Al-Jawāb as-Sahīh li-man baddala dīn al-Masīh - Ibn Taimiya - (2/335)

and kill him." All of this is soundly established in the authentic collections from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

For that reason he ordered his ummah to seek Allah’s protection from this trial, saying:

"When any one of you sits for the tashahhud in prayer, let him seek refuge with Allah from four things: from the punishment of Hell, from the punishment of the grave, from the trial of life and death, and from the trial of the Messiah of misguidance (al-Dajjal)."

Every prophet warned against the liars who imitate the prophets. Some people invent falsehoods deliberately, while many do not intend to lie; matters simply become confused for them and they make mistakes, reporting what they assume to be true when it is not. A person may even see, while awake, someone he thinks is a certain saint, or the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—or al-Khidr, yet in reality it is not so.

Error is possible for everyone except the prophets—peace be upon them—for they are divinely protected and are never left in error. Consequently, whoever fails to weigh his knowledge, deeds, words, and actions against what is known from the prophets will end up misguided.

We therefore ask Allah the Magnificent to guide us to the Straight Path, the path of those upon whom He has bestowed His favor—among the prophets, the champions of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous. How excellent is their company.

اقْتُلْهُ. وَكُلُّ هَذَا ثَابِتٌ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَلِهَذَا أَمَرَ أُمَّتَهُ أَنْ يَسْتَعِيذُوا بِاللَّهِ مِنْ فِتْنَتِهِ فَقَالَ: «إِذَا قَعَدَ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي التَّشَهُّدِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَلْيَتَعَوَّذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ أَرْبَعٍ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ» . وَالْأَنْبِيَاءُ كُلُّهُمْ أَنْذَرُوا بِالْكَذَّابِينَ الَّذِينَ يَتَشَبَّهُونَ بِالْأَنْبِيَاءِ لَكِنْ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَتَعَمَّدُ الْكَذِبَ، وَكَثِيرٌ مِنْهُمْ لَا يَتَعَمَّدُ بَلْ يَلْتَبِسُ عَلَيْهِ فَيَغْلَطُ فَيُخْبِرُ بِمَا يَظُنُّهُ حَقًّا وَلَا يَكُونُ كَذَلِكَ وَيَرَى فِي الْيَقَظَةِ مَا يَظُنُّهُ فُلَانًا الْوَلِيَّ أَوِ النَّبِيَّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أَوِ الْخَضِرَ وَلَا يَكُونُ كَذَلِكَ. وَالْغَلَطُ جَائِزٌ عَلَى كُلِّ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا الْأَنْبِيَاءَ - عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلَامُ -، فَإِنَّهُمْ مَعْصُومُونَ، لَا يُقِرُّونَ عَلَى خَطَأٍ، فَمَنْ لَمْ يَزِنْ عُلُومَهُ وَأَعْمَالَهُ وَأَقْوَالَهُ وَأَفْعَالَهُ بِالْمَعْلُومِ عَنِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَإِلَّا كَانَ ضَالًّا فَنَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ أَنْ يَهْدِيَنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَئِكَ رَفِيقًا.