HISTORY OF TABARI VOLUME 1 PART 13

HISTORY OF TABARI

VOLUME 1

From the Creation to the Flood

Translator's Foreword

  According to al-Muthanna b. Ibrahim-'Abdallah b. Salih [310. Presumably, Abu Silih 'Abdallah b . Silih , the secretary of al-Layth, who was born in 137 or 139/754-56 and died in 22.2 or 223/836-38 . See TB, IX, 478-91; Tahdhib, V, 256-61; Horst , 293, n. 3] -Abii Ma'shar [311. The author of a work on maghazi (" raids "), Abu Ma'shar Najih b. 'Abd alRahmin died in 170/787. See TB, XIII, 457-62; Tahdhib, X, 419-22; 612 ,1, 140, s. v. Abu Ma'shar; Sezgin, GAS, 1, 191 f. Tabari still knew his son Muhammad who died, ninety- nine years old, in 244 or 247/858-62 . See Tafsir, II, 182 (ad Qur. 2:204); TB, III, 326 f.; Tahdhib, IX, 487 f]-Said b. Abi Sa'id [312. Said b. Abi Sa'id al-Maqburi appears to have died in the 1208/740-44. See Tahdhib, IV, 38-40] -'Abdallah b. Salam: God began the creation by creating the earth on Sunday and Monday. [313. For the complete text of the tradition, see text below, I, 44, and Tafsir, 1, 153 (ad Qur. 2:29) ].

  According to Ibn Humayd- Jarir (b. 'Abd al -I iamid)-alA'mash-Abu Salih-Kab: God began with the creation of the heavens and the earth on Sunday and Monday.

  According to Muhammad b. Abi Mansur al-Amuli [314.Unidentifled] -'Ali b. al-Haytham [315. None of the 'Ali b. a1-Haytham listed in TB, XII, 118 f. and Tahdhib, VII, 394, can be identified as the one meant here ]. -al-Musayyab b. Sharik [316. Al-Musayyab b. Sharik died during the caliphate of Harun al-Rashid, in 185 or 186/801-2. See TB, XIII, 137-41; Ibn Hajar, Lisdn, VI, 38 f] -Abu Rawg [317. For Abu Rawq 'Atiyyah b. al-Harith, see Tahdhib, VII, 224.] -alDahhak, commenting on God's word: "It is He Who created the heavens and the earth in six days [318. Qur. 11:7] -of the other world where the extent of each day is a thousand years. He began the creation on Sunday.

  According to al-Muthanna-al-Hajiaj [319. This is al-Hajjaj b. (al-)Minhil who died in 216 or 217/831-32. See Tahdhib, II, 206 f . He occurs, for instance , in Tafsir, I, 168, 1. 29 , and XIV, 62, 11. 15 f. (ad Qur. 2:30 and 16:15 j] -Abu 'Awanah [320. Abu 'Awinah al-Waddih died in 176/792. See Tahdhib, XI,116-20; Bukhari, Ta'rikh, IV, 2, 181.] -Abu Bishr [321. Abu Bishr la'far b . Iyas died in the 120s/740-48. See Tahdhib, 11, 83 f.; Bukhari, Ta'rikh, I, 2, 186]-Mujahid: He began the creation on Sunday.

  Others said : The day on which God began with the creation is Saturday.

Those who said this

  According to Ibn Humayd-Salamah b. al-Fadl-Muhammad b. Ishaq: The people of the Torah say: God began the creation on Sunday, while the people of the Gospel say: God began the creation on Monday. We Muslims say, in accordance with what has come down to us from the Messenger of God: God began the creation on Saturday.

 The statements of each of these two groups-the one saying that God began the creation on Sunday, and the other that God began the creation on Saturday-have been transmitted on the authority of the Messenger of God. We have mentioned both reports before but shall repeat here some of the proofs for the soundness of the statements made by each of the two groups.

  The report on the Prophet's authority verifying the statement that the beginning of creation was on Sunday is what we were told by Hannad b. al-Sari, who also said that he read all the hadith [322. See text above, I, i9, n. 159.] -Abu Bakr b. 'Ayyash-Abu Sad al-Baqqal-'Ikrimah-Ibn 'Abbas:

  The Jews came to the Prophet and asked him about the creation of the heavens and the earth. He replied: God created the earth on Sunday and Monday.

  The report on the Prophet's authority verifying the statement that the beginning of God's creation was on Saturday, is what I was told by al-Qasim b. Bishr b. Ma'ruf and al-Husayn b. 'Ali al-Suda'i-Hajjaj-Ibn Jurayj-Isma'il b. Umayyah-Ayyub b. Khalid-'Abdallah b. Rafi', the mawla of Umm Salamah-Abu Hurayrah: The Messenger of God took me by the hand and said: God created the soil on Saturday. He created the mountains on Sunday. [323. See text above, 1, 20]

  In my opinion, the statement here most likely to be correct is: The day on which God began the creation of the heavens and the earth is Sunday, because the early Muslim scholars agree on it.

  In his statement, Ibn Ishaq argued that it is as (he states, namely, that God began the creation on Saturday), on the basis of the assumption that God finished all His creation on Friday. It is the seventh day; on it, He sat straight on the Throne, and He made this day a festival for the Muslims. But as reported by us from him, Ibn Ishaq's proof by which, he assumed, he argued for the soundness of his statement, proves precisely that he made a mistake here. That is because God informed His servants in more than one passage of His revelation [324. The Cairo edition reads : the unambiguous parts of His revelation.] that He created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six days. He says: "It is God Who created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six days. Then He sat straight on the Throne. You have no friend or intercessor apart from Him. Will you not be mindful? [325. Qur. 32:4] God also says: "Say: Do you really not believe in the One Who created the earth in two days, and set up others like him? That is the Lord of the worlds. He made in it firmly anchored (mountains) above it and blessed it and decreed that it contain the amount of food it provides, (all) in four days, equally for those asking. Then He stretched out straight toward heaven, which was smoke, and said to it and to the earth: Come willingly or unwillingly! They said : We come willingly. He fashioned (heaven into) seven heavens in two days and revealed (in every heaven its command  [326. See above, n. 199. The text enclosed in parentheses is supplied in the Cairo edition.] We adorned the lower heaven with lamps , and for guarding. This is the decree of the One Mighty and Knowing.) [327. Qur. 41:9-12]

  There is no difference of opinion among all the scholars that the two days mentioned in God's word, "He fashioned it (into) seven heavens in two days," are included in the six days mentioned by Him before. Now then, God created the heavens and the earths and what is in them in six days. In addition, the reports on the authority of the Messenger of God that Adam was created last in God's creation and that He created him on Friday, clearly support each other. The conclusion is that Friday, on which God finished His creation, is included in the six days in which, God informs (us), He created His creation, for, if it were not included in the six days, He would have created His creation in seven days, and not in six . This is contrary to what is found in the divine revelation. Thus, since the matter is as we have described it, it is clear that the first day on which God began the creation of the heavens and the earth and what is in them was Sunday, since the last day was Friday. This makes six days as our Lord says.

  The reports coming down from the Messenger of God and his companions that the creation was finished on Friday will be mentioned by us in their proper places, if God wills.

What God Created on Each of the Six Days on Which, as He Mentions in His Book, He Created the Heavens and the Earth and What Is between Them

  The early Muslim scholars differed in this respect. Some of them say, as I was told by al-Muthanna b. Ibrahim-Abdallah b. SalihAbu Ma'shar-Sa'id b. Abi Said-'Abdallah b. Salim: God began with the creation on Sunday. He created the earths on Sunday and Monday. He created food and the firmly anchored (mountains) on Tuesday and Wednesday. He created the heavens on Thursday and Friday, and He finished in the last hour of Friday, in which He created Adam in haste [328. Cf. Qur. 21:37. See below, n. 607.] That is the hour in which the Hour will come. [329. See text above, I, 40, and Tafsr, I,153 (ad Qur. 2:29]

  According to Musa b. Harun-Amr b. Hammad-Asbat-alSuddi-Abu Malik and Abu Salih-Ibn `Abbas. Also (al-Suddi)-Murrah al-Hamdani-Ibn Mas'ud and some ( other) companions of the Prophet: He-meaning our Lord-made seven earths in two days, Sunday and Monday. He made on them "firmly anchored (mountains ), lest (the earth) shake you up." [330. Qur. 16:15 and 31:10.] He created the mountains on the earth and the food to provide for its inhabitants and its trees and whatever is required for it, on two days, Tuesday and Wednesday. "Then He stretched out straight toward heaven, which was smoke, [331. Qur. 41:11] and made it into one heaven . Then He split (this one heaven) up into seven heavens on two days, Thursday and Friday.

  According to Tamim b. al-Muntasir-Ishaq (b. Yusuf)-Sharik (b. 'Abdallah al-Nakha'i)-Ghalib b. Ghallab-'Ata' b. Abi Rabah-Ibn `Abbas: God created the earth on two days, Sunday and Monday.

  According to these statements, the earth was created before heaven, because, in their opinion, it was created on Sunday and Monday.

  Others said: God created the earth with the food it provides before heaven, without spreading it out. "Then He stretched out straight toward heaven and fashioned it into seven heavens." [332. Qur. 2:29. The use of the same word "fashioned " for sawwahunna here and qadahunna in Our. 41:12 ( above, n. 327, etc.) appears justified.] Thereafter, He spread out the earth.

Those who said this

  According to 'Ali b. Dawud [333.'Ali b. Dawud died in or before 272/885( 61. See TB, XI, 424 f.; Tahdhib, VII, 317. In Tafsir, I, 153 (ad Qur. 2:29), al - Muthanna takes his place in the isnad, but 'All b. Diwud appears in Tafsir, XXX, 29 (ad Qur. 79:29-32)] -Abu Salih (Abdallah b. Salih)- Mu'awiyah (b. Salih)--`Ali b. Abi Talhah [334. According to Khalifah, Tabaqat, 312, 'Ali b. Abi Talhah died in 120/737[8].According to the lost History of Him8 by Abu Bakr Abroad b. Muhammad b. 'Isa (see Rosenthal , Muslim Historiograph 2, 467), he died in 143 / 760111 . Tahdhib, VII, 339-41, prefers the latter date, but a14o refers to Khalifah. Bukhari, Ta'rikh, 111,2, 281 f., states that he visited the caliph Abal al-'Abbas ( al-Saffah), who died in 754. A plausible date for Ibn Abi Talhah's death would seemingly be ca . 750, if one also takes into account the surrounding authorities in the chain of transmitters. See also Horst , 293, n. 5.] Ibn 'Abbas, commenting on God's word when He mentioned the creation of the earth before heaven and then mentioned heaven before earth: (It is explained by the fact that) He created the earth with the food it provides before heaven, without spreading it out. "Then He stretched out straight toward heaven and fashioned it into seven heavens ." [335. Qur. 2:29.] Thereafter, He spread out the earth. This is (meant by) God's word: "And it was the earth that He spread out thereafter. " [336. Qur. 79:30. For the quotations in Tafsir, see above, n. 333]

  According to Muhammad b. Sa'd [337. As indicated in E12 , III, 922b , s. v. Ibn Sa ' d, with reference to Horst, 294, this is not the author of the Tabaqat . It is Muhammad b. Said b . Muhammad b. al-Hasan b. 'Atiyyah b. Sad b. Junadah al-'Awfi, who died in 276/889 (TB, V, 322 f.). His father Sad b. Muhammad is listed in TB, IX, 126 . Sa'd's paternal uncle al-Husayn b . al-Iiasan died in 201 or 202 / 816-18 (TB, VIII, 29-32) . Al-Husayn's father al-Hasan b. 'Atiyyah died in 181 /797 (Tahdhib, II, 294), and 'Atiyyah b. Sad died in 111 / 729[30] (Tahdhib, VII, 224-26). A family isnad as complete as this is most remarkable.] -his father-his paternal uncle-his father-his father-Ibn 'Abbas, commenting on: "And it was the earth that He spread out thereafter. He brought forth from it its water and its pasture , and the mountains He anchored firmly." [338. Qur. 79:30-32] It means that He created the heavens and the earth. When He had finished with heaven before creating food of the earth, He spread the food on it after creating heaven. And He firmly anchored the mountains. This is meant by "spreading it out." The food and the plants of the earth used to be good only on the night and the day. [339, Only when the heaven and the sun and the moon were in existence could the food - producing plants really prosper.] This is (meant by) God's word: "And it was the earth that He spread out thereafter." Have you not heard that He continues: "He brought forth from it its water and its pasture ? [340. Qur. 79:30 f. See Tafsir, XXX, 29.]

  Abu Ja'far (al-Tabari) says: Regarding this, the correct statement, in our opinion, is the one of those who said : God created the earth on Sunday. He created the heaven on Thursday, and He created the stars and the sun and the moon on Friday. (We consider it correct) because of the soundness of the report mentioned by us earlier on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas from the Messenger of God. The tradition transmitted to us on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas is not impossible . It says that God created the earth but did not spread it out. Then He created the heavens "and fashioned them ( into seven heavens ),” [341. Qur. 2:29.] and thereafter " spread out " the earth. "He then brought forth from it its water and its pasture, and the mountains He anchored firmly." Indeed, in my opinion this is the correct statement . That is because the meaning of "spreading out" is different from that of "creating." God says: "Are you more difficult to create than the heaven He constructed? He raised high its roof and fashioned it. He darkened its night and brought forth its morning. And it was the earth He spread out thereafter. He brought forth from it its water and its pasture , and the mountains He anchored firmly." [342. Qur. 79:27-32]

  Someone might say: You realize that a number of interpreters have considered God's word: "And it was the earth that He spread out thereafter, " to mean: "lie spread out simultaneously" (attributing to the preposition ba'da " after " the meaning of ma'a "together ( simultaneous  with"). Now, what is your evidence for the soundness of your statement that we have here the meaning of "after," the opposite of "before"? The reply would be: The meaning of " after " generally known in Arab speech , as we have said, is that of the opposite of "before," and not "simultaneous with." Now, word meanings considered applicable are those that are preponderant and generally known among speakers ( of a language), and no others are. [343. See Tafsir, XXX, 30 (ad Qur. 79:30). It is one of Tabari 's exegetical principles that , unless there are reasons to the contrary, the most common and best-known meanings of words as used by the Arabs are applicable to the speech of God. See, for instance , Tafsir, XII, 25 (ad Qur. 11:40) . See also text below, I, 56.]

  It has been said that God created the Ancient House (the Ka'bah) upon the water on four pillars. He did this two thousand years before He created this world, and the earth was then spread out underneath it.

Those who said this

  According to In Ilumayd-Ya'qub al-Qummi [344.Ya'qub b. 'Abdallah al-Qummi died in 174/790-91. See Tahdhib, XI, 390 f.; Bukhari, Ta'rikh, N, 2, 391; Abu Nu'aym, Akhbar Isbahan, II, 351 f. Ya'qub is mentioned as one of Ibn Humayd's authorities in TB, II, 259,1. 3'] -Ja'far [345. Ja'far b. Abi al - Mughirah al-Qummi is listed Tahdib, II, 108] -`Ikrimah-Ibn 'Abbas: The House was founded upon the water on four pillars two thousand years before (God) created this world. The earth was then spread out underneath the House. [346. For this and the following tradition, see Tafsir, XXX, 29 (ad Qur. 79:30-32). Cf. also Tafsir, N, 7 (ad Qur. 3:96).] According to Ibn Humayd-Mihran [347. For Abu 'Abdallah Mihran b. Abi 'Umar al-'Attar al-Razi, see Tahdhib, X, 327; Bukhari, Ta'rikh, N, 1, 429; Horst, 296, n. 12.]  -Sufyan (al-Thawri)-alA'mash-Bukayr b. al-Akhnas [348. See Tahdhib, 1, 489 f.] -Mujahid-'Abdallah b. 'Umar: God created the House two thousand years before the earth, and from it, the earth was spread out.

  If this is so, the earth was created before the heavens were created, and the earth "spread out"--d-h-w in the sense of b-s-t -with its food, its pastures, and its plants after the creation of the heavens, as mentioned by us on the authority of In 'Abbas.

  According to In Humayd-Mihran-Abu Sinan [349. Abu Sinan has the gentilic al-Shaybani and is equated in the index of Tabari with Abu Sinan Dirar b . Murrah al- Shaybani, who died in 132/749[50]. See Tahdhib, N, 457; Khalifah, Tabagdt, 165.]–Abu Bakr [350. The available data seem consistent with the possible equation of this person with Abu Bakr b . 'Abdallah, who was a transmitter of 'Ikrimah and Shahr b. Iiawshab . See text below, 1, 1 oo6, and 1 , 245 f. Abu Bakr b . 'Abdallih could possibly be the best-known bearer of the name , Abu Bakr b . 'Abdallih b. Abi Maryam, who died in 156/773. See Bukhari, Kuna, 9, no. 55, Tahdhib, X11, 28-30, who has 256. He may, however, be just another unidentified individual.] : The Jews came to the Prophet and said: Muhammad, inform us about the creation created by God in these six days! The Prophet replied: He created the earth on Sunday and Monday. He created the mountains on Tuesday. He created the cities, food, the rivers, and the cultivated and barren land on Wednesday. He created the heavens and the angels on Thursday continuing to the last three hours of Friday. In the first of these three hours, He created the terms (of human life), in the second, harm, and in the third, Adam. The Jews said: You speak the truth, if you finish (the statement ). The Prophet realized what they had in mind. He got angry, and God revealed: "And fatigue did not touch Us. So be patient with what they say. [351. Qur. 50:38 f. See also text above, I, 19 If.]

  Someone might say: If it is as you have described, namely, that God created the earth before heaven, then what is the meaning of the statement of Ibn 'Abbas told all of you by Wasil b. 'Abd al-A'la al-Asadi-Muhammad b. Fudayl-al-A'mash-Abu Zabyan-Ibn 'Abbas: The first thing created by God is the Pen. God then said to it: Write!, whereupon the Pen asked: What shall I write, my lord? God replied: Write what is predestined! He continued. And the Pen proceeded to (write) whatever is predestined and going to be to the Coming of the Hour. God then lifted up the water vapor and split the heavens off from it. Then God created the fish (nun), and the earth was spread out upon its back. The fish became agitated,with the result that the earth was shaken up. It was steadied by means of the mountains, for they indeed proudly (tower) over the earth.[ 352. For the first half of this tradition , see text above, 1, 30, and n . 241, referring to Tafsir XXIX, to (ad Qur. 68:1-3), where this tradition as well as the following isnad occurs].

  I was told about the same by Wasil-Waki'-al-A'mash-Abu Zabyan-Ibn 'Abbas

   According to Ibn al-Muthanna-Ibn Abi 'Adi-Shu'bahSulayman (al-A'mash ?)-Abu Zabyan-Ibn 'Abbas: The first (thing) created by God is the Pen. It proceeded to (write) whatever is going to be. (God) then lifted up the water vapor, and the heavens were created from it. Then He created the fish, and the earth was spread out on its back. The fish moved, with the result that the earth was shaken up. It was steadied by means of the mountains, for the mountains indeed proudly (tower) over the earth. So he said, and he recited: "Nun. By the Pen and what they write." [353. Qur. 68:1; Tafsir, XXIX, 9. See also text above, 1, 30 f.]

  I was told the same by Tamim b. al-Muntasir-Ishaq (b. Yusuf)-Sharik (b.'Abdallah al-Nakha'i)-al-A'mash-Abu Zabyan or Mujahid [354. For "or " the Leiden edition has "on the authority of," which may not be impossible, but the evidence seems to be against it. See text above, I, 31, and Tafsir, XXIX, 9] -Ibn 'Abbas, with the exception, however, that he said: And the heavens were split off from it (instead of: were created).

  According to Ibn Bashshar-Yahya [355. Yahya b . Said b. Farrukh al-Qattan was born at the beginning of the year 12o/Dec. 737-Jan.738. He died in 198 /313. See TB, XIV, 135-44; Tahdhib, XI, 216-20.]  -Sufyan-Sulayman (alA'mash ?)-Abu Zabyan-Ibn 'Abbas: The first (thing) created byGod is the Pen. God said: Write!, whereupon the Pen asked: What shall I write? God replied: Write what is predestined! He continued. And (the Pen) proceeded to (write) whatever is predestined and going to be from that day on to the Coming of the Hour. Then God created the fish. He lifted up the water vapor, and heaven was split off from it, and the earth was spread out upon the back of the fish. The fish became agitated, and as a result, the earth was shaken up. It was steadied by means of the mountains, he continued, for they proudly (tower) over the the earth.

  According to Ibn Humayd-Jarir (b. 'Abd al-Hamid)-'Ata' b. al-Sa'ib-Abu al-DOA Muslim b. Subayh-Ibn 'Abbas: The first thing created by God is the Pen. God said to it: Write!, and it wrote whatever is going to be until the Coming of the Hour. Then God created the fish upon the water. Then he heaped up the earth upon it . [. 356. See text above, 1, 31]

  This reportedly is a sound tradition as transmitted on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas and on the authority of others in the sense commented upon and explained and does not contradict anything transmitted by us from him on this subject.

  Should someone [357. Lit.," he," possibly referring to a particular individual (?!.] ask: What comment on his authority and that of others proves the soundness of what you have transmitted to us in this sense on his authority? he should be referred to what I have been told by Musa b. Harun al-Hamdani and others-Amr b. Hammad-Asbat b. Nasr-al-Suddi-Abu Malik and Abu SalihIbn 'Abbas. Also (al-Suddi)-Murrah al-Hamdani-Abdallah b. Masud and some (other) companions of the Messenger of God (commenting on): "He is the One Who created for you all that is on earth. Then He stretched out straight toward the heaven and fashioned it into seven heavens." [358. Qur. 2:29] God's Throne was upon the water. He had not created anything except what He created before the water. [359. See text above, I, 36.] When He wanted to create the creation, He brought forth smoke from the water. The smoke rose above the water and  hovered loftily over it. He therefore called it "heaven”. [360. The verb same means "to hover loftily," and the noun sama' means "heaven." If there is an etymological connection between them, it probably was in the opposite direction, that is, the verb was derived from the noun]  Then He dried out the water, and thus made it one earth. He split it and made it into seven earths on Sunday and Monday. He created the earth upon a (big) fish (hut), that being the fish ( nun) mentioned by God in the Qur'an: "Nun. By the Pen." [361. Qur. 68:1. Hut appears in the Qur'an also in connection with Jonah. There is no discernible distinction in meaning between but and nun, the latter being the ancient Semitic word..] The fish was in the water. The water was upon the back of a (small ) rock. The rock was upon the back of an angel . The angel was upon a (big) rock. The (big) rock-the one mentioned by Luqman [362. See Qur. 31:16 and Tafsir, XXI, 46, on this verse.] -was in the wind, neither in heaven nor on earth. The fish moved and became agitated . As a result, the earth quaked, whereupon He firmly, anchored the mountains on it, and it was stable. The mountains proudly (tower) over the earth. This is stated in God's word that He made for the earth "firmly anchored (mountains), lest it shake you up." [363. Qur. 16:15 . For the tradition in Tafsir, see above , n. 281]

  Abu Ja'far (al -Tabari) says: The statement of those mentioned by me that God brought forth smoke from the water when He wanted to create the heavens and earth; that the smoke hovered loftily over it, by which is meant that it was high over the water, since everything that is high above another thing is its "heaven"; that He then dried out the water and made it one earth, indicates that God created heaven unfashioned before the earth and then created the earth. If it is as they say, it is not impossible that God stirred up smoke from the water and raised it high over the water, so that it became a heaven for it. Then He dried out the water, and the smoke that hovered loftily over it became an earth. But God did not spread it out and did not decree that it contain the food it provides, nor did He bring forth from it its water and its pasture, until He stretched out straight toward the heaven which was the smoke stirring from the water and rising high above it, and He fashioned it into seven heavens . Then He spread out the earth which was water and dried the water out. Then He split the earth , making it into seven earths , and decreed that it contain the amount of food it provides and "brought forth from it its water and its pasture, and the mountains He anchored firmly ," as God says”. [364. Qur. 79:31 f]. Thus , everything transmitted by us concerning this subject on the authority of Ibn ' Abbas has a sound meaning.

  Monday: We have mentioned before the difference of opinion among scholars as to what He created on it and what has been transmitted concerning the subject on the authority of the Messenger of God. [365. The reference may be to text above, 1, 47]

  What God created on Tuesday and Wednesday: We have also mentioned some of the information that has been transmitted concerning this subject . Here we shall mention some information not mentioned by us before . In our opinion, the sound report in this connection is what I was told by Musa b. Harun-'Amr b . Hammad-Asbat-al-Suddi-Abu Malik and Abu Salih Ibn 'Abbas . Also (al-Suddi)-Murrah al-Hamdani-'Abdallah b. Mas'ud and some ( other ) companions of the Messenger of God: God created the mountains on it-meaning the earth-and the food it provides for its inhabitants and its trees and whatever else is required for it on two days , Tuesday and Wednesday. That is when God says: " Say: Do you really not believe in the One Who created the earth in two days , and set up others like Him ? That is the Lord of the worlds . He made in it firmly anchored ( mountains) above it and blessed it and decreed that it contain the amount of food it provides , all in four days, equally for those asking"-that is, those who ask (will find that) it is so [366. See above , n. 163] "Then He stretched out straight toward heaven , which was smoke [367. Qur. 41:9-11.] -that smoke came from the water 's breathing-and made it into one heaven.  Then He split ( this one heaven ) up into seven heavens on two days, Thursday and Friday.

  According to al-Muthanna-Abu Salih-Abu Ma 'shar-Sa'id b. Abi Said-'Abdallah b. Salim : God created food and the firmly anchored ( mountains ) on Tuesday and Wednesday. [368. See text above, 1, 44.]

  According to Tamim b . al-Muntasir-Ishaq ( b. Yusuf) –Sharik (b. 'Abdallah al - Nakha 'i)-Ghalib b. Ghallab - 'Ata' b. Abi Rabah-Ibn 'Abbas: God created the mountains on Tuesday. That is why people say : It is a heavy day. [369. See Tafsir, XXIV, 61, 11. 26 f. dad Qur. 41:6 ) , and above , n. 174. " Heavy" may not be intended to refer to the great weight of mountains but rather to the evil character of Tuesday]

  Abu Ja 'far (al-Tabari ) says : In our opinion , the sound statement concerning this subject is the tradition transmitted by us on the authority of the Prophet who said : God created the mountains and the uses they possess on Tuesday. On Wednesday, He created trees, water, cities, and the cultivated and barren land. We were told this by Hannad -Abu Bakr b . ' Ayyash-Abu Sa' d al-Baggal-`Ikrimah-Ibn 'Abbas-the Prophet. [370. See text above, I, ig.]

  It has been transmitted on the authority of the Prophet that God created the mountains on Sunday. He created the trees on Monday. He created evil on Tuesday. He created the light on Wednesday. I was told this by al - Qasim b. Bishr b. Ma'ruf and al-Husayn b. 'Ali al-Suda ' i-Hajjaj -Ibn Surayj-Ismail b. Umayyah-Ayyub b. Khalid- Abdallah b. Rafi ', the mawla of Umm Salamah-Abu Hurayrah-the Prophet. [371. See text above, 1, 20]

  The first report [372. That is, the one of Musa b. Harlin; see text above, 1, 51.] is sounder with respect to the source situation (makhrajan ) and more likely to be true , because it is what most of the early ( scholars) say.

  Thursday : He created on it the heavens , which were compressed but then were split, [373. Cf. Qur. 21:30] as I was told by Musa b . Harun-'Amr b . Hammad-Asbat-al-Suddi-Abu Malik and Abu SalihIbn 'Abbas . Also (al- Suddi)-Murrah al-Hamdani-'Abdallah b. Masud and some ( other ) companions of the Prophet ( commenting on ): " Then He stretched out straight toward heaven, which was smoke [374. Qur. 41:11.] -that smoke came from the water ' s breathing  and made it into one heaven . Then He split ( this one heaven) into seven heavens on two days , Thursday and Friday.

  Friday-yawm al-jum'ah -is thus called because on it, God put together (j-m-) the creation of the heavens and the earth and "revealed in every heaven its command." [375. Qur. 41:12, see above , n. 199]. For the etymology of "Friday" involved here, see text below, I, 113-15 . Cf. also Mas'udi, Muruj, I, 48.] He continued: In every heaven, He created its (special) angels as well as its (special) oceans, the mountains with hail, [376. Cf. Qur. 24:43. ] and what (man) does not know. [377. Cf. Qur. 96:5. ] He then adorned the lower heaven with the stars and made them an ornament and guard to guard against the Satans.[ 378. Cf. Qur. 37: 6 f. and 41:12.] When He completed creating whatever He pleased, He sat straight on the Throne. That is when He says: "He created the heavens and the earth in six days, " [379. Qur. 11:7.] and: "The two were compressed, and We split them apart." [380. Qur. 21:30]

  According to al-Muthanna-Abu Salih ('Abdallah b. Silih) -Abu Ma'shar-Sa'id b. Abi Said-'Abdallah b. Salim: God created the heavens on Thursday and Friday, and He finished in the last hour of Friday, in which He created Adam in haste. This is the hour in which the Hour will come. [381. See text above, I, 44.]

  According to Tamim b. al-Muntasir-Ishaq (b. Yusuf)-Sharik (b. 'Abdallih al-Nakha'i)-Ghalib b. Ghallab-'Ata' b. Abi Rabih-Ibn 'Abbas: God created the places for rivers and trees on Wednesday. He created the birds, the wild animals, reptiles, and beasts of prey on Thursday, and He created man on Friday. He finished creating everything on Friday.

  In our opinion, the sound view is represented by the statement of those mentioned by us that God created the heavens, the angels, and Adam on Thursday and Friday. That is because of the report told us by Hannad b. al-Sari, who also said that he read all of the hadith [382. See above,n. 159] -Abu Bakr b. 'Ayyash-Abu Said (!) al-Baqqal-`Ikrimah-Ibn 'Abbas-the Prophet: On Thursday He created heaven. On Friday He created the stars, the sun, the moon, and the angels, until three hours remained of it. In the first of these three hours, He created the terms (of human life), who would live and who would die. In the second, He cast harm upon everything that is useful for mankind. And in the third, He (created) Adam and had him dwell in Paradise. He commanded Iblis to prostrate himself (before Adam a.s), and He drove Adam out of Paradise at the end of the hour. [383. See text above, I, t9 f.]

  According to al-Qasim b. Bishr and al-Husayn b. All al-Suda'i Hajjaj-Ibn Jurayj-Isma 'il b. Umayyah-Ayyub b. Khalid-'Abdallah b. Rafi', the mawla of Umm Salamah-Abu Hurayrah: The Messenger of God took me by the hand and said: He scattered on it-meaning the earth-the animals on Thursday, and He created Adam a.s after (the time of) the afternoon prayer of Friday as the last of His creatures in the last hour of Friday, in the time between the afternoon prayer and night (fall). [384. See text above, 1, 20.]

  Now then, God created the creation in six days, from the beginning of the creation of the heavens and the earth to the time He finished creating all creatures. Each day of the six in which He created them corresponds to a thousand of the years of this world. Between His beginning His creation of (all) that and the creation of the Pen, which He commanded to write whatever is going to be to the Coming of the Hour, there are a thousand years-one of the days of the other world, each of which corresponds to a thousand years of this world. The conclusion is that the time elapsed from when our Lord first began creating His creatures to when He finished the last of them is seven thousand years, give, if God wills, or take a little. That is according to the traditions and reports transmitted by us which we have mentioned. [385. See text above, I, 8 ff] We have omitted many of them, because we do not like the book to become too long bymentioning (all this information).

  If this is so, and if it is sound that, as proved by us earlier with the help of evidential statements, there is a duration of seven thousand years, give or take a little, from (the time) when our Lord finished His creation of all His creatures to the moment of the annihilation of all of them, the conclusion must be drawn that the time elapsed from when God first created His creation to the Coming of the Hour and the annihilation of the entire world extends over fourteen thousand of the years of this world, or fourteen of the days of the other world . Seven of these days-that is, seven thousand of the years of this world -represent the time elapsed from when God first began creating His first creatures to when He finished the creation of the last of them -namely, Adam a.s, the father of mankind . The other seven days-that is , seven thousand of the years of this world -represent the period from when God finished the creation of His last creature -that is, Adam-to the annihilation of all His creatures and the Coming of the Hour and the return of everything to the state in which it was before there was anyone except the Eternal One, the Creator, Whose "are the creation and the command ," [386. Qur. 7:54.] Who was before everything, and there was nothing before Him, and Who will be after everything, and nothing will remain except His noble face.

  Someone might say : What proof do you havt for stating thateach of the six days in which God created His creation corresponds to a thousand of the years of this world, and none ( of those days) is like the days of the inhabitants of this world commonly known among them (as "days") ? God merely says: "The One Who created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six days . " [387. Qur. 25:59] He gave us no information that it is as you say . Rather, He informed us that He created that in six days, and the days commonly known ( as "days ") among those addressed here are the days that begin with sunrise and last until sunset . You also say that whatever God says in addressing His servants in His revelation is meant to be understood according to its most common and preponderant meaning, but now you propose to understand the information given by God in His Book concerning the creation of the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six days according to a meaning of "day " that is not commonly known.

  When God wants to bring something into being, His command is completely effective , and thus it cannot be said that He created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six days whose measure is six thousand of the years of this world. When He wants something to be , He commands it to be by just saying: "Be! And it is . " [388. Qur.2:117, etc.] This is as our Lord says : " And Our command is but one [389. The feminine wahidah (" one") has no explicit referent , but it seems fairly certain that the referent is intended to be lamhah (" glance ") in the singular, anticipating the following collective lamh. Thus, it means : ( as quick ) as a single glance of the eye. Tafsir, XXVII, 66 (ad Qur. 5450 ) explains: "a single irrefutable utterance (qawlah) as quick and immediate ( as a glance of the eye)." Among the modern translators of the Qur'an , A. J. Arberry follows T abari and translates "one word." R. Paret has " one action," and R. Bell offers the preferable "one flash."] like a glance of the eye." [390. Qur. 54:50.]

  The reply would be: Earlier in this book of ours we said that with respect to most of what we set down in it, we rely upon the traditions and reports on the authority of our Prophet and that of the righteous early Muslims before us, and we do not use reason and thinking for producing (the book), for most of its contents is information about past matters and events that are going to be. Knowledge of this sort cannot be produced and obtained by the use of reason. [391. See text above , 1, 6 if.]

  Should he ask whether there is proof from reported information (khabar) for the soundness of (the equation of "day" with a thousand years), the answer would be: It is something that according to our knowledge has not been contradicted by any leading religious authority.

  Should he ask whether there is information transmitted on the authority of one of the leading scholars, the answer would be: Knowledge of it among early Muslim scholars is too common to require transmission attributed to one individual among them personally. It has been transmitted on the authority of a number of them mentioned personally by name. If he then asks to mention some of them, the answer is:

  According to Ibn Humayd-Hakkam [392. Abu 'Abd al- Rahman Hakkam b . Salm al - Rizi died after 190/805(61 in Mecca. See TB, VIII, 281 f.; Tahdhib, II, 422, f.; Horst, 299, n. 7] -'Anbasah [393. According to Tahdhib, VIII, 155, he was 'Anbasah b. Said b . al-Durays.] –Simak [394. Simak b. Harb died in 123/740(11. See Tahdhib, IV, 232-34] -'Ikrimah-Ibn 'Abbas, commenting on: God "created the heavens and the earth in six days" [395. Qur. 11:7] -of which each day is like "one thousand years of your counting. " [396. See Tafsir, XXI, 58 (ad Qur. 32:5).]

  According to Ibn Waki'-his father-Isra 'il [397. Born in 100/718( 9), Isra 'il b. Yunus died in the early 1608/776-799. See TB,VII, 20-25; Tahdhib, 1, 261-63.] -Simak-'Ikrimah-Ibn 'Abbas, commenting on: "In a day whose measure is a thousand years of your counting," [398. Qur. 32:5. See Tafsir, XXI, 58.] as follows: The six days on which God created the heavens and the earth.

  According to 'Abdah [399. Tafsir, XXI, 58 starts the isndd with: "I was told by al-Husayn b . al-faraj," as is commonly found in Tafsir. Elsewhere, we find'Abdin al -Marwazi instead of 'Abdah (see text below, 1, So); further'Abdah al -Marwazi (1, 96),'Abdan b. Muhammad al-Marwazi ( I, 1171, and 'Abdin al-Marwazi (I, 312), apparently all referring to the same individual . However, he appears unidentifiable under any form of the name. TB, XI, 135 f., has a certain 'Abdin b. Muhammad al-Marwazi (b. 220/835, d. 293/906), a transmitter of Muqatil 's Tafsir, but he belonged to the generation of Tabari and was himself a student of Abu Kurayb and an authority of the Tabari biographer In Kimil . He could hardly be meant here. See also Horst, 304] -al-Husayn b. al-Faraj [400. Al-Husayn b. al-Faraj does not seem to be safely identifiable with al-Husayn b. al-Faraj al-Khayyat. See TB, VIII, 84-86; In Abi Hatim, I, 2, 62; In Hajar, Lisdn, II, 307 ; Horst, 304, n. 7.] –Abu Mu'adh [401. As indicated by Horst, 304, n. 8, Abu Mu'adh al-Fadl b. Khalid (see text below, I, 8o) died around 211/826 (7). See In al-Jazari , Ghdyah, II, 9; In Abi Hatim, III, 2, 61] -'Ubayd [402.'Ubayd (wrongly, it seems , Ubaydallah, see text below, I, 80) b. Sulayman is briefly listed in Tahdhib, VII, 67; Ibn Abi Hatim, II, 2, 408; Horst, 304, n. 9.] -al-Dahhak concerning God's word: "In a day whose measure is a thousand years of your counting": He means the day of the six days in which God created the heavens and the earth and what is between them.

  According to al-Muthanna-'Ali (b. al-Haytham)-al-Musayyab b. Sharik-Abu Rawq-al-Dahhak, commenting on: "And He is the One Who created the heavens and the earth in six days" [403. Qur. 11:7.] -of the days of the other world. The measure of each day is a thousand years. He began with the creation on Sunday, and the creation was all together on Friday (iftama'a - jum'ah). [404. Tafsir, XII, 4 (ad Qur. 11:7) contains a version of the tradition whose isnad omits the first two links mentioned above.],

  According to Ibn Humayd-Jarir (b. 'Abd al-Hamid)-alA'mash-Abu Salih-Kab: God began the creation of the heavens and the earth on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. He finished on Friday. He continued: God made each  day equal to a thousand years.

  According to al-Muthanna-al-Hajjaj-Abu 'Awanah-Abu  Bishr-Mujahid: One of the six days is "like a thousand years of your counting." [405. Qur. 32:5.]

CONTINUED