The Heights, The Elevated Places — Verse 159

مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ أُمَّةٌ قَآئِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ ءَايَـتِ اللَّهِ ءَانَآءَ الَّيْلِ وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ (A party of the people of the Scripture stand for the right, they recite the verses of Allah during the hours of the night, prostrating themselves in prayer) 3:113, وَإِنَّ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ لَمَن يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ خَـشِعِينَ للَّهِ لاَ يَشْتَرُونَ بِـَايَـتِ اللَّهِ ثَمَناً قَلِيلاً أُوْلـئِكَ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ (And there are, certainly, among the People of the Scripture, those who believe in Allah and in that which has been revealed to you, and in that which has been revealed to them, humbling themselves before Allah. They do not sell the verses of Allah for a small price, for them is a reward with their Lord. Surely, Allah is Swift in account.) 3:199 الَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَـهُمُ الْكِتَـبَ مِن قَبْلِهِ هُم بِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ - وَإِذَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِهِ إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّنَآ إنَّا كُنَّا مِن قَبْلِهِ مُسْلِمِينَ أُوْلَـئِكَ يُؤْتُونَ أَجْرَهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ بِمَا صَبَرُواْ (Those to whom We gave the Scripture before it, they believe in it (the Qur'an). And when it is recited to them, they say: "We believe in it. Verily, it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed even before it we have been from those who submit themselves. These will be given their reward twice over, because they are patient.)28:52-54, and, قُلْ ءَامِنُواْ بِهِ أَوْ لاَ تُؤْمِنُواْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْعِلْمَ مِن قَبْلِهِ إِذَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ يَخِرُّونَ لِلاٌّذْقَانِ سُجَّدًا - وَيَقُولُونَ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَآ إِن كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُولاً - وَيَخِرُّونَ لِلاٌّذْقَانِ يَبْكُونَ وَيَزِيدُهُمْ خُشُوعًا (Verily, those who were given knowledge before it, when it (this Qur'an) is recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration. And they say: "Glory be to our Lord! Truly, the promise of our Lord must be fulfilled." And they fall down on their faces weeping and it increases their humility.)17:107-109

And among the people of Moses there is a community a group who guide people by the truth and act justly according to it when passing judgements.

Among the people of Moses is a community that guides by the truth and does justice thereby. This is the story of the friends and the description of the state of the chevaliers and the conduct of the wayfarers. The Lord of the Worlds has shown them the road of felicity, singled them out for the special favors of proximity and nearness, and honored them with the attraction of generosity. The relation of godwariness lives through them, the trodden path of truthfulness is built on the firm fixity of their feet, and the good fortune of the religion is joined with the blessings of their breaths. God's Messenger said, “Were the light of one of them to be divided among the folk of the earth, it would embrace them.” If the light of their hearts were given an open road and the glitter of its radiance were to fall on the world and the world's folk, all recalcitrant people would become tawḤīd-voicers and replace their sashes of unbelief with belts of passion for the religion. They are rare and precious, however. He does not show them to anyone, nor does He give them over to this world or the afterworld. He keeps them like fugitives in His own protection and nurtures them with the attribute of love under the domes of jealousy. Revelation came to Moses: “O speaking-companion of the empire! Be careful not to open up the oyster of your pain's pearl before those without eyes. Do not recite the verses of the form of passion for My majesty to the non-privy or those dismissed from the reality of hearing and listen- ing. O Moses! If you want to expose My mystery to someone, then do so to those who are the locus of the covenant of My secrets, who are busy night and day serving My threshold, the tent of their passion pitched in the contemplation of My majesty, having been branded with this mark of most-worthiness by the threshold of Lordhood: a community that guides by the truth and does justice thereby. This brand of most-worthiness is one of the divine secrets, a lordly subtlety that departed from the World of the Unseen and settled down only within the curtain of the stages of the clay of the poor. If you want to catch a whiff of it, go into the curtains of the soul until you reach the heart, then go into the curtains of the heart until you reach the spirit, then go into the curtains of the spirit until you reach union with the Beloved, for you will not see it placed anywhere save in the spirit of the friends.

Among the people of Moses is a community that guides by the truth and does justice thereby. This is the story of the friends and the description of the state of the chevaliers and the conduct of the wayfarers. The Lord of the Worlds has shown them the road of felicity, singled them out for the special favors of proximity and nearness, and honored them with the attraction of generosity. The relation of godwariness lives through them, the trodden path of truthfulness is built on the firm fixity of their feet, and the good fortune of the religion is joined with the blessings of their breaths. God's Messenger said, “Were the light of one of them to be divided among the folk of the earth, it would embrace them.” If the light of their hearts were given an open road and the glitter of its radiance were to fall on the world and the world's folk, all recalcitrant people would become tawḤīd-voicers and replace their sashes of unbelief with belts of passion for the religion. They are rare and precious, however. He does not show them to anyone, nor does He give them over to this world or the afterworld. He keeps them like fugitives in His own protection and nurtures them with the attribute of love under the domes of jealousy. Revelation came to Moses: “O speaking-companion of the empire! Be careful not to open up the oyster of your pain's pearl before those without eyes. Do not recite the verses of the form of passion for My majesty to the non-privy or those dismissed from the reality of hearing and listen- ing. O Moses! If you want to expose My mystery to someone, then do so to those who are the locus of the covenant of My secrets, who are busy night and day serving My threshold, the tent of their passion pitched in the contemplation of My majesty, having been branded with this mark of most-worthiness by the threshold of Lordhood: a community that guides by the truth and does justice thereby. This brand of most-worthiness is one of the divine secrets, a lordly subtlety that departed from the World of the Unseen and settled down only within the curtain of the stages of the clay of the poor. If you want to catch a whiff of it, go into the curtains of the soul until you reach the heart, then go into the curtains of the heart until you reach the spirit, then go into the curtains of the spirit until you reach union with the Beloved, for you will not see it placed anywhere save in the spirit of the friends.

Among the people of Moses is a community that guides by the truth and does justice thereby. This is the story of the friends and the description of the state of the chevaliers and the conduct of the wayfarers. The Lord of the Worlds has shown them the road of felicity, singled them out for the special favors of proximity and nearness, and honored them with the attraction of generosity. The relation of godwariness lives through them, the trodden path of truthfulness is built on the firm fixity of their feet, and the good fortune of the religion is joined with the blessings of their breaths. God's Messenger said, “Were the light of one of them to be divided among the folk of the earth, it would embrace them.” If the light of their hearts were given an open road and the glitter of its radiance were to fall on the world and the world's folk, all recalcitrant people would become tawḤīd-voicers and replace their sashes of unbelief with belts of passion for the religion. They are rare and precious, however. He does not show them to anyone, nor does He give them over to this world or the afterworld. He keeps them like fugitives in His own protection and nurtures them with the attribute of love under the domes of jealousy. Revelation came to Moses: “O speaking-companion of the empire! Be careful not to open up the oyster of your pain's pearl before those without eyes. Do not recite the verses of the form of passion for My majesty to the non-privy or those dismissed from the reality of hearing and listen- ing. O Moses! If you want to expose My mystery to someone, then do so to those who are the locus of the covenant of My secrets, who are busy night and day serving My threshold, the tent of their passion pitched in the contemplation of My majesty, having been branded with this mark of most-worthiness by the threshold of Lordhood: a community that guides by the truth and does justice thereby. This brand of most-worthiness is one of the divine secrets, a lordly subtlety that departed from the World of the Unseen and settled down only within the curtain of the stages of the clay of the poor. If you want to catch a whiff of it, go into the curtains of the soul until you reach the heart, then go into the curtains of the heart until you reach the spirit, then go into the curtains of the spirit until you reach union with the Beloved, for you will not see it placed anywhere save in the spirit of the friends.

Among the people of Moses is a community that guides by the truth and does justice thereby. This is the story of the friends and the description of the state of the chevaliers and the conduct of the wayfarers. The Lord of the Worlds has shown them the road of felicity, singled them out for the special favors of proximity and nearness, and honored them with the attraction of generosity. The relation of godwariness lives through them, the trodden path of truthfulness is built on the firm fixity of their feet, and the good fortune of the religion is joined with the blessings of their breaths. God's Messenger said, “Were the light of one of them to be divided among the folk of the earth, it would embrace them.” If the light of their hearts were given an open road and the glitter of its radiance were to fall on the world and the world's folk, all recalcitrant people would become tawḤīd-voicers and replace their sashes of unbelief with belts of passion for the religion. They are rare and precious, however. He does not show them to anyone, nor does He give them over to this world or the afterworld. He keeps them like fugitives in His own protection and nurtures them with the attribute of love under the domes of jealousy. Revelation came to Moses: “O speaking-companion of the empire! Be careful not to open up the oyster of your pain's pearl before those without eyes. Do not recite the verses of the form of passion for My majesty to the non-privy or those dismissed from the reality of hearing and listen- ing. O Moses! If you want to expose My mystery to someone, then do so to those who are the locus of the covenant of My secrets, who are busy night and day serving My threshold, the tent of their passion pitched in the contemplation of My majesty, having been branded with this mark of most-worthiness by the threshold of Lordhood: a community that guides by the truth and does justice thereby. This brand of most-worthiness is one of the divine secrets, a lordly subtlety that departed from the World of the Unseen and settled down only within the curtain of the stages of the clay of the poor. If you want to catch a whiff of it, go into the curtains of the soul until you reach the heart, then go into the curtains of the heart until you reach the spirit, then go into the curtains of the spirit until you reach union with the Beloved, for you will not see it placed anywhere save in the spirit of the friends.

Among the people of Moses is a community that guides by the truth and does justice thereby.This is the story of the friends and the description of the state of the chevaliers and the conduct of the wayfarers. The Lord of the Worlds has shown them the road of felicity, singled them out for the special favors of proximity and nearness, and honored them with the attraction of generosity. The relation of godwariness lives through them, the trodden path of truthfulness is built on the firm fixity of their feet, and the good fortune of the religion is joined with the blessings of their breaths. God's Messenger said, �Were the light of one of them to be divided among the folk of the earth, it would embrace them.� If the light of their hearts were given an open road and the glitter of its radiance were to fall on the world and the world's folk, all recalcitrant people would become tawḤīd-voicers and replace their sashes of unbelief with belts of passion for the religion. They are rare and precious, however. He does not show them to anyone, nor does He give them over to this world or the afterworld. He keeps them like fugitives in His own protection and nurtures them withthe attribute of love under the domes of jealousy.Revelation came to Moses: �O speaking-companion of the empire! Be careful not to open up the oyster of your pain's pearl before those without eyes. Do not recite the verses of the form of passion for My majesty to the non-privy or those dismissed from the reality of hearing and listen- ing. O Moses! If you want to expose My mystery to someone, then do so to those who are the locus of the covenant of My secrets, who are busy night and day serving My threshold, the tent of their passion pitched in the contemplation of My majesty, having been branded with this mark of most-worthiness by the threshold of Lordhood: a community that guides by the truth and does justice thereby. This brand of most-worthiness is one of the divine secrets, a lordly subtlety that departed from the World of the Unseen and settled down only within the curtain of the stages of the clay of the poor. If you want to catch a whiff of it, go into the curtains of the soul until you reach the heart, then go into the curtains of the heart until you reach the spirit, then go into the curtains of the spirit until you reach union with the Beloved, for you will not see it placed anywhere save in the spirit of the friends.

ومِن بني إسرائيل من قوم موسى جماعة يستقيمون على الحق، يهدون الناس به، ويعدلون به في الحكم في قضاياهم.

يقول تعالى مخبرا عن بني إسرائيل أن منهم طائفة يتبعون الحق ويعدلون به كما قال تعالى "من أهل الكتاب أمة قائمة يتلون آيات الله آناء الليل وهم يسجدون" وقال تعالى "وإن من أهل الكتاب لمن يؤمن بالله وما أنزل إليكم وما أنزل إليهم خاشعين لله لا يشترون بآيات الله ثمنا قليلا أولئك لهم أجرهم عند ربهم إن الله سريع الحساب" وقال تعالى "الذين آتيناهم الكتاب من قبله هم به يؤمنون وإذا يتلى عليهم قالوا آمنا به إنه الحق من ربنا إنا كنا من قبله مسلمين أولئك يؤتون أجرهم مرتين بما صبروا" الآية. وقال تعالى "الذين آتيناهم الكتاب يتلونه حق تلاوته أولئك يؤمنون به" الآية. وقال تعالى "إن الذين أوتوا العلم من قبله إذا يتلى عليهم يخرون للأذقان سجدا ويقولون سبحان ربنا إن كان وعد ربنا لمفعولا ويخرون للأذقان يبكون ويزيدهم خشوعا". وقد ذكر ابن جرير في تفسيرها خبرا عجيبا فقال حدثنا القاسم حدثنا الحسين حدثنا حجاج عن ابن جريج قوله "ومن قوم موسى أمة يهدون بالحق وبه يعدلون" قال بلغني أن بني إسرائيل لما قتلوا أنبياءهم وكفروا وكانوا اثني عشر سبطا تبرأ سبط منهم مما صنعوا واعتذروا وسألوا الله عز وجل أن يفرق بينهم وبينهم ففتح الله لهم نفقا في الأرض فساروا فيه حتى خرجوا من وراء الصين فهم هنالك حنفاء مسلمين يستقبلون قبلتنا قال ابن جريج قال ابن عباس فذلك قوله "وقلنا من بعده لبني إسرائيل اسكنوا الأرض فإذا جاء وعد الآخرة جئنا بكم لفيفا" ووعد الآخرة عيسى ابن مريم قال ابن جريج قال ابن عباس ساروا في السرب سنة ونصفا وقال ابن عيينة عن صدقة أبي الهذيل عن السدي "ومن قوم موسى أمة يهدون بالحق وبه يعدلون" قال قوم بينكم وبينهم نهر من شهد.

ثم بين القرآن الكريم أن قوم موسى لم يكونوا جميعا ضالين . وإنما كان فيهم الأخيار وفيهم الأشرار فقال - تعالى - : ( وَمِن قَوْمِ . . . ) .أى : ومن قوم موسى جماعة عظيمة يهدون الناس بالحق الذى جاءهم به من عند الله ، وبالحق - أيضاً - يسيرون فى أحكامهم فلا يجورون ، ولا يرتشون ، وإنما يعدلون فى كل شئونهم .والمراد بهم أناس كانوا على خير وصلاح فى عهد موسى - عليه السلام ، مخالفين لأولئك السفهاء من قومه .وقيل المراد بهم من آمن بالنبى صلى الله عليه وسلم عند بعثته .وهذا لون من ألوان عدالة القرآن فى أحكامه ، وإنصافه لمن يستحق الانصاف من الناس .إنه لا يسوق أحكامه معممة بحيث يندرج تحتها الصالح والطالح بدون تمييز ، كلا وإنما القرآن يسوق أحكامه بإنصاف واحتراس ، فهو يحكم للصالحين بما يستحقونه ، وتلك هى العدالة التى ما أحوج الناس فى كل زمان ومكان إلى السير على طريقها ، وشبيه بهذه الآية قوله - تعالى - :( لَيْسُواْ سَوَآءً مِّنْ أَهْلِ الكتاب أُمَّةٌ قَآئِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ آيَاتِ الله آنَآءَ الليل وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ ) وقوله : ( وَإِنَّ مِنْ أَهْلِ الكتاب لَمَن يُؤْمِنُ بالله وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ خَاشِعِينَ للَّهِ لاَ يَشْتَرُونَ بِآيَاتِ الله ثَمَناً قَلِيلاً ) وقوله ( بالحق ) الباء للملابسة ، وهى مع مدخولها فى محل الحال من الواو فى يهدون . أى : يهدون الناس حال كونهم ملتبسين بالحق .

القول في تأويل قوله : وَمِنْ قَوْمِ مُوسَى أُمَّةٌ يَهْدُونَ بِالْحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ (159)قال أبو جعفر: يقول تعالى ذكره: " ومن قوم موسى "، يعني بني إسرائيل= " أمة "، يقول: جماعة (38) = " يهدون بالحق "، يقول: يهتدون بالحق، أي يستقيمون عليه ويعملون (39) " وبه يعدلون "، أي: وبالحق يعطُون ويأخذون, ويُنصفون من أنفسهم فلا يجورون. (40)* * *وقد قال في صفة هذه الأمة التي ذكرها الله في الآية، جماعةٌ أقوالا نحن ذاكرو ما حضَرنا منها.15250- حدثني المثني قال، حدثنا إسحاق قال، حدثنا عبد الله بن الزبير, عن ابن عيينة, عن صدقة أبي الهذيل, عن السدي: " ومن قوم موسى أمة يهدون بالحق وبه يعدلون "، قال: قوم بينكم وبينهم نهر من شُهْدِ. (41)15251- حدثنا القاسم قال، حدثنا الحسين قال، حدثني حجاج, عن ابن جريج قوله: " ومن قوم موسى أمة يهدون بالحق وبه يعدلون "، قال: بلغني أن بني إسرائيل لمّا قتلوا أنبياءَهم، كفروا. وكانوا اثني عشر سبطًا, تبرّأ سبطٌ منهم مما صنعوا, واعتذروا, وسألوا الله أن يفرِّق بينهم وبينهم, ففتح الله لهم نَفَقًا في الأرض, فساروا فيه حتى خرجُوا من وراء الصين, فهم هنالك، حُنَفاء مسلمُون يستقبلون قبلتنا= قال ابن جريج: قال ابن عباس: فذلك قوله: وَقُلْنَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اسْكُنُوا الأَرْضَ فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الآخِرَةِ جِئْنَا بِكُمْ لَفِيفًا [سورة الإسراء: 104]. و وَعْدُ الآخِرَةِ ، عيسى ابن مريم، يخرجون معه= قال ابن جريج: قال ابن عباس: ساروا في السَّرَب سنة ونصفًا. (42)--------------------الهوامش :(38) (1) انظر تفسير (( أمة )) فيما سلف 12 : 415 ، تعليق : 3 ، والمراجع هناك .(39) (2) انظر تفسير (( الهدى )) فيما سلف من فهارس اللغة ( هدى ) .(40) (3) انظر تفسير (( العدل )) فيما سلف 6 : 51 ، وفهارس اللغة ( عدل ) .(41) (1) الأثر : : 15250 - (( صدقة أبي الهذيل )) ، ترجم له البخاري في الكبير 2/2/295 ، ولم يزد على أن قال : (( عن السدي ، روى عنه ابن عيينة )) ، ولم يذكر فيه جرحاً . وذكره في التهذيب وقال : (( صدقة أبو الهذيل ، تقدم ذكره في ترجمة : صدقة بن أبي عمران )) ، ولكن سقط من نسخة التهذيب ترجمة (( صدقة بن أبي عمران )) ، فلم يرد له ذكر في الكتاب . وأما ابن أبي حاتم ، فلم يذكره في كتابه ، لا في ترجمة خاصة ، ولا في ترجمة (( صدقة بن أبي عمران )) ، ولكن كلام ابن حجر في التهذيب قد يوهم أنهما شخص واحد ، ولكن الراجح أنهما رجلان ، لأن البخاري ترجم له ، ففرق بينهما . وقوله (( نهر من شهد )) يعنى : نهراً من عسل من أنهار الجنة التي قال الله تعالى في سورة محمد : 15 { مَثَلُ الْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي وُعِدَ الْمُتَّقُونَ فِيهَا أَنْهَارٌ مِنْ مَاءٍ غَيْرِ آسِنٍ وَأَنْهَارٌ مِنْ لَبَنٍ لَمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ طَعْمُهُ وَأَنْهَارٌ مِنْ خَمْرٍ لَذَّةٍ لِلشَّارِبِينَ وَأَنْهَارٌ مِنْ عَسَلٍ مُصَفًّى } وبهذا اللفظ ( شهد ) ، ذكره ابن كثير في تفسيره 3 : 573 . وفي الدر المنثور 1 : 136 : (( وبينهم نهر من سهل - يعني من رمل - يجري )) ، ثم جاء الألوسى في تفسير الآية ( 9 : 75 ) فنقل ذلك هكذا : (( وبينهم نهر من رمل يجري )) ثم قال : (( وضعف هذه الحكاية ابن الخازن ، وأنا لا أراها شيئا ، ولا أظنك تجد لها سنداً يعول عليه ولو ابتغيت نفقاً في الأرض أو سلماً إلى السماء )) . ونقل الألوسى نقل من المعنى الذي ذكره السيوطي (( سهل )) - يعني من رمل )) ، وهو فاسد جداً والصواب أن (( سهل )) ، محرف عن (( شهد )) ، وهو الصواب إن شاء الله . هذا تحرير نص الخبر وتأويله ، وأما صحته أو ضعفه فهما بمعزل من تصحيح نصه ، ومثل هذا الخبر والذي يليه ، لا يؤخذ به إلا بحجة قاطعة يجب التسليم لها . ولا حجة في رواية موقوفة على السدي .(42) (1) الأثر : 15251 - هذا الخبر ، لم يروه أبو جعفر في تفسير آية سورة الإسراء ، وهذا ضرب من اختصاره لتفسيره ، وربما دل ذلك على ضعف الخبر عنده ، لأنه لو صح عنه لذكره في تفسير قوله تعالى : (( فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الآخِرَة)) ، أنه عيسى ابن مريم عليه السلام .

قوله - عز وجل - : ( ومن قوم موسى ) يعني : بني إسرائيل ( أمة ) أي : جماعة ، ( يهدون بالحق ) أي : يرشدون ويدعون إلى الحق . وقيل : معناه يهتدون ويستقيمون عليه ، ( وبه يعدلون ) أي : بالحق يحكمون وبالعدل يقومون . قال الكلبي والضحاك والربيع : هم قوم خلف الصين ، بأقصى الشرق على نهر يجري الرمل يسمى نهر أوداف ، ليس لأحد منهم مال دون صاحبه ، يمطرون بالليل ويصحون بالنهار ، ويزرعون حتى لا يصل إليهم منا أحد ، وهم على الحق .وذكر : أن جبرائيل عليه السلام ذهب بالنبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - ليلة أسري به ، فكلمهم فقال لهم جبريل : هل تعرفون من تكلمون؟ قالوا : لا فقال لهم : هذا محمد النبي الأمي فآمنوا به فقالوا : يا رسول الله إن موسى عليه السلام أوصانا أن من أدرك منكم أحمد فليقرأ عليه منا السلام ، فرد النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - على موسى وعليهم ، ثم أقرأهم عشر سور من القرآن أنزلت بمكة ، وأمرهم بالصلاة والزكاة ، وأمرهم أن يقيموا مكانهم ، وكانوا يسبتون ، فأمرهم أن يجمعوا ويتركوا السبت .وقيل : هم الذين أسلموا من اليهود في زمن النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - . والأول أصح .

{ ومن قوم موسى } عطف على قوله : { واتخذ قوم موسى من بعده من حُليهم عِجلاً } [ الأعراف : 148 ] الآية ، فهذا تخصيص لظاهر العموم الذي في قوله : { واتخذ قوم موسى } [ الأعراف : 148 ] قصد به الاحتراس لئلا يتوهم أن ذلك قد عمله قوم موسى كلُّهُم ، وللتنبيه على دفع هذا التوهم ، قُدّم { ومن قوم موسى } على متعلقه .وقوم موسى هم أتباع دينه من قبل بعثة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم فمن بقي متمسكاً بدين موسى ، بعد بلوغ دعوة الإسلام إليه ، فليس من قوم موسى ، ولكن يقال هو من بني إسرائيل أو من اليهود ، لأن الإضافة في { قوم موسى } تؤذن بأنهم متبعو دينه الذي من جملة أصوله ترقب مجيء الرسول الأمي صلى الله عليه وسلمو { أمة } : جماعة كثيرة متفقة في عمل يجمعها ، وقد تقدم ذلك عند قوله تعالى : { أمة واحدة } في سورة البقرة ( 213 ) ، والمراد أن منهم في كل زمان قبل الإسلام .و { يَهدون بالحق } أي يهدون الناس من بني إسرائيل أو من غيرهم ببث فضائل الدين الإلهي ، وهو الذي سماه الله بالحق ويعدلون أي يحكمون حكماً لا جَور فيه .وتقديم المجرور في قوله : { وبه يعدلون } للاهتمام به ولرعاية الفاصلة ، إذ لا مقتضي لإرادة القصر ، بقرينة قوله : { يهدون بالحق } حيث لم يقدم المجرور ، والمعنى : إنهم يحكمون بالعدل على بصيرة وعِلم ، وليس بمجرد مصادفة الحق عن جهل ، فإن القاضي الجاهل إذا قضى بغير علم كان أحدَ القاضيين اللذين في النار ، ولو صادف الحق ، لأنه بجهله قد استخف بحقوق الناس ولا تنفعه مصادفة الحق؛ لأن تلك المصادفة لا عمل له فيها .

وَمِنْ قَوْمِ مُوسَى أُمَّةٌ أي: جماعة يَهْدُونَ بِالْحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ أي: يهدون به الناس في تعليمهم إياهم وفتواهم لهم، ويعدلون به بينهم في الحكم بينهم، بقضاياهم، كما قال تعالى: وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُوا وَكَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يُوقِنُونَ وفي هذا فضيلة لأمة موسى عليه الصلاة والسلام، وأن اللّه تعالى جعل منهم هداة يهدون بأمره. وكأن الإتيان بهذه الآية الكريمة فيه نوع احتراز مما تقدم، فإنه تعالى ذكر فيما تقدم جملة من معايب بني إسرائيل، المنافية للكمال المناقضة للهداية، فربما توهم متوهم أن هذا يعم جميعهم، فذكر تعالى أن منهم طائفة مستقيمة هادية مهدية.

[ ص: 271 ] قوله تعالى ومن قوم موسى أمة يهدون بالحق وبه يعدلون أي يدعون الناس إلى الهداية . و يعدلون معناه في الحكم . وفي التفسير : إن هؤلاء قوم من وراء الصين ، من وراء نهر الرمل ، يعبدون الله بالحق والعدل ، آمنوا بمحمد وتركوا السبت ، يستقبلون قبلتنا ، لا يصل إلينا منهم أحد ، ولا منا إليهم أحد . فروي أنه لما وقع الاختلاف بعد موسى كانت منهم أمة يهدون بالحق ، ولم يقدروا أن يكونوا بين ظهراني بني إسرائيل حتى أخرجهم الله إلى ناحية من أرضه في عزلة من الخلق ، فصار لهم سرب في الأرض ، فمشوا فيه سنة ونصف سنة حتى خرجوا وراء الصين ; فهم على الحق إلى الآن . وبين الناس وبينهم بحر لا يوصل إليهم بسببه . ذهب جبريل بالنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إليهم ليلة المعراج فآمنوا به وعلمهم سورا من القرآن وقال لهم : هل لكم مكيال وميزان ؟ قالوا : لا ، قال : فمن أين معاشكم ؟ قالوا : نخرج إلى البرية فنزرع ، فإذا حصدنا وضعناه هناك ، فإذا احتاج أحدنا إليه يأخذ حاجته . قال : فأين نساؤكم ؟ قالوا : في ناحية منا ، فإذا احتاج أحدنا لزوجته صار إليها في وقت الحاجة . قال : فيكذب أحدكم في حديثه ؟ قالوا : لو فعل ذلك أحدنا أخذته لظى ، إن النار تنزل فتحرقه . قال : فما بال بيوتكم مستوية ؟ قالوا لئلا يعلو بعضنا على بعض . قال : فما بال قبوركم على أبوابكم ؟ قالوا : لئلا نغفل عن ذكر الموت . ثم لما رجع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى الدنيا ليلة الإسراء أنزل عليه : وممن خلقنا أمة يهدون بالحق وبه يعدلون يعني أمة محمد عليه السلام . يعلمه أن الذي أعطيت موسى في قومه أعطيتك في أمتك . وقيل : هم الذين آمنوا بنبينا محمد عليه السلام من أهل الكتاب . وقيل : هم قوم من بني إسرائيل تمسكوا بشرع موسى قبل نسخه ، ولم يبدلوا ولم يقتلوا الأنبياء .

‘Say, “People, I am God’s Messenger to you all,”’ does not mean that all other prophets were sent to their own community while the Prophet Muhammad was sent to all the nations. This statement is not meant to compare one prophet with any other, but is simply a statement of fact. In fact, the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad has two distinct aspects. One is direct and the other through his community, the ‘ummah’. He was sent to convey the divine message directly to people living in Arabia ( 6:92 ) and he was to convey the message indirectly to the whole world ( 22:78 ). In principle, this was the nature of the task assigned to all the prophets of God. But the religion brought by other prophets did not remain in its original, pristine condition, hence it was not possible for them to become the givers of good tidings or to warn the people of the consequences of their actions in the life to come, that being the main duty of a prophet. About the Arab Prophet there is a prediction in the Bible that all the tribes of the earth will be blessed through him (Genesis, Ch. 12 ) It has been possible for his blessings to reach all nations because the religion brought by him has been preserved in its original state. The religion brought by Moses and Jesus Christ has been distorted. Therefore, its voice may reach everybody, but its blessings will not. A number of Jewish tribes were settled in Arabia, who were proud of having God’s holy Book. Such people resist accepting any external truth. Their feeling that they are in possession of the greatest Truth hinders them from accepting any Truth brought to them by any other. The large majority of the Jews were blinded by obstinacy and prejudice, except for a few people like ‘Abdullah ibn Salam, who could look upon Islam with an open mind. They vouched for its veracity without caring for their worldly honour and surrendered themselves wholeheartedly to it. ‘The unlettered prophet who believes in God and His words.’ This statement indicates the difference between the philosopher’s concept of God and the prophet’s concept of God. The philosopher’s God is an abstract spirit. Accepting Him is like accepting the force of gravity in the universe. But the force of gravity neither speaks nor gives commands, whereas the God of the prophet is a living and conscious God. He speaks to human beings; He commands His subjects and decides on reward or punishment on the basis of obedience or disobedience to His commands.

The Truthful among the Israelites The verse 159 said: وَمِن قَوْمِ مُوسَىٰ أُمَّةٌ يَهْدُونَ بِالْحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ ﴿159﴾ '"Among the community of Musa there are people who guide to the truth, and do justice thereby." That is, there is a group among the Israelites who follows the truth and decides their controversies according to the dictates of the Truth - Islam. Which are the people referred to in this verse as following the truth among the Israelites? This refers to the people who faithfully followed the commandments of the Torah and the Injil at the time they were revealed, and those who readily accepted the faith of Islam after the appearance of the Holy Prophet ﷺ according to the predictions contained in the Torah and the Injil. The Holy Qur'an has referred to this group in a number of verses in commendable terms. There is a verse which said: مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أُمَّةٌ قَائِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ آيَاتِ اللَّـهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ "Among the people of the Book there are those who are steadfast, they recite the verses of Allah in the night hours, and they prostrate." (3:113) الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِهِ هُم بِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿52﴾ "Those to whom We gave the book before this, they do believe in this (Qura'n) ". (28:52) Under the comments on this verse we find a narrative in the commentaries of Ibn Jarir and Ibn Kathir رحمۃ اللہ علیہما . A group of Israelites who greatly despised the corrupt practices of the Israelites had prayed Allah for having a separate land away from the other tribes so that they might practice according to the original faith preached by the Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) ، Allah carried them to a land somewhere in the Far East where they faithfully practiced their faith. Another favour of Allah bestowed upon them was that in the time of the Holy Prophet ﷺ they were granted an opportunity to embrace Islam directly on the hands of the Holy Prophet. In the night of Ascension (شَبِ مِعرَاج ) the Archangel Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) (Gabriel) took the Holy Prophet ﷺ to these people on the way to heavens. They accepted the faith and the Holy Prophet ﷺ taught them some Surahs (chapters) of the Holy Qur'an. The Prophet of Allah asked them if they had some means of weighing and measuring and what other means of subsistence did they have? They answered that their usual practice was that they cultivated the land and collected the whole produce together in a heap. The people came and took from it according to their need. They said, "We do not, therefore, need any weights and measures." The Holy Prophet ﷺ asked them if any one of them ever told lies. They said that no one among them ever told lies because it was a usual practice that any person speaking a lie was burnt up by a heavenly fire. He asked them as to why all their houses were of the same type? They answered, that it was to avoid the possibility of showing off one's affluence as compared to others. He asked them why they had built up their graves in front of their houses? They said that this made them remember their death all the times. After the Holy Prophet returned from heavens to Makkah, this verse was revealed to him. Al-Qurtubi, under the comments of this verse has narrated this event along with other suggestions and has remarked that this narrative was not authentic. Ibn Kathir, however, has termed it as an unusual event but did not reject it. In short, this verse makes us understand that there has always been a group among the Israelites who followed the Truth. Be they the people described above or the ones who embraced Islam after the appearance of the Holy Prophet ﷺ .

(And of Moses' folk there is a community) a group (who lead with) enjoin (truth and establish justice therewith) they act upon the Truth. These are those beyond the river al-Raml.