Al-Jawāb as-Sahīh li-man baddala dīn al-Masīh - Ibn Taimiya - (1/85)

Al-Jawāb as-Sahīh li-man baddala dīn al-MasīhIbn Taimiya

has continually raised up, for the renewal of the religion, such means as ensure its emergence, just as He promised in the Book. By them He reveals the beauties and commendable qualities of faith, and through them He makes plain the evils and corruptions of unbelief.

[Among the Causes for the Manifestation of Faith]
[The Emergence of Opponents to the Truth]

One of the greatest causes for the spread of faith and religion, and for laying bare the true message of the messengers, is the appearance of those who oppose them from among the people of manifest falsehood. The Exalted said:

“Thus We have assigned to every prophet an enemy—devils from humankind and jinn—who inspire one another with embellished speech in order to deceive. Had your Lord willed, they would not have done it; so leave them and what they fabricate. This is so that the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter may incline toward it, be pleased with it, and persist in whatever they are committing. Say: ‘Shall I seek a judge other than Allah, when it is He who has sent down to you the Book, fully explained?’ Those to whom We gave the Scripture know that it has been sent down from your Lord in truth; so do not be among the doubters. The Word of your Lord has been perfected in truth and justice; none can alter His words, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” (Q. 6:112–115)

He, the Exalted, also said:

“On the Day the wrongdoer will bite his hands and say, ‘Would that I had taken the path with the Messenger! Woe to me! Would that I had never taken so-and-so for a close friend! He led me away from the Reminder after it had come to me—truly, Satan is ever a deserter of humankind.’ And the Messenger will say, ‘My Lord, my people have taken this Quran as something to be abandoned.’ Thus We have appointed for every prophet an enemy from among the criminals; but your Lord suffices as a guide and a helper.” (Q. 25:27–31)

That is because when the truth is denied and confronted with specious doubts, Allah Most High raises up, in its support and to invalidate falsehood, manifest signs

يُقِيمُ لِتَجْدِيدِ الدِّينِ مِنَ الْأَسْبَابِ مَا يَكُونُ مُقْتَضِيًا لِظُهُورِهِ، كَمَا وَعَدَ بِهِ فِي الْكِتَابِ، فَيُظْهِرُ بِهِ مَحَاسِنَ الْإِيْمَانِ وَمَحَامِدَهُ، وَيُعَرِّفُ بِهِ مَسَاوِئَ الْكُفْرِ وَمَفَاسِدَهُ. [مِنْ أَسْبَابِ ظُهُورِ الْإِيْمَانِ] [ظُهُورُ الْمُعَارِضِينَ لِلْحَقِّ] وَمِنْ أَعْظَمِ أَسْبَابِ ظُهُورِ الْإِيْمَانِ وَالدِّينِ، وَبَيَانِ حَقِيقَةِ أَنْبَاءِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ظُهُورُ الْمُعَارِضِينَ لَهُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ الْمُبِينِ. كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: {وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا شَيَاطِينَ الْإِنْسِ وَالْجِنِّ يُوحِي بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ زُخْرُفَ الْقَوْلِ غُرُورًا وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ مَا فَعَلُوهُ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ - وَلِتَصْغَى إِلَيْهِ أَفْئِدَةُ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ وَلِيَرْضَوْهُ وَلِيَقْتَرِفُوا مَا هُمْ مُقْتَرِفُونَ - أَفَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ أَبْتَغِي حَكَمًا وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكِتَابَ مُفَصَّلًا وَالَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ مُنَزَّلٌ مِنْ رَبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ - وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ صِدْقًا وَعَدْلًا لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ} [الأنعام: ١١٢ - ١١٥] . وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {وَيَوْمَ يَعَضُّ الظَّالِمُ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ يَقُولُ يَالَيْتَنِي اتَّخَذْتُ مَعَ الرَّسُولِ سَبِيلًا - يَاوَيْلَتَى لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أَتَّخِذْ فُلَانًا خَلِيلًا - لَقَدْ أَضَلَّنِي عَنِ الذِّكْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَاءَنِي وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِلْإِنْسَانِ خَذُولًا - وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَارَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا - وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا مِنَ الْمُجْرِمِينَ وَكَفَى بِرَبِّكَ هَادِيًا وَنَصِيرًا} [الفرقان: ٢٧ - ٣١] . وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْحَقَّ إِذَا جُحِدَ وَعُورِضَ بِالشُّبُهَاتِ أَقَامَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى لَهُ مِمَّا يُحِقُّ بِهِ الْحَقَّ، وَيُبْطِلُ بِهِ الْبَاطِلَ مِنَ الْآيَاتِ الْبَيِّنَاتِ