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KFGQPC HAFS

Mahmoud Khaleel Al-Husary

Ibn Kathir (Abridged)

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran

Dr. Mustafa Khattab

Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:

1. It was because of sins they had committed. They were told: "Enter the town" and "Enter the gate in prostration; We will forgive your sins". [Wahb]
2. They became tired of eating manna and quails (*al-mann wa al-salwā*), so they were told: "Go down to a town". The first town they encountered was Jericho (*Arīḥā*), and they were commanded to enter it.

Why were they commanded to enter the city?

Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:

1. Moses addressed this command to them after the forty years had passed.
2. The prophet Joshua (*Yūshaʿ ibn Nūn*) addressed them with this command after the death of Moses.

Who addressed the Israelites with the command to "Enter this city"?

Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:

1. It refers to Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem). [Ibn Masʿūd, Ibn ʿAbbās, Qatāda, al-Suddī] It has also been narrated from Ibn ʿAbbās that it refers to Jericho. Al-Suddī states that Jericho is part of the vicinity of Bayt al-Maqdis.
2. It refers to a village nearby the Levant (al-Shām). [Wahb]

Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:

1. It means "seek forgiveness". Ibn Qutaybah explained that it is a word they were commanded to say in the sense of seeking forgiveness, derived from (*ḥaṭṭa*), meaning: "remove from us our sins" (*ḥuṭṭa ʿannā dhunūbanā*). [Ibn ʿAbbās, Wahb]
2. It means "Say: this matter is true as you were told". [Al-Ḍaḥḥāk from Ibn ʿAbbās]
3. It means 'there is no god but Allah'. Ibn Jarīr al-Ṭabarī explains, saying, "The meaning then would be: say that which will remove (*yaḥuṭṭu*) from you your sins, and that is the statement 'there is no god but Allah'."

What is the meaning of the word *"ḥiṭṭah"* mentioned in this āyah?