Darʾ Taʿâroud al-ʿAql wa-n-Naql - Ibn Taimiya - (3/116)

Darʾ Taʿâroud al-ʿAql wa-n-NaqlIbn Taimiya

deficiency can only be perfect, eternal, beginningless, and necessarily existent in itself. Thus, the division of existing things into these two kinds is established. This is what was to be demonstrated.

The argument may also be stated as follows: An existing thing either possesses knowledge in itself, depends for its knowledge on someone who teaches it, or is incapable of receiving knowledge. It is known that a human being depends on someone who teaches him to acquire knowledge; his knowledge is not an inseparable attribute of his essence. He emerged from his mother’s womb knowing nothing, and only afterward did he acquire knowledge. Thus, it is established that among existing things is that which does not possess knowledge in itself, but depends on someone who teaches it to acquire knowledge.

It is known that whatever does not possess knowledge in itself must have a knower who teaches it. Unless that knowledge possesses knowledge in itself, it depends on a knower who possesses knowledge in himself. Thus, it must have a knower who teaches it; unless that knower possesses knowledge in himself, he depends on a knower who possesses knowledge in himself. The sequence must therefore ultimately reach a knower who possesses knowledge in himself, bringing the impossible infinite regress to an end. Thus, it is established that among existing things is that which possesses knowledge in itself, and that which possesses knowledge not in itself but through someone who teaches it, as He said:

“Recite in the name of your Lord who created”

through to His words:

“Recite, and your Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by the pen, taught man that which he knew not.”

Al-ʿAlaq 1–5. And He said:

“They encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He wills.”

Al-Baqarah 255.

Whatever possesses knowledge in itself is all the more certainly existent in itself, for knowledge is an attribute of it. If that attribute is eternal and necessarily existent, requiring no agent to produce it in the one who possesses knowledge in himself, then, all the more so, the one characterized by it is not eternal and necessarily existent.

نقص، لا يكون إلا كاملاً قديماً أزلياً واجباً بنفسه، فثبت انقسام الموجودات إلى هذا وهذا، وهو المطلوب. ومثل أن يقال: الموجودإما عالم بنفسه، وإما محتاج في العلم إلى من يعلمه، وإما أن لا يقبل العلم، ومعلوم أن الإنسان مفتقر في حصول علمه إلى من يعلمه، ليس علمه من لوازم ذاته، فإنه خرج من بطن أمه لا يعلم شيئاً ثم حدث له العلم بعد ذلك، فثبت أن في الموجود ما ليس عالماً بنفسه، بل هو مفتقر في حصول العلم له إلى من يعلمه، ومعلوم أن كل ما ليس بعالم بنفسه فلا بد له من عالم يعلمه، وذاك العلم إن كان عالماً بنفسه وإلا افتقر إلى عالم بنفسه، فلا بد له من عالم يعلمه، وذاك العالم إن كان عالماً بنفسه وإلا افتقر إلى عالم بنفسه فلا بد أن ينتهي الأمر إلى عالم بنفسه قطعاً للتسلسل الممتنع، فثبت أن في الوجود ما هو عالم بنفسه، وما ليس عالماً بنفسه بل بمن يعلمه كما قال: {اقرأ باسم ربك الذي خلق} إلى قوله: {اقرأ وربك الأكرم * الذي علم بالقلم * علم الإنسان ما لم يعلم} العلق ١ - ٥ وقال: {ولا يحيطون بشيء من علمه إلا بما شاء} البقرة ٢٥٥. وما كان عالماً بنفسه فإن يكون موجوداً بنفسه أولى وأحرى، فإن العلم صفة له، وإذا كانت تلك الصفة قديمة واجبة لا تفتقر إلى فاعل يفعلها في العالم بنفسه، فلا يكون الموصوف بها قديماً واجباً بطريق الأولى والأحرى.