Verse No. 16

“A rope from Allah is His Book, and a rope from people is His caliph.”

قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى:

﴿ضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ أَيْنَ مَا ثُقِفُوا إِلَّا بِحَبْلٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَحَبْلٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ﴾[1]

Translation:

Allah Almighty has said:

They are struck by ignominy wherever they are found, except with a rope from Allah and a rope from people.

Consideration

أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْبَارِئِ الْقَنْدَهَارِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿ضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ أَيْنَ مَا ثُقِفُوا إِلَّا بِحَبْلٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَحَبْلٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ﴾، فَقَالَ: الْحَبْلُ مِنَ اللَّهِ كِتَابُهُ وَالْحَبْلُ مِنَ النَّاسِ خَلِيفَتُهُ، قُلْتُ: أَمَّا كِتَابُهُ فَقَدْ عَرَفْتُهُ، وَلَكِنْ مَنْ خَلِيفَتُهُ؟ قَالَ: هُوَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ يُبَيِّنُ لِلنَّاسِ كِتَابَهُ حَتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ، أَلَمْ تَسْمَعْ قَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ إِنْ تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِمَا لَنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدِي، أَحَدُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْآخَرِ: كِتَابُ اللَّهِ حَبْلٌ مَمْدُودٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَعِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي، وَإِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ»؟! قُلْتُ: هَذَا وَاللَّهِ لَقَوْلٌ قَوِيٌّ، وَلَكِنَّ الْمُفَسِّرِينَ لَا يَقُولُونَ بِهَذَا، قَالَ: أَفَتَعْبُدُ الْمُفَسِّرِينَ؟ قُلْتُ: لَا، قَالَ: فَإِلَيْهِمْ تُحْشَرُ فَيُعَذِّبُونَكَ؟ قُلْتُ: لَا، قَالَ: فَيُغْنُونَ عَنْكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ اللَّهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ؟ قُلْتُ: لَا، قَالَ: فَقُلْ بِالْحَقِّ وَدَعْ أَقْوَالَ الْمُفَسِّرِينَ.

Translation:

Abu Bakr ibn Abd al-Bari al-Qandahari informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty Who says: “They are struck by ignominy wherever they are found, except with a rope from Allah and a rope from people.” So he said: “A rope from Allah is His Book, and a rope from people is His caliph.” I said: “I know His Book. But who is His caliph?” He said: “He is a man from the Ahl al-Bayt who explains His Book to people until the Day of Judgment arrives. Have you not heard the statement of the Messenger of Allah who said: ‘I leave among you two weighty treasures. If you hold firmly to them, you will never go astray after me. One of them is greater than the other: the Book of Allah, which is a rope stretched from the heavens to the Earth, and my Itrah, (who are) my Ahl al-Bayt. And these two will never be separated until they come to me by the Pond’[2]?!” I said: “By Allah, this is a strong statement, but those who interpret (the Quran) do not say like this.” He said: “Do you worship interpreters?” I said: “No.” He said: “Then will you be gathered toward them, and will they punish you?” I said: “No.” He said: “Then will they bear any of Allah’s punishment on your behalf?” I said: “No.” He said: “Then accept the truth and leave the words of interpreters.”