4:165 An-Nisaa (The Women)

تفسير الايات من 163 حتى 165 :ـ يخبر تعالى أنه أوحى إلى عبده ورسوله من الشرع العظيم والأخبار الصادقة ما أوحى إلى هؤلاء الأنبياء عليهم الصلاة والسلام وفي هذا عدة فوائد: منها: أن محمدا صلى الله عليه وسلم ليس ببدع من الرسل، بل أرسل الله قبله من المرسلين العدد الكثير والجم الغفير فاستغراب رسالته لا وجه له إلا الجهل والعناد. ومنها: أنه أوحى إليه كما أوحى إليهم من الأصول والعدل الذي اتفقوا عليه، وأن بعضهم يصدق بعضا ويوافق بعضهم بعضا. ومنها: أنه من جنس هؤلاء الرسل، فليعتبره المعتبر بإخوانه المرسلين، فدعوته دعوتهم؛ وأخلاقهم متفقة؛ ومصدرهم واحد؛ وغايتهم واحدة، فلم يقرنه بالمجهولين؛ ولا بالكذابين ولا بالملوك الظالمين. ومنها: أن في ذكر هؤلاء الرسل وتعدادهم من التنويه بهم، والثناء الصادق عليهم، وشرح أحوالهم مما يزداد به المؤمن إيمانا بهم ومحبة لهم، واقتداء بهديهم، واستنانا بسنتهم ومعرفة بحقوقهم، ويكون ذلك مصداقا لقوله: { سَلَامٌ عَلَى نُــوحٍ فـِي الْعَـالَمِيـنَ } { سَلَامٌ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ } { سَلَامٌ عَلَى مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ } { سَلَامٌ عَلَى إِلْ يَاسِينَ * إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ } فكل محسن له من الثناء الحسن بين الأنام بحسب إحسانه. والرسل -خصوصا هؤلاء المسمون- في المرتبة العليا من الإحسان. ولما ذكر اشتراكهم بوحيه ذكر تخصيص بعضهم، فذكر أنه آتى داود الزبور، وهو الكتاب المعروف المزبور الذي خص الله به داود عليه السلام لفضله وشرفه، وأنه كلم موسى تكليما، أي: مشافهة منه إليه لا بواسطة حتى اشتهر بهذا عند العالمين فيقال: \"موسى كليم الرحمن\". وذكر أن الرسل منهم من قصه الله على رسوله، ومنهم من لم يقصصه عليه، وهذا يدل على كثرتهم وأن الله أرسلهم مبشرين لمن أطاع الله واتبعهم، بالسعادة الدنيوية والأخروية، ومنذرين من عصى الله وخالفهم بشقاوة الدارين، لئلا يكون للناس على الله حجة بعد الرسل فيقولوا: { مَا جَاءَنَا مِن بَشِيرٍ وَلَا نَذِيرٍ فَقَدْ جَاءَكُم بَشِيرٌ وَنَذِيرٌ } فلم يبق للخَلْق على الله حجة لإرساله الرسل تترى يبينون لهم أمر دينهم، ومراضي ربهم ومساخطه وطرق الجنة وطرق النار، فمن كفر منهم بعد ذلك فلا يلومن إلا نفسه. وهذا من كمال عزته تعالى وحكمته أن أرسل إليهم الرسل وأنزل عليهم الكتب، وذلك أيضا من فضله وإحسانه، حيث كان الناس مضطرين إلى الأنبياء أعظم ضرورة تقدر فأزال هذا الاضطرار، فله الحمد وله الشكر. ونسأله كما ابتدأ علينا نعمته بإرسالهم، أن يتمها بالتوفيق لسلوك طريقهم، إنه جواد كريم.

وقوله "رسلا مبشرين ومنذرين" أي يبشرون من أطاع الله واتبع رضوانه بالخيرات وينذرون من خالف أمره وكذب رسله بالعقاب والعذاب وقوله "لئلا يكون للناس على الله حجة بعد الرسل وكان الله عزيزا حكيما" أي أنه تعالى أنزل كتبه وأرسل رسله بالبشارة والنذارة وبين ما يحبه ويرضاه مما يكرهه ويأباه لئلا يبقى لمعتذر عذر كما قال تعالى "ولولا أنا أهلكناهم بعذاب من قبله لقالوا ربنا لولا أرسلت إلينا رسولا فنتبع آياتك من قبل أن نذل ونخزى" وكذا قوله "ولولا أن تصيبهم مصيبة بما قدمت أيديهم" الآية. وقد ثبت في الصحيحين عن ابن مسعود قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " لا أحد أغير من الله من أجل ذلك حرم الفواحش ما ظهر منها وما بطن ولا أحد أحب إليه المدح من الله عز وجل من أجل ذلك مدح نفسه ولا أحد أحب إليه العذر من الله من أجل ذلك بعث النبيين مبشرين ومنذرين". وفي لفظ آخر"من أجل ذلك أرسل رسله وأنزل كتبه".

Revelation Came to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Just as it Came to the Prophets Before Him

Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated that Muhammad bin Abi Muhammad said that `Ikrimah, or Sa`id bin Jubayr, related to Ibn `Abbas that he said, "Sukayn and `Adi bin Zayd said, `O Muhammad! We do not know that Allah sent down anything to any human after Musa.' Allah sent down a rebuttal of their statement,

إِنَّآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ كَمَآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَى نُوحٍ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ مِن بَعْدِهِ

(Verily, We have inspired you (O Muhammad) as We inspired Nuh and the Prophets after him.)" Allah states that He sent down revelation to His servant and Messenger Muhammad ﷺ just as He sent down revelation to previous Prophets. Allah said,

إِنَّآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ كَمَآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَى نُوحٍ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ مِن بَعْدِهِ

(Verily, We have inspired you (O Muhammad) as We inspired Nuh and the Prophets after him,) until,

وَءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُودَ زَبُوراً

(...and to Dawud We gave the Zabur. ) The `Zabur' (Psalms) is the name of the Book revealed to Prophet Dawud, peace be upon him.

Twenty-Five Prophets Are Mentioned in the Qur'an

Allah said,

وَرُسُلاً قَدْ قَصَصْنَـهُمْ عَلَيْكَ مِن قَبْلُ وَرُسُلاً لَّمْ نَقْصُصْهُمْ عَلَيْكَ

(And Messengers We have mentioned to you before, and Messengers We have not mentioned to you) Before the revelation of this Ayah. The following are the names of the Prophets whom Allah named in the Qur'an. They are: Adam, Idris, Nuh (Noah), Hud, Salih, Ibrahim (Abraham), Lut, Isma`il (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Ya`qub (Jacob), Yusuf (Joesph), Ayyub (Job), Shu`ayb, Musa (Moses), Harun (Aaron), Yunus (Jonah), Dawud (David), Sulayman (Solomon), Ilyas (Elias), Al-Yasa` (Elisha), Zakariya (Zachariya), Yahya (John) and `Isa (Jesus), and their leader, Muhammad . Several scholars of Tafsir also listed Dhul-Kifl among the Prophets. Allah's statement,

وَرُسُلاً لَّمْ نَقْصُصْهُمْ عَلَيْكَ

(and Messengers We have not mentioned to you,) means, `there are other Prophets whom We did not mention to you in the Qur'an.'

The Virtue of Musa

Allah said,

وَكَلَّمَ اللَّهُ مُوسَى تَكْلِيماً

(and to Musa Allah spoke directly.) This is an honor to Musa, and this is why he is called the Kalim, he whom Allah spoke to directly. Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr bin Marduwyah recorded that `Abdul-Jabbar bin `Abdullah said, "A man came to Abu Bakr bin `Ayyash and said, `I heard a man recite (this Ayah this way): وَكَلَّمَ اللَّهَ مُوسَى تَكلِيمًا "and to Allah, Musa spoke directly." Abu Bakr said, `Only a disbeliever would recite it like this.' Al-A`mash recited it with Yahya bin Withab, who recited it with Abu `Abdur-Rahman As-Sulami who recited it with `Ali bin Abi Talib who recited with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ,

وَكَلَّمَ اللَّهُ مُوسَى تَكْلِيماً

(and to Musa Allah spoke directly.)"' Abu Bakr bin Abi Ayyash was so angry with the man who recited the Ayah differently, because he altered its words and meanings. That person was from the group of Mu`tazilah who denied that Allah spoke to Musa or that He speaks to any of His creation. We were told that some of the Mu`tazilah once recited the Ayah that way, so one teacher present said to him, "O son of a stinking woman! What would you do concerning Allah's statement,

وَلَمَّا جَآءَ مُوسَى لِمِيقَـتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُ رَبُّهُ

(And when Musa came at the time and place appointed by Us, and his Lord spoke to him,) 7:143" The Shaykh meant that the later Ayah cannot be altered or changed.

The Reason Behind Sending the Prophets is to Establish the Proof

Allah said,

رُّسُلاً مُّبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ

(Messengers as bearers of good news as well as of warning,) meaning, the Prophets bring good news to those who obey Allah and practice the good things that please Him. They also warn against His punishment and torment for those who defy His commandments. Allah said next,

لِئَلاَّ يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى اللَّهِ حُجَّةٌ بَعْدَ الرُّسُلِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَزِيزاً حَكِيماً

(in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah after the Messengers. And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise.) Allah sent down His Books and sent His Messengers with good news and warnings. He explained what He likes and is pleased with and what He dislikes and is displeased with. This way, no one will have an excuse with Allah. Allah said in other Ayat,

وَلَوْ أَنَّآ أَهْلَكْنَـهُمْ بِعَذَابٍ مِّن قَبْلِهِ لَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَا لَوْلا أَرْسَلْتَ إِلَيْنَا رَسُولاً فَنَتَّبِعَ ءَايَـتِكَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن نَّذِلَّ وَنَخْزَى

(And if We had destroyed them with a torment before this, they would surely have said: "Our Lord! If only You had sent us a Messenger, we should certainly have followed Your Ayat, before we were humiliated and disgraced.") and,

وَلَوْلا أَن تُصِيبَهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ

(And if (We had) not (sent you to the people of Makkah) in case a calamity should seize them for (the deeds) that their hands have sent forth. ) It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Ibn Mas`ud said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«لَا أَحَدَ أَغْيَرُ مِنَ اللهِ، مِنْ أَجْلِ ذلِكَ حَرَّمَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ، وَلَا أَحَدْ أَحَبْ إِلَيْهِ الْمَدْحُ مِنَ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، مِنْ أَجْلِ ذلِكَ مَدَحَ نَفْسَهُ، وَلَا أَحَدَ أَحَبْ إِلَيْهِ الْعُذْرُ مِنَ اللهِ، مِنْ أَجْلِ ذلِكَ بَعَثَ النَّبِيِّينَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنْذِرِين»

(No one is more jealous than Allah. This is why He prohibited all types of sin committed in public or secret. No one likes praise more than Allah, and this is why He has praised Himself. No one likes to give excuse more than Allah, and this is why He sent the Prophets as bearers of good news and as warners.) In another narration, the Prophet said,

«مِنْ أَجْلِ ذلِكَ أَرْسَلَ رُسُلَهُ وَأَنْزَلَ كُتُبَه»

(And this is why He sent His Messengers and revealed His Books.)

لَّـكِنِ اللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكَ أَنزَلَهُ بِعِلْمِهِ وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ يَشْهَدُونَ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ شَهِيداً - إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ قَدْ ضَلُّواْ ضَلَـلاَ بَعِيداً - إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَظَلَمُواْ لَمْ يَكُنِ اللَّهُ لِيَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ وَلاَ لِيَهْدِيَهُمْ طَرِيقاً

messengers rusulan substitutes for the previous rusulan ‘messengers’ bearing good tidings of reward for those that believe and warning of punishment for those that disbelieve; We sent them so that people might have no argument to make against God after the sending of the messengers to them and say Our Lord why did you not send a messenger to us so that we might follow Your signs and be among the believers Q. 2847; thus We sent them to pre-empt such excuses. God is ever Mighty in His kingdom Wise in His actions.

Then comes verse رُّ‌سُلًا مُّبَشِّرِ‌ينَ وَمُنذِرِ‌ينَ (-- Messengers giving good tidings and warning...) which succinctly tells that Almighty Allah consistently sent messengers to convey good tidings to all believers and to warn all disbelievers so that there remains no room for the excuse that they did not know the will of God and His Messengers --had they known about it, they would have certainly followed it! Now, that Almighty Allah has sent messengers with miracles and His messengers have shown the straight path of truth, the option of not accepting the true faith cannot be accepted from anyone, under any pretext or excuse. Such is the nature of Divine Revelation. Wahy is an absolute argument, final, conclusive and disarming. No argument stands operative against it. In fact, all arguments lie surrendered under its weight. And this is the wisdom of Allah and His modus operandi.

It has been narrated by Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ عنہما that a group of Jews came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . He said to them: Surely, you do know that I am a true messenger of Ajllah? They refused to accept that whereupon came the following verse (166): لَّـٰكِنِ اللَّـهُ يَشْهَدُ بِمَا أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكَ. 'But Allah bears witness (to your prophethood) through what He has revealed to you ...' The verse addressed to the Holy Prophet ﷺ declares that Allah is a witness to his prophet-hood through the miraculous Qur'an, a perfect message from out of His Knowledge. The Book has been revealed to him with full realization that he is deserving of it, and the angels too join in the testimony. After the very witnessing of the All-Knowing, All-Aware Allah, there is nothing left to argue about.

The text, after having confirmed the veracity of the glorious Qur'an and the noble Prophet ﷺ ، turns to those who still deny them, conceal his character traits and circumstantial indicators of his appearance present in the Torah .and, sordidly enough, try to keep others away from the true faith by bringing out before them things which are not there or things .which have .been jumbled together to distort the truth. For such people, there shall be no forgiveness and no guidance either. Thus, it becomes very clear that guidance or the ability to find the straight path depends on following the Holy Prophet ﷺ and straying away, whatever be its nature, is nothing but hostility towards him. This, then, comprehensively refutes all erroneous ideas of the Jews.