Iqtiḍāʾ al-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm - Ibn Taimiya - (1/410)

Iqtiḍāʾ al-Ṣirāṭ al-MustaqīmIbn Taimiya

Section: On the distinction between resembling the unbelievers and devils, and resembling the Bedouins and non-Arabs
(People are classified as righteous and wicked, believer and unbeliever; lineage carries no weight.)

Know, then, that there is an important difference between imitating the unbelievers and the devils on the one hand, and imitating the Bedouins and the non-Arabs on the other—a difference that must be taken into account and explained in some detail.

Disbelief itself, and adopting satanic ways, are censured by God, His Messenger, and the believers. By contrast, being Bedouin or non-Arab in and of itself is not blameworthy before God, His Messenger, or the believers.

Indeed, the Bedouins fall into two categories.

Those marked by harshness and rough character. Concerning them, God says:
“The Bedouins are more severe in unbelief and hypocrisy and more likely to be ignorant of the limits that God has revealed to His Messenger. God is All-Knowing, All-Wise. Among the Bedouins are those who regard what they spend as a loss and who wait for calamities to befall you; upon them shall fall the evil calamity. God is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”
[al-Tawbah 9:97–98] (1)

He also says:
“Those Bedouins who stayed behind will say to you, ‘Our possessions and our families kept us busy, so ask forgiveness for us.’ They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say, ‘Who can avail you anything against God if He intends you harm or intends you benefit? Rather, God is fully aware of what you do. No, you assumed that the Messenger and the believers would never return to their families, and that assumption was made pleasing in your hearts. You harbored evil thoughts, and you became a ruined people.’”
[al-Fath 48:11–12] (2)

Those characterized by faith and righteousness. Concerning them, God says:
“Among the Bedouins are those who believe in God and the Last Day and regard what they spend as means of drawing near to God and as earning the prayers of the Messenger. Surely it is a means of drawing near for them; God will admit them into His mercy. God is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
[al-Tawbah 9:99] (3)

(1) Surah al-Tawbah: verses 97–98. (2) Surah al-Fath: verses 11–12. (3) Surah al-Tawbah: verse 99.

[فصل في الفرق بين التشبه بالكفار والشياطين وبين التشبه بالأعراب والأعاجم] [الناس ينقسمون إلى بر وفاجر ومؤمن وكافر ولا عبرة بالنسب] فصل واعلم أن بين التشبه بالكفار والشياطين، وبين التشبه بالأعراب والأعاجم فرقا يجب اعتباره، وإجمالا يحتاج إلى تفسير، وذلك: أن نفس الكفر والتشيطن مذموم في حكم الله ورسوله وعباده المؤمنين، ونفس الأعرابية والأعجمية ليست مذمومة في نفسها عند الله تعالى وعند رسوله وعند عباده المؤمنين، بل الأعراب منقسمون: إلى أهل جفاء، قال الله فيهم: {الْأَعْرَابُ أَشَدُّ كُفْرًا وَنِفَاقًا وَأَجْدَرُ أَلَّا يَعْلَمُوا حُدُودَ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ - وَمِنَ الْأَعْرَابِ مَنْ يَتَّخِذُ مَا يُنْفِقُ مَغْرَمًا وَيَتَرَبَّصُ بِكُمُ الدَّوَائِرَ عَلَيْهِمْ دَائِرَةُ السَّوْءِ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ} [التوبة: ٩٧ - ٩٨] (١) . وقال تعالى فيهم: {سَيَقُولُ لَكَ الْمُخَلَّفُونَ مِنَ الْأَعْرَابِ شَغَلَتْنَا أَمْوَالُنَا وَأَهْلُونَا فَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا يَقُولُونَ بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ مَا لَيْسَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ قُلْ فَمَنْ يَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا إِنْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ ضَرًّا أَوْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ نَفْعًا بَلْ كَانَ اللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا - بَلْ ظَنَنْتُمْ أَنْ لَنْ يَنْقَلِبَ الرَّسُولُ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَى أَهْلِيهِمْ أَبَدًا وَزُيِّنَ ذَلِكَ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ وَظَنَنْتُمْ ظَنَّ السَّوْءِ وَكُنْتُمْ قَوْمًا بُورًا} [الفتح: ١١ - ١٢] (٢) . وإلى أهل إيمان وبر، قال الله فيهم: {وَمِنَ الْأَعْرَابِ مَنْ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَيَتَّخِذُ مَا يُنْفِقُ قُرُبَاتٍ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَصَلَوَاتِ الرَّسُولِ أَلَا إِنَّهَا قُرْبَةٌ لَهُمْ سَيُدْخِلُهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي رَحْمَتِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ} [التوبة: ٩٩] (٣) .

(١) سورة التوبة: الآيتان ٩٧، ٩٨. (٢) سورة الفتح: الآيتان ١١، ١٢. (٣) سورة التوبة: الآية ٩٩.