Al-Jawāb as-Sahīh li-man baddala dīn al-Masīh - Ibn Taimiya - (2/143)

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

—only a created being could ever be so described. Therefore they affirm for Him life, knowledge, power, mercy, justice, and beneficence, while declaring Him transcendent above death, sleep, ignorance, incapacity, injustice, and annihilation. They also know that He has no equal in any of His perfect attributes: no one knows as He knows, no one is able as He is able, no one shows mercy as He shows mercy, no one hears as He hears, sees as He sees, creates as He creates, rises over the Throne as He rose, comes as He comes, or descends as He descends. As He, exalted be He, said:

“Say: He is Allah, the One,” ⦗Al-Ikhlāṣ 112:1⦘ (1)

“Allah, the Absolute Refuge,” ⦗Al-Ikhlāṣ 112:2⦘ (2)

“He neither begets nor is born,” ⦗Al-Ikhlāṣ 112:3⦘ (3)

“and none is comparable to Him.” ⦗Al-Ikhlāṣ 112:4⦘

Nor do they attribute to any creature the exclusive qualities of the Creator—glorious is His majesty. Rather, everything other than Him—angels, prophets, and all created beings—stands in need of Him and is His servant. He alone is al-Ṣamad, the One on whom every thing depends and to whom everyone turns. He is self-sufficient by His very essence, needing no one in anything whatsoever. As He, exalted is He, said:

“They say, ‘The All-Merciful has taken a son,’” ⦗Maryam 19:88⦘ (88)

“You have certainly made a monstrous claim,” ⦗Maryam 19:89⦘ (89)

“at which the heavens are ready to burst, the earth to split asunder, and the mountains to crumble to pieces,” ⦗Maryam 19:90⦘ (90)

“that they should ascribe a son to the All-Merciful,” ⦗Maryam 19:91⦘ (91)

“when it does not befit the All-Merciful to take a son.” ⦗Maryam 19:92⦘ (92)

“There is none in the heavens or on the earth except that he will come to the All-Merciful as a slave,” ⦗Maryam 19:93⦘ (93)

“He has certainly enumerated them and counted them precisely,” ⦗Maryam 19:94⦘ (94)

“and each of them will come to Him on the Day of Resurrection all alone.” ⦗Maryam 19:95⦘

إِلَّا الْمَخْلُوقُ فَيَصِفُونَهُ بِالْحَيَاةِ وَالْعِلْمِ وَالْقُدْرَةِ وَالرَّحْمَةِ وَالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَيُنَزِّهُونَهُ عَنِ الْمَوْتِ وَالنَّوْمِ وَالْجَهْلِ وَالْعَجْزِ وَالظُّلْمِ وَالْفَنَاءِ وَيَعْلَمُونَ مَعَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ لَا مَثِيلَ لَهُ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنْ صِفَاتِ الْكَمَالِ فَلَا أَحَدَ يَعْلَمُ كَعِلْمِهِ وَلَا يَقْدِرُ كَقُدْرَتِهِ وَلَا يَرْحَمُ كَرَحْمَتِهِ وَلَا يَسْمَعُ كَسَمْعِهِ وَلَا يُبْصِرُ كَبَصَرِهِ وَلَا يَخْلُقُ كَخَلْقِهِ وَلَا يَسْتَوِي كَاسْتِوَائِهِ وَلَا يَأْتِي كَإِتْيَانِهِ وَلَا يَنْزِلُ كَنُزُولِهِ كَمَا قَالَ - تَعَالَى -: {قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ} [الإخلاص: ١] (١) {اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ} [الإخلاص: ٢] (٢) {لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ} [الإخلاص: ٣] (٣) {وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ} [الإخلاص: ٤] وَلَا يَصِفُونَ أَحَدًا مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ بِخَصَائِصِ الْخَالِقِ جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ بَلْ كُلُّ مَا سِوَاهُ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَسَائِرِ الْخَلْقِ فَقِيرٌ إِلَيْهِ عَبْدٌ لَهُ وَهُوَ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي يَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ وَيَسْأَلُهُ كُلُّ أَحَدٍ وَهُوَ غَنِيٌّ بِنَفْسِهِ لَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى أَحَدٍ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنَ الْأَشْيَاءِ كَمَا قَالَ - تَعَالَى -: {وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَنُ وَلَدًا} [مريم: ٨٨] (٨٨) {لَقَدْ جِئْتُمْ شَيْئًا إِدًّا} [مريم: ٨٩] (٨٩) {تَكَادُ السَّمَوَاتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْهُ وَتَنْشَقُّ الْأَرْضُ وَتَخِرُّ الْجِبَالُ هَدًّا} [مريم: ٩٠] (٩٠) {أَنْ دَعَوْا لِلرَّحْمَنِ وَلَدًا} [مريم: ٩١] (٩١) {وَمَا يَنْبَغِي لِلرَّحْمَنِ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا} [مريم: ٩٢] (٩٢) {إِنْ كُلُّ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِلَّا آتِي الرَّحْمَنِ عَبْدًا} [مريم: ٩٣] (٩٣) {لَقَدْ أَحْصَاهُمْ وَعَدَّهُمْ عَدًّا} [مريم: ٩٤] (٩٤) {وَكُلُّهُمْ آتِيهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَرْدًا} [مريم: ٩٥]