8:31 Al-Anfaal (The Spoils of War)

يقول تعالى في بيان عناد المكذبين للرسول ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ‏:‏ ‏{‏وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا‏}‏ الدالة على صدق ما جاء به الرسول‏}‏‏.‏ ‏{‏قَالُوا قَدْ سَمِعْنَا لَوْ نَشَاءُ لَقُلْنَا مِثْلَ هَذَا إِنْ هَذَا إِلا أَسَاطِيرُ الأوَّلِينَ‏}‏ وهذا من عنادهم وظلمهم، وإلا فقد تحداهم اللّه أن يأتوا بسورة من مثله، ويدعوا من استطاعوا من دون اللّه، فلم يقدروا على ذلك، وتبين عجزهم‏.‏ فهذا القول الصادر من هذا القائل مجرد دعوى، كذبه الواقع، وقد علم أنه ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ أُمِّيٌّ لا يقرأ ولا يكتب، ولا رحل ليدرس من أخبار الأولين، فأتى بهذا الكتاب الجليل الذي لا يأتيه الباطل من بين يديه ولا من خلفه، تنزيل من حكيم حميد‏.‏

يخبر تعالى عن كفر قريش وعتوهم وتمردهم وعنادهم ودعواهم الباطل عند سماع آياته إذا تتلى عليهم أنهم يقولون "قد سمعنا لو نشاء لقلنا مثل هذا" وهذا منهم قول بلا فعل وإلا فقد تُحُدُّوا غير ما مرة أن يأتوا بسورة من مثله فلا يجدون إلى ذلك سبيلا وإنما هذا القول منهم يَغُرُّون به أنفسهم ومن تبعهم على باطلهم وقد قيل إن القائل لذلك هو النضر بن الحارث لعنه الله كما قد نص على ذلك سعيد بن جبير والسدي وابن جريج وغيرهم. فإنه لعنه الله كان قد ذهب إلى بلاد فارس وتعلم من أخبار ملوكهم رستم واسفنديار ولما قدم وجد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قد بعثه الله وهو يتلو على الناس القرآن فكان عليه الصلاة والسلام إذا قام من مجلس جلس فيه النضر فحدثهم من أخبار أولئك ثم يقول بالله أينا أحسن قصصا أنا أو محمد؟ ولهذا لما أمكن الله تعالى منه يوم بدر ووقع في الأسارى أمر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن تضرب رقبته صبرا بين يديه ففعل ذلك ولله الحمد وكان الذي أسره المقداد بن الأسود رضي الله عنه كما قال ابن جرير حدثنا محمد بن بشار حدثنا محمد بن جعفر حدثنا شعبة عن أبي بشر عن سعيد بن جبير قال: قتل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يوم بدر صبرا عقبة بن أبي معيط وطعيمة بن عدي والنضر بن الحارث وكان المقداد أسر النضر فلما أمر بقتله قال المقداد يا رسول الله أسيري فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "إنه كان يقول في كتاب الله عز وجل ما يقول" فأمر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بقتله فقال المقداد هذا الذي أردت قال وفيه أنزلت هذه الآية "وإذا تتلى عليهم آياتنا قالوا قد سمعنا لو نشاء لقلنا مثل هذا إن هذا إلا أساطير الأولين". وكذا رواه هشيم عن أبي بشر جعفر بن أبي دحية عن سعيد بن جبير أنه قال المطعم بن عدي بدل طعيمة وهو غلط لأن المطعم بن عدي لم يكن حيا يوم بدر ولهذا قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يومئذ لو كان المطعم بن عدي حيا ثم سألني في هؤلاء النتنى لوهبتهم له يعني الأسارى لأنه كان قد أجار رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يوم رجع من الطائف ومعنى "أساطير الأولين" وهو جمع أسطورة أي كتبهم اقتبسها فهو يتعلم منها ويتلوها على الناس وهذا هو الكذب البحت كما أخبر الله عنهم في الآية الأخرى "وقالوا أساطير الأولين اكتتبها فهي تملى عليه بكرة وأصيلا قل أنزله الذي يعلم السر في السموات والأرض إنه كان غفورا رحيما" أي لمن تاب إليه وأناب فإنه يتقبل منه ويصفح عنه.

The Quraysh claimed They can produce Something similar to the Qur'an

Allah describes the disbelief, transgression, rebellion, as well as misguided statements that the pagans of Quraysh used to utter when they heard Allah's Ayat being recited to them,

قَدْ سَمِعْنَا لَوْ نَشَآءُ لَقُلْنَا مِثْلَ هَـذَآ

("We have heard (the Qur'an); if we wish we can say the like of this.")

They boasted with their words, but not with their actions. They were challenged several times to bring even one chapter like the Qur'an, and they had no way to meet this challenge. They only boasted in order to deceive themselves and those who followed their falsehood. It was said that An-Nadr bin Al-Harith, may Allah curse him, was the one who said this, according to Sa`id bin Jubayr, As-Suddi, Ibn Jurayj and others. An-Nadr visited Persia and learned the stories of some Persian kings, such as Rustum and Isphandiyar. When he went back to Makkah, He found that the Prophet was sent from Allah and reciting the Qur'an to the people. Whenever the Prophet would leave an audience in which An-Nadr was sitting, An-Nadr began narrating to them the stories that he learned in Persia, proclaiming afterwards, "Who, by Allah, has better tales to narrate, I or Muhammad" When Allah allowed the Muslims to capture An-Nadr in Badr, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded that his head be cut off before him, and that was done, all thanks are due to Allah. The meaning of,

أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ

(. ..tales of the ancients) meaning that the Prophet has plagiarized and learned books of ancient people, and this is what he narrated to people, as they claimed. This is the pure falsehood that Allah mentioned in another Ayah,

وَقَالُواْ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ اكْتَتَبَهَا فَهِىَ تُمْلَى عَلَيْهِ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلاً - قُلْ أَنزَلَهُ الَّذِى يَعْلَمُ السِّرَّ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً

(And they say: "Tales of the ancients, which he has written down:, and they are dictated to him morning and afternoon." Say: "It (this Qur'an) has been sent down by Him (Allah) Who knows the secret of the heavens and the earth. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.") 25:5-6 for those who repent and return to Him, He accepts repentance from them and forgives them.

The Idolators ask for Allah's Judgment and Torment!

Allah said,

وَإِذْ قَالُواْ اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ أَوِ ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

(And (remember) when they said: "O Allah! If this (the Qur'an) is indeed the truth (revealed) from You, then rain down stones on us from the sky or bring on us a painful torment.")

This is indicative of the pagans' enormous ignorance, denial, stubbornness and transgression. They should have said, "O Allah! If this is the truth from You, then guide us to it and help us follow it." However, they brought Allah's judgment on themselves and asked for His punishment. Allah said in other Ayat,

وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِالْعَذَابِ وَلَوْلاَ أَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى لَّجَآءَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَلَيَأْتِيَنَّهُمْ بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لاَ يَشْعُرُونَ

(And they ask you to hasten on the torment (for them), and had it not been for a term appointed, the torment would certainly have come to them. And surely, it will come upon them suddenly while they perceive not!) 29:53,

وَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَا عَجِّل لَّنَا قِطَّنَا قَبْلَ يَوْمِ الْحِسَابِ

(They say: "Our Lord! Hasten to us Qittana (our record of good and bad deeds so that we may see it) before the Day of Reckoning!") 38:16, and,

سَأَلَ سَآئِلٌ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ - لِّلْكَـفِرِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُ دَافِعٌ - مِّنَ اللَّهِ ذِي الْمَعَارِجِ

(A questioner asked concerning a torment about to befall. Upon the disbelievers, which none can avert. From Allah, the Lord of the ways of ascent.) 70:1-3

The ignorant ones in ancient times said similar things. The people of Shu`ayb said to him,

فَأَسْقِطْ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفاً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّـدِقِينَ

("So cause a piece of the heaven to fall on us, if you are of the truthful!")26:187 while the pagans of Quraysh said,

اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ أَوِ ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

("O Allah! If this (the Qur'an) is indeed the truth (revealed) from You, then rain down stones on us from the sky or bring on us a painful torment.")

Shu`bah said from `Abdul-Hamid that Anas bin Malik said that it was Abu Jahl bin Hisham who uttered this statement,

اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ أَوِ ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

("O Allah! If this (the Qur'an) is indeed the truth (revealed) from You, then rain down stones on us from the sky or bring on us a painful torment.")

So Allah revealed this Ayah,

وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ

(And Allah would not punish them while you are among them, nor will He punish them while they seek (Allah's) forgiveness.)

Al-Bukhari recorded it.

The Presence of the Prophet , and the Idolators' asking For forgiveness, were the Shelters against receiving Allah's immediateTorment

Allah said,

وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ

(And Allah would not punish them while you are among them, nor will He punish them while they seek (Allah's) forgiveness.)

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "Pagans used to go around the House in Tawaf and proclaim, `We rush to Your obedience, O Allah, there is no partner with You,' and the Prophet would tell them,

«قَدٍ، قَد»

(Enough, enough.) But they would go on, `We rush to Your obedience, O Allah, there is no partner with You except a partner who is with You, You own Him but he does not own! They also used to say, `O Allah, Your forgiveness, Your forgiveness.' Allah revealed this verse;

وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ

(And Allah would not punish them while you are among them...)"'

Ibn `Abbas commented, "They had two safety shelters: the Prophet , and their seeking forgiveness (from Allah). The Prophet went away, and only seeking forgiveness remained." At-Tirmidhi recorded that Abu Musa said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«أَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَلَيَّ أَمَانَيْنِ لِأُمَّتِي»

("Allah sent down to me two safe shelters for the benefit of my Ummah)

وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ

(And Allah would not punish them while you are among them, nor will He punish them while they seek (Allah's) forgiveness.)

«فَإِذَا مَضَيْتُ تَرَكْتُ فِيهِمُ الْاسْتِغْفَارَ إِلَى يَومِ الْقِيَامَة»

(When I die, I will leave the seeking of forgiveness with them, until the Day of Resurrection.)

What testifies to this Hadith, is the Hadith that Ahmad recorded in his Musnad and Al-Hakim in his Mustadrak, that Abu Sa`id narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ قَالَ: وَعِزَّتِكَ يَا رَبِّ لَا أَبْرَحُ أَغْوِي عِبَادَكَ مَا دَامَتْ أَرْوَاحُهُمْ فِي أَجْسَادِهِمْ. فَقَالَ الرَّبُّ: وَعِزَّتِي وَجَلَالِي لَا أَزَالُ أَغْفِرُ لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَغْفَرُونِي»

(Shaytan said, `By Your might, O Lord! I will go on luring Your servants as long as their souls are still in their bodies.' The Lord said, `By My might and majesty! I will keep forgiving them, as long as they keep invoking Me for forgiveness.')

Al-Hakim, "Its chain is Sahih and they did not record it."

And when Our verses namely the Qur’ān were being recited to them they said ‘We have already heard! If we wish we can speak the like of this — al-Nadr b. al-Hārith said this for he used to travel on trading business to al-Hīra where he would buy books containing the tales of the Persians and would recount these to the Meccans; this Qur’ān is nothing but the fables the lies of the ancients’.

Mentioned in verses 31 and 32 is the absurd remark made by Nadr ibn Harith, a participant of the same meeting at Dar al-Nadwah, with its reply appearing in verse 33. Nadr ibn Harith was a businessman who used to travel to different countries where he had repeated opportunities of seeing religious books of the Jews and Christians as well as witnessing their modes of worship. When he heard about the accounts of past communities appearing in the Holy Qur'an, he said: قَد سَمِعنَا لَونَشَآءُ لَقُلنا مِثلَ ھٰذَآ اِن ھٰذآ اِلَّا اَسَاطیرُ الاَوَّلِینَ (we have heard, if we wish, we can say some-thing like this. It is nothing but the tales of the ancient - 31). Thereupon, some of the Companions ؓ challenged him: If you can say something like this, why would you not say it? The Qur'an had already spoken on the subject and made it the very criterion of the true and the false. The challenge of the Qur'an was beamed at the whole world. If its opponents were true, let them come up with the like of even a very small Surah. In contrast, those who claimed to stake their lives and sacrifice their wealth and children for the sake of upholding their counter-assertion could not even join up their abilities together and come out even with a small Surah which could stand on its own against the Qur'an. Now, after all this, to stand up and say that we too can say something like this, if we so wished, is something no self-respecting person would venture to say. Thus, when the Companions ؓ told him that the Qur'an was nothing but the Divine word, he tried to counter the assertion by showing his own firm adherence to his incorrect faith by saying: