S 2 A 94-96

قالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ): «كَانَ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَكُونَ ذَلِكَ عِنْدَ إِخْبَارِ اللَّهِ إِيَّاهُ-قَالَ-: فَعَمَدَ مُوسَى فَبَرَّدَ [1] الْعِجْلَ مِنْ أَنْفِهِ إِلَى طَرَفِ ذَنَبِهِ، ثُمَّ أَحْرَقَهُ بِالنَّارِ فَذَرَّهُ [2] فِي الْيَمِّ، فَكَانَ أَحَدُهُمْ لَيَقَعُ فِي الْمَاءِ وَ مَا بِهِ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَاجَةٍ، فَيَتَعَرَّضُ بِذَلِكَ لِلرَّمَادِ فَيَشْرَبُهُ، وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ: وَ أُشْرِبُوا فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْعِجْلَ بِكُفْرِهِمْ ».

It should have been so when Allah informed him—he said—so Moses proceeded to file down the calf [1] from its nose to the tip of its tail; then he burned it with fire and scattered [2] it into the sea. Then one of them would go down into the water without having any need for it, so that he would expose himself to the ashes and drink them; and this is Allah’s saying: “And their hearts imbibed (the love of) the calf on account of their unbelief.”

قوله تعالى:

قُلْ إِنْ كٰانَتْ لَكُمُ الدّٰارُ الْآخِرَةُ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ خٰالِصَةً مِنْ دُونِ النّٰاسِ فَتَمَنَّوُا الْمَوْتَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صٰادِقِينَ[94]

وَ لَنْ يَتَمَنَّوْهُ أَبَداً بِمٰا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَ اللّٰهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظّٰالِمِينَ[95]

وَ لَتَجِدَنَّهُمْ أَحْرَصَ النّٰاسِ عَلىٰ حَيٰاةٍ وَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا يَوَدُّ أَحَدُهُمْ لَوْ يُعَمَّرُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ وَ مٰا هُوَ بِمُزَحْزِحِهِ مِنَ الْعَذٰابِ أَنْ يُعَمَّرَ وَ اللّٰهُ بَصِيرٌ بِمٰا يَعْمَلُونَ[96]

(Qur’an 2:94, M. H. Shakir) Say: If the future abode with Allah is specially for you to the exclusion of the people, then invoke death if you are truthful.

(Qur’an 2:95, M. H. Shakir) And they will never invoke it on account of what their hands have sent before, and Allah knows the unjust.

(Qur’an 2:96, M. H. Shakir) And you will most certainly find them the greediest of men for life (greedier) than even those who set up equals (with Allah); every one of them loves that he should be granted a life of a thousand years, and his being granted a long life will in no way remove him further off from the punishment, and Allah sees what they do.

99-/563 _1- قَالَ الْإِمَامُ الْعَسْكَرِيُّ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ): «قَالَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ(عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ): إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى لَمَّا وَبَّخَ هَؤُلاَءِ الْيَهُودَ عَلَى لِسَانِ رَسُولِهِ مُحَمَّدٍ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ) وَ قَطَعَ مَعَاذِيرَهُمْ، وَ أَقَامَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْحُجَجَ الْوَاضِحَةَ بِأَنَّ مُحَمَّداً سَيِّدُ النَّبِيِّينَ [3]، وَ خَيْرُ الْخَلاَئِقِ أَجْمَعِينَ، وَ أَنَّ عَلِيّاً سَيِّدُ الْوَصِيِّينَ، وَ خَيْرُ مَنْ يَخْلُفُهُ بَعْدَهُ فِي الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَ أَنَّ الطَّيِّبِينَ مِنْ آلِهِ هُمُ الْقُوَّامُ بِدِينِ اللَّهِ، وَ الْأَئِمَّةُ لِعِبَادِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ، وَ انْقَطَعَتْ مَعَاذِيرُهُمْ، وَ هُمْ لاَ يُمْكِنُهُمْ إِيرَادُ حُجَّةٍ وَ لاَ شُبْهَةٍ، فَجَاءُوا إِلَى أَنْ تَكَاثَرُوا [4]؛ فَقَالُوا: مَا نَدْرِي مَا نَقُولُ، وَ لَكِنَّا نَقُولُ: إِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ خَالِصَةٌ لَنَا مِنْ دُونِكَ -يَا مُحَمَّدُ- وَ دُونَ عَلِيٍّ، وَ دُونَ أَهْلِ دِينِكَ وَ أُمَّتِكَ، وَ إِنَّا بِكُمْ مُبْتَلَوْنَ مُمْتَحَنُونَ، وَ نَحْنُ أَوْلِيَاءُ اللَّهِ الْمُخْلِصُونَ، وَ عِبَادُهُ الْخَيِّرُونَ، وَ مُسْتَجَابٌ دُعَاؤُنَا، غَيْرُ مَرْدُودٍ عَلَيْنَا شَيْءٌ [5] مِنْ سُؤَالِنَا رَبَّنَا.

فَلَمَّا قَالُوا ذَلِكَ، قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى لِنَبِيِّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ) قُلْ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، لِهَؤُلاَءِ الْيَهُودِ: إِنْ كٰانَتْ لَكُمُ الدّٰارُ الْآخِرَةُ الْجَنَّةُ وَ نَعِيمُهَا خٰالِصَةً مِنْ دُونِ النّٰاسِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلِيٍّ وَ الْأَئِمَّةِ، وَ سَائِرِ الْأَصْحَابِ وَ مُؤْمِنِي الْأُمَّةِ، وَ أَنَّكُمْ بِمُحَمَّدٍ وَ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ مُمْتَحَنُونَ، وَ أَنَّ دُعَاءَكُمْ مُسْتَجَابٌ غَيْرُ مَرْدُودٍ فَتَمَنَّوُا الْمَوْتَ لِلْكَاذِبِينَ مِنْكُمْ وَ مِنْ مُخَالِفِيكُمْ.

فَإِنَّ مُحَمَّداً وَ عَلِيّاً وَ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمَا [1] يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّهُمْ هُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنْ دُونِ النَّاسِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَهُمْ فِي دِينِهِمْ، وَ هُمُ الْمُجَابُ دُعَاؤُهُمْ؛ فَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ -يَا مَعْشَرَ الْيَهُودِ- كَمَا تَزْعُمُونَ [2]، فَتَمَنَّوْا الْمَوْتَ لِلْكَاذِبِينَ مِنْكُمْ وَ مِنْ مُخَالِفِيكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صٰادِقِينَ بِأَنَّكُمْ أَنْتُمُ الْمُحِقُّونَ الْمُجَابُ دُعَاؤُكُمْ عَلَى مُخَالِفِيكُمْ، فَقُولُوا: اَللَّهُمَّ أَمِتِ الْكَاذِبَ مِنَّا وَ مِنْ مُخَالِفِينَا؛ لِيَسْتَرِيحَ مِنْهُ الصَّادِقُونَ، وَ لِتَزْدَادَ حُجَّتُكُمْ وُضُوحاً بَعْدَ أَنْ [3] صَحَّتْ وَ وَجَبَتْ.

ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّدٌ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ) بَعْدَ مَا عَرَضَ هَذَا عَلَيْهِمْ: لاَ يَقُولُهَا أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ إِلاَّ غَصَّ بِرِيقِهِ فَمَاتَ مَكَانَهُ؛ وَ كَانَتِ الْيَهُودُ عُلَمَاءَ بِأَنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ، وَ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ) وَ عَلِيّاً(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ) وَ مُصَدِّقِيهِمَا هُمُ الصَّادِقُونَ، فَلَمْ يَجْسُرُوا [4] أَنْ يَدْعُوا بِذَلِكَ، لِعِلْمِهِمْ بِأَنَّهُمْ إِنْ دَعَوْا فَهُمُ الْمَيِّتُونَ.

فَقَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: وَ لَنْ يَتَمَنَّوْهُ أَبَداً بِمٰا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ يَعْنِي الْيَهُودَ، لَنْ يَتَمَنَّوُا الْمَوْتَ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ مِنَ الْكُفْرِ [5] بِاللَّهِ، وَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِهِ وَ نَبِيِّهِ وَ صَفِيِّهِ، وَ بِعَلِيٍّ أَخِي نَبِيِّهُ وَ وَصِيِّهِ، وَ بِالطَّاهِرِينَ مِنَ الْأَئِمَّةِ الْمُنْتَجَبِينَ.

قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: وَ اللّٰهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظّٰالِمِينَ الْيَهُودِ، أَنَّهُمْ لاَ يَجْسُرُونَ أَنْ يَتَمَنَّوْا الْمَوْتَ لِلْكَاذِبِ، لِعِلْمِهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ، وَ لِذَلِكَ آمُرُكَ أَنْ تَبْهَرَهُمْ بِحُجَّتِكَ، وَ تَأْمُرَهُمْ أَنْ يَدْعُوا عَلَى الْكَاذِبِ، لِيَمْتَنِعُوا مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ، وَ يُبَيِّنَ [6] لِلضُّعَفَاءِ أَنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ.

ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ وَ لَتَجِدَنَّهُمْ يَعْنِي تَجِدُ هَؤُلاَءِ الْيَهُودَ أَحْرَصَ النّٰاسِ عَلىٰ حَيٰاةٍ وَ ذَلِكَ لِيَأْسِهِمْ مِنْ نَعِيمِ الْآخِرَةِ، لاِنْهِمَاكِهِمْ فِي كُفْرِهِمْ، الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ لاَ حَظَّ لَهُمْ مَعَهُ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنْ خَيْرَاتِ الْجَنَّةِ.

وَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا قَالَ تَعَالَى: هَؤُلاَءِ الْيَهُودَ أَحْرَصَ النّٰاسِ عَلىٰ حَيٰاةٍ وَ أَحْرَصَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا عَلَى حَيَاةٍ -يَعْنِي الْمَجُوسَ- لِأَنَّهُمْ لاَ يَرَوْنَ النَّعِيمَ إِلاَّ فِي الدُّنْيَا، وَ لاَ يَأْمُلُونَ خَيْراً فِي الْآخِرَةِ، فَلِذَلِكَ هُمْ أَشَدُّ النَّاسِ حِرْصاً عَلَى حَيَاةٍ.

ثُمَّ وَصَفَ الْيَهُودَ فَقَالَ: يَوَدُّ يَتَمَنَّى أَحَدُهُمْ لَوْ يُعَمَّرُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ وَ مٰا هُوَ التَّعْمِيرُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ بِمُزَحْزِحِهِ بِمُبَاعِدِهِ مِنَ الْعَذٰابِ أَنْ يُعَمَّرَ تَعْمِيرَهُ.

وَ إِنَّمَا قَالَ: وَ مٰا هُوَ بِمُزَحْزِحِهِ مِنَ الْعَذٰابِ أَنْ يُعَمَّرَ وَ لَمْ يَقُلْ: وَ مٰا هُوَ بِمُزَحْزِحِهِ فَقَطْ، لِأَنَّهُ لَوْ قَالَ: وَ مَا هُوَ بِمُزَحْزِحِهِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ وَ اللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ، لَكَانَ يَحْتَمِلُ أَنْ يَكُونَ وَ مٰا هُوَ يَعْنِي وُدَّهُ وَ تَمَنِّيَهُ

99-/563 _1- (al-Tafsīr al-mansūb ilā al-Imām al-‘Askarī, 294/442): The Imam al-‘Askari (peace be upon him) said: Al-Hasan son of ‘Ali son of Abi Talib (peace be upon them) said: When Allah, the Exalted, rebuked these Jews upon the tongue of His Messenger Muhammad (may Allah bless him and his family), cutting off their excuses and establishing against them the clear proofs that Muhammad is the chief of the prophets [3] and the best of all creatures altogether, and that ‘Ali is the chief of the legatees and the best of those who succeed him among the Muslims after him, and that the pure ones from his family are the upholders of Allah’s religion and the leaders for the servants of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, their excuses ended, and they were unable to produce any proof or even a specious argument. So they resorted to contention [4] and said: We do not know what to say; but we say: Indeed, the Garden is exclusively ours to the exclusion of you—O Muhammad—and to the exclusion of ‘Ali, and to the exclusion of the people of your religion and your community; and indeed, we are tried and tested through you, and we are Allah’s sincere friends and His righteous servants; our supplication is answered, and nothing [5] of our requests to our Lord is refused.

So when they said that, Allah, the Exalted, said to His Prophet (may Allah bless him and his family): Say, O Muhammad, to these Jews: If the Abode of the Hereafter—the Garden and its bliss—is exclusively yours to the exclusion of the people—Muhammad and ‘Ali and the Imams, and the rest of the companions and the believers of the community—and that you are tested through Muhammad and his progeny, and that your supplication is answered and not rejected, then wish for death upon the liars among you and among your opponents.

For Muhammad and ‘Ali and their progeny [1] say that they are the friends of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, to the exclusion of the people who oppose them in their religion, and that their supplication is answered. So if you—O company of Jews—as you claim [2], then wish for death upon the liars among you and among your opponents if you are truthful in that you are the ones upon the truth and that your supplication against your opponents is answered; and say: O Allah, cause the liar among us and among our opponents to die, so that the truthful ones may be relieved of him, and so that your proof may increase in clarity after it has [3] been established and made binding.

Then the Messenger of Allah Muhammad (may Allah bless him and his family), after presenting this to them, said to them: None of you will utter it but that he will choke on his saliva and die on the spot. The Jews were learned and knew that they were the liars, and that Muhammad (may Allah bless him and his family) and ‘Ali (peace be upon him) and those who affirmed them were the truthful; so they did not dare [4] to supplicate thus, knowing that if they supplicated, they would be the ones to die.

So Allah, the Exalted, said: And they will never wish for it on account of what their hands have sent before—meaning the Jews: they will never wish for death because of what their hands have sent forth of unbelief [5] in Allah, and in Muhammad His Messenger and Prophet and elect one, and in ‘Ali, the Prophet’s brother and his legatee, and in the pure ones from among the chosen Imams.

Allah, the Exalted, said: And Allah knows the wrongdoers—the Jews—that they do not dare to wish for death upon the liar, because they know that they are the liars. Therefore I command you to overwhelm them with your proof, and to command them to supplicate against the liar, so that they will refrain from supplicating, and it will become clear [6] to the weak-minded that they are the liars.

Then He said: O Muhammad, you shall indeed find them—meaning, you shall find these Jews—the most covetous of people for life; and that is because they despair of the bliss of the Hereafter, being steeped in their unbelief, knowing that they will have no share with it in anything of the good things of the Garden.

And as for those who associate partners (with Allah), He, the Exalted, said: These Jews are the most covetous of people for life, even more covetous than those who associate partners for life—meaning the Magians—for they see bliss only in this world and hope for no good in the Hereafter; therefore they are the people most covetous of life.

Then He described the Jews, saying: Each one of them wishes that he could be granted a life of a thousand years; yet his being granted a life of a thousand years will not remove him, will not make him distant, from the punishment, merely because he is granted that lifespan.

And He only said: And his being granted a long life will in no way remove him further off from the punishment—and did not merely say: and it will not remove him—because if He had said: and it will not remove him from the punishment—and Allah sees—it could be supposed that “and it will not” refers to his wishing and desiring.

_1) -التفسير المنسوب إلى الإمام العسكريّ(عليه السّلام):294/442.

_1) -al-Tafsīr al-mansūb ilā al-Imām al-‘Askarī (alayhi al-salām): 294/442.

[1] بردة: سحله أو نحته بالمبرد، أي براه و سحقه.

[1] bardah: saḥalah aw naḥtahu bil-mibrād, ay barāhu wa saḥqahu.

[2] في «ط» نسخة بدل: فقذفه.

[2] fī “Ṭ” nuskhat badal: faqadhafahu.

[3] في «ط» نسخة بدل: سيّد الأولين.

[3] fī “Ṭ” nuskhat badal: sayyid al-awwalīn.

[4] في المصدر: كابروا.

[4] fī al-maṣdar: kābarū.

[5] في المصدر: بشيء.

[5] fī al-maṣdar: bishay’.

[1] في «ط» و المصدر: و ذويهما.

[1] fī “Ṭ” wa al-maṣdar: wa dhawīhimā.

[2] في المصدر: تدّعون.

[2] fī al-maṣdar: tadda‘ūn.

[3] في المصدر زيادة: قد.

[3] fī al-maṣdar ziyādah: qad.

[4] في «ط» نسخة بدل: لا يجرءون.

[4] fī “Ṭ” nuskhat badal: lā yajru’ūn.

[5] في المصدر: كفرهم.

[5] fī al-maṣdar: kufruhum.

[6] في المصدر: يتبيّن.

[6] fī al-maṣdar: yatabayyan.