Iqtiḍāʾ al-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm - Ibn Taimiya - (2/202)

Iqtiḍāʾ al-Ṣirāṭ al-MustaqīmIbn Taimiya

This worship carried out at graves falls under the heading of associating with Allah something for which He has sent down no authority, for Allah has revealed no proof that intentionally seeking out graves for supplication is recommended or possesses any special merit over other places. Whoever considers such a practice part of the religion of Allah is, in fact, speaking about Allah without knowledge.

How telling, then, is His statement:

“ … for which He has sent down no authority.” (Sūrat al-Aʿrāf, 7:33)

—so that no one may cite analogies or narratives as proof.

Along the same lines are His words relating the story of the Friend of Allah, Abraham:

“His people disputed with him, and he said, ‘Do you argue with me about Allah when He has already guided me? I do not fear what you associate with Him, unless my Lord wills otherwise; my Lord encompasses all things in knowledge—will you not take heed? And how should I fear what you associate, while you yourselves do not fear that you have associated with Allah partners for which He has sent down no authority? Which of the two parties has a better right to security, if you only knew? Those who believe and do not mix their faith with wrongdoing—it is they who shall have security, and they are rightly guided. That is Our proof which We granted to Abraham against his people. We raise in rank whom We will; surely your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.’” (Sūrat al-Anʿām, 6:80-83)

The polytheists—whether their shirk is of the greater or lesser kind—seek to frighten the sincere with their so-called intercessors. They are answered: “We do not fear your intercessors, for they are merely creatures among the creatures of Allah; they cannot harm except by Allah’s permission. If He afflicts anyone with harm, none can lift it but Him; and if He shows mercy to anyone, none can withhold His favor. How, then, can we fear these created beings whom you have made intercessors while you yourselves do not fear Allah, having introduced into His religion forms of shirk for which He has…"

(1) In MS T: ma la yaʿlamuhu (what he does not know). (2) Quran, Surah al-Anʿam 6:80–83. (3) In MS T: bishafaʿatihim (by their intercession); this is probably a copyist’s error. (4) In MS A: fa-qala lahum (then he said to them). (5) In the printed edition: wa-antum qad ahdath-tum (and you have introduced innovations).

وهذه العبادة عند المقابر نوع من أن يشرك بالله ما لم ينزل به سلطانًا، لأن الله لم ينزل حجة تتضمن استحباب قصد الدعاء عند القبور وفضله على غيره. ومن جعل ذلك من دين الله فقد قال على الله ما لا يعلم (١) . وما أحسن قوله تعالى: {مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا} [الأعراف: ٣٣] لئلا يحتج بالمقاييس والحكايات. ومثل هذا قوله تعالى في حكايته عن الخليل: {وَحَاجَّهُ قَوْمُهُ قَالَ أَتُحَاجُّونِّي فِي اللَّهِ وَقَدْ هَدَانِي وَلَا أَخَافُ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ بِهِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ رَبِّي شَيْئًا وَسِعَ رَبِّي كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا أَفَلَا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ - وَكَيْفَ أَخَافُ مَا أَشْرَكْتُمْ وَلَا تَخَافُونَ أَنَّكُمْ أَشْرَكْتُمْ بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَانًا فَأَيُّ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ أَحَقُّ بِالْأَمْنِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ - الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُولَئِكَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْنُ وَهُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ - وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنَا آتَيْنَاهَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مَنْ نَشَاءُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ} [الأنعام: ٨٠ - ٨٣] (٢) . فإن هؤلاء المشركين الشرك الأكبر والأصغر يخوفون المخلصين بشفعائهم (٣) فيقال لهم (٤) نحن لا نخاف هؤلاء الشفعاء الذين لكم، فإنهم خلق من خلق الله، لا يضرون إلا بعد مشيئة الله، فمن مسه بضر فلا كاشف له إلا هو، ومن أصابه برحمة فلا راد لفضله وكيف نخاف هؤلاء المخلوقين الذين جعلتموهم شفعاء وأنتم لا تخافون الله، وقد أحدثتم (٥) في دينه من الشرك ما لم

(١) في (ط) : ما لا يعلمه. (٢) سورة الأنعام: الآيات ٨٠ - ٨٣. (٣) في (ط) : بشفعاتهم، ولعله تحريف من الناسخ. (٤) في (أ) : فقال لهم. (٥) في المطبوعة: وأنتم قد أحدثتم.