Iqtiḍāʾ al-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm - Ibn Taimiya - (1/99)

Iqtiḍāʾ al-Ṣirāṭ al-MustaqīmIbn Taimiya

In this same connection, the Exalted One says:

“Those to whom We have given the Book rejoice in what has been sent down to you, while among the factions are some who deny part of it. Say, ‘I have only been commanded to worship Allah and to associate nothing with Him. To Him I call, and to Him is my return.’ Thus We have revealed it as an Arabic judgment; and were you to follow their whims after knowledge has come to you, you would have no protector and no shield against Allah” (al-Raʿd 13:36–37).

(1) The pronoun
(2) in the phrase “their whims” refers—Allah knows best—to those parties just mentioned, namely the factions that reject part of the revelation.
(3) Therefore everyone who disavows any portion of the Qur’an is included in this warning, whether Jew, Christian, or anyone else.
(4) He also says: “And were you to follow their whims after knowledge has come to you, you would have no protector and no shield against Allah” (al-Raʿd 13:37).
(5) To emulate them in what is peculiar to their religion or its offshoots is to follow their whims; indeed, one may fall into following their whims for less than that.

Of the same purport is His statement:

“The Jews and the Christians will never be pleased with you until you follow their religion. Say, ‘Allah’s guidance is the true guidance.’ And were you to follow their whims after the knowledge that has come to you, you would have neither protector nor helper against Allah” (al-Baqarah 2:120). (6)

Observe how He says in reporting their stance, “their religion,” while in forbidding it He says
(7) “their whims.” They will not be satisfied unless the religion is taken up in its entirety, yet the prohibition targets following their whims, whether in much or in little. It is evident that conforming with them in any part of their religion constitutes a form of following their desires, or at least (8) is a prelude to following them in what they desire, as has already been explained.

(1) Qur’an, Surah al-Raʿd, verses 36–37. (2) In copies A, D, and T: “wal-damir” (and the pronoun). (3) In the printed edition: “baʿdu ma unzila ilayhi” (some of what was revealed to him), which differs from the other copies. (4) In copies J and D: “min yahudi aw nasrani wa ghayrihima” (whether a Jew, a Christian, or anyone else). (5) Qur’an, Surah al-Raʿd, part of verse 37. The printed edition instead inserts: “wa laʾin ittabaʿta ahwaʾahum min baʿdi ma jaʾaka mina al-ʿilm” (and if you follow their desires after knowledge has come to you) from Surah al-Baqarah, part of verse 145. (6) Qur’an, Surah al-Baqarah, part of verse 120. (7) In the printed edition: “wa fi al-nahyi” (and in the prohibition). (8) In copy D: “aw mazinat mutabaʿatihim” (or the likelihood of following them).

وفي هذا الباب قوله سبحانه: {وَالَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمِنَ الْأَحْزَابِ مَنْ يُنْكِرُ بَعْضَهُ قُلْ إِنَّمَا أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ وَلَا أُشْرِكَ بِهِ إِلَيْهِ أَدْعُو وَإِلَيْهِ مَآبِ - وَكَذَلِكَ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ حُكْمًا عَرَبِيًّا وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ بَعْدَمَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ مَا لَكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا وَاقٍ} [الرعد: ٣٦ - ٣٧] (١) فالضمير (٢) في (أهوائهم) ، يعود - والله أعلم - إلى ما تقدم ذكره، وهم الأحزاب الذين ينكرون بعضه (٣) فدخل في ذلك كل من أنكر شيئا من القرآن: من يهودي أو نصراني أو غيرهما (٤) وقد قال: {وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ بَعْدَمَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ} [الرعد: ٣٧] (٥) ومتابعتهم فيما يختصون به من دينهم وتوابع دينهم اتباع لأهوائهم، بل يحصل اتباع أهوائهم بما هو دون ذلك. ومن هذا أيضا قوله تعالى: {وَلَنْ تَرْضَى عَنْكَ الْيَهُودُ وَلَا النَّصَارَى حَتَّى تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى اللَّهِ هُوَ الْهُدَى وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ بَعْدَ الَّذِي جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ مَا لَكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ} [البقرة: ١٢٠] (٦) . فانظر كيف قال في الخبر: (مِلَّتَهُمْ) ، وقال في النهي (٧) (أَهْوَاءَهُمْ) ، لأن القوم لا يرضون إلا باتباع الملة مطلقا، والزجر وقع عن اتباع أهوائهم في قليل أو كثير، ومن المعلوم أن متابعتهم في بعض ما هم عليه من الدين نوع متابعة لهم في بعض ما يهوونه، أو مظنة (٨) لمتابعتهم فيما يهوونه، كما تقدم.

(١) سورة الرعد: الآيتان ٣٦، ٣٧. (٢) في (أد ط) : والضمير. (٣) في المطبوعة: بعض ما أنزل إليه. وهو مخالف لما في النسخ الأخرى. (٤) في (ج د) : من يهودي أو نصراني وغيرهما. (٥) سورة الرعد: من الآية ٣٧، وفي المطبوعة: (وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ) ، سورة البقرة: من الآية ١٤٥. (٦) سورة البقرة: من الآية ١٢٠. (٧) في المطبوعة: وفي النهي. (٨) في (د) : أو مظنة متابعتهم.