Qāʿidah fī al-Bāqiyāt al-Ṣāliḥāt - Ibn Taimiya - (39)

Qāʿidah fī al-Bāqiyāt al-ṢāliḥātIbn Taimiya

along with recognition of His praiseworthy qualities, love for Him, and gratitude toward Him.
115 — With regard to the definite article al- in the phrase al-ḥamdu lillāh (“all praise belongs to Allah”), scholars hold two views:
It has been said that it is generic, as some Muʿtazilī exegetes maintained, and a few who affiliate themselves with the Sunnah followed them in this.
The second view—which is the correct one—is that it is exhaustive, meaning that every kind of praise is Allah’s alone.
116 — As the report states: “To You belongs all praise, and to You belongs all dominion.” (1)
Independent Praise and Independent Dominion
117 — Thus He possesses an independent praise and an independent dominion. Yet He, exalted is He, grants dominion to whomever He wills, and whatever He grants is part of His own dominion. Everything a servant disposes of comes from the dominion of the Lord. He alone is absolutely independent in His dominion; no one else has a share in that.
118 — Likewise, He alone is absolutely independent in possessing all praise; therefore, all praise belongs exclusively to Him.

(1) Reported by Ahmad (5/395–396) with a broken chain of transmission, from the narration of Hudhayfa: he came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, “While I was praying I heard a speaker say: ‘O Allah, all praise is Yours in its entirety; all sovereignty is Yours in its entirety; all goodness is in Your hand; to You all matters return, both openly and secretly. You are worthy of praise, for You are capable of all things. O Allah, forgive me all that has passed of my sins, protect me in what remains of my life, and grant me righteous deeds with which You will be pleased.’” The Prophet ﷺ said, “That was an angel who came to teach you how to praise your Lord.” Al-Haythami remarks in Majma al-zawaid (10/96): “Ahmad transmits it; there is an unnamed narrator in the chain, while the rest are trustworthy.” Al-Mundhiri lists it in al-targhib wa-l-tarhib (2/428–429) from Anas with a similar incident, noting: “Ibn Abi Dunya records it in Kitab al-dhikr, but does not name the tabi‘i in the chain.”

ومعرفة بمحامده، ومحبة له، وشكرا له. ١١٥- والألف واللام في قوله "الحمد لله" فيها قولان: قيل: هي للجنس كما ذكره بعض المفسرين من المعتزلة وتبعه عليه بعض المنتسبين إلى السنة. والثاني: وهو الصحيح - أنها للاستغراق، فالحمد كله لله. ١١٦- كما جاء في الأثر: "لك الحمد كله، ولك الملك كله" (١) . الحمد المستقل والملك المستقل ١١٧- فله الحمد حمد مستقل، وله الملك ملك مستقل، ولكن هو سبحانه يؤتي الملك من يشاء، والذي يؤتيه هو من ملكه، وكل ما تصرف فيه العبد فهو من ملك الرب، وهو مستقل بالملك، ليس هذا لغيره. ١١٨- كذلك الحمد هو مستقل بالحمد كله؛ فله الحمد كله

(١) أخرجه أحمد (٥/٣٩٥، ٣٩٦) بإسناد منقطع من حديث حذيفة أنه أتى النبي ﷺ فقال: بينما أنا أصلي إذ سمعت متكلما يقول: اللهم لك الحمد كله ولك الملك كله بيدك الخير كله إليك يرجع الأمر كله علانيته وسره فأهل أن تحمد، إنك على كل شيء قدير، اللهم اغفر لي جميع ما مضى من ذنبي، واعصمني فيما بقي من عمري، وارزقني عملا زاكيا ترضى به عني، فقال النبي ﷺ: "ذاك ملك أتاك يعلمك تحميد ربك". وقال الهيثمي في "المجمع" (١٠/٩٦) : "رواه أحمد وفيه راو لم يسم، وبقية رجاله ثقات". وأورده المنذري في "الترغيب والترهيب" (٢/٤٢٨، ٤٢٩) من حديث أنس بنحو القصة وقال: "رواه ابن أبي الدنيا في "كتاب الذكر" ولم يسم تابعيه".