Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (4/29)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

If it is asked: Is there any evil in good?

The answer is: Yes; there may be evil in it. Blessings may lead to exultance and insolence, and thus turn into evil. How many a person was upright, then Allah bestowed blessings upon him, and those blessings led him to arrogantly reject the truth and look down on people, so he perished. Read the saying of Allah, Most High:

“And We test you with evil and with good as a trial.” [Surat al-Anbiya: 35]

“Indeed, You decree, and none can decree over You. Indeed, whoever You befriend will never be humiliated, and whoever You oppose will never be mighty ...”

His saying, “Indeed, You decree, and none can decree over You,” means that Allah, Most High, decrees whatever He wills, and no one can decree or pass judgment over Allah. Allah, Most High, says:

“And Allah judges with truth, while those whom they invoke besides Him judge nothing. Indeed, Allah is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.” [Surat Ghafir]

His saying, “Indeed, whoever You befriend will never be humiliated,” means that one whom You befriend will not be overtaken by humiliation or forsaken. What is meant is the special guardianship mentioned in the saying of Allah, Most High:

“Unquestionably, the allies of Allah will have no fear, nor will they grieve—those who believe and are mindful of Allah.” [Surat Yunus: 62]

His saying, “and whoever You oppose will never be mighty,” means that one whom You oppose will not prevail; rather, he is humiliated. For whoever is befriended by Allah is granted victory, as Allah, Most High, says:

“Indeed, We shall surely aid Our messengers and those who believe in the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand.” [Surat Ghafir]

And Allah, Most High, says:

“And Allah will surely aid those who aid His cause. Indeed, Allah is surely All-Powerful, Almighty—those who, if We establish them in the land, establish prayer, give zakah, enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong. And to Allah belongs the outcome of all matters.” [Surat al-Hajj]

As for one whom Allah opposes, he is humiliated; for when Allah grants victory to His allies, it is against His enemies. Thus, might belongs to the allies, and humiliation to the enemies.

فإن قيل: وهل في الخير من شرٍّ؟ فالجواب: نعم؛ قد يكون فيه شرٌّ، فتكون النِّعَمُ سبباً للأَشَرِ والبَطَرِ؛ فتنقلبُ شرًّا، فكم من إنسانٍ كان مستقيماً؛ أنعمَ اللهُ عليه، فحملته النِّعَمُ على الاستكبار عن الحقِّ وعلى الخَلْقِ فهَلك. واقرأْ قول الله تعالى: ﴿وَنَبْلُوكُمْ بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً﴾ [الأنبياء: ٣٥]. إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلَا يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ، إِنَّهُ لَا يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ، وَلَا يَعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَيْتَ ...... قوله: «إنكَ تَقضي ولا يُقضى عليك» فالله ﷾ يَقضي بما أرادَ، ولا أحدٌ يَقضي على الله ويَحكمُ عليه، قال الله تعالى: ﴿وَاللَّهُ يَقْضِي بِالْحَقِّ وَالَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ لَا يَقْضُونَ بِشَيْءٍ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ *﴾ [غافر]. قوله: «إِنَّهُ لا يَذِلُّ من وَالَيْتَ» أي: لا يلْحَقُ مَنْ واليتَهُ ذُلٌّ وخُذلان، والمراد: الولاية الخاصَّة المذكورة في قوله تعالى: ﴿أَلَا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ (٦٢) الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ﴾. [يونس] قوله: «ولا يَعِزُّ مَنْ عاديت» أي: لا يَغلِبُ مَنْ عاديته، بل هو ذليلٌ؛ لأَنَّ مَنْ والاه الله فهو منصورٌ، كما قال الله تعالى: ﴿إِنَّا لَنَنْصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ يَقُومُ الأَشْهَادُ *﴾ [غافر] وقال الله تعالى: ﴿وَلَيَنْصُرَنَّ اللَّهُ مَنْ يَنْصُرُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَقَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ﴾ ﴿الَّذِينَ إِنْ مَكَّنَّاهُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ أَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَمَرُوا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَنَهَوْا عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَلِلَّهِ عَاقِبَةُ الأُمُورِ *﴾ [الحج] وأمَّا مَنْ عاداه اللهُ فهو ذليلٌ؛ لأنَّ الله إذا نَصَرَ أولياءَه فعلى أعدائه. إذاً؛ فالعِزُّ للأولياءِ، والذُّلُّ للأعداء.