Al-Jawāb as-Sahīh li-man baddala dīn al-Masīh - Ibn Taimiya - (1/431)

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

He, exalted be He, also said:

“He has subjected the ships to you so that they may sail upon the sea by His command; He has subjected the rivers to you; He has subjected the sun and the moon, constant in their courses; and He has subjected the night and the day to you. He has granted you something of everything you asked of Him. If you were to count Allah’s favors, you could never number them. Indeed, man is ever unjust, utterly ungrateful.” ⦗Ibrahim 14:32⦘

It is well known that Allah has further purposes in creating the sun and the moon, and the night and the day, beyond the benefit that human beings derive from them.

Likewise, His words:

“He it is who made the night for you so that you might rest therein,” ⦗Yunus 10:67⦘

and His words:

“It is He who made the night and the day succeed one another for whoever desires to take heed or to be thankful.” ⦗al-Furqan 25:62⦘

These verses too contain other wisdoms.

He also said:

“He sent down with them the Book in truth so that it might judge between people concerning that over which they differed.” ⦗al-Baqarah 2:213⦘

Yet the revelation of the Book has aims beyond judging among people in their disputes—such as guiding those who accept its guidance, admonishing them, and many other benefits besides.

He, exalted is He, said as well:

“They swear by Allah with their most solemn oaths that Allah will not resurrect those who die. On the contrary—a true promise binding upon Him—yet most people do not know; so that He may make clear to them that over which they differed, and so that the disbelievers may realize that they were indeed liars.” ⦗al-Nahl 16:38–39⦘

وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الْفُلْكَ لِتَجْرِيَ فِي الْبَحْرِ بِأَمْرِهِ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الْأَنْهَارَ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ دَائِبَيْنِ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ وَآتَاكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ وَإِنْ تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ} [إبراهيم: ٣٢] . وَمَعْلُومٌ أَنَّ لِلَّهِ حِكَمًا فِي خَلْقِ الشَّمْسِ وَالْقَمَرِ، وَاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ، غَيْرَ انْتِفَاعِ بَنِي آدَمَ، وَكَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ: {هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ لِتَسْكُنُوا فِيهِ} [يونس: ٦٧] . وَقَوْلُهُ: {وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ خِلْفَةً لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَذَّكَّرَ أَوْ أَرَادَ شُكُورًا} [الفرقان: ٦٢] . وَفِيهَا حِكَمٌ أُخْرَى. وَقَالَ: {وَأَنْزَلَ مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فِيمَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ} [البقرة: ٢١٣] . وَفِي إِنْزَالِ الْكِتَابِ مِنْ هُدَى مَنِ اهْتَدَى بِهِ وَاتِّعَاظِهِ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ مَقَاصِدُ غَيْرُ الْحُكْمِ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فِيمَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {وَأَقْسَمُوا بِاللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ لَا يَبْعَثُ اللَّهُ مَنْ يَمُوتُ بَلَى وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّا وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ - لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ الَّذِي يَخْتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا كَاذِبِينَ} [النحل: ٣٨ - ٣٩] .