The present article aims to present the interpretations of verse 33 of the Chapter in relation to Imam Mahdi. It is said:
It is He Who hath sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest (it). (1)
A- Tafsir Majma’ al-Bayan by Shaykh Tabarsi
This verse concerns the reign of Islam over all the religions, and Shaykh Tabarsi reports several views and traditions which interpret the verse as a prediction of the return of Jesus and the reappearance of the Mahdi.
1- Shaykh Tabarsi (2) reports from Dhahhak that the expression “liyuzhirahu ‘ala al-din kullihi” (“to proclaim it over all religion”) refers to the time of the descent of ‘Isa ibn Maryam on the earth when the followers of all religions will become Muslims.
2- He then reports a tradition from Imam Baqir (fifth Imam) that this event will occur during the time of the reappearance of the Mahdi from the progeny of the Prophet when there will be no one left on the earth who did not accept the message of the Prophet Muhammad. (3)
3- The author also reports from Kalbi that there will be no religion left in the world unless Islam is victorious over it; this event is certain and the Day of Judgement will not occur until it takes place.
4- He reports from Miqdad ibn Aswad who said: “I heard from the Prophet who said: ‘There will be no house left in the world unless the word of Islam enters this house either with dignity or by force.” (4)
5- It is also reported from ibn ‘Abbas, says the author, that the pronoun hu in “liyuzhirahu ‘ala al-din kullihi” refers to the Prophet, which means that God will teach him all the religions so that nothing from the world’s religions will remain outside the Prophet’s knowledge.
B- Tafsir al-Mizan by Allama Tabataba’i
Tabataba’i (5) reports from the Tafsir Burhan reported from Shaykh al-Saduq who reported a tradition from Abi Bassir who said: “Imam Sadeq said, concerning the interpretation of this verse, that: ‘By God, the ta’wil of this verse has not yet been revealed, and will not be revealed until the rise of the al-Qa’im (Mahdi). When he rises, there will be no disbeliever in God or enemy of the Imams left, unless they are annoyed at the rise of the Imam (because he will put them up against the wall so that no one will escape). Even if a disbeliever hides behind a rock, the rock will say: ‘O believers, there is a non-believer hiding behind me, break me and kill him.’”(6)
The author says: “Such a tradition is also reported by al-‘Ayyashi from Abi al-Muqaddam from Abi Ja’far (fifth Imam) and also from Sama’ah from Imam Sadiq (sixth Imam). Shaykh Tabarsi also reported it from Abi Ja’far. In the Tafsir al-Qummi, it is reported that this verse was revealed about the al-Qa’im ale Muhammad (Mahdi) which means that the rise of the Imam is the ta’wil of this verse as we saw in the tradition reported from al-Saduq.”
The author then reports from the Sunnite sources: “It is reported in the al-Durr al-Manthur that Sa’id ibn Manthur, ibn Manzar, and Bayhaki reported in their Sunan from Jabir who said in the commentary of this verse: “What is said in the verse will not be realised unless there is no Jew or Christian or follower of any other religion apart from Islam left in the world, and also when sheep and wolves, lions and cows or humans and snakes will live together in peace and safety, and when mice no longer make holes in food sacks, and when taxes deducted from non-Muslims are eradicated, and crosses are destroyed and pigs are killed, and this will occur when ‘Isa ibn Maryam descends from heaven.”
Tabataba’i explains: “The reason for the abolition of taxes deductible from non-Muslims is that there will be no need for such taxes anymore at that time. There are also other traditions concerning the fact that there will be no more non-Muslims left in the world. Also, there are traditions which say that during the time of the Mahdi, he will abolish taxes levied on non-Muslims.”
NOTES:
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1. The Holy Quran 9:33.
2. Majma’ al-Bayan, Vol. 11, P. 73.
3. قال أبو جعفر: إن ذلك يكون عند خروج المهدي من آل محمد فلا يبقى أحد إلا أقر بمحمد
4. قال المقداد ابن الأسود سمعت رسول الله (ص) يقول لا يبقي على ظهر الأرض بيت مدر و لا وبر إلا أدخله الله كلمة الإسلام إما بعز عزيز و أما بذل ذليل … .
5. Al-Mizan: Vol. 9, P. 315.
6. قال أبو عبدالله في قوله عز و جل: هو الذي أرسل رسوله بالهدى و دين الحق… الآية, و الله ما نزل تأويلها بعد و لا ينزل تأويلها حتى يخرج القائم فإذا خرج القائم لم يبق كافر بالله و لا مشرك بالإمام إلا كره خروجه حتى لو كان الكافر في بطن صخرة قالت : يا مؤمن في بطني كافر فاكسرني و اقتله (تفسير الميزان، سورة التوبة 33
