Darʾ Taʿâroud al-ʿAql wa-n-Naql - Ibn Taimiya - (1/110)

Darʾ Taʿâroud al-ʿAql wa-n-NaqlIbn Taimiya

This is further clarified by what Allah relates about His intimate friend:

“When he saw a star, he said, ‘This is my Lord.’ But when it set, he said, ‘I do not love those that set.’ * Then when he saw the moon rising, he said, ‘This is my Lord.’ But when it set, he said, ‘Unless my Lord guides me, I will surely be among those who go astray.’ * Then when he saw the sun rising, he said, ‘This is my Lord; this is greater.’ But when it set, he said, ‘O my people, I am free of whatever you associate with Allah. * Indeed, I have turned my face toward Him who created the heavens and the earth.’” [al-An‘ām: 76-79]

It is well known that the moon and the sun were moving as they rose—something these people call change. Had he been arguing on the basis of movement, which they call change, he would have said this as soon as he saw the celestial body rising.

By saying, “This is my Lord,” Allah’s intimate friend did not mean the Lord of all worlds, nor did he mean that this was the eternal, beginningless Being whose existence is necessary, while everything besides Him has come into being, is contingent, and is created by Him. Nor did his people hold this belief such that he would need to demonstrate its falsity to them. Indeed, no one whose views are known has held such a belief. Rather, his people were polytheists who worshipped the stars and idols while acknowledging the Creator.

This is why Allah’s intimate friend said:

“Have you considered what you have been worshipping, * you and your forefathers? * They are enemies to me, except the Lord of all worlds.” [al-Shu‘arā’: 75-77]

And he said:

“Indeed, I am free of what you worship, * except Him who created me, for He will surely guide me. * And he made it a lasting word among his descendants, so that they might return.” [al-Zukhruf: 26-28]

He thus addressed their practice of taking the stars, the sun, and the moon as a lord whom they worshipped and sought to draw near to, as is customary among star worshippers and those who seek to harness the spirits of the stars. This is a well-known doctrine that has continued

ومما يبين هذا أن الله ذكر عن الخليل أنه لما {رأى كوكبا قال هذا ربي فلما أفل قال لا أحب الأفلين * فلما رأى القمر بازغا قال هذا ربي فلما أفل قال لئن لم يهدني ربي لأكونن من القوم الضالين * فلما رأى الشمس بازغة قال هذا ربي هذا أكبر فلما أفلت قال يا قوم إني بريء مما تشركون * إني وجهت وجهي للذي فطر السماوات والأرض} [الأنعام: ٧٦-٧٩] . ومعلوم أنه لما بزغ القمر والشمس كان في بزوغه متحركاً، وهو الذي يسمونه تغيراً، فلو كان قد استدل بالحركة المسماة تغيراً لكان قد قال ذلك من حين رآه بازغاً، وليس مراد الخليل بقوله: هذا ربي رب العالمين، ولا أن هذا هو القديم الأزلي الواجب الوجود، الذي كل ما سواه محدث ممكن مخلوق له، ولا كان قومه يعتقدون هذا حتى يدلهم علي فساده، ولا اعتقد هذا أحد يعرف قوله، بل قومه كانوا مشركين يعبدون الكواكب والأصنام، ويقرون بالصانع. ولهذا قال الخليل {أفرأيتم ما كنتم تعبدون * أنتم وآباؤكم الأقدمون * فإنهم عدو لي إلا رب العالمين} [الشعراء: ٧٥-٧٧] وقال {إنني براء مما تعبدون * إلا الذي فطرني فإنه سيهدين * وجعلها كلمة باقية في عقبه لعلهم يرجعون} [الزخرف: ٢٦-٢٨] فذكر لهم ما كانوا يفعلونه من اتخاذ الكواكب والشمس والقمر رباً يعبدونه ويتقربون إليه، كما هو عادة عباد الكواكب ومن يطلب تسخير روحانية الكواكب، وهذا مذهب مشهور، مازال