. It was he who, when Quraysh came to him and brought him before Hubal to judge between their truthfulness and his, Hubal fell on its face, testifying to his prophethood, to the imamate of ‘Ali his brother, and to the inheritance and assumption of his governance and leadership by his friends after him. It was he who, when Quraysh forced him into the ravine [5] and set a guard at its entrance to prevent food reaching him and anyone exiting to seek sustenance, there both their unbelievers and believers were nourished with what was better than manna and quails, with every wholesome food each desired and all sorts of sweets, and he clothed them in the finest garments.

“The Messenger of God (may God bless him and his family) was among them; when he saw [6] that their chests were constricted by the narrowness of their pass [7], he gestured with his right hand [8] toward the mountains and with his left likewise, saying to them: ‘Recede!’ So they receded and drew back until, by that, the people were in a desert whose edges could not be seen. Then he gestured and said: ‘Bring forth, O you deposits entrusted for Muhammad and his helpers, what God has deposited in you of trees, fruits, rivers, and varieties of blossoms and plants!’ Then there sprang forth [10] towering trees, delightful sweet herbs, and verdant greens that gladden hearts and eyes, by which worries, sorrows, and gloomy thoughts are dispelled [1]. They knew that none of the kings of the earth possessed a desert like theirs, with its wondrous trees, drooping [2] fruits, coursing rivers, luxuriant sweet herbs, and beautiful growth.

“And it was Muhammad to whom there came the messenger of Abū Jahl [3] threatening him and saying: ‘O Muhammad, the strands [4] on your head are what have narrowed Mecca upon you and cast you to Yathrib; they will continue with you until they incite and drive you to what will ruin and destroy you, until you corrupt it for its people and make them taste the heat of the fire of your overstepping your limits. I do not see this but that it will lead to Quraysh rising up [5] against you as one man, to track you and ward off your harm and calamity. You will meet them with your fools who are deluded by you, and helping you will be those who disbelieve in you and hate you—fear will compel them to aid and support you lest they perish with your perishing, their dependents be ruined [6] with your ruin, and they and their neighbors become poor with your poverty and the poverty of your followers [7]; or they think [8] that if your enemies subdue you and enter their homes by force, they will not distinguish between those who supported you and those who opposed you, but will annihilate them as they would annihilate you, and will come upon their families and wealth with captivity and plunder just as they would upon your wealth and family. He who warns has made his excuse [9], and he who makes plain has gone to the utmost.’

“You delivered this message to Muhammad (may God bless him and his family) while he was on the outskirts of Medina, in the presence of all his companions and the common unbelievers from the Jews of the Children of Israel—as the messenger had been ordered—so as to dishearten the believers and incite the rest of the unbelievers there to pounce upon him. The Messenger of God (may God bless him and his family) said to the envoy: ‘Have you embellished [10] your speech and completed your message?’ He said, ‘Yes.’

“He said, ‘Then hear the reply: Abū Jahl threatens me with hardships and ruin, but the Lord of the worlds promises me help and victory. God’s report is truer, and acceptance from God is more fitting. None who forsakes Muhammad or angers him will harm him after God has aided him and favored him with His generosity and bounty. Say to him: O Abū Jahl, you have written to me with what Satan cast into your mind [11], and I answer you with what the All-Merciful cast into my heart: war between us and you will occur in twenty-nine days, and God will kill you therein by the hand of the weakest of my companions. You—and ‘Utbah, Shaybah, al-Walīd, and so-and-so and so-and-so’—mentioning a number from Quraysh—‘will be slain in the pit of Badr [1]. I will kill seventy of you and capture seventy of you, compelling them to heavy ransom.’

“Then he called out to the group before him among the believers, the Jews, the Christians, and the rest of the mixed multitude: ‘Do you not love that I show you the place where each of these will fall? Come to Badr—for there is the meeting place and the gathering—and there is the greatest trial. I shall set my feet upon the spots of their deaths; then you will find them neither increasing nor decreasing, neither changing nor advancing nor delaying by an instant, neither a little nor a lot.’ None of them failed to understand that, yet none answered him save ‘Ali son of Abī Ṭālib (peace be upon him) alone, who said, ‘Yes, in the Name of God.’ The rest said, ‘We need mounts, equipment, and expenses; it is not possible for us to go there, for it is the journey of days.’

“The Messenger of God (may God bless him and his family) said to the Jews: ‘And you—what do you say?’ They said, ‘We prefer to remain in our houses; we have no need to witness what you claim in falsehood.’

“He said (may God bless him and his family): ‘There will be no toil upon you in traveling [2] there. Step one step, and God will fold up the earth for you and bring you to that place on the second step.’ The believers said, ‘The Messenger of God has spoken the truth; let us be ennobled [3] by this sign.’ The unbelievers and hypocrites said, ‘We shall test this lie, so that Muhammad’s excuse is cut off and his claim becomes an argument against him and a scandal exposing his falsehood.’

“So the people stepped once, then a second time—and behold, they were at the well of Badr! They marveled at that. The Messenger of God (may God bless him and his family) came and said, ‘Make the well the marker, and measure from it such-and-such cubits.’ They measured; when they reached the end of that measure he said, ‘This is the place where Abū Jahl will fall: so-and-so of the Anṣār will wound him, and ‘Abd Allāh b. Mas‘ūd—the weakest of my companions—will finish him.’

“Then he said, ‘Measure from the well on another side, then another, such-and-such cubits’—and he mentioned differing numbers of cubits. When each measure reached its end, Muhammad (may God bless him and his family) said, ‘This is the place where ‘Utbah will fall; that is where Shaybah will fall; that is where al-Walīd will fall; and so-and-so and so-and-so will be killed’—until he named a full seventy of them by their names—and ‘so-and-so and so-and-so will be captured’—until he mentioned seventy of them by their names and the names of their fathers and their descriptions, with the lineages of those affiliated to their fathers and of the clients among them to their patrons.

“Then the Messenger of God (may God bless him and his family) said, ‘Have you now observed what I informed you of?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘That is a true matter that will occur after twenty-eight days, on the twenty-ninth day—a promise from God to be fulfilled and a decree binding and irrevocable.’

“Then he said, ‘O assembly of Muslims and Jews, write down what [4] you have heard.’ They said, ‘O Messenger of God, we have heard and comprehended, and we will not forget.’ He said, ‘Writing is better, and it will help you remember more.’ They said, ‘O Messenger of God, where are the inkwell and the shoulder-blades (for writing)?’ He said that was for the angels. Then he said, ‘O angels of my Lord, write what you have heard of this account upon shoulder-blades, and place in the sleeve of each one of them a shoulder-blade (inscribed) with that.’

“Then he said, ‘O Muslims, feel inside your sleeves and whatever is in them; bring it out and read it.’ They examined and, behold, in the sleeve [1] of each of them was a sheet. He read it, and in it was the mention of what the Messenger of God (may God bless him and his family) had said—exactly so: neither increasing nor decreasing, neither advancing nor delaying.

“He said, ‘Return them to your sleeves, so they may be a proof against you and an honor for the believers among you, and a proof against your enemies [2].’ They kept them. When the day of Badr came, all the events transpired at Badr, and they found them exactly as he had said—neither increasing nor decreasing, neither advancing nor delaying. They compared them with what was in their writings and found them just as the angels had written in them—neither increasing nor decreasing, neither advancing nor delaying. So the Muslims accepted their outward claim, and consigned their inner reality to their Creator.

“When some of those Jews later spoke privately with others, they said, ‘What did you do? Did you inform them of what God opened up to you of the evidences for the truth of Muhammad’s prophethood and the imamate of his brother ‘Ali, so that they may argue against you before your Lord that you had known this and witnessed it, yet you did not believe in him nor obey him?’ In their ignorance they supposed that if they did not inform them of those signs, he would have no argument against them besides them.

“Then He, Mighty and Majestic, said: ‘Do you not understand that this which you inform them of—what God opened up to you of the evidences of Muhammad’s (may God bless him and his family) prophethood—is an argument against you before your Lord?!’ God, exalted, said: ‘Do they not know’—that is, do these who said to their brothers, ‘Do you tell them of what God has disclosed to you,’ first know—‘that God knows what they keep secret of enmity toward Muhammad and what they conceal: that their outward show of faith in him is what better enables them to annihilate him and destroy [3] his companions, and what they make public of faith outwardly in order to gain their intimacy and thereby learn their secrets to spread them in the presence of those who will harm them [4]? Since God knew that, He planned for Muhammad (may God bless him and his family) the completion of his affair and the attainment of the goal for which He sent him; his mission will be brought to completion; their hypocrisy and plotting will not harm him.’”

_1) التفسير المنسوب إلى الإمام العسكريّ : 142/291.

(al-tafsīr al-mansūb ilā al-Imām al-‘Askarī): 142/291.

[1] راجعه الكلام مراجعة: – 8:116.

ḥāwarahu iyyāh — “he revisited/argued back.” Lisān al-‘Arab – Raj‘a – 8:116.

[2] في «س»،«ط»: دخلوا

— fī “S”, “Ṭ”: dakhalaū (“they entered”).

[3] في «س» و المصدر: أمكن لنا من

— fī “S” wa-l-maṣdar: amkana lanā min.

[4] الاصطلام: – 5:1967.

al-iṣṭilām — total annihilation. al-Ṣiḥāḥ – Ṣ-L-M – 5:1967.

[5] في المصدر: و قبح أخلاقهم و دخلاتهم

— fī al-maṣdar: wa-qubḥ akhlāqihim wa-dakhalātihim.

99-/515 _2- قَالَ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الطَّبْرِسِيُّ فِي (مَجْمَعِ الْبَيَانِ): رُوِيَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الْبَاقِرِ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «كَانَ قَوْمٌ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ لَيْسُوا مِنَ الْمُعَانِدِينَ الْمُتَوَاطِئِينَ،إِذَا لَقُوا الْمُسْلِمِينَ حَدَّثُوهُمْ بِمَا فِي التَّوْرَاةِ مِنْ صِفَةِ مُحَمَّدٍ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)، فَنَهَاهُمْ كُبَرَاؤُهُمْ عَنْ ذَلِكَ،وَ قَالُوا:لاَ تُخْبِرُوهُمْ بِمَا فِي التَّوْرَاةِ مِنْ صِفَةِ مُحَمَّدٍ فَيُحَاجُّوكُمْ بِهِ عِنْدَ رَبِّكُمْ،فَنَزَلَتِ الْآيَةُ».

99-/515 _2- English translation:

Abū ‘Alī al-Ṭabrisī said in Majma‘ al-Bayān: It is related from Abū Ja‘far al-Bāqir (peace be upon him) that he said: “There was a group among the Jews who were not among the stubborn conspirators. When they met the Muslims, they would tell them what was in the Torah about the description of Muhammad (may God bless him and his family). Their leaders forbade them from that and said, ‘Do not inform them of what is in the Torah of Muhammad’s description, lest they contend with you by it before your Lord.’ So the verse was revealed.”

_2) مجمع البيان 1:286.

(Majma‘ al-Bayān) 1:286.

99-/516 _3- وَ قال عليّ بن إبراهيم:إنها نزلت في اليهود،و قد كانوا أظهروا الإسلام و كانوا منافقين،و كانوا إذا رأوا رسول اللّه قالوا:إنا معكم،و إذا رأوا اليهود،قالوا:إنا معكم،و كانوا يخبرون المسلمين بما في التوراة من صفة رسول اللّه(صلّى اللّه عليه و آله)و أصحابه،فقال لهم كبراؤهم و علماؤهم: أَ تُحَدِّثُونَهُمْ بِمٰا فَتَحَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لِيُحَاجُّوكُمْ بِهِ عِنْدَ رَبِّكُمْ أَ فَلاٰ تَعْقِلُونَ فرد اللّه عليهم،فقال: أَ وَ لاٰ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللّٰهَ يَعْلَمُ مٰا يُسِرُّونَ وَ مٰا يُعْلِنُونَ .

99-/516 _3- English translation:

‘Alī b. Ibrāhīm said: It was revealed concerning the Jews; they had outwardly professed Islam while they were hypocrites. When they saw the Messenger of God they would say, “We are with you,” and when they saw the Jews they would say, “We are with you.” They used to inform the Muslims of what was in the Torah concerning the description of the Messenger of God (may God bless him and his family) and his companions. Their leaders and scholars said to them: “Do you tell them what Allah has disclosed to you so that they may argue with you by it before your Lord? Do you not understand?” God replied to them, saying: “Do they not know that Allah knows what they keep secret and what they make known.”

قوله تعالى:

وَ مِنْهُمْ أُمِّيُّونَ لاٰ يَعْلَمُونَ الْكِتٰابَ إِلاّٰ أَمٰانِيَّ وَ إِنْ هُمْ إِلاّٰ يَظُنُّونَ[78]

[Qur’an 2:78] M. H. Shakir: And there are among them illiterates who know not the Book but only fancies, and they do but conjecture.

فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ الْكِتٰابَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هٰذٰا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللّٰهِ لِيَشْتَرُوا بِهِ ثَمَناً قَلِيلاً فَوَيْلٌ لَهُمْ مِمّٰا كَتَبَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَ وَيْلٌ لَهُمْ مِمّٰا يَكْسِبُونَ[79]

[Qur’an 2:79] M. H. Shakir: Therefore woe to those who write the book with their hands and then say: This is from Allah, so that they may take for it a small price; therefore woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.

99-/517 _1- قَالَ الْإِمَامُ الْعَسْكَرِيُّ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ): «قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ:يَا مُحَمَّدُ،وَ مِنْ هَؤُلاَءِ الْيَهُودِ أُمِّيُّونَ لاَ يَقْرَءُونَ الْكِتَابَ وَ لاَ يَكْتُبُونَ،فَالْأُمِّيُّ مَنْسُوبٌ إِلَى أُمِّهِ،أَيْ هُوَ كَمَا خَرَجَ مِنْ بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ لاَ يَقْرَأُ وَ لاَ يَكْتُبُ لاٰ يَعْلَمُونَ الْكِتٰابَ الْمُنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَ لاَ الْمُكَذَّبَ بِهِ،وَ لاَ يُمَيِّزُونَ بَيْنَهُمَا إِلاّٰ أَمٰانِيَّ أَيْ إِلاَّ أَنْ يُقْرَأَ عَلَيْهِمْ،وَ يُقَالُ لَهُمْ:

إِنَّ هَذَا كِتَابُ اللَّهِ وَ كَلاَمُهُ،وَ لاَ يَعْرِفُونَ إِنْ قُرِئَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ خِلاَفُ مَا فِيهِ وَ إِنْ هُمْ إِلاّٰ يَظُنُّونَ أَيْ مَا يَقُولُ لَهُمْ رُؤَسَاؤُهُمْ مِنْ تَكْذِيبِ مُحَمَّدٍ فِي نُبُوَّتِهِ،وَ إِمَامَةِ عَلِيٍّ سَيِّدِ عِتْرَتِهِ،وَ هُمْ يُقَلِّدُونَهُمْ مَعَ أَنَّهُ مُحَرَّمٌ عَلَيْهِمْ تَقْلِيدُهُمْ».

قَالَ:«فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ لِلصَّادِقِ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):فَإِذَا كَانَ هَؤُلاَءِ الْقَوْمُ [1] لاَ يَعْرِفُونَ الْكِتَابَ إِلاَّ بِمَا يَسْمَعُونَهُ مِنْ عُلَمَائِهِمْ لاَ سَبِيلَ لَهُمْ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ،فَكَيْفَ ذَمَّهُمْ بِتَقْلِيدِهِمْ وَ الْقَبُولِ مِنْ عُلَمَائِهِمْ؟وَ هَلْ عَوَامُّ الْيَهُودِ إِلاَّ كَعَوَامِّنَا [2] يُقَلِّدُونَ عُلَمَاءَهُمْ،فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجُزْ لِأُولَئِكَ الْقَبُولُ مِنْ عُلَمَائِهِمْ،لَمْ يَجُزْ لِعَوَامِّنَا الْقَبُولُ مِنْ عُلَمَائِهِمْ؟ فَقَالَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):بَيْنَ عَوَامِّنَا وَ عُلَمَائِنَا وَ بَيْنَ عَوَامِّ الْيَهُودِ وَ عُلَمَائِهِمْ فَرْقٌ مِنْ جِهَةٍ،وَ تَسْوِيَةٌ مِنْ جِهَةٍ،أَمَّا مِنْ حَيْثُ إِنَّهُمْ اسْتَوَوْا،فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ ذَمَّ عَوَامَّنَا بِتَقْلِيدِهِمْ [3] عُلَمَاءَهُمْ،كَمَا قَدْ ذَمَّ عَوَامَّهُمْ،وَ أَمَّا مِنْ حَيْثُ إِنَّهُمُ افْتَرَقُوا فَلاَ.

99-/517 _1- English translation:

Imam al-‘Askari (peace be upon him) said: God, Mighty and Majestic, said: “O Muhammad, among these Jews are illiterates who neither read the Book nor write. The ummī is one ascribed to his mother, i.e., he is as he came forth from his mother’s womb—neither reading nor writing. They do not know the Book sent down from heaven nor the book that is denied, and they do not distinguish between them, except as ‘amānī’—that is, only when it is recited to them and it is said to them, ‘This is God’s Book and His Speech.’ They do not recognize if what is read from the Book opposes what is in it. ‘And they do but conjecture’—that is, they (accept) what their leaders tell them in rejecting Muhammad’s prophethood and the imamate of ‘Ali, the master of his progeny; they imitate them, even though it is forbidden for them to imitate them.”

He said: A man said to al-Ṣādiq (peace be upon him), “If these people [1] do not know the Book except by what they hear from their scholars and have no way to other than that, how has He reproached them for their imitation of and acceptance from their scholars? Are not the common folk of the Jews like our common folk [2], who imitate their scholars? If it is not permissible for those (Jews) to accept from their scholars, then would it not be impermissible for our common folk to accept from our scholars?” He (peace be upon him) said: “There is a difference in one respect and an equality in another between our common folk and our scholars and the common folk of the Jews and their scholars. As for the respect in which they are equal: God has reproached our common folk for their imitating [3] their scholars just as He reproached their common folk. As for the respect in which they differ—no (i.e., there is a distinction to be clarified) …” [continues].

_3) تفسير القمّيّ 1:50.

(Tafsīr al-Qummī) 1:50.

_1) التفسير المنسوب إلى الإمام العسكريّ : 143/299–145.

(al-tafsīr al-mansūb ilā al-Imām al-‘Askarī): 143/299–145.

[1] في المصدر: العوام من اليهود

— fī al-maṣdar: al-‘awām min al-yahūd (“the common folk among the Jews”).

[2] في المصدر: لهؤلاء

— fī al-maṣdar: lihā’ulā’.

[3] في «س»: تقليد

— fī “S”: taqlīd.