Iqtiḍāʾ al-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm - Ibn Taimiya - (2/316)

Iqtiḍāʾ al-Ṣirāṭ al-MustaqīmIbn Taimiya

Their supply of fresh water ran out, so they asked the Muslims to give them drinking water in exchange for lifting the siege. The Muslim commanders consulted among themselves and said, “No—we will leave them until thirst weakens them, then we can take them.” The besiegers therefore turned to heaven for rain; they appealed to Allah, and He gave them water. Some of the common people were shaken by this. The ruler said to one of the men of insight, “Calm the people.” The man had a pulpit set up and proclaimed:

“O Allah, we know that these men are among those whose provision You have guaranteed, as You have said in Your Book: ‘There is no creature on earth but its provision rests with Allah’ (Hūd 11:6). They called upon You in desperation, and You are the One who answers the distressed when he calls upon You. You quenched their thirst because You guaranteed their sustenance and because they invoked You in dire need—not because You love them or their religion. Now we ask You to show us a sign that will strengthen faith in the hearts of Your believing servants.”

Allah thereupon sent a wind that destroyed them—or something to that effect.

From this same category is the person who prays with aggression: he asks for what is unfit, or makes supplications that involve disobedience to Allah, whether idolatry or otherwise. If part of his request is granted, he imagines this a proof that his deed is righteous, just like one who is given respite and supplied with wealth and children, thinking that this is Allah’s hastening of good to him.

The Most High says:

“Do they imagine that, by providing them with wealth and children, We are racing to bless them with good things? No indeed; they do not perceive.” (al-Muʾminūn 23:55–56)

He also says:

“But when they forgot the warning they had received, We opened for them the gates of all things. Then, just as they were rejoicing in what had been given to them, We seized them suddenly, and there they were, plunged in despair.” (al-Anʿām 6:44)

And He says:

“Let not those who disbelieve think that the respite We grant them is good for them; We grant them respite only that they may increase in sin, and for them is a humiliating punishment.” (Āl ʿImrān 3:178)

(1) That is, they consulted one another. (2) In MS T: awlaika al-nasara ("those Christians"). (3) Quran, Surah Hud 11:6 (partial). (4) I have not found this story in any of the sources I consulted. (5) In MS T: i'tada ("he transgressed"). (6) Quran, Surah al-Mu'minun 23:55–56. (7) Quran, Surah al-An'am 6:44. (8) Quran, Surah Al 'Imran 3:178.

ماؤهم العذب، فطلبوا من المسلمين أن يزودوهم بماء عذب ليرجعوا عنهم، فاشتور (١) ولاة أمر المسلمين، وقالوا: بل ندعهم حتى يضعفهم العطش فنأخذهم، فقام أولئك (٢) فاستسقوا ودعوا الله فسقاهم، فاضطرب بعض العامة، فقال الملك لبعض العارفين: أدرك الناس فأمر بنصب منبر له وقال: اللهم إنا نعلم أن هؤلاء من الذين تكفلت بأرزاقهم كما قلت في كتابك: {وَمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا} [هود: ٦] (٣) وقد دعوك مضطرين، وأنت تجيب المضطر إذا دعاك، فأسقيتهم؛ لما تكفلت به من رزقهم، ولما دعوك مضطرين لا لأنك تحبهم، ولا تحب دينهم، والآن فنريد أن ترينا آية يثبت بها الإيمان في قلوب عبادك المؤمنين. فأرسل الله عليهم ريحا فأهلكتهم، أو نحو هذا (٤) . ومن هذا الباب: من قد يدعو دعاء يعتدي (٥) فيه، إما بطلب ما لا يصلح، أو بالدعاء الذي فيه معصية الله، شرك أو غيره، فإذا حصل بعض غرضه؛ ظن أن ذلك دليل على أن عمله صالح، بمنزلة من أُملي له، وأُمد بالمال والبنين، يظن أن ذلك مسارعة له في الخيرات. قال تعالى: {أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ - نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ بَل لَا يَشْعُرُونَ} [المؤمنون: ٥٥ - ٥٦] (٦) وقال تعالى {فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُبْلِسُونَ} [الأنعام: ٤٤] (٧) وقال تعالى {وَلَا يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ خَيْرٌ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ إِنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ لِيَزْدَادُوا إِثْمًا وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُهِينٌ} [آل عمران: ١٧٨] (٨)

(١) أي تشاوروا. (٢) في (ط) : أولئك النصارى. (٣) سورة هود: من الآية ٦. (٤) لم أجد هذه القصة في المصادر التي اطلعت عليها. (٥) في (ط) : اعتدى. (٦) سورة المؤمنون: الآيتان ٥٥، ٥٦. (٧) سورة الأنعام: الآية ٤٤. (٨) سورة آل عمران: الآية ١٧٨.