Risala fi Usul al-Din - Ibn Taimiya - (11)

Risala fi Usul al-DinIbn Taimiya

recognizes real, external possibility in three ways: sometimes through his knowledge that the thing already exists; sometimes through his knowledge that something comparable exists; and sometimes through his knowledge that something even greater exists—for once the greater is realized, the existence of what is lesser is all the more plausible.

Yet once it is shown that a thing is possible, it is still necessary to establish that the Lord is able to bring it about. Mere awareness of its possibility does not suffice to prove that it will in fact occur unless one also knows that the Lord possesses the power to do so.

The Qur’an sets all of this out, for example, in His words:

“Have they not considered that Allah, who created the heavens and the earth, is able to create others like them? He has fixed for them a term about which there is no doubt; yet the wrongdoers persist in nothing but denial.” (Al-Isrāʾ 17:99)

“Is not He who created the heavens and the earth able to create the likes of them? Indeed, He is the All-Creator, the All-Knowing.” (Yā-Sīn 36:81)

“Have they not seen that Allah, who created the heavens and the earth and was not wearied by their creation, is able to give life to the dead? Yes indeed—He is powerful over all things.” (Al-Aḥqāf 46:33)

“The creation of the heavens and the earth is far greater than the creation of mankind.” (Ghāfir 40:57)

Intuition itself tells us that bringing the heavens and the earth into being is more momentous than creating the likes of the children of Adam; power sufficient for the greater certainly suffices for the lesser, whose possibility and realizability are therefore even more evident.

The Qur’an also argues from the first origination of creation, as in His saying: “He is the One who originates creation, then brings it back, and to Him it is even easier.” (Ar-Rūm 30:27) Immediately afterwards He says: “To Him belongs the highest similitude in the heavens and the earth.” (Ar-Rūm 30:27) And He says: “If you are in doubt about the Resurrection, then We created you from dust…” (Al-Ḥajj 22:5).

يعلم الإمكان الخارجي: تارة بعلمه بوجود الشيء، وتارة بعلمه بوجود نظيره، وتارة بعلمه بوجود ما هو أبلغ منه، فإن وجود الشئ دليل على أن ما هو دونه أولى بالإمكان منه. ثم إنه إذا بين كون الشيء ممكنا فلا بد من بيان قدرة الرب عليه، وإلا فمجرد العلم بإمكانه لا يكفي في إمكان وقوعه إن لم تعلم قدرة الرب على ذلك. فبين سبحانه هذا كله بمثل قوله: ﴿أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ أَنَّ اللهَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ قَادِرٌ عَلَى أَن يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَهُمْ أَجَلاً لاَّ رَيْبَ فِيهِ فَأَبَى الظَّالِمُونَ إَلاَّ كُفُورًا﴾ [الإسراء: ٩٩] وقوله: ﴿أَوَلَيْسَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَى أَنْ يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُم بَلَى وَهُوَ الْخَلَّاقُ الْعَلِيمُ﴾ وقوله: ﴿أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَلَمْ يَعْيَ بِخَلْقِهِنَّ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَى أَنْ يُحْيِيَ الْمَوْتَى بَلَى إِنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾ [الأحقاف: ٣٣] وقوله: ﴿لَخَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ﴾ [غافر: ٥٧] فإنه من المعلوم ببداهة العقول أن خلق السموات والأرض أعظم من خلق أمثال بني آدم، والقدرة عليه أبلغ، وأن هذا الأيسر أولى بالإمكان، والقدرة من ذلك. وكذلك استدلالة على ذلك بالنشأة الأولى في مثل قوله: ﴿وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَيْهِ﴾ [الروم: ٢٧] ولهذا قال بعد ذلك: ﴿وَلَهُ الْمَثَلُ الْأَعْلَى فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ﴾ [الروم: ٢٧] وقال: ﴿إِن كُنتُمْ فِي رَيْبٍ مِّنَ الْبَعْثِ فَإِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن تُرَابٍ﴾ الآية [الحج: ٥] .