The Poets — Verse 187

The Response of Shu`ayb's People, Their Disbelief in Him and the coming of the Punishment upon Them Allah tells us how his people responded, and how it was like the response of Thamud to their Messenger -- for they were of like mind -- when they said: إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مِنَ الْمُسَحَّرِينَ (You are only one of those bewitched!) meaning, `you are one of those who are affected by witchcraft.' وَمَآ أَنتَ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا وَإِن نَّظُنُّكَ لَمِنَ الْكَـذِبِينَ (You are but a human being like us and verily, we think that you are one of the liars!) means, `we think you are deliberately lying to us in what you say, and Allah has not sent you to us.' فَأَسْقِطْ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفاً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ (So cause a piece of the heaven to fall on us,) Ad-Dahhak said: "One side of the heavens." Qatadah said: "A piece of the heaven." As-Suddi said: "A punishment from heaven." This is like what the Quraysh said, as Allah tells us: وَقَالُواْ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّى تَفْجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ الاٌّرْضِ يَنْبُوعًا (And they say: "We shall not believe in you, until you cause a spring to gush forth from the earth for us) until: أَوْ تُسْقِطَ السَّمَآءَ كَمَا زَعَمْتَ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفًا أَوْ تَأْتِىَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْمَلَـئِكَةِ قَبِيلاً (Or you cause the heaven to fall upon us in pieces, as you have pretended, or you bring Allah and the angels before (us) face to face.") (17:90-92) وَإِذْ قَالُواْ اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ (And (remember) when they said: "O Allah! If this is indeed the truth from You, then rain down stones on us from the sky....") (8:32). Similarly, these ignorant disbelievers said: فَأَسْقِطْ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفاً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ (So, cause a piece of the heaven to fall on us, if you are of the truthful!) قَالَ رَبِّى أَعْلَمُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ (He said: "My Lord is the Best Knower of what you do.") means, `Allah knows best about you, and if you deserve that, He will punish you therewith, and He will not treat you unjustly.' So this is what happened to them -- as they asked for -- an exact recompense. Allah says: فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَهُمْ عَذَابُ يَوْمِ الظُّلَّةِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ (But they denied him, so the torment of the Day of Shadow seized them. Indeed that was the torment of a Great Day.) This is what they asked for, when they asked for a part of the heaven to fall upon them. Allah made their punishment in the form of intense heat which overwhelmed them for seven days, and nothing could protect them from it. Then He sent a cloud to shade them, so they ran towards it to seek its shade from the heat. When all of them had gathered underneath it, Allah sent sparks of fire and flames and intense heat upon them, and caused the earth to convulse beneath them, and He sent against them a mighty Sayhah which destroyed their souls. Allah says: إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ (Indeed that was the torment of a Great Day.) Allah has mentioned how they were destroyed in three places in the Qur'an, in each of which it is described in a manner which fits the context. In Surat Al-A`raf He says that the earthquake seized them, and they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes. This was because they said: لَنُخْرِجَنَّكَ يـشُعَيْبُ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَكَ مِن قَرْيَتِنَآ أَوْ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِي مِلَّتِنَا ("We shall certainly drive you out, O Shu`ayb, and those who have believed with you from our town, or else you (all) shall return to our religion.") (7:88). They had sought to scare the Prophet of Allah and those who followed him, so they were seized by the earthquake. In Surah Hud, Allah says: وَأَخَذَتِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ الصَّيْحَةُ (And As-Sayhah seized the wrongdoers) (11:94). This was because they mocked the Allah's Prophet when they said: أَصَلَوَتُكَ تَأْمُرُكَ أَن نَّتْرُكَ مَا يَعْبُدُ ءابَاؤُنَآ أَوْ أَن نَّفْعَلَ فِى أَمْوَالِنَا مَا نَشَؤُا إِنَّكَ لاّنتَ الْحَلِيمُ الرَّشِيدُ ("Does your Salah command that we give up what our fathers used to worship, or that we give up doing what we like with our property Verily, you are the forbearer, right-minded!") (11:87). They had said this in a mocking, sarcastic tone, so it was befitting that the Sayhah should come and silence them, as Allah says: فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ (So As-Saihah overtook them) (15:73). وَأَخَذَتِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ الصَّيْحَةُ (And As-Saihah seized the wrongdoers) (11:94). And here, they said: فَأَسْقِطْ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفاً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ (So, cause a piece of the heaven to fall on us,) in a stubborn and obstinate manner. So, it was fitting that something they never thought would happen should befall them: فَأَخَذَهُمْ عَذَابُ يَوْمِ الظُّلَّةِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ (so the torment of the Day of Shadow seized them. Indeed that was the torment of a Great Day.) Muhammad bin Jarir narrated from Yazid Al-Bahili: "I asked Ibn `Abbas about this Ayah: فَأَخَذَهُمْ عَذَابُ يَوْمِ الظُّلَّةِ (so the torment of the Day of Shadow seized them. ) He said: `Allah sent upon them thunder and intense heat, and it terrified them so they entered their houses and it pursued them to the innermost parts of their houses and terrified them further, and they ran fleeing from their houses into the fields. Then Allah sent upon them clouds which shaded them from the sun, and they found it cool and pleasant, so they called out to one another until they had all gathered beneath the cloud, then Allah sent fire upon them.' Ibn `Abbas said, `That was the torment of the Day of Shadow, indeed that was the torment of a Great Day."' إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لأَيَةً وَمَا كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ مُّؤْمِنِينَ - وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ (Verily, in this is an Ayah, yet most of them are not believers. And verily, your Lord, He is truly, the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.) (26:8-9) meaning, He is All-Mighty in His punishment of the disbelievers, and Most Merciful towards His believing servants.

Then make fragments read kisfan or kisafan of the heaven fall upon us if you are of the truthful’ in your Mission.

قالوا: إنما أنت- يا شعيب- مِنَ الذين أصابهم السحر إصابة شديدة، فذهب بعقولهم، وما أنت إلا واحد مثلنا في البشرية، فكيف تختص دوننا بالرسالة؟ وإن أكبر ظننا أنك من الكاذبين فيما تدَّعيه من الرسالة. فإن كنت صادقًا في دعوى النبوة، فادع الله أن يسقط علينا قطع عذاب من السماء تستأصلنا.

"فأسقط علينا كسفا من السماء" قال الضحاك: جانبا من السماء. وقال قتادة قطعا من السماء وقال السدي عذابا من السماء وهذا شبيه بما قالت قريش فيما أخبر الله عنهم في قوله تعالى "وقالوا لن نؤمن لك حتى تفجر لنا من الأرض ينبوعا" - إلى أن قالوا - "أو تسقط السماء كما زعمت علينا كسفا أو تأتي بالله والملائكة قبيلا" وقوله "وإذ قالوا اللهم إن كان هذا هو الحق من عندك فأمطر علينا حجارة من السماء" الآية وهكذا قال هؤلاء الكفار الجهلة "فأسقط علينا كسفا من السماء" الآية.

فإن كنت صادقا فى دعوى الرسالة فأسقط علينا ( كِسَفاً مِّنَ السمآء ) أى : قطعا من العذاب الكائن من جهة السماء .وجاء التعبير بالواو هنا فى قوله ( وَمَآ أَنتَ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا ) للإشارة إلى أنه جمع بين أمرين منافيين لدعواه الرسالة ، وهما : كونه من المسحرين وكونه بشرا وقصدوا بذلك المبالغة فى تكذيبه ، فكأنهم يقولون له : إن وصفا واحدا كاف فى تجريدك من نبوتك فكيف إذا اجتمع فيك الوصفان ، ولم يكتفوا بهذا بل أكدوا عدم تصديقهم له فقالوا : وما نظنك إلا من الكاذبين .ثم أضافوا إلى كل تلك السفاهات . والتحدى حيث تعجلوا العذاب .

فإن كنت صادقا فيما تقول بأنك رسول الله كما تزعم ( فَأَسْقِطْ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ ) يعني قطعا من السماء, وهي جمع كِسفة, جمع كذلك كما تجمع تمرة: تمرا (2) .وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني عليّ, قال: ثنا أبو صالح, قال: ثنا معاوية, عن عليّ, عن ابن عباس, قوله: ( كسفا ) يقول: قِطَعا.حُدثت عن الحسين, قال: سمعت أبا معاذ يقول: أخبرنا عبيد, قال: سمعت الضحاك يقول, في قوله: ( كِسَفًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ ) : جانبا من السماء.حدثني يونس, قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب, قال: قال ابن زيد, في قوله: ( فَأَسْقِطْ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ ) قال: ناحية من السماء, عذاب ذلك الكسف.--------------------------------الهوامش :(2) كذا في الأصل وقياس الجمع الأخير على ما قبله ليس بواضح

" فأسقط علينا كسفا من السماء إن كنت من الصادقين ".

فَأَسْقِطْ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ (187 والآمر في { فأسقط } أمر تعجيز .والكِسْف بكسر الكاف وسكون السين في قراءة من عدا حفصاً : القطعة من الشيء . وقال في «الكشاف» : هو جمع كِسْفة مثل قِطْع وسِدْر . والأول أظهر ، قال تعالى : { وإن يروا كسفاً من السماء ساقطاً } [ الطور : 44 ] .وقرأ حفص { كِسَفاً } بكسر الكاف وفتح السين على أنه جمع كسف كما في قوله : { أو تُسْقِطَ السماء كما زعمت علينا كِسَفاً } ، وقد تقدم في سورة الإسراء ( 92 ) .وقولهم : إن كنتَ من الصادقين } كقول ثمود : { فأتتِ بآية إنْ كنتَ من الصادقين } [ الشعراء : 154 ] إلا أنّ هؤلاء عينوا الآية فيحتمل أن تعيينها اقتراح منهم ، ويحتمل أن شعيباً أنذرهم بكِسف يأتي فيه عذاب . وذلك هو يوم الظّلّة المذكور في هذه الآية ، فكان جواب شعيب بإسناد العلم إلى الله فهو العالم بما يستحقونه من العذاب ومقداره .

فَأَسْقِطْ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ أي: قطع عذاب تستأصلنا. إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ كقول إخوانهم وَإِذْ قَالُوا اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ هَذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِنَ السَّمَاءِ أَوِ ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ أو أنهم طلبوا بعض آيات الاقتراح, التي لا يلزم تتميم مطلوب من سألها.

فأسقط علينا كسفا من السماء أي جانبا من السماء وقطعة منه ، فننظر إليه ; كما قال : وإن يروا كسفا من السماء ساقطا يقولوا سحاب مركوم . وقيل : أرادوا أنزل علينا العذاب . وهو مبالغة في التكذيب . قال أبو عبيدة : الكسف جمع " كسفة " مثل سدر وسدرة . وقرأ السلمي وحفص : ( كسفا ) جمع كسفة أيضا وهي القطعة والجانب تقديره كسرة وكسر . قال الجوهري : الكسفة القطعة من الشيء ، يقال أعطني كسفة من ثوبك والجمع كسف وكسف . ويقال : الكسف والكسفة واحد . وقال الأخفش : من قرأ : " كسفا " جعله واحدا ومن قرأ : " كسفا " جعله جمعا . وقد مضى هذا في سورة " سبحان " وقال الهروي : ومن قرأ : " كسفا " على التوحيد فجمعه أكساف وكسوف ، كأنه قال : أو تسقطه علينا طبقا واحدا ، وهو من كسفت الشيء كسفا إذا غطيته .إن كنت من الصادقين

Shu‘ayb’s community had so much faith in the righteousness of their forefathers’ ways that the prophet’s sayings seemed perverse and absurd. They said that somebody might well have cast a magic spell on him to make him talk the way he did. They challenged Shu‘ayb to bring down the punishment of the skies, if what he said were true. They did this to deride Shu‘ayb, feeling that the punishment would certainly not descend because of him. The insolence of this community invited the direct wrath of God, as a vast cloud plunged them in gloom and a raging fire enveloped them, wiping out even the smallest trace of the community.

وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا النَّاسَ أَشْيَاءَهُمْ And do not make people short of their things - 26:183 What it means is that it is unlawful to reduce any quantity or amount from that which has been contracted with anyone, whether it is a measurable thing or otherwise. Therefore, if a servant or a laborer does not work his full time at his workplace, he too is included in this warning. Imam Malik (رح) has reported a narration in his Muwatta' that Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ noticed that someone did not join in the ` Asr prayer. So, he enquired about the reason for that, to which he offered some excuse. Then Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ said, طَفَّفتَ ` You have reduced in measuring'. As prayer is not something to be measured, hence after quoting this hadith Imam Malik (رح) has said that this command is not restricted to measurable things. Rather, performing any obligation less than due is included in prohibition highlighted in this verse and in Surah "At-tatfif 84".

(Then make fragments of the heaven fall upon us) as punishment, (if thou art of the Truthful) that the punishment is coming.