Al-Jawāb as-Sahīh li-man baddala dīn al-Masīh - Ibn Taimiya - (6/416)

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

Allah, and He caused them to prevail over those who opposed them; but whenever they neglected his covenants, their enemies prevailed over them. Thus victory and dominance turn entirely upon following the Prophet—present or absent—with no other factor competing with that. When a ruling is found to rise and fall with a given quality, appearing whenever that quality appears and disappearing whenever it disappears, without interference from any other quality, one is compelled to know that the quality is the true cause of the ruling.

Our phrase, “without the interference of any other quality,” removes the objections that might be raised. Careful examination and constant observation therefore demonstrate that Allah’s help and His granting of ascendancy come about through adherence to the Prophet. He—magnified be He—wills to exalt His word, to champion His Messenger and His Messenger’s followers against those who oppose them, to grant the former happiness and to consign the latter to misery. This brings certain knowledge of his prophethood: whoever follows him is blessed, and whoever rejects him is wretched.

For this reason, the ascendancy of Nebuchadnezzar over the Children of Israel counts among the proofs of Moses’ prophethood. Nebuchadnezzar gained the upper hand only after they had altered Moses’ covenants and abandoned his guidance, and so they were punished. Whenever they upheld Moses’ covenants they enjoyed support and victory, as they did in the days of David, Solomon, and others.

The Exalted said:
“ We declared to the Children of Israel in the Book: ‘You will surely cause corruption on earth twice, and you will surely act with great arrogance.’ ” ⦗al-Israʾ 17:4⦘ (4)

“ So when the first of the two promises fell due, We sent against you servants of Ours of mighty prowess, and they ravaged your dwellings; the promise was fulfilled.” ⦗17:5⦘ (5)

“ Then We gave you the upper hand over them once again; We supplied you with wealth and sons and made you more numerous in manpower.” ⦗17:6⦘ (6)

“ If you do good, you do good for your own selves; and if you do evil, it is to your own detriment. So when the latter promise falls due, they will disfigure your faces, enter the mosque as they entered it the first time, and utterly destroy whatever they conquer.” ⦗17:7⦘ (7)

“ It may be that your Lord will show you mercy; but if you revert, We will revert.” ⦗17:8⦘

اللَّهُ، وَأَظْهَرَهُمْ عَلَى الْمُخَالِفِينَ لَهُ، فَإِذَا ضَيَّعُوا عُهُودَهُ ظَهَرَ أُولَئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَمَدَارُ النَّصْرِ وَالظُّهُورِ مَعَ مُتَابَعَةِ النَّبِيِّ وَجُودًا وَعَدَمًا مِنْ غَيْرِ سَبَبٍ يُزَاحِمُ ذَلِكَ، وَدَوْرَانُ الْحُكْمِ مَعَ الْوَصْفِ وُجُودًا وَعَدَمًا مِنْ غَيْرِ مُزَاحَمَةِ وَصْفٍ آخَرَ مُوجِبٌ لِلْعِلْمِ بِأَنَّ الْمَدَارَ عِلَّةٌ لِلدَّائِرِ. وَقَوْلُنَا: (مِنْ غَيْرِ مُزَاحَمَةِ وَصْفٍ آخَرَ) : يُزِيلُ النُّقُوضَ الْوَارِدَةَ، فَهَذَا الِاسْتِقْرَاءُ وَالتَّتَبُّعُ يُبَيِّنُ أَنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ وَإِظْهَارَهُ هُوَ بِسَبَبِ اتِّبَاعِ النَّبِيِّ، وَأَنَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ يُرِيدُ إِعْلَاءَ كَلِمَتِهِ وَنَصْرَهُ وَنَصْرَ أَتْبَاعِهِ عَلَى مَنْ خَالَفَهُ، وَأَنْ يَجْعَلَ لَهُمُ السَّعَادَةَ، وَلِمَنْ خَالَفَهُمُ الشَّقَاءَ، وَهَذَا يُوجِبُ الْعِلْمَ بِنُبُوَّتِهِ، وَأَنَّ مَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ كَانَ سَعِيدًا، وَمَنْ خَالَفَهُ كَانَ شَقِيًّا، وَمِنْ هَذَا ظُهُورُ بُخْتَ نَصَّرَ عَلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْ دَلَائِلِ نُبُوَّةِ مُوسَى إِذْ كَانَ ظُهُورُ بُخْتَ نَصَّرَ إِنَّمَا كَانَ لَمَّا غَيَّرُوا عُهُودَ مُوسَى، وَتَرَكُوا اتِّبَاعَهُ، فَعُوقِبُوا بِذَلِكَ، وَكَانُوا إِذْ كَانُوا مُتَّبِعِينَ لِعُهُودِ مُوسَى مَنْصُورِينَ مُؤَيَّدِينَ كَمَا كَانُوا فِي زَمَنِ دَاوُدَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ وَغَيْرِهِمَا. قَالَ تَعَالَى: {وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَى بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَلَتَعْلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا} [الإسراء: ٤] (٤) {فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ أُولَاهُمَا بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادًا لَنَا أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِ وَكَانَ وَعْدًا مَفْعُولًا} [الإسراء: ٥] (٥) {ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَا لَكُمُ الْكَرَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَمْدَدْنَاكُمْ بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ أَكْثَرَ نَفِيرًا} [الإسراء: ٦] (٦) {إِنْ أَحْسَنْتُمْ أَحْسَنْتُمْ لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الْآخِرَةِ لِيَسُوءُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَلِيَدْخُلُوا الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَلِيُتَبِّرُوا مَا عَلَوْا تَتْبِيرًا} [الإسراء: ٧] (٧) {عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَنْ يَرْحَمَكُمْ وَإِنْ عُدْتُمْ عُدْنَا} [الإسراء: ٨]