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99-/576 _2- الْعَيَّاشِيُّ: عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)، فِي قَوْلِهِ: مٰا نَنْسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نُنْسِهٰا نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْهٰا أَوْ مِثْلِهٰا. قَالَ: «النَّاسِخُ مَا حُوِّلَ، وَمَا يَنْسَاهَا مِثْلُ الْغَيْبِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَكُنْ بَعْدُ، كَقَوْلِهِ: يَمْحُوا اللّٰهُ مٰا يَشٰاءُ وَيُثْبِتُ وَعِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتٰابِ [1]». قَالَ: «فَيَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيُحَوِّلُ مَا يَشَاءُ، مِثْلُ قَوْمِ يُونُسَ إِذْ بَدَا لَهُ فَرَحِمَهُمْ، وَمِثْلُ قَوْلِهِ: فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ فَمٰا أَنْتَ بِمَلُومٍ [2] - قَالَ -: أَدْرَكَهُمْ بِرَحْمَتِهِ [3]».

99-/576 _2- Al-‘Ayyashi: from Muhammad ibn Muslim, from Abu Ja‘far (peace be upon him), regarding His saying: Whatever communications We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring one better than it or like it. He said: “The abrogating (nāsikh) is that which is altered, and ‘what He causes to be forgotten’ is like the unseen decree which has not yet occurred, as in His saying: Allah effaces what He pleases and establishes (what He pleases), and with Him is the basis of the Book [1].” He said: “So Allah does what He wills and alters what He wills—like the people of Yunus when it became manifest to Him, so He had mercy on them—and like His saying: So turn away from them, for you are not to be blamed [2]—he said: He overtook them with His mercy [3].”

99-/577 _3- عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)، عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ: مٰا نَنْسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نُنْسِهٰا نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْهٰا أَوْ مِثْلِهٰا؟ فَقَالَ: «كَذَبُوا مَا هَكَذَا هِيَ، إِذَا كَانَ [4] يَنْسَخُهَا وَيَأْتِي بِمِثْلِهَا لَمْ يَنْسَخْهَا». قُلْتُ: هَكَذَا قَالَ اللَّهُ! قَالَ: «لَيْسَ هَكَذَا قَالَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى». قُلْتُ: فَكَيْفَ؟ قَالَ: «لَيْسَ فِيهَا أَلِفٌ وَلَا وَاوٌ، قَالَ: (مَا نَنْسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نُنْسِهَا نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْهَا مِثْلِهَا)، يَقُولُ: مَا نُمِيتُ مِنْ إِمَامٍ أَوْ نُنْسِ ذِكْرَهُ نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْهُ مِنْ صُلْبِهِ مِثْلِهِ».

99-/577 _3- From ‘Umar ibn Yazid, who said: I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (peace be upon him) about Allah’s saying: Whatever communications We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring one better than it or like it? He said: “They have lied; it is not like that. If He were to abrogate it and bring one like it, then He would not have abrogated it.” I said: That is how Allah said it! He said: “Blessed and Exalted is He—He did not say it like that.” I said: Then how? He said: “There is no alif and no waw in it. He said: (Whatever communication We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring one better than it—like it), meaning: Whenever We cause an Imam to die or cause his remembrance to be forgotten, We bring one better than him, from his loins, like him.”

99-/578 _4- الشَّيْخُ فِي (التَّهْذِيبِ): بِإِسْنَادِهِ عَنْ يُونُسَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ): «الرَّجْمُ فِي الْقُرْآنِ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: اَلشَّيْخُ وَالشَّيْخَةُ إِذَا زَنَيَا [5] فَارْجُمُوهُمَا الْبَتَّةَ [6] فَإِنَّهُمَا قَضَيَا الشَّهْوَةَ».

99-/578 _4- The Shaykh in (al-Tahdhib), by his chain from Yunus, from ‘Abdullah ibn Sinan, who said: Abu ‘Abdillah (peace be upon him) said: “Stoning is in the Qur’an in His saying, the Exalted: The elderly man and the elderly woman, if they commit fornication [5], then stone them absolutely [6], for they have satisfied their desire.”

قوله تعالى:

أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْئَلُوا رَسُولَكُمْ كَمٰا سُئِلَ مُوسىٰ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَمَنْ يَتَبَدَّلِ الْكُفْرَ بِالْإِيمٰانِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوٰاءَ السَّبِيلِ [108]

Qur’an 2:108 (M. H. Shakir): Or do you desire to question your Apostle as Moses was questioned before? And whoever adopts unbelief instead of faith, he indeed has gone astray from the right way.

99-/579 _1- قَالَ الْإِمَامُ الْعَسْكَرِيُّ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ): «قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضَا(عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ): أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ بَلْ تُرِيدُونَ، يَا كُفَّارَ قُرَيْشٍ وَالْيَهُودَ أَنْ تَسْئَلُوا رَسُولَكُمْ مَا تَقْتَرِحُونَهُ مِنَ الْآيَاتِ الَّتِي لَا تَعْلَمُونَ هَلْ فِيهَا صَلَاحُكُمْ أَوْ فَسَادُكُمْ كَمٰا سُئِلَ مُوسىٰ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَاقْتُرِحَ عَلَيْهِ، لَمَّا قِيلَ لَهُ: لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتّٰى نَرَى اللّٰهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْكُمُ الصّٰاعِقَةُ [1]. وَمَنْ يَتَبَدَّلِ الْكُفْرَ بِالْإِيمٰانِ بَعْدَ جَوَابِ الرَّسُولِ لَهُ: أَنَّ مَا سَأَلَهُ لَا يَصْلُحُ اقْتِرَاحُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ، أَوْ بَعْدَ مَا يُظْهِرُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى لَهُ مَا اقْتَرَحَ، إِنْ كَانَ صَوَاباً [2]. وَمَنْ يَتَبَدَّلِ الْكُفْرَ بِالْإِيمٰانِ بِأَنْ لَا يُؤْمِنَ عِنْدَ مُشَاهَدَةِ مَا يَقْتَرِحُ مِنَ الْآيَاتِ، أَوْ لَا يُؤْمِنُ إِذَا عَرَفَ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ أَنْ يَقْتَرِحَ، وَأَنَّهُ يَجِبُ أَنْ يَكْتَفِيَ بِمَا قَدْ أَقَامَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مِنَ الدَّلَالَاتِ، وَأَوْضَحَهُ مِنَ الْآيَاتِ الْبَيِّنَاتِ، فَيَتَبَدَّلُ الْكُفْرَ بِالْإِيمَانِ بِأَنْ يُعَانِدَ وَلَا يَلْتَزِمَ الْحُجَّةَ الْقَائِمَةَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ أَخْطَأَ قَصْدَ الطَّرِيقِ الْمُؤَدِّيَةِ إِلَى الْجِنَانِ، وَأَخَذَ فِي الطَّرِيقِ الْمُؤَدِّيَةِ إِلَى النِّيرَانِ». قَالَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ): «قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لِلْيَهُودِ: يَا أَيُّهَا الْيَهُودُ أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ بَلْ تُرِيدُونَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا آتَيْنَاكُمْ أَنْ تَسْئَلُوا رَسُولَكُمْ، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ) قَصَدَهُ عَشَرَةٌ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَتَعَنَّتُوهُ [3]، وَيَسْأَلُوهُ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُعَانِتُوهُ [4] بِهَا، فَبَيْنَا هُمْ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ كَأَنَّهُ [5] يُدْفَعُ فِي قَفَاهُ، قَدْ عُلِّقَ عَلَى عَصًا - عَلَى عَاتِقِهِ - جِرَابًا مَشْدُودَ الرَّأْسِ، فِيهِ شَيْءٌ قَدْ مَلَأَهُ، لَا يَدْرُونَ مَا هُوَ، فَقَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، أَجِبْنِي عَمَّا أَسْأَلُكَ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ): يَا أَخَا الْعَرَبِ، قَدْ سَبَقَكَ الْيَهُودُ لِيَسْأَلُوا، أَفَتَأْذَنُ لَهُمْ حَتَّى أَبْدَأَ بِهِمْ؟ فَقَالَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ: لَا، فَإِنِّي غَرِيبٌ مُجْتَازٌ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ): فَأَنْتَ إِذًا أَحَقُّ مِنْهُمْ لِغُرْبَتِكَ وَاجْتِيَازِكَ. فَقَالَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ: وَلَفْظَةٌ أُخْرَى. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ): مَا هِيَ؟ قَالَ: إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ أَهْلُ كِتَابٍ، يَدَّعُونَهُ بِزَعْمِهِمْ [6] حَقًّا، وَلَسْتُ آمَنُ أَنْ تَقُولَ شَيْئًا يُوَاطِئُونَكَ عَلَيْهِ وَيُصَدِّقُونَكَ، لِيَفْتِنَ النَّاسَ عَنْ دِينِهِمْ، وَأَنَا لَا أَقْنَعُ بِمِثْلِ هَذَا، لَا أَقْنَعُ إِلَّا بِأَمْرٍ بَيِّنٍ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ): أَيْنَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ؟ فَدُعِيَ بِعَلِيٍّ فَجَاءَ حَتَّى قَرُبَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ). فَقَالَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، وَمَا تَصْنَعُ بِهَذَا فِي مُحَاوَرَتِي إِيَّاكَ؟ قَالَ: يَا أَعْرَابِيٌّ، سَأَلْتَ الْبَيَانَ، وَهَذَا الْبَيَانُ الشَّافِي، وَصَاحِبُ الْعِلْمِ الْكَافِي، أَنَا مَدِينَةُ الْحِكْمَةِ وَهَذَا بَابُهَا، فَمَنْ أَرَادَ الْحِكْمَةَ وَالْعِلْمَ فَلْيَأْتِ الْبَابَ. فَلَمَّا مَثُلَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ)، قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ) بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ: يَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ، مَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَنْظُرَ إِلَى آدَمَ فِي جَلَالَتِهِ، وَإِلَى شَيْثٍ فِي حِكْمَتِهِ، وَإِلَى إِدْرِيسَ فِي نَبَاهَتِهِ وَمَهَابَتِهِ، وَإِلَى نُوحٍ فِي شُكْرِهِ لِرَبِّهِ وَعِبَادَتِهِ، وَإِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي وَفَائِهِ وَخُلَّتِهِ، وَإِلَى مُوسَى فِي بُغْضِ كُلِّ عَدُوٍّ لِلَّهِ وَمُنَابَذَتِهِ، وَإِلَى عِيسَى فِي حُبِّ كُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ وَحُسْنِ مُعَاشَرَتِهِ، فَلْيَنْظُرْ إِلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ هَذَا. فَأَمَّا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ فَازْدَادُوا بِذَلِكَ إِيمَانًا، وَأَمَّا الْمُنَافِقُونَ فَازْدَادَ نِفَاقُهُمْ، فَقَالَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، هَكَذَا مَدْحُكَ لِابْنِ عَمِّكَ، إِنَّ شَرَفَهُ شَرَفُكَ، وَعِزَّهُ عِزُّكَ، وَلَسْتُ أَقْبَلُ مِنْ هَذَا شَيْئًا إِلَّا بِشَهَادَةِ مَنْ لَا تَحْتَمِلُ شَهَادَتُهُ بُطْلَانًا وَلَا فَسَادًا، بِشَهَادَةِ هَذَا الضَّبِّ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ): يَا أَخَا الْعَرَبِ، فَأَخْرِجْهُ مِنْ جِرَابِكَ لِتَسْتَشْهِدَهُ، فَيَشْهَدَ لِي بِالنُّبُوَّةِ، وَلِأَخِي هَذَا بِالْفَضِيلَةِ. فَقَالَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ: لَقَدْ تَعِبْتُ فِي اصْطِيَادِهِ، وَأَنَا خَائِفٌ أَنْ يَطْفِرَ وَيَهْرُبَ [1]. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ): لَا تَخَفْ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَطْفِرُ، بَلْ يَقِفُ وَيَشْهَدُ لَنَا بِتَصْدِيقِنَا وَتَفْضِيلِنَا. فَقَالَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ: إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَنْ يَطْفِرَ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ): فَإِنْ طَفَرَ فَقَدْ كَفَاكَ بِهِ تَكْذِيبًا لَنَا، وَاحْتِجَاجًا عَلَيْنَا، وَلَنْ يَطْفِرَ، وَلَكِنَّهُ سَيَشْهَدُ لَنَا بِشَهَادَةِ الْحَقِّ، فَإِذَا فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ فَخَلِّ سَبِيلَهُ فَإِنَّ مُحَمَّدًا يُعَوِّضُكَ عَنْهُ مَا هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْهُ. فَأَخْرَجَهُ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ مِنَ الْجِرَابِ، وَوَضَعَهُ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ، فَوَقَفَ وَاسْتَقْبَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ)، وَمَرَّغَ خَدَّيْهِ فِي التُّرَابِ، ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ، وَأَنْطَقَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى، فَقَالَ: أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَصَفِيُّهُ وَسَيِّدُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ، وَأَفْضَلُ الْخَلْقِ أَجْمَعِينَ، وَخَاتَمُ النَّبِيِّينَ، وَقَائِدُ الْغُرِّ الْمُحَجَّلِينَ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ أَخَاكَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَلَى الْوَصْفِ الَّذِي وَصَفْتَهُ، وَبِالْفَضْلِ الَّذِي ذَكَرْتَهُ، وَأَنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ فِي الْجِنَانِ مُكْرَمُونَ [2]، وَأَنَّ أَعْدَاءَهُ فِي النَّارِ خَالِدُونَ [3]. فَقَالَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ وَهُوَ يَبْكِي: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، وَأَنَا أَشْهَدُ بِمَا شَهِدَ بِهِ هَذَا الضَّبُّ، فَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ وَشَاهَدْتُ وَسَمِعْتُ مَا لَيْسَ لِي عَنْهُ مَعْدِلٌ وَلَا مَحِيصٌ. ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ إِلَى الْيَهُودِ، فَقَالَ: وَيْلَكُمْ، أَيَّ آيَةٍ بَعْدَ هَذِهِ تُرِيدُونَ؟! وَمُعْجِزَةٍ بَعْدَ هَذِهِ تَقْتَرِحُونَ؟! لَيْسَ إِلَّا أَنْ تُؤْمِنُوا أَوْ تَهْلِكُوا أَجْمَعِينَ، فَآمَنَ أُولَئِكَ الْيَهُودُ كُلُّهُمْ، وَقَالُوا: عَظُمَتْ بَرَكَةُ ضَبِّكَ عَلَيْنَا، يَا أَخَا الْعَرَبِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ): يَا أَخَا الْعَرَبِ، خَلِّ الضَّبَّ عَلَى أَنْ يُعَوِّضَكَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَنْهُ مَا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْهُ، فَإِنَّهُ ضَبٌّ مُؤْمِنٌ بِاللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِ، وَبِأَخِي رَسُولِهِ، شَاهِدٌ بِالْحَقِّ، مَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَكُونَ مَصِيدًا وَلَا أَسِيرًا، لَكِنَّهُ يَكُونُ مُخَلًّى سَرْبُهُ [4] [تَكُونُ لَهُ مَزِيَّةٌ] عَلَى سَائِرِ الضِّبَابِ، بِمَا فَضَّلَهُ اللَّهُ أَمِيرًا. فَنَادَاهُ الضَّبُّ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، فَخَلِّنِي وَوَلِّنِي تَعْوِيضَهُ لِأُعَوِّضَهُ. فَقَالَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ: وَمَا عَسَاكَ تُعَوِّضُنِي؟

99-/579 _1- Imam al-‘Askari (peace be upon him) said: “Ali ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (peace be upon them) said: Do you desire—rather, you do desire, O disbelievers of Quraysh and the Jews—to ask your Messenger for the signs you propose, though you do not know whether they are for your benefit or harm, just as Moses was asked before and things were proposed to him, when it was said to him: We will not believe in you until we see Allah manifestly, so the thunderbolt overtook you [1]. And whoever exchanges disbelief for faith after the Messenger answers him that what he asked is not fit to be proposed to Allah, or after Allah Most High manifests to him what he proposed—if it was appropriate [2]—and whoever exchanges disbelief for faith by not believing upon witnessing the signs he proposes, or does not believe once he knows he is not entitled to propose, and that he must suffice with what Allah Most High has already set up of proofs and clarified of manifest signs—so he exchanges disbelief for faith by being obstinate and not adhering to the binding proof upon him—has indeed strayed from the right path: he has missed the way leading to the gardens and taken the way leading to the fires.” He (peace be upon him) said: “Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said to the Jews: O Jews, do you desire—rather, you do desire, after what We have given you—to ask your Messenger. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and his family) was approached by ten Jews who wanted to harass him [3] and ask him about matters with which they intended to be contentious [4]. While they were thus, a Bedouin came—as if [5] being pushed from behind—carrying on his shoulder a staff with a bag tied at the top, filled with something they did not know. He said: O Muhammad, answer me about what I will ask you. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his family) said: O brother of the Arabs, the Jews have come before you to ask—do you permit them so that I may begin with them? The Bedouin said: No, for I am a traveler passing through. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his family) said: Then you are more entitled than them because of your estrangement and your passing through. The Bedouin said: And one more condition. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his family) said: What is it? He said: These are People of the Book who, by their claim [6], assert it is true, and I do not trust that you might say something they will agree with you on and then they confirm you, to tempt people away from their religion. I will not be satisfied with that; I will be satisfied only with something unequivocal. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his family) said: Where is ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib? ‘Ali was called, and he came close to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his family). The Bedouin said: O Muhammad, and what will you do with this one in my dialogue with you? He said: O Bedouin, you asked for clarification, and this is the sufficient clarification and the possessor of adequate knowledge. I am the city of wisdom, and this is its gate; so whoever desires wisdom and knowledge, let him come to the gate. When he stood before the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his family), the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his family) cried out in a loud voice: O servants of Allah, whoever wishes to look at Adam in his majesty, and at Seth in his wisdom, and at Idris in his prominence and awe, and at Noah in his gratitude to his Lord and devotion, and at Abraham in his loyalty and intimate friendship, and at Moses in his hatred of every enemy of Allah and his opposition to them, and at Jesus in his love for every believer and his fine companionship—let him look at this ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib. The believers increased in faith thereby, but the hypocrites increased in hypocrisy. The Bedouin said: O Muhammad, is this how you praise your cousin? His honor is your honor, and his might is your might. I will accept nothing of this except with the testimony of one whose testimony cannot be marred by falsehood or corruption—with the testimony of this lizard.” The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his family) said: O brother of the Arabs, then take it out of your bag so you may call it to witness; it will bear witness for me to prophethood and for this brother of mine to virtue. The Bedouin said: I labored to catch it, and I fear it will leap and escape [1]. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his family) said: Do not fear; it will not leap. Rather, it will stand and testify to our truthfulness and our excellence. The Bedouin said: I fear it will leap. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his family) said: If it does leap, that will suffice you as a refutation of us and an argument against us. But it will not leap; rather, it will bear witness for us with the testimony of truth. If it does so, then let it go free, for Muhammad will compensate you for it with something better for you than it. The Bedouin took it out of the bag and set it on the ground. It stood, faced the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his family), and rubbed its cheeks in the dust. Then it raised its head, and Allah Most High made it speak, and it said: I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone with no partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger, His chosen one, the master of the messengers, the best of all creation, the seal of the prophets, and the leader of the bright, radiant ones; and I bear witness that your brother ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib is as you have described him, with the excellence you mentioned; and that his friends in the gardens are honored [2], and that his enemies in the Fire shall abide [3]. The Bedouin, weeping, said: O Messenger of Allah, I bear witness to what this lizard has testified. I have seen, witnessed, and heard what I have no way to turn from or escape. The Bedouin then turned to the Jews and said: Woe to you! What sign after this do you want? What miracle after this do you propose? There is nothing for you but to believe or perish altogether. Those Jews all believed and said: Great is the blessing of your lizard upon us, O brother of the Arabs. Then the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his family) said: O brother of the Arabs, release the lizard so that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, may compensate you with something better than it; for it is a lizard that believes in Allah and His Messenger and in my brother, His Messenger’s brother; it is a witness to the truth. It is not fitting that it remain hunted or captive; rather, it should be set free, with its way open [4] [so that it has a distinction] over the other lizards, for Allah has favored it as a chief. The lizard called out to him: O Messenger of Allah, then release me and assign to me his compensation so that I may compensate him. The Bedouin said: And what could you compensate me with?

قَالَ: تَذْهَبُ إِلَى الْجُحْرِ الَّذِي أَخَذْتَنِي مِنْهُ فَفِيهِ عَشَرَةُ آلَافِ دِينَارٍ خُسْرَوَانِيَّةٍ، وَثَمَانُمِائَةِ [1] أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ، فَخُذْهَا. فَقَالَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ: كَيْفَ أَصْنَعُ؟ قَدْ سَمِعَ هَذَا مِنَ الضَّبِّ جَمَاعَاتُ الْحَاضِرِينَ هَاهُنَا، وَأَنَا تَعِبٌ، فَإِنَّ مَنْ [2] هُوَ مُسْتَرِيحٌ يَذْهَبُ إِلَى هُنَاكَ فَيَأْخُذُهُ. فَقَالَ الضَّبُّ: يَا أَخَا الْعَرَبِ، إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ جَعَلَهُ لَكَ عِوَضًا مِنِّي، فَمَا كَانَ لِيَتْرُكَ أَحَدًا يَسْبِقُكَ إِلَيْهِ، وَلَا يَرُومُ أَحَدٌ أَخْذَهُ إِلَّا أَهْلَكَهُ اللَّهُ. وَكَانَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ تَعِبًا فَمَشَى قَلِيلًا، وَسَبَقَهُ إِلَى الْجُحْرِ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ كَانُوا بِحَضْرَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ)، فَأَدْخَلُوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ إِلَى الْجُحْرِ لِيَتَنَاوَلُوا مِنْهُ مَا سَمِعُوا فَخَرَجَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَفْعًى عَظِيمَةٌ، فَلَسَعَتْهُمْ وَقَتَلَتْهُمْ، وَوَقَفَتْ حَتَّى حَضَرَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ، فَنَادَتْهُ: يَا أَخَا الْعَرَبِ، انْظُرْ إِلَى هَؤُلَاءِ، كَيْفَ أَمَرَنِيَ اللَّهُ بِقَتْلِهِمْ دُونَ مَالِكَ، الَّذِي هُوَ عِوَضُ ضَبِّكَ، وَجَعَلَنِي حَافِظَتَهُ، فَتَنَاوَلْهُ. فَاسْتَخْرَجَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ الدَّرَاهِمَ وَالدَّنَانِيرَ، فَلَمْ يُطِقْ احْتِمَالَهَا، فَنَادَتْهُ الْأَفْعَى: خُذِ الْحَبْلَ الَّذِي فِي وَسَطِكِ، وَشُدَّهُ بِالْكِيسَيْنِ، ثُمَّ شُدَّ الْحَبْلَ فِي ذَنَبِي فَإِنِّي سَأَجُرُّهُ لَكَ إِلَى مَنْزِلِكَ، وَأَنَا فِيهِ خَادِمُكَ [3] وَحَارِسَةُ مَالِكَ [4]، فَجَاءَتِ الْأَفْعَى، فَمَا زَالَتْ تَحْرُسُهُ وَالْمَالَ إِلَى أَنْ فَرَّقَهُ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ فِي ضِيَاعٍ وَعَقَارٍ وَبَسَاتِينَ اشْتَرَاهَا، ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَتِ الْأَفْعَى».

English: It said: “Go to the hole from which you took me; in it are ten thousand Khusrawani dinars and eight hundred [1] thousand dirhams. Take them.” The Bedouin said: “What shall I do? Crowds present here have heard this from the lizard, and I am weary. Let someone [2] who is rested go there and take it.” The lizard said: “O brother of the Arabs, Allah has made it compensation for you on my behalf. He will not allow anyone to get to it before you, and whoever attempts to take it, Allah will destroy him.” The Bedouin was tired, so he walked a little, and a group of hypocrites who were in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his family) got to the hole before him. They put their hands into the hole to take what they had heard, and a huge serpent came out at them, stung them, and killed them. It remained until the Bedouin arrived. It called to him: “O brother of the Arabs, look at these—how Allah ordered me to kill them and not your wealth, which is the compensation for your lizard, and He made me its guardian. So take it.” The Bedouin took out the dirhams and dinars, but he could not carry them. The serpent called to him: “Take the rope around your waist and tie it to the two bags, then tie the rope to my tail; I will drag it for you to your home, and there I will be your servant [3] and the guardian of your wealth [4].” The serpent came and continued guarding him and the wealth until the Bedouin divided it into estates, properties, and orchards that he purchased. Then the serpent departed.

قوله تعالى:

وَدَّ كَثِيرٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتٰابِ لَوْ يَرُدُّونَكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ إِيمٰانِكُمْ كُفَّارًا حَسَدًا مِنْ عِندِ أَنْفُسِهِمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الْحَقُّ فَاعْفُوا وَاصْفَحُوا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللّٰهُ بِأَمْرِهِ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ [109]

Qur’an 2:109 (M. H. Shakir): Many of the followers of the Book wish that they could turn you back into unbelievers after your faith, out of envy from themselves, (even) after the truth has become manifest to them; but pardon and forgive, so that Allah should bring about His command; surely Allah has power over all things.

99-/580 _1- قَالَ الْإِمَامُ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْعَسْكَرِيُّ أَبُو الْقَائِمِ(عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ)، فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: وَدَّ كَثِيرٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتٰابِ لَوْ يَرُدُّونَكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ إِيمٰانِكُمْ كُفَّارًا. «بِمَا يُورِدُونَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَ الشُّبْهَةِ حَسَدًا مِنْ عِندِ أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَكُمْ،

99-/580 _1- Imam al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali al-‘Askari, Abu al-Qa’im (peace be upon them), regarding His saying, the Exalted: Many of the People of the Book wish that they could turn you back into unbelievers after your faith: “By what they present to you of specious doubts, out of envy from their own souls toward you,”

References:

_2) - تفسير العياشيّ 1:77/55.

Transliteration: Tafsir al-‘Ayyashi 1:77/55.

_3) - تفسير العياشيّ 1:78/56.

Transliteration: Tafsir al-‘Ayyashi 1:78/56.

_4) - التهذيب 10:7/3.

Transliteration: al-Tahdhib 10:7/3.

_1) - التفسير المنسوب إلى الإمام العسكريّ(عليه السلام):313/496.

Transliteration: al-Tafsir al-mansub ila al-Imam al-‘Askari (alayhi as-salam): 313/496.

[1] الرعد 13:39.

Transliteration: ar-Ra‘d 13:39.

Qur’an 13:39 (M. H. Shakir): Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is the basis of the Book.

[2] الذاريات 51:54.

Transliteration: adh-Dhariyat 51:54.

Qur’an 51:54 (M. H. Shakir): So turn away from them, for you are not to be blamed.

[3] في المصدر: أدركتم رحمته.

Transliteration: fi al-masdar: adraktum rahmatahu.

[4] في المصدر زيادة: ينسى و.

Transliteration: fi al-masdar ziyadah: yansa wa.

[5] في المصدر: إذا زنى الشيخ والشيوخ.

Transliteration: fi al-masdar: idha zana ash-shaykhu wa ash-shuyukh.

[6] يقال: لا أفعله البتة: لكل أمر لا رجعة فيه. «الصحاح - بتت - 1:242».

Transliteration: yuqalu: la af‘aluhu al-battata: likulli amrin la raj‘ata fihi. “as-Sihah - batata - 1:242”.

[1] البقرة 2:55.

Transliteration: al-Baqarah 2:55.

Qur’an 2:55 (M. H. Shakir): And when you said: O Moses! we will not believe in you until we see Allah manifestly; so the punishment overtook you while you looked on.

[2] (بعد جواب الرسول... صوابا) ليس في «س».

Transliteration: (ba‘da jawab ar-rasul... sawaban) laysa fi “S”.

[3] تعنّته: سأله عن شيء أراد به اللبس عليه والمشقة. «لسان العرب - عنت - 2:61».

Transliteration: ta‘annatahu: sa’alahu ‘an shay’in arada bihi al-labsa ‘alayhi wa al-mashaqqah. “Lisan al-‘Arab - ‘anat - 2:61”.

[4] في المصدر: يتعانتوه.

Transliteration: fi al-masdar: yata‘anatuh.

[5] في المصدر: كأنّما.

Transliteration: fi al-masdar: ka’annama.

[6] في المصدر: ويزعمونه.

Transliteration: fi al-masdar: wa yaz‘umunahu.

[1] طفر: وثب في ارتفاع. «لسان العرب - طفر - 4:502».

Transliteration: tafara: wathaba fi irtifa‘. “Lisan al-‘Arab - tafara - 4:502”.

[2] في المصدر: يكرمون.

Transliteration: fi al-masdar: yukramun.

[3] في المصدر، و«ط» نسخة بدل: يهانون.

Transliteration: fi al-masdar, wa “T” nuskhat badal: yuhanun.

[4] السّرب: الطريق. «لسان العرب - سرب - 1:464».

Transliteration: as-sarb: at-tariq. “Lisan al-‘Arab - sarb - 1:464”.

_1) - التفسير المنسوب إلى الإمام العسكريّ(عليه السّلام):315/515.

Transliteration: al-Tafsir al-mansub ila al-Imam al-‘Askari (alayhi as-salam): 315/515.

[1] في المصدر: وثلاثمائة.

Transliteration: fi al-masdar: wathalathmi’ah.

[2] في المصدر: متعب فلن آمن ممّن.

Transliteration: fi al-masdar: mut‘ab falan a’man mimman.

[3] في المصدر، وفي «ط» نسخة بدل: حارسك.

Transliteration: fi al-masdar, wa fi “T” nuskhat badal: harisuk.

[4] في المصدر زيادة: هذا.

Transliteration: fi al-masdar ziyadah: hadha.