S 2 A 78-79

البقرة آيه 78-79

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

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 2:78–79 | M. H. Shakir]

- And there are among them illiterates who know not the Book but only fancies, and they do but conjecture. [2:78]

- Woe, then, 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. [2:79]

99-/516 _3- و 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- Ali ibn Ibrahim said: It was revealed about the Jews. They had outwardly professed Islam while they were hypocrites. When they saw the Messenger of Allah they said, “We are with you,” and when they saw the Jews they said, “We are with you.” They would inform the Muslims of what was in the Torah concerning the description of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) and his companions. Then their chiefs and scholars said to them: Do you inform them of what Allah has disclosed to you so that they may argue with you by it before your Lord? Do you not understand? So Allah rebutted them, saying: Do they not know that Allah knows what they hide and what they manifest?

_3) -تفسير القمّيّ 1:50.

Tafsīr al-Qummī 1:50.

قوله تعالى:

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

[Qur’an 2:78–79 | M. H. Shakir]

- And there are among them illiterates who know not the Book but only fancies, and they do but conjecture. [2:78]

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- Translation: Imam al-‘Askari (peace be upon him) said: Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said: O Muhammad, among these Jews are illiterates who neither read the Book nor write. The “ummī” is attributed to his mother—that is, he is as he emerged from his mother’s womb: he does not read and does not write. They do not know the Book sent down from heaven nor that which is denied, and they do not distinguish between them, except [by] fancies—that is, only when it is read to them and it is said to them, “This is the Book of Allah and His speech.” They do not recognize if what is read from the Book is contrary to what is in it. And they only conjecture—that is, what their leaders tell them: to deny Muhammad in his prophethood and ‘Ali, the master of his progeny, in his Imamate. They imitate them, even though it is forbidden for them to imitate them.

He said: A man said to al-Sadiq (peace be upon him): If these people [1] know the Book only by what they hear from their scholars, having no access to anything else, then how does He reproach them for imitating and accepting from their scholars? Are not the common folk of the Jews just like our common folk [2], who imitate their scholars? If it was not permissible for those to accept from their scholars, then it is not permissible for our common folk to accept from their scholars. He (peace be upon him) said: Between our common folk and our scholars, and the common folk of the Jews and their scholars, there is a difference in one respect and equality in another. As for where they are equal: Allah has reproached our common folk for their imitation [3] of their scholars just as He reproached their common folk. As for where they differ—no.

_1) -التفسير المنسوب إلى الإمام العسكريّ(عليه السّلام):143/299-145.

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

[1] في المصدر:العوام من اليهود.

fī al-maṣdar: al-‘awām min al-yahūd.

[2] في المصدر:لهؤلاء.

fī al-maṣdar: lihā’ulā’.

[3] في«س»:تقليد.

fī “S”: taqlīd.

قَالَ:بَيِّنْ لِي ذَلِكَ،يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ.

قَالَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):إِنَّ عَوَامَّ الْيَهُودِ كَانُوا قَدْ عَرَفُوا عُلَمَاءَهُمْ بِالْكَذِبِ الصُّرَاحِ،وَ بِأَكْلِ الْحَرَامِ وَ الرِّشَا [1]،وَ بِتَغْيِيرِ الْأَحْكَامِ عَنْ وَاجِبِهَا بِالشَّفَاعَاتِ وَ الْعِنَايَاتِ وَ الْمُصَانَعَاتِ،وَ عَرَفُوهُمْ بِالتَّعَصُّبِ الشَّدِيدِ الَّذِي يُفَارِقُونَ بِهِ أَدْيَانَهُمْ، وَ أَنَّهُمْ إِذَا تَعَصَّبُوا أَزَالُوا حُقُوقَ مَنْ تَعَصَّبُوا عَلَيْهِ،وَ أَعْطَوْا مَا لاَ يَسْتَحِقُّهُ مَنْ تَعَصَّبُوا لَهُ مِنْ أَمْوَالِ غَيْرِهِمْ، وَ ظَلَمُوهُمْ [2] مِنْ أَجْلِهِمْ،وَ عَرَفُوهُمْ بِأَنَّهُمْ يُقَارِفُونَ الْمُحَرَّمَاتِ،وَ اضْطُرُّوا بِمَعَارِفِ قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَى أَنَّ مَنْ فَعَلَ مَا يَفْعَلُونَهُ فَهُوَ فَاسِقٌ،لاَ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يُصَدَّقَ عَلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى،وَ لاَ عَلَى الْوَسَائِطِ بَيْنَ الْخَلْقِ وَ بَيْنَ اللَّهِ،فَلِذَلِكَ ذَمَّهُمْ لِمَا قَلَّدُوا مَنْ قَدْ عَرَفُوا،وَ مَنْ قَدْ عَلِمُوا أَنَّهُ لاَ يَجُوزُ قَبُولُ خَبَرِهِ،وَ لاَ تَصْدِيقُهُ فِي حِكَايَتِهِ،وَ لاَ الْعَمَلُ بِمَا يُؤَدِّيهِ [3] إِلَيْهِمْ عَمَّنْ لَمْ يُشَاهِدُوهُ [4]،وَ وَجَبَ عَلَيْهِمُ النَّظَرُ بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ فِي أَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)إِذْ كَانَتْ دَلاَئِلُهُ أَوْضَحَ مِنْ أَنْ تَخْفَى،وَ أَشْهَرَ مِنْ أَنْ لاَ تَظْهَرَ لَهُمْ.

He said: Explain that to me, O son of the Messenger of Allah. He (peace be upon him) said: The common folk of the Jews had come to know their scholars for outright lying, devouring the unlawful and bribes [1], altering rulings from their due by intercessions, favoritism, and collusion; they knew them for intense partisanship by which they departed from their religions—that when they were partisan, they would strip the rights of those against whom they were partisan, and grant to those for whom they were partisan what they did not deserve from other people’s wealth, and they wronged them [2] on their account. They knew that they committed the forbidden, and their heart’s discernment compelled them to know that whoever does what they did is a transgressor; it is not permissible to believe him concerning Allah, nor the intermediaries between the creation and Allah. For that reason He reproached them for imitating those whom they knew and had learned that it was not permissible to accept their report, nor to believe them in their narration, nor to act upon what they conveyed [3] to them from one whom they had not witnessed [4]. It was incumbent upon them to examine for themselves the matter of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), since his proofs were too evident to be hidden, and too manifest not to appear to them.

وَ كَذَلِكَ عَوَامُّ أُمَّتِنَا،إِذَا عَرَفُوا مِنْ فُقَهَائِهِمُ الْفِسْقَ الظَّاهِرَ،وَ الْعَصَبِيَّةَ [5] الشَّدِيدَةَ،وَ التَّكَالُبَ عَلَى حُطَامِ الدُّنْيَا وَ حَرَامِهَا،وَ إِهْلاَكَ مَنْ يَتَعَصَّبُونَ عَلَيْهِ،وَ إِنْ كَانَ لِإِصْلاَحِ أَمْرِهِ مُسْتَحِقّاً،وَ بِالتَّرَفْرُفِ [6] بِالْبِرِّ وَ الْإِحْسَانِ عَلَى مَنْ تَعَصَّبُوا لَهُ،وَ إِنْ كَانَ لِلْإِذْلاَلِ وَ الْإِهَانَةِ مُسْتَحِقّاً،فَمَنْ قَلَّدَ مِنْ عَوَامِّنَا مِثْلَ هَؤُلاَءِ الْفُقَهَاءِ فَهُمْ مِثْلُ الْيَهُودِ الَّذِينَ ذَمَّهُمُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِالتَّقْلِيدِ لِفَسَقَةِ فُقَهَائِهِمْ.

And likewise the common folk of our community: when they recognize from their jurists manifest transgression, intense partisanship [5], scrambling for the scraps of this world and its unlawful, destroying those against whom they are partisan, even if the latter are worthy of having their affairs set right, and showing tender favor [6] with charity and beneficence to those for whom they are partisan, even if the latter deserve humiliation and disgrace—then whoever among our common folk imitates such jurists are like the Jews whom Allah, Exalted, reproached for imitating their profligate jurists.

فَأَمَّا مَنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْفُقَهَاءِ صَائِناً لِنَفْسِهِ،حَافِظاً لِدِينِهِ،مُخَالِفاً لِهَوَاهُ [7]،مُطِيعاً لِأَمْرِ مَوْلاَهُ فَلِلْعَوَامِّ أَنْ يُقَلِّدُوهُ، وَ ذَلِكَ لاَ يَكُونُ إِلاَّ فِي بَعْضِ فُقَهَاءِ الشِّيعَةِ لاَ جَمِيعِهِمْ،فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ رَكِبَ مِنَ الْقَبَائِحِ وَ الْفَوَاحِشِ مَرَاكِبَ فَسَقَةِ فُقَهَاءِ الْعَامَّةِ فَلاَ تَقْبَلُوا مِنْهُمْ عَنَّا شَيْئاً،وَ لاَ كَرَامَةَ لَهُمْ،وَ إِنَّمَا كَثُرَ التَّخْلِيطُ فِيمَا يُتَحَمَّلُ عَنَّا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ لِذَلِكَ،لِأَنَّ الْفَسَقَةَ يَتَحَمَّلُونَ عَنَّا فَيُحَرِّفُونَهُ بِأَسْرِهِ لِجَهْلِهِمْ [8]،وَ يَضَعُونَ الْأَشْيَاءَ عَلَى غَيْرِ وَجْهِهَا لِقِلَّةِ مَعْرِفَتِهِمْ،وَ آخَرِينَ يَتَعَمَّدُونَ الْكَذِبَ عَلَيْنَا لِيَجُرُّوا مِنْ عَرَضِ الدُّنْيَا مَا هُوَ زَادُهُمْ إِلَى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ.

As for the jurist who safeguards himself, preserves his religion, opposes his [base] desire [7], and obeys the command of his Master—then it is for the common folk to emulate him. Yet such is found only among some of the jurists of the Shi‘a, not all of them. For whoever embarks upon vices and abominations as do the profligate jurists of the public [majority], accept nothing from them on our behalf; no honor is due to them. The confusion in what is transmitted from us, the People of the House, has multiplied because of this: the profligates transmit from us, then distort it entirely due to their ignorance [8], and they place matters in other than their proper places due to their lack of understanding. Others deliberately lie about us to draw from the wares of this world that which will be their provision to the Fire of Hell.

وَ مِنْهُمْ قَوْمٌ نُصَّابٌ لاَ يَقْدِرُونَ عَلَى الْقَدْحِ فِينَا،يَتَعَلَّمُونَ بَعْضَ عُلُومِنَا الصَّحِيحَةِ فَيَتَوَجَّهُونَ بِهِ عِنْدَ شِيعَتِنَا، وَ يَنْتَقِصُونَ بِنَا عِنْدَ نُصَّابِنَا [9]،ثُمَّ يُضِيفُونَ إِلَيْهِ أَضْعَافَهُ وَ أَضْعَافَ أَضْعَافِهِ مِنَ الْأَكَاذِيبِ عَلَيْنَا الَّتِي نَحْنُ بِرَاءٌ مِنْهَا، فَيَتَقَبَّلُهُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ الْمُسْتَسْلِمُونَ مِنْ شِيعَتِنَا عَلَى أَنَّهُ مِنْ عُلُومِنَا فَضَلُّوا وَ أَضَلُّوا،وَ هُمْ أَضَرُّ عَلَى ضُعَفَاءِ شِيعَتِنَا مِنْ جَيْشِ يَزِيدَ-عَلَيْهِ اللَّعْنَةُ وَ الْعَذَابُ-عَلَى الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)وَ أَصْحَابِهِ،فَإِنَّهُمْ يَسْلُبُونَهُمُ الْأَرْوَاحَ وَ الْأَمْوَالَ، وَ لِلْمَسْلُوبِينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَفْضَلُ الْأَحْوَالِ لَمَّا لَحِقَهُمْ مِنْ أَعْدَائِهِمْ.

And among them are hostile folk (nussāb) who cannot find a way to impugn us; they learn some of our sound teachings and ingratiate themselves thereby with our Shi‘a, while disparaging us before our hostile ones [9]. Then they add to it multiples upon multiples of lies against us of which we are innocent. The compliant Muslims among our Shi‘a accept it as if it were of our teachings, so they go astray and lead others astray. Such people are more harmful to the weak among our Shi‘a than the army of Yazid—upon him be the curse and the torment—against al-Husayn son of ‘Ali (peace be upon him) and his companions; for they despoiled them of lives and wealth, while for those despoiled ones with Allah are the best of states on account of what befell them from their enemies.

وَ هَؤُلاَءِ عُلَمَاءُ السَّوْءِ النَّاصِبُونَ الْمُشَبِّهُونَ بِأَنَّهُمْ لَنَا مُوَالُونَ،وَ لِأَعْدَائِنَا مُعَادُونَ،يُدْخِلُونَ الشَّكَّ وَ الشُّبْهَةَ عَلَى ضُعَفَاءِ شِيعَتِنَا،فَيُضِلُّونَهُمْ وَ يَمْنَعُونَهُمْ عَنْ قَصْدِ الْحَقِّ الْمُصِيبِ،لاَ جَرَمَ أَنَّ مَنْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ مِنْ هَؤُلاَءِ الْعَوَامِّ أَنَّهُ لاَ يُرِيدُ إِلاَّ صِيَانَةَ دِينِهِ وَ تَعْظِيمِهِ وَلِيَّهُ،لَمْ يَتْرُكْهُ فِي يَدِ هَذَا الْمُلَبِّسِ الْكَافِرِ،وَ لَكِنَّهُ يُقَيِّضُ لَهُ مُؤْمِناً يَقِفُ بِهِ عَلَى الصَّوَابِ،ثُمَّ يُوَفِّقُهُ اللَّهُ لِلْقَبُولِ مِنْهُ،فَيَجْمَعُ لَهُ بِذَلِكَ خَيْرَ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ،وَ يَجْمَعُ عَلَى مَنْ أَضَلَّهُ لَعْنَ الدُّنْيَا وَ عَذَابَ الْآخِرَةِ».

These are evil scholars—hostile ones—who resemble those loyal to us and opposed to our enemies. They cast doubt and suspicion upon the weak among our Shi‘a, leading them astray and preventing them from seeking the correct truth. Surely, when Allah knows in the heart of any of these common folk that he desires nothing but to safeguard his religion and exalt his guardian, He will not leave him in the hand of this deceiving unbeliever. Rather, He appoints for him a believer who will set him upon the right course, then Allah grants him success to accept it. Thus He gathers for him the good of this world and the next, and He gathers upon the one who misled him the curse of this world and the punishment of the Hereafter.

ثُمَّ قَالَ:«قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ):شِرَارُ عُلَمَاءِ أُمَّتِنَا الْمُضِلُّونَ عَنَّا،الْقَاطِعُونَ لِلطُّرُقِ إِلَيْنَا،الْمُسَمُّونَ أَضْدَادَنَا بِأَسْمَائِنَا،الْمُلَقِّبُونَ بِأَلْقَابِنَا،يُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ هُمْ لِلَّعْنِ مُسْتَحِقُّونَ،وَ يَلْعَنُونَنَا وَ نَحْنُ بِكَرَامَاتِ اللَّهِ مَغْمُورُونَ، وَ بِصَلَوَاتِ اللَّهِ وَ صَلَوَاتِ مَلاَئِكَتِهِ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ عَلَيْنَا،عَنْ صَلَوَاتِهِمْ عَلَيْنَا مُسْتَغْنُونَ».

Then he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: The worst of the scholars of our community are those who lead people away from us, who cut off the paths to us, who name our opposites with our names and designate them with our titles. They send blessings upon them though they deserve cursing, and they curse us while we are immersed in the honors of Allah and, by the prayers of Allah and the prayers of His near angels upon us, in no need of their prayers upon us.

ثُمَّ قَالَ:«قِيلَ لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):مَنْ خَيْرُ الْخَلْقِ بَعْدَ أَئِمَّةِ الْهُدَى وَ مَصَابِيحِ الدُّجَى؟قَالَ:اَلْعُلَمَاءُ إِذَا صَلَحُوا.

قِيلَ:فَمَنْ شِرَارُ [1] خَلْقِ اللَّهِ بَعْدَ إِبْلِيسَ وَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَ نُمْرُودَ،وَ بَعْدَ الْمُتَسَمِّينَ بِأَسْمَائِكُمْ،وَ الْمُتَلَقِّبِينَ بِأَلْقَابِكُمْ، وَ الْآخِذِينَ لِأَمْكِنَتِكُمْ،وَ الْمُتَأَمِّرِينَ فِي مَمَالِكِكُمْ؟قَالَ:اَلْعُلَمَاءُ إِذَا فَسَدُوا،وَ إِنَّهُمُ الْمُظْهِرُونَ لِلْأَبَاطِيلِ،الْكَاتِمُونَ لِلْحَقَائِقِ،وَ فِيهِمْ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: أُولٰئِكَ يَلْعَنُهُمُ اللّٰهُ وَ يَلْعَنُهُمُ اللاّٰعِنُونَ* إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ تٰابُوا [2]الْآيَةَ».

Then he said: It was said to the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him): Who are the best of creation after the Imams of guidance and the lamps in the darkness? He said: The scholars—when they are righteous. It was said: Then who are the worst [1] of Allah’s creation after Iblis, Pharaoh, and Nimrod, and after those who call themselves by your names, adopt your titles, take your stations, and assume command in your dominions? He said: The scholars—when they are corrupt. They are those who manifest falsehoods and conceal truths. About them Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said: Those it is whom Allah curses, and those who curse shall curse them, except those who repent… [2]

ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ الْكِتٰابَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هٰذٰا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللّٰهِ لِيَشْتَرُوا بِهِ ثَمَناً قَلِيلاً .

قَالَ الْإِمَامُ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):«قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ[هَذَا]لِقَوْمٍ مِنْ هَؤُلاَءِ الْيَهُودِ كَتَبُوا صِفَةً زَعَمُوا أَنَّهَا صِفَةُ النَّبِيِّ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)،وَ هِيَ خِلاَفُ صِفَتِهِ،وَ قَالُوا لِلْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنْهُمْ:هَذِهِ صِفَةُ النَّبِيِّ الْمَبْعُوثَ فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ:أَنَّهُ طَوِيلٌ،عَظِيمُ الْبَدَنِ وَ الْبَطْنِ،أَصْهَبُ [3] الشَّعْرِ،وَ مُحَمَّدٌ خِلاَفُهُ،وَ هُوَ يَجِيءُ بَعْدَ هَذَا الزَّمَانِ بِخَمْسِمِائَةِ سَنَةٍ.وَ إِنَّمَا أَرَادُوا بِذَلِكَ لِتَبْقَى لَهُمْ عَلَى ضُعَفَائِهِمْ رِئَاسَتُهُمْ،وَ تَدُومَ لَهُمْ مِنْهُمْ إِصَابَتُهُمْ،وَ يَكُفُّوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ مَئُونَةَ خِدْمَةِ مُحَمَّدٍ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)وَ خِدْمَةِ عَلِيٍّ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)وَ أَهْلِ خَاصَّتِهِ.فَقَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: فَوَيْلٌ لَهُمْ مِمّٰا كَتَبَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ مِنْ هَذِهِ الصِّفَاتِ الْمُحَرَّفَاتِ الْمُخَالِفَاتِ لِصِفَةِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلِيٍّ(عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ)،الشِّدَّةُ لَهُمْ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ فِي أَشَقِّ [4] بِقَاعِ جَهَنَّمَ وَ وَيْلٌ لَهُمْ مِنَ الشِّدَّةِ فِي [5] الْعَذَابِ ثَانِيَةً،مُضَافَةً إِلَى الْأُولَى مِمّٰا يَكْسِبُونَ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ الَّتِي يَأْخُذُونَهَا إِذَا أَثْبَتُوا عَوَامَّهُمْ عَلَى الْكُفْرِ بِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)،وَ الْجَحْدِ بِوَصِيَّةِ [1] أَخِيهِ عَلِيٍّ وَلِيِّ اللَّهِ».

Then Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said: So woe to those who write the Book with their hands, then say, “This is from Allah,” that they may sell it for a small price. The Imam (peace be upon him) said: Allah said this concerning a group of these Jews who wrote a description which they claimed was the description of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), while it was contrary to his description. They said to their weak ones: “This is the description of the Prophet to be sent at the end of time: he is tall, large in body and belly, with reddish [3] hair; whereas Muhammad is the opposite of that, and he will come five hundred years after this time.” They only intended thereby that their leadership over their weak ones remain for them, that they should continue to gain from them, and that they should spare themselves the burden of serving Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and serving ‘Ali (peace be upon him) and his intimates. So Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said: Woe to them for what their hands have written—these distorted descriptions contrary to the description of Muhammad and ‘Ali (peace be upon them)—severe punishment for them in the worst [4] reaches of Hell. And woe to them again—an added severity of punishment to the first—for what they earn of wealth which they take when they secure their common folk in disbelief in Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), and in denial of the testament [1] of his brother ‘Ali, the Friend of Allah.

[1] الرشا:جمع رشوة:ما يعطيه الشخص الحاكم و غيره ليحكم له أو يحمله على ما يريد.«مجمع البحرين-رشا-1:184».

al-rushā: jam‘ rishwah: mā yu‘ṭīhi al-shakhṣu li-l-ḥākim wa ghayrihi li-yaḥkuma lahu aw yaḥmilahu ‘alā mā yurīd. “Majma‘ al-Baḥrayn – rishā – 1:184.”

[2] في«س»:و ظلموا.

fī “S”: wa ẓalamū.

[3] في«ط»:يورد به.

fī “Ṭ”: yūrid bihi.

[4] في«س»:لم يشاهده.

fī “S”: lam yushāhidhu.

[5] في«س»:المعصية.

fī “S”: al-ma‘ṣiyah.

[6] في المصدر:بالترفّق،و في«ط»نسخة بدل:بالترفف.و ترفرف عليه:عطف و تحنّى.

fī al-maṣdar: bi-l-tarffuq, wa fī “Ṭ” nuskha badal: bi-l-tarffuf. wa tarfraf ‘alayhi: ‘aṭf wa taḥannā.

[7] في«س»،«ط»:على هواه.

fī “S”, “Ṭ”: ‘alā hawāh.

[8] في«ط»:نسخة بدل:بجهلهم.

fī “Ṭ”: nuskha badal: bi-jahlihim.

[9] في«س»نسخة بدل:و ينتقصون لنا،و في«ط»:عند أنصارنا.

fī “S” nuskha badal: wa yantaqiṣūna lanā, wa fī “Ṭ”: ‘inda anṣārinā.

[1] في المصدر:لوصيه.

fī al-maṣdar: li-waṣiyyih.

[4] في المصدر و«ط»نسخة بدل:أسوأ.

fī al-maṣdar wa “Ṭ” nuskha badal: aswa’.

[5] في المصدر:الشدة لهم من،و في«ط»:الشدّة من.

fī al-maṣdar: al-shiddatu lahum min; wa fī “Ṭ”: al-shiddatu min.

_1) -التفسير المنسوب إلى الإمام العسكريّ(عليه السّلام):146/303-148.

al-Tafsīr al-mansūb ilā al-Imām al-‘Askarī (alayhi al-salām): 146/303–148.

99-/518 _2- الْعَيَّاشِيُّ:عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ [2]،عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ،قَالَ:قَالَ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ): «خَرَجَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ ابْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ مِنْ عِنْدِ عُثْمَانَ،فَلَقِيَ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)،فَقَالَ لَهُ:يَا عَلِيُّ،بَيَّتْنَا اللَّيْلَةَ فِي أَمْرٍ،نَرْجُو أَنْ يُثَبِّتَ اللَّهُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةَ.

فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):لَنْ يَخْفَى عَلَيَّ مَا بَيَّتُّمْ فِيهِ،حَرَّفْتُمْ وَ غَيَّرْتُمْ وَ بَدَّلْتُمْ تِسْعَمِائَةِ حَرْفٍ:ثَلاَثَمِائَةٍ حَرَّفْتُمْ،وَ ثَلاَثَمِائَةٍ غَيَّرْتُمْ،وَ ثَلاَثَمِائَةٍ بَدَّلْتُمْ فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ الْكِتٰابَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هٰذٰا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللّٰهِ »إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَةِ.

99-/518 _2- Translation: Al-‘Ayyāshī reports from Muhammad b. Sālim [2], from Abū Baṣīr, who said: Ja‘far b. Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘Āṣ came out from ‘Uthmān and met the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him). He said to him: “O ‘Ali, we spent the night devising a matter by which we hope Allah will make this community firm.” The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) said: “What you plotted will not be hidden from me. You altered, changed, and substituted nine hundred letters: three hundred you altered, three hundred you changed, and three hundred you substituted—Woe, then, to those who write the Book with their hands, then say, ‘This is from Allah’—to the end of the verse.”

_2) -تفسير العيّاشي 1:62/47.

Tafsīr al-‘Ayyāshī 1:62/47.

[2] في«ط»و في المصدر نسخة بدل:مسلم.

fī “Ṭ” wa fī al-maṣdar nuskha badal: Muslim.

البقرة آيه 80-81

وَ قٰالُوا لَنْ تَمَسَّنَا النّٰارُ إِلاّٰ أَيّٰاماً مَعْدُودَةً قُلْ أَتَّخَذْتُمْ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ عَهْداً فَلَنْ يُخْلِفَ اللّٰهُ عَهْدَهُ أَمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللّٰهِ مٰا لاٰ تَعْلَمُونَ[80]

بَلىٰ مَنْ كَسَبَ سَيِّئَةً وَ أَحٰاطَتْ بِهِ خَطِيئَتُهُ فَأُولٰئِكَ أَصْحٰابُ النّٰارِ هُمْ فِيهٰا خٰالِدُونَ[81]

[Qur’an 2:80–81 | M. H. Shakir]

- And they say: The fire shall not touch us but for a few days. Say: Have you taken a covenant with Allah, then Allah will not fail to fulfill His covenant, or do you speak against Allah what you do not know? [2:80]

- Yea! whoever earns evil and his sins beset him on every side, these are the inmates of the fire; in it they shall abide. [2:81]

99-/519 _1- قَالَ الْإِمَامُ الْعَسْكَرِيُّ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ): «قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: وَ قٰالُوا يُعْنَي الْيَهُودُ الْمُصِرُّونَ لِلشَّقَاوَةِ، الْمُظْهِرُونَ لِلْإِيمَانِ،الْمُسِرُّونَ لِلنِّفَاقِ،الْمُدَبِّرُونَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)وَ ذَوِيهِ بِمَا يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّ فِيهِ عَطَبَهُمْ: لَنْ تَمَسَّنَا النّٰارُ إِلاّٰ أَيّٰاماً مَعْدُودَةً وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ لَهُمْ أَصْهَارٌ وَ إِخْوَةُ رَضَاعٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ،يَسْتُرُونَ [3] كُفْرَهُمْ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ [4](صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)وَ صَحْبِهِ،وَ إِنْ كَانُوا بِهِ عَارِفِينَ،صِيَانَةً لَهُمْ لِأَرْحَامِهِمْ وَ أَصْهَارِهِمْ.

قَالَ لَهُمْ هَؤُلاَءِ:لِمَ تَفْعَلُونَ هَذَا النِّفَاقَ الَّذِي تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّكُمْ بِهِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مَسْخُوطٌ عَلَيْكُمْ مُعَذَّبُونَ؟ أَجَابَهُمْ هَؤُلاَءِ الْيَهُودُ:بِأَنَّ مُدَّةَ ذَلِكَ الْعِقَابِ الَّذِي نُعَذَّبُ بِهِ لِهَذِهِ [5] الذُّنُوبِ أَيّٰاماً مَعْدُودَةً تَنْقَضِي،ثُمَّ

99-/519 _1- Translation: Imam al-‘Askari (peace be upon him) said: Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said: “And they said”—meaning the Jews persisting in wretchedness, outwardly displaying faith, inwardly concealing hypocrisy, plotting against the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) and his kin with what they suppose will ruin them: “The Fire shall not touch us but for a few days.” This was because they had in-laws and milk-brothers among the Muslims, who concealed [3] their disbelief from Muhammad [4] (peace be upon him and his family) and his companions, even though they knew it, in order to preserve their kinship and affinal ties. These [Muslims] said to them: “Why do you practice this hypocrisy when you know that by it you are detested by Allah and punished?” Those Jews answered: “The period of that punishment with which we are chastised for these [5] sins will expire after a few numbered days; then…” (and so on).

_1) -التفسير المنسوب إلى الإمام العسكريّ(عليه السّلام):146/303-148.

al-Tafsīr al-mansūb ilā al-Imām al-‘Askarī (alayhi al-salām): 146/303–148.

[3] في المصدر:يسرون.

fī al-maṣdar: yusirrūn.

[4] في«ط»نسخة بدل:بمحمد.

fī “Ṭ” nuskha badal: bi-Muḥammad.

[5] في«س»،«ط»:لذلك.

fī “S”, “Ṭ”: li-dhālik.