Risala fi Usul al-Din - Ibn Taimiya - (21)

Risala fi Usul al-DinIbn Taimiya

in their own terminology, and then one must compare those meanings with the meanings conveyed by the Book and the Sunnah, so that agreement and contradiction become evident.

As for the questioner’s remark, “If it is said that such discussion is permissible, on what basis? We have understood from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—a prohibition against speaking about certain topics,” the reply is this: clarification and detail have already been provided in answer to the question. Whatever is, in reality, among the true fundamentals of the religion with which Allah sent His Messenger may never, under any circumstance, be proscribed. This contrasts with matters that people merely label “the fundamentals of the religion” although, in truth, they are not fundamentals at all—neither as evidences nor as issues—or else they are foundations of a religion that Allah has not legislated, devised by those who invent in religion what Allah has not authorized.

With respect to the prohibition the questioner cited, the Book and the Sunnah forbid several things:

Speaking about Allah without knowledge, as He says:
“Say, ‘My Lord has only forbidden indecencies—open or hidden—sin, unjust aggression, associating with Allah that for which He has sent down no authority, and saying about Allah what you do not know.’” (al-Aʿraf 7:33)
and: “Do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge.” (al-Isrāʾ 17:36)
Saying of Allah anything other than the truth, as in His words:
“Was it not taken from them, in the covenant of the Scripture, that they would say of Allah nothing but the truth?” (al-Aʿraf 7:169)
and: “Do not exceed the bounds in your religion and do not say of Allah anything but the truth.” (al-Nisāʾ 4:171)
Disputing without knowledge, as He says:
“Here you are—those who argued about matters of which you had some knowledge—so why do you now argue about what you have no knowledge of?” (Āl ʿImrān 3:66)
Contending about the truth after it has become clear, as in His words:
“They dispute with you concerning the truth after it has become manifest.” (al-Anfāl 8:6)

بألفاظهم. ثم اعتبار هذه المعاني بهذه المعاني ليظهر الموافق والمخالف. وأما قول السائل فإن قيل بالجواز: فما وجهه، وقد فهمنا منه ﵇ النهي عن الكلام في بعض المسائل؟ فيقال: قد تقدم الاستفسار والتفصيل في جواب السؤال، وأن ما هو في الحقيقة أصول الدين الذي بعث الله به رسوله فلا يجوز أن ينهى عنها بحال، بخلاف ما سمى أصول الدين وليس هو أصولا في الحقيقة لا دلائل ولا مسائل. أو هو أصول لدين لم يشرعه الله بل شرعه من شرع من الدين ما لم يأذن به الله. وأما ما ذكره السائل من نهيه فالذي جاء به الكتاب والسنة النهي عن أمور. منها القول على الله بلا علم، كقوله: ﴿قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِكُواْ بِاللهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَن تَقُولُواْ عَلَى اللهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ﴾ [الأعراف: ٣٣] وقوله: ﴿وَلاَ تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ﴾ [الإسراء: ٣٦] ومنها أن يقال عليه غير الحق كقوله: ﴿أَلَمْ يُؤْخَذْ عَلَيْهِم مِّيثَاقُ الْكِتَابِ أَن لاَّ يِقُولُواْ عَلَى اللهِ إِلاَّ الْحَقَّ﴾ [الأعراف: ١٦٩] وقوله: ﴿لاَ تَغْلُواْ فِي دِينِكُمْ وَلاَ تَقُولُواْ عَلَى اللهِ إِلاَّ الْحَقِّ﴾ [النساء: ١٧١] ومنها الجدل بغير علم كقوله: ﴿هَاأَنتُمْ هَؤُلاء حَاجَجْتُمْ فِيمَا لَكُم بِهِ عِلمٌ فَلِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِيمَا لَيْسَ لَكُم بِهِ عِلْمٌ﴾ [آل عمران: ٦٦] ومنها الجدل في الحق بعد ظهوره كقوله: ﴿يُجَادِلُونَكَ فِي الْحَقِّ بَعْدَمَا تَبَيَّنَ﴾ [الأنفال: ٦] .