Al-Muqaddimāt al-Mumahhidāt - Ibn Rush al-Jadd - (1/23)

Al-Muqaddimāt al-MumahhidātIbn Rush al-Jadd

“Allah mocks them” [al-Baqarah: 15], and His words, “Allah ridicules them” [al-Tawbah: 79]. Thus, one must not say, “O Mocker” or “O Ridiculer.” For where a meaning is impossible as an attribute of His, Exalted is He, expressions conveying it may be applied to Him only to the extent authorized by revelation, while affirming that He is as He must be, possessing only attributes that may properly be ascribed to Him.

There is disagreement concerning the names “Dignified” and “Patient.” Judge Abū Bakr held that Allah, Exalted is He, may not be named by either, because a dignified person refrains from hastily repelling what harms him, while a patient person endures the injury that befalls him. Such descriptions cannot apply to Him, Exalted is He. Those who permit these names according to one of the two views understand both as referring to forbearance.

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What is possible for substances and bodies—movement, rest, passing away, transition, change, benefit, and harm—is impossible for Him, Exalted is He. Places do not contain Him, nor does time encompass Him.

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Once we know Allah, Exalted is He, as He is with respect to the attributes of His essence and His actions, and what may and may not be ascribed to Him, we recognize the truth of the prophets’ prophethood—may blessings and peace be upon them—through the miracles Allah, Exalted is He, manifests at their hands. For a miracle can come only from Allah, Exalted is He. When He manifests one at the hands of someone claiming to be His messenger, it is equivalent to His saying, “My messenger has spoken the truth.”

He, Exalted is He, can confirm as truthful only someone who is truthful. Were He to confirm a liar as truthful, He would Himself be lying. Lying is impossible for Him, Exalted is He, because it is an imperfection, and imperfections cannot apply to Him and do not befit Him, Exalted is He, as we have stated and explained.

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Once we know that the prophets’ prophethood is true—may blessings and peace be upon them—we know that they are truthful in what

﴿اللَّهُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِهِمْ﴾ [البقرة: ١٥]، وقوله: ﴿سَخِرَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُمْ﴾ [التوبة: ٧٩]؛ فلا يقال يا مستهزئ ولا يا ساخر؛ لأن ما يستحيل في صفته تعالى فلا يجوز أن يجري عليه منه إلا قدر ما أطلقه السمع عليه مع الاعتقاد بأنه على ما يجب كونه تعالى عليه من صفاته الجائزة عليه. واختلف في وقور وصبور، فذهب القاضي أبو بكر إلى أنه لا يجوز أن يسمى الله تعالى بهما لأن الوقور الذي يترك العجلة بدفع ما يضره، والصبور الذي يصبر على ما يصيبه من الأذى، وذلك ما لا يجوز في صفته تعالى. ومن أجاز ذلك على أحد المذهبين فإنما يرجع معناهما إلى الحلم. فصل ولا يجوز عليه تعالى ما يجوز على الجواهر والأجسام من الحركة والسكون والزوال والانتقال والتغير والمنافع والمضار، ولا تحويه الأمكنة ولا تحيط به الأزمنة. فصل فإذا علمنا الله ﵎ على ما هو عليه من صفات ذاته وأفعاله وما يجوز عليه مما لا يجوز، عرفنا صحة نبوة الأنبياء - عَلَيْهِمْ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ - بما أظهره الله تعالى على أيديهم من المعجزات؛ لأن المعجزة لا تكون إلا من الله تعالى. فإذا أظهرها على يدي من يدعي الرسالة عليه فهي بمنزلة قَوْله تَعَالَى صدق رسولي. ولا يصح عليه تعالى أن يصدق إلا صادقا؛ لأنه لو صدق كاذبا لكان كاذبا، والكذب مستحيل عليه تعالى؛ لأنها صفة نقص، وصفات النقص لا تجوز عليه تعالى، ولا تليق به ﷾ على ما قلناه وبيناه. فصل وإذا علمنا صحة نبوة الأنبياء - عَلَيْهِمْ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ - علمنا صدقهم فيما