Iqtiḍāʾ al-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm - Ibn Taimiya - (1/100)

Iqtiḍāʾ al-Ṣirāṭ al-MustaqīmIbn Taimiya

Along these same lines the Exalted One says:

“And even if you were to bring to those who were given the Scripture every sign, they would still not follow your direction of prayer; nor are you to follow their direction of prayer; nor do they even follow one another’s direction of prayer. And if you were to follow their whims after the knowledge that has come to you, you would surely be among the wrongdoers.”

(Qur’an, al-Baqarah 2:145)

(1)

“Those to whom We have given the Book recognize it as they recognize their own sons, yet a faction of them knowingly conceal the truth. The truth is from your Lord, so do not be among the doubters. Every community has a direction toward which it turns, so vie with one another in good works. Wherever you may be, Allah will bring you all together; truly Allah is powerful over all things. From whatever place you set out, turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque, for it is indeed the truth from your Lord; and Allah is not unaware of what you do. From whatever place you set out, turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque, and wherever you may be, turn your faces toward it, lest the people should have a case against you—except for those who have done wrong among them.”

(Qur’an, al-Baqarah 2:146–150)

(2)

More than one of the early generations said (3):

“Its meaning is this: lest the Jews argue against you on the basis of agreeing with them in the qiblah. They would say, ‘They have adopted our direction of prayer, so they are likely to adopt our religion as well.’ Allah therefore cut off this argument by commanding opposition to them in the qiblah, for the term ḥujjah (argument) applies to anything adduced as evidence, whether true or false. As for His words, ‘except those of them who have done wrong’ (al-Baqarah 2:150) (4), they are the Quraysh, who will say, ‘They have returned to our qiblah, so they will soon return to our religion.’”

Thus (5) the Exalted One has made clear that among the wisdoms behind abrogating and changing the qiblah was to differ from the people (6)

(1) In copy At the text runs only up to the phrase: wa haythu ma kuntum fa-wallu wujuhakum shatrahu li-alla yakuna li-n-nasi ʿalaykum hujjatun illa alladhina zalamu minhum (“And wherever you are, turn your faces toward it, so that people will have no argument against you—except those who do wrong among them”). (2) Qur’an, Surah al-Baqarah, verses 145–150. (3) Among the early authorities who adopted this interpretation are Mujahid, Ata, al-Dahhak, al-Rabiʿ ibn Anas, Qatadah, and al-Suddi; Ibn Kathir also reports it from Abu Hatim. See: Tafsir Ibn Kathir 1:195; al-Shawkani, Fath al-Qadir, vol. 1, p. 158. (4) In copies Ad and T: “illa alladhina zalamu” (“except those who do wrong”). (5) In copies Ab and T: “faqad bayyana Allah subhanahu” (“indeed, Allah—glorified be He—has made that clear”). (6) In the printed edition: mukhalafat al-kafirin (“differing from the unbelievers”), i.e., the word al-nas (“people”) has been omitted.

ومن هذا الباب قوله سبحانه: {وَلَئِنْ أَتَيْتَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ بِكُلِّ آيَةٍ مَا تَبِعُوا قِبْلَتَكَ وَمَا أَنْتَ بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَتَهُمْ وَمَا بَعْضُهُمْ بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَةَ بَعْضٍ وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِنَّكَ إِذًا لَمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ} [البقرة: ١٤٥] (١) {الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقًا مِنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ - الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ - وَلِكُلٍّ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ أَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُوا يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ - وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِنَّهُ لَلْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ - وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ لِئَلا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ إِلا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ} [البقرة: ١٤٦ - ١٥٠] (٢) . قال غير واحد من السلف (٣) " معناه: لئلا يحتج اليهود عليكم بالموافقة في القبلة، فيقولون: قد وافقونا في قبلتنا، فيوشك أن يوافقونا في ديننا، فقطع الله بمخالفتهم في القبلة هذه الحجة، إذ الحجة: اسم لكل ما يحتج به من حق وباطل، {إِلَّا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ} [البقرة: ١٥٠] (٤) وهم قريش، فإنهم يقولون: عادوا إلى قبلتنا، فيوشك أن يعودوا إلى ديننا " . فبين (٥) سبحانه أن من حكمة نسخ القبلة وتغييرها مخالفة الناس (٦)

(١) في (أط) : إلى قوله: (وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ) . (٢) سورة البقرة: الآيات ١٤٥ - ١٥٠. (٣) ممن قال بهذا التفسير من السلف: مجاهد وعطاء والضحاك والربيع بن أنس وقتادة والسدي، وذكره ابن كثير عن أبي حاتم. راجع: تفسير ابن كثير (١ / ١٩٥) ؛ وفتح القدير للشوكاني، الجزء الأول (ص ١٥٨) . (٤) في (أد ط) : (إِلَّا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا) . (٥) في (أب ط) : فقد بين الله سبحانه. (٦) في المطبوعة: مخالفة الكافرين. أي بإسقاط كلمة (الناس) .