Risala fi Usul al-Din - Ibn Taimiya - (28)

Risala fi Usul al-DinIbn Taimiya

about what he brought. Thus, anyone who denies the message he came with is an unbeliever, and a person may still be an unbeliever even if he does not deny it, so long as he does not believe in it.

For this reason Allah has stated, in many places in His Book, that misguidance and punishment await whoever turns away from what He has sent down—even if such a person busies himself with reflection, debate, and strenuous rational inquiry in other matters. He counts this attitude among the hallmarks of the unbelievers and the hypocrites. The Almighty says:

“We granted them hearing, sight, and hearts, yet neither their hearing nor their sight nor their hearts availed them in the least, because they persisted in rejecting the signs of Allah, and that which they had been ridiculing encompassed them.” (Q 46:26)

He also says:

“When their messengers came to them with clear proofs, they rejoiced in the knowledge they possessed, but that which they had been scoffing at engulfed them. Then, when they beheld Our might, they cried, ‘We believe in Allah alone, and we reject all that we used to associate with Him.’ But their faith was of no benefit to them once they had seen Our might—such is the way of Allah that has already passed concerning His servants—there and then the unbelievers were doomed.” (Q 40:83–85)

And He says:

“Those who dispute the signs of Allah without any authority having come to them are greatly detested by Allah and by those who believe.” (Q 40:35)

And He says:

“In their breasts is nothing but arrogant pride which they shall never attain, so seek refuge with Allah.” (Q 40:56)

Here ‘authority’ (sulṭān) means the proof sent down from Allah, as He says: “Have We sent down to them an authority that speaks of the partners they ascribe?” (Q 30:35); and: “Or do you have a clear authority? Then bring your scripture, if you are truthful.” (Q 37:156–157); and: “They are but names you and your fathers have coined, for which Allah has sent down no authority.” (Q 53:23)

Furthermore, the Exalted challenged anyone who adopts a religion, saying: “Bring me a Book revealed before this, or some surviving remnant of knowledge, if you are truthful.” (Q 46:4)

Hence: the criterion is the Book, the Book itself; and the atharah (remnant) of knowledge, as some of the early generations explained,

فيما جاء به فكل مكذب بما جاء به فهو كافر. وقد يكون كافرًا من لا يكذبه إذا لم يؤمن به. ولهذا أخبر الله في غير موضع من كتابه بالضلال والعذاب لمن ترك اتباع ما أنزله وإن كان له نظر، وجدل، واجتهاد في عقليات وأمور غير ذلك، جعل ذلك من نعوت الكفار والمنافقين قال تعالى: ﴿وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ سَمْعًا وَأَبْصَارًا وَأَفْئِدَةً فَمَا أَغْنَى عَنْهُمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَلَا أَبْصَارُهُمْ وَلَا أَفْئِدَتُهُم مِّن شَيْءٍ إِذْ كَانُوا يَجْحَدُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِؤُون﴾ [الأحقاف: ٢٦] وقال تعالى: ﴿فَلَمَّا جَاءتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَرِحُوا بِمَا عِندَهُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِؤُون فَلَمَّا رَأَوْا بَأْسَنَا قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ وَكَفَرْنَا بِمَا كُنَّا بِهِ مُشْرِكِينَ فَلَمْ يَكُ يَنفَعُهُمْ إِيمَانُهُمْ لَمَّا رَأَوْا بَأْسَنَا سُنَّتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي قَدْ خَلَتْ فِي عِبَادِهِ وَخَسِرَ هُنَالِكَ الْكَافِرُونَ﴾ [غافر: ٨٣: ٨٥] . وقال تعالى: ﴿الَّذِينَ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي آيَاتِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ سُلْطَانٍ أَتَاهُمْ كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّهِ وَعِندَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا﴾ [غافر: ٣٥] . وقال تعالى: ﴿إِن فِي صُدُورِهِمْ إِلَّا كِبْرٌ مَّا هُم بِبَالِغِيهِ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ﴾ [غافر: ٥٦] والسلطان هو الحجة المنزلة من عند الله كما قال تعالى: ﴿أَمْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَانًا فَهُوَ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِمَا كَانُوا بِهِ يُشْرِكُونَ﴾ [الروم: ٣٥] وقال تعالى: ﴿أَمْ لَكُمْ سُلْطَانٌ مُّبِينٌ فَأْتُوا بِكِتَابِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ﴾ [الصافات: ١٥٦،١٥٧] وقال تعالى: ﴿إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا أَسْمَاء سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُم مَّا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَانٍ﴾ [النجم: ٢٣] . وقد طالب سبحانه من اتخذ دينا بقوله: ﴿اِئْتُونِي بِكِتَابٍ مِّن قَبْلِ هَذَا أَوْ أَثَارَةٍ مِّنْ عِلْمٍ﴾ [الأحقاف: ٤] . فالكتاب الكتاب، والأثارة كما قال من قال من السلف: