Sheikh Faysal Aal Mubarak‘s book of tafsir primarily relied on selecting key quotes from the most reliable books of narration-based tafsir, namely: Tafsir al-Tabari, Tafsir ibn Kathir and Tafsir al-Baghawi. What follows in his explanation of surah al-Ma’idah ayaat 20-26:
الدرس الخامس والسبعون
Lesson #75
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَعَلَ فِيكُمْ أَنبِيَاءَ وَجَعَلَكُم مُّلُوكًا وَآتَاكُم مَّا لَمْ يُؤْتِ أَحَدًا مِّنَ الْعَالَمِينَ
And remember when Moosaa told his people, “O people, remember Allah’s blessings on you when He placed prophets among you and made you owners and gave you what He had not given anyone in all creation before you.” [5:20]
عن ابن عيينة : {اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ} قال : أيادي الله عليكم وأيامه {إِذْ جَعَلَ فِيكُمْ أَنبِيَاءَ وَجَعَلَكُم مُّلُوكًا} وعن مجاهد في قوله : {وَجَعَلَكُم مُّلُوكًا} قال : جعل لكم أزواجا وخدما وبيوتا . ـ
Regarding the phrase:
اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ
… remember Allah’s blessings on you …
Ibn ‘Uyaynah explained this as, “Allah’s support towards you and how He dealt with matters.”
إِذْ جَعَلَ فِيكُمْ أَنبِيَاءَ وَجَعَلَكُم مُّلُوكًا
… when He placed prophets among you and made you owners …
which Mujahid explained by saying, “And gave you wives, servants and homes.”
وقاله : {وَآتَاكُم مَّا لَمْ يُؤْتِ أَحَدًا مِّنَ الْعَالَمِينَ} قال ابن عباس : أي الذين هم بين ظهرانيهم يومئذ . ـ
وَآتَاكُم مَّا لَمْ يُؤْتِ أَحَدًا مِّنَ الْعَالَمِينَ
… and gave you what He had not given anyone in all creation before you.
Ibn ‘Abbaas said, “Meaning out of those who were their contemporaries at that time.”
يَا قَوْمِ ادْخُلُوا الْأَرْضَ الْمُقَدَّسَةَ الَّتِي كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَرْتَدُّوا عَلَىٰ أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا خَاسِرِينَ
“O People, enter the Holy Land which Allah has written for you and do not turn back on your heels and as a result become losers.” [5:21]
قال مجاهد : {الْأَرْضَ الْمُقَدَّسَةَ} : الطور وما حوله . وقال قتادة : هي الشام . وقال ابن عباس : هي أريحا . وقال مجاهد : {الْمُقَدَّسَةَ } : المباركة. وقال ابن اسحاق : {الَّتِي كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ} : التي وهب الله لكم : {وَلَا تَرْتَدُّوا عَلَىٰ أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا خَاسِرِينَ} أي ولا تقعدوا عن الجهاد فتبوءوا بالخسارة . ـ
Regarding:
الْأَرْضَ الْمُقَدَّسَةَ
… the Holy Land …
Mujahid said it was Mount Toor and the surrounding area.
Qatadah said is was the Levant.
Ibn ‘Abbaas said it was Jericho.
Mujahid said that the word:
الْمُقَدَّسَةَ
… holy …
means blessed.
Ibn Ishaq said:
الَّتِي كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ
… which Allah has written for you …
meaning: which He has granted to you
وَلَا تَرْتَدُّوا عَلَىٰ أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا خَاسِرِينَ
… and do not turn back on your heels and as a result become losers.
meaning: do not hang back from jihaad, as a result of which you would return to being losers.
قَالُوا يَا مُوسَىٰ إِنَّ فِيهَا قَوْمًا جَبَّارِينَ وَإِنَّا لَن نَّدْخُلَهَا حَتَّىٰ يَخْرُجُوا مِنْهَا فَإِن يَخْرُجُوا مِنْهَا فَإِنَّا دَاخِلُونَ
They said, “O Moosaa, there is an oppressive people in there. We will not enter it until they leave it. If they leave it, then we will enter it.” [5:22]
قال قتادة : ذكر لنا أنهم كانت لهم أجسام وخلق ليست لغيرهم . وقال ابن إسحاق : إن كالب بن يوفنا ، أسكت الشعب عن موسى صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فقال لهم : إنا سنعلو الأرض ونرثها ، وإن لنا بهم قوّة . وأما الذين كانوا معه ، فقالوا : لا نستطيع نصل إلى ذلك الشعب من أجل أنهم أجرأ منا . ثم إن أولئك الجواسيس أخبروا بني إسرائيل الخبر ، وقالوا : إنا مررونا في أرض وأحسسناها ، فإذا هي تأكل ساكنها ، ورأينا رجالها جساما ، ورأينا الجبابرة بني الجبابرة ، وكنا في أعينهم مثل الجراد . فأرجفت الجماعة من بني إسرائيل ، فرفعوا أصواتهم بالبكاء . فبكى الشعب تلك الليلة ، ووسوسوا على موسى وهارون ، فقالوا لهما : يا ليتنا متنا في أرض مصر ، وليتنا نموت في هذه البرية ولم يدخلنا الله هذه الأرض لنقع في الحرب ، فتكون نساؤنا وأبناؤنا وأثقالنا عنيمة ، ولو كنا قعودا في أرض مصر ، كان خيرا لنا وجعل الرجل يقول لأصحابه : تعالوا نجعل علينا رأسا وننصرف إلى مصر . ـ
Qatadah said, “We were told that they had bodies and physiques like no others.”
Ibn Ishaq said:
Kaleb ibn Yufana told the people to be quiet for Moosaa and told them, “We will certainly be victorious and take over the land, and we have the power to face them.”
But those who were there said, “We are not able to compete with those people for they are much more imposing than us!”
Then those spies told Banu Israa’eel what they had seen, saying, “We went through the land and conducted reconnaissance. We say enormous men – giants, born of giants, and in their eyes we were like locusts.”
A group of Banu Israa’eel began to shake and raised their voices, weeping. The people wept that night, and spoke in hushed tones about Moosaa and Harun. They told them, “O, we wish we had died in Egypt! O, we wish we could die in this desert and that Allah would not take us to that land and throw us into war, where our women, children and possessions will up end up as war booty! If only we had remained in Egypt, that would have been better for us!” And a man would say to his friends, “Come, let’s turn around and go back to Egypt.”
قَالَ رَجُلَانِ مِنَ الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمَا ادْخُلُوا عَلَيْهِمُ الْبَابَ فَإِذَا دَخَلْتُمُوهُ فَإِنَّكُمْ غَالِبُونَ ۚ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَتَوَكَّلُوا إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
Two men who feared whom Allah had blessed said, “Enter upon them through the gate. For when you have entered it, you will surely be victorious. Place your trust in Allah, if you are truly believers.” [5:23]
قال ابن عباس فرجعوا يعني النقباء الاثني عشر إلى موسى ، فأخبروه بما عاينوا من أمرهم ، فقال لهم موسى : اكتموا شأنهم ولا تخبروا به أحدا من أهل العسكرة فإنكم إن أخبرتموهم بهذا الخبر فشلوا ولم يدخلوا المدينة . قال : فذهب كلّ رجل منهم ، فأخبر قريبه وابن عمه ، إلاّ هذين الرجلين يوشع بن نون وكلاب بن يوفنا ، فإنهما كتما ولم يخبرا به أحدا ، وهما اللذان قال الله : قالَ رَجُلانِ مِنَ الّذِينَ يَخافُونَ أنْعَمَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِما . . . إلى قوله : وبينَ القَوْمِ الفاسِقِينَ . وكان قتادة يقول في بعض القراءة : «قالَ رَجُلانِ مِنَ الّذِينَ يَخافُونَ الله أنْعَمَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِما » . ـ
Ibn ‘Abbaas said:
So they – meaning the twelve captains – came back to Moosaa and told him what they had seen of the people. Moosaa then told them, “Keep this a secret and do not tell any of the soldiers, for if you tell them about this, they will lose their resolve and not enter the city.”
Then each of the captains went and told the people of his household and his cousin, all of them except for these two men: Yushu’a ibn Nun and Kaleb ibn Yufana. The two of them kept it a secret and did not tell anyone. They are the two that Allah described by saying:
قالَ رَجُلانِ مِنَ الّذِينَ يَخافُونَ أنْعَمَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِما
Two men who feared whom Allah had blessed said … [5:23]
until
وَبَيْنَ الْقَوْمِ الْفَاسِقِينَ
… from the disobedient people. [5:25]
And Qatadah used to say that in one of the qira’at it was recited as:
قالَ رَجُلانِ مِنَ الّذِينَ يَخافُونَ الله أنْعَمَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِما
Two men that Allah had blessed who feared Allah said … [compare to 5:23]
قال ابن جرير : أنعم الله عليهما بالطاعة الله في طاعته بنبيه موسى . قال ابن اسحاق : لما همّ بنو إسرائيل بالانصراف إلى مصر حين أخبرهم النقباء بما أخبروهم من أمر الجبابرة ، خرّ موسى وهارون على وجوههما سجودا قدام جماعة بني إسرائيل ، وخرّق يوشع بن نون وكالب بن يوفنا ثيابهما ، وكانا من جواسيس الأرض ، وقالا لجماعة بني إسرائيل : إن الأرض مررنا بها وجسسناها صالحة رضيها ربنا لنا فوهبها لنا ، وإنها لم تكن تفيض لبنا وعسلاً ، ولكن افعلوا واحدة ، لا تعصُوا الله ، ولا تخَشوُا الشعب الذين بها ، فإنهم جبناء ، مدفوعون في أيدينا ، إن حاربناهم ذهبت منهم ، وإن الله معنا فلا تخشوهم . فأراد من بني إسرائيل أن يرجموهما بالحجارة . ـ
Ibn Jarir said, “Allah blessed the two of them to obey Allah by obeying His Prophet Moosaa.”
Ibn Ishaq said:
When Banu Israa’eel intended to turn back to Egypt after the captains told them about the giants, Moosaa and Harun fell on their faces as if prostrating in front of Banu Israa’eel and Yushu’a ibn Nun and Kaleb ibn Yufana – two of the spies who had gone into that land – tore their clothes and told Banu Israa’eel, “The land we went through and surveyed was good. Our Lord wants it for us, so He will give it to us, and it was flowing with milk and honey. But there is one thing you must do: do not disobey Allah, and do not fear the people who are in it, for they are cowards who will be delivered into our hands. If we fight them, you will defeat them, and Allah is with us, so do not fear them.” But then some of Banu Israa’eel wanted to pelt them with stones.
قَالُوا يَا مُوسَىٰ إِنَّا لَن نَّدْخُلَهَا أَبَدًا مَّا دَامُوا فِيهَا ۖ فَاذْهَبْ أَنتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقَاتِلَا إِنَّا هَاهُنَا قَاعِدُونَ
They said, “O Moosaa, We will never enter it as long as they are there. So go, you and your Lord, and the two of you fight. We will be sitting right here.” [5:24]
عن المقداد بن الأسود قال للنبيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم : إنا لا نقول كما قالت بنو إسرائيل : اذْهَبْ أنْتَ وَرَبّكَ فَقاتِلا إنّا هَهُنا قاعِدُونَ ولكن نقول : اذهب أنت وربك فقاتلا ، إنا معكم مقاتلون . رواه ابن جرير . ـ
Miqdad ibn al-Aswad told the Prophet:
We will not say what Banu Israa’eel said, “Go you and your Lord, and the two of you fight. We will be sitting right here.” Rather, we say, “Go you and your Lord and fight. We will be fighting with you!”
This was transmitted by ibn Jarir.
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي لَا أَمْلِكُ إِلَّا نَفْسِي وَأَخِي ۖ فَافْرُقْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ الْقَوْمِ الْفَاسِقِينَ * قَالَ فَإِنَّهَا مُحَرَّمَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ ۛ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً ۛ يَتِيهُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ فَلَا تَأْسَ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْفَاسِقِينَ
He said, “Lord, I only have authority over myself and my brother, so part us from the disobedient people.” * He said, “It is forbidden for them for forty years. They will wander across the earth. And do not grieve over the disobedient people.” [5:25-26]
قال ابن عباس : أقض بيننا وبينهم . قال الربيع : ما قال لهم القوم ما قالوا ودعا موسى عليهم ، أوحى الله إلى موسى : إنّها مُحَرّمَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً يَتِيهُونَ فِي الأرْضِ فَلاَ تَأْسَ على القَوْمِ الفاسِقِينَ وهو يومئذ فيما ذكر ستمائة ألف مقاتل فجعلهم فاسقين بما عصوا ، فلبثوا أربعين سنة في فراسخ ستة ، أو دون ذلك ، يسيرون كلّ يوم جادّين لكي يخرجوا منها ، حتى يمسوا وينزلوا ، فإذا هم في الدار التي منها ارتحلوا . وإنهم اشتكوا إلى موسى ما فعل بهم ، فأنزل عليهم المنّ والسلوى ، وأعطوا من الكسوة ما هي قائمة لهم ، ينشأ الناشيء فتكون معه على هيئته . وسأل موسى ربه أن يسقيهم ، فأتى بحجر الطور ، وهو حجر أبيض ، إذا ما نزل القوم ضربه بعصاه فيخرج منه اثنتا عشرة عينا لكلّ سبط منهم عين ، قد علم كلّ أناس مَشْربهم . حتى إذا خلت أربعون سنة ، وكانت عذابا بما اعتدوا وعصوا ، أوحى إلى موسى أن مرهم أن يسيروا إلى الأرض المقدسة ، فإن الله قد كفاهم عدوّهم ، وقل لهم إذا أتوا المسجد أن يأتوا الباب ويسجدوا إذا دخلوا ، ويقولوا حطة . وإنما قولهم حطة ، أن يَحُطّ عنهم خطاياهم . فأبى عامة القوم ، وعصوا ، وسجدوا على خدّهم ، وقاوا حنطة ، فقال الله جلّ ثناؤه : فَبَدّلَ الّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا قَوْلاً غيرَ الّذِي قِيلَ لَهُمْ . . . إلى : بِمَا كانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ . ـ
Ibn ‘Abbaas said, “Meaning: so judge between us and them.”
Rabee’ said:
Moosaa told them what he told them and they said what they said, so Moosaa supplicated against them. Allah then sent revelation to Moosaa that
إِنَّهَا مُحَرَّمَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ ۛ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً ۛ يَتِيهُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ فَلَا تَأْسَ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْفَاسِقِينَ
“It is forbidden for them for forty years. They will wander across the earth. And do not grieve over the disobedient people.” [5:26]
At that time, it is said that Banu Israa’eel had 600,000 men able to fight, but due to their disobedience they became defiant people and spent forty years in an area that was just six days march or perhaps even less from end to end. Every day they would walk fervently to escape from it, then night would come and they would make camp, and then they would find themselves in the same place that they had started from. They complained to Moosaa about this condition they were in, so Allah sent down manna and salwa to them and gave them clothes to suffice them: a person would wake up and find the clothing on him. Moosaa asked his Lord to send them water, so He sent a rock from Mount Toor. It was a white rock and when the people would come to it, Moosaa would strike it with his staff and then twelve streams would spring forth from it, one for each tribe with each tribe knowing which one was its.
This continued until forty years had passed, and that was a punishment for them having disobeyed and crossed the limits. Allah had instructed Moosaa to command them to go to the Holy Land for Allah had taken care of their enemy for them. When they came to the masjid, he told them to enter the gate while bowing and saying, “hittah” -” relief” -, meaning, “relieve us of our sins.” But most of the people refused and disobeyed, instead lowering themselves on their bottoms and saying, “hintah” – “a grain of barely”. So Allah said:
فَبَدَّلَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا قَوْلًا غَيْرَ الَّذِي قِيلَ لَهُمْ فَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا رِجْزًا مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ
But those who were unjust replaced that statement with something other than what had been said to them. So We then sent down a punishment from the sky on those who were unjust because of the crimes they used to commit. [2:59]
وعن ابن عباس قال : لما دعا موسى قال الله {فَإِنَّهَا مُحَرَّمَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ ۛ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً ۛ يَتِيهُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ} قال : فدخلوا التيه ، فكلّ من دخل التيه ممن جاوز العشرين سنة مات في التيه . قال : فمات موسى في التيه ، ومات هارون قبله . قال : فلبثوا في تيههم أربعين سنة ، فناهض يوشع بمن بقي معه مدينة الجبارين ، فافتتح يوشع المدينة . ـ
Ibn ‘Abbaas said:
When Moosaa supplicated, Allah said:
فَإِنَّهَا مُحَرَّمَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ ۛ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً ۛ يَتِيهُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ فَلَا تَأْسَ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْفَاسِقِينَ
“It is forbidden for them for forty years. They will wander across the earth. And do not grieve over the disobedient people.” [5:26]
So they entered the wilderness and everyone who was over the age of twenty when they entered the wilderness died in the wilderness. Moosaa died in the wilderness, as did Harun who passed away before him. The people spent forty years in the wilderness, and then Yushu’a and those who remained fought the city of giants and Yushu’a conquered the city.
[Tawfiq al-Rahman 1/324-325]
See also: Tafsir of Ayah al-Kursi: Faisal Aal Mubarak
See also: Tafsir of the Closing of Surah al-Baqarah: Sheikh Faisal Aal Mubarak
Learn more about this book of tafsir here
Tulayhah 