Iqtiḍāʾ al-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm - Ibn Taimiya - (1/114)

Iqtiḍāʾ al-Ṣirāṭ al-MustaqīmIbn Taimiya

nor in meaning.

Hence, the sounder view is that the particle of comparison (kāf) relates to everything that has been mentioned—both the deed and its recompense—so that the resemblance embraces them both in explicit wording (1).

According to the two earlier opinions, the verse points to one of the two matters explicitly and to the other implicitly, by necessary entailment (2).

Should you adopt the method of the Kufan grammarians in this regard, the expression would be even more forceful and elegant, for the wording of the verse would then itself indicate likeness in both matters without any omission. Otherwise one must supply an ellipsis such as, “your condition is like the condition of those before you,” and the like. This is the view of those who paraphrase it as, “You are like those who came before you” (3).

This is not the place for a more extensive discussion (4), for our present aim lies elsewhere.

The resemblance observed in these people (5) stands opposite to what Allah has described of the believers when He said, “and they obey Allah and His Messenger” (Q 9:71) (6); for obedience to Allah and His Messenger is incompatible with resembling those who preceded (7). Allah, Exalted is He, said:

“[You are] like those before you: they were mightier than you in strength and greater in wealth and children. They enjoyed their allotted share, and you have enjoyed your share just as those before you enjoyed their share, and you plunged [into falsehood] as they plunged.” (Q 9:69) (8)

Thus, the address in His words, “They were mightier than you in strength” (Q 9:69) and in His words, “so you enjoyed” (Q 9:69)

(1) The printed edition reads: lafziyyan (“verbally”). (2) Manuscript B adds: “it would have indicated a resemblance between two matters, one of them … Then he said: ‘And if you pursue …’ etc.” (3) Manuscripts C and D read: fayudman (“he would be liable”). (4) Manuscripts A, B, and the printed edition read: “This space does not allow for a fuller exposition than this.” (5) The reference is to the hypocrites. (6) Quran, Surah al-Tawbah, part of verse 71. (7) The printed edition reads: min qablikum (“before you”). (8) Quran, Surah al-Tawbah, part of verse 69.

ولا في معنى؛ فإذن: الأحسن أن تتعلق الكاف بمجموع ما تقدم: من العمل والجزاء، فيكون التشبيه فيهما لفظا (١) . وعلى القولين الأولين: يكون قد دل على أحدهما لفظا، على الآخر لزوما (٢) . وإن سلكت طريقة الكوفيين - على هذا - كان أبلغ وأحسن؛ فإن لفظ الآية يكون قد دل على المشابهة في الأمرين من غير حذف، وإلا فيضمر (٣) حالكم كحال الذين من قبلكم، ونحو ذلك، وهو قول من قدره: أنتم كالذين من قبلكم. ولا يسع هذا المكان بسطا أكثر من هذا (٤) فإن الغرض متعلق بغيره. وهذه المشابهة في هؤلاء (٥) بإزاء ما وصف الله به المؤمنين من قوله: {وَيُطِيعُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ} [التوبة: ٧١] (٦) فإن طاعة الله ورسوله تنافي مشابهة الذين من قبل (٧) قال سبحانه: {كَالَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ كَانُوا أَشَدَّ مِنْكُمْ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرَ أَمْوَالًا وَأَوْلَادًا فَاسْتَمْتَعُوا بِخَلَاقِهِمْ فَاسْتَمْتَعْتُمْ بِخَلَاقِكُمْ كَمَا اسْتَمْتَعَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ بِخَلَاقِهِمْ وَخُضْتُمْ كَالَّذِي خَاضُوا} [التوبة: ٦٩] (٨) . فالخطاب في قوله: {كَانُوا أَشَدَّ مِنْكُمْ قُوَّةً} [التوبة: ٦٩] وقوله: {فَاسْتَمْتَعْتُمْ} [التوبة: ٦٩]

(١) في المطبوعة: لفظيا. (٢) في (ب) زاد: يكون قد دل على مشابهة أمرين أحدهما. ثم قال: وإن سلكت. . إلخ. (٣) في (ج د) : فيضمن. (٤) في (أب ط) : ولا يتسع هذا المكان لبسط هذا أكثر من هذا. (٥) الإشارة إلى المنافقين. (٦) سورة التوبة: من الآية ٧١. (٧) في المطبوعة: من قبلكم. (٨) سورة التوبة: من الآية: ٦٩.