Al-Tisʿīniyya - Ibn Taimiya - (1/360)

Al-TisʿīniyyaIbn Taimiya

and the Prophet’s Companions heard it from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—; therefore the Qur’an is the speech of Allah, uncreated, and we entertain neither doubt nor misgiving about it (1). The names and attributes of Allah Most High are found within the Qur’an.

The Qur’an (2) issues from Allah’s knowledge and belongs to His attributes. Whoever asserts that the Qur’an is created is a disbeliever. The Qur’an is the speech of Allah, uncreated; it originated from Him and to Him it shall return. We (3) used to refrain from speaking about this matter until these people introduced their innovations, uttered what they uttered (4), and called others to what they called them to. Their reality has now become clear to us: it is outright disbelief in the Almighty Allah.

Abū ʿAbd Allāh then said:
Allah has ever been All-Knowing and All-Speaking. We worship Allah by means of His attributes (5), which are without limit and cannot be fully comprehended except through the way He has described Himself: All-Hearing, All-Knowing, All-Forgiving, Most Merciful, Knower of the unseen and the seen, the One who knows every hidden thing. These are the attributes with which Allah—blessed and exalted—is He—has described Himself; they are neither to be rejected (6) nor denied. He is upon the Throne without delimitation, as He said, “Then He rose over the Throne” (7), in whatever manner He wills; the will is His and the power is His. “There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing” (8). Those who attempt to describe Him can never attain the full extent of His description (9); He is exactly as He has described Himself.

We believe in the Qur’an—its decisive verses and its ambiguous ones; all of it is from our Lord. Allah Most High said, “And when you see those who engage in idle talk about Our signs, turn away from them…”

(1) In al-Musnad: “and it involves neither doubt nor suspicion.” (2) In T: “Inna al-Qur’an…” The word al-Qur’an is omitted in al-Musnad. (3) In S and T: “waqad.” (4) The words between the parentheses constitute an addition found in S, T, and al-Musnad. (5) In al-Musnad: “bisifātih” (with His attributes). (6) In al-Musnad: “wa lā tudfaʿ” (nor can it be repelled). (7) Surah al-Aʿrāf, 7:54. (8) Surah ash-Shūrā, 42:11. (9) In the original: “lā yablughuhu ṣifat al-wāṣifūn” (the descriptions of describers do not reach Him). In S and T: “lā yablughuhu ṣifat al-wāṣifīn.” The reading confirmed is that of al-Musnad; the term “waṣfahu” remains unclear.

أصحاب النبي من النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - فالقرآن كلام الله غير مخلوق، ولا نشك ولا نرتاب فيه (١) ، وأسماء الله تعالى في القرآن وصفاته في القرآن. القرآن (٢) من علم الله وصفاته منه، فمن زعم أن القرآن مخلوق فهو كافر، والقرآن كلام الله غير مخلوق، منه بدأ، وإليه يعود، فقد (٣) كنا نهاب الكلام في هذا حتَّى أحدث هؤلاء ما أحدثوا، وقالوا [ما قالوا] (٤) ودعوا الناس إلى ما دعوهم إليه، فبان لنا أمرهم، وهو الكفر بالله العظيم). ثم قال أبو عبد الله: لم يزل الله عالمًا متكلمًا، نعبد الله بصفات (٥) غير محدودة ولا معلومة إلَّا بما وصف بها نفسه، سميع عليم غفور رحيم عالم الغيب والشهادة علام الغيوب، فهذه صفات الله - تبارك وتعالى - وصف بها نفسه لا تدفع (٦) ولا ترد، وهو على العرش بلا حد، كما قال {ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ} (٧) ، كيف شاء، المشيئة إليه، والاستطاعة له {ليَسَ كَمِثلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ الْسَّمِيْعُ الْبَصَيْرُ} (٨) لا يبلغ وصفه الواصفون (٩) ، وهو كما وصف نفسه، نؤمن بالقرآن محكمه ومتشابهه، كل من عند ربنا، قال الله - تعالى - {وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ الَّذِينَ يَخُوضُونَ فِي آيَاتِنَا فَأَعْرِضْ

(١) في المسند: ولا يشك ولا يرتاب فيه. (٢) في ط: إن القرآن. . . القرآن: ساقطة من: المسند. (٣) في س، ط: وقد. (٤) ما بين المعقوفتين: زيادة من: س، ط، والمسند. (٥) في المسند: بصفاته. (٦) في المسند: ولا تدفع. (٧) سورة الأعراف. الآية ٥٤. (٨) سورة الشورى. الآية ١١. (٩) في الأصل: "لا يبلغه صفة الواصفون". وفي س، ط: "لا يبلغه صفة الواصفين". والمثبت من: المسند. مع عدم وضوح كلمة "وصفه".