Al-Ṣafadiyyah - Ibn Taimiya - (2/311)

Al-ṢafadiyyahIbn Taimiya

Likewise, the Muslims steer a middle course with regard to the prophets. Concerning the Jews, Allah says:

“Is it that whenever a messenger came to you with something your souls did not desire, you grew arrogant; some of them you denied and others you killed.” (Qur’an 2:87)

They were in the habit of killing the prophets and of killing those among the people who enjoined justice.

As for the Christians, they went to the opposite extreme, associating the prophets—and even lesser figures—with Allah. About them Allah says:

“They have taken their rabbis and monks as lords besides Allah, and also the Messiah, son of Mary, while they were commanded to worship only one God. There is no deity but He—glorified is He above what they associate.” (Qur’an 9:31)

The Muslims, however, believe in all the prophets and make no distinction between any of them. Faith in every one of the messengers is an obligatory duty; whoever disbelieves in a single prophet has in fact disbelieved in them all. Whoever reviles a prophet is a disbeliever who, by unanimous agreement of the scholars, is liable to the death penalty, though they differ as to whether he should first be offered repentance. Allah Most High says:

“Say: ‘We believe in Allah, in what has been sent down to us, in what was sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, and in what was given to Moses and Jesus, and to all the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we submit.’” (Qur’an 2:136)

He also says:

“True righteousness is rather found in the one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets.” (Qur’an 2:177)

And He says:

“The Messenger believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and so do the believers. All of them believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His messengers. They say, ‘We make no distinction between any of His messengers.’ They say, ‘We hear and we obey. Grant us Your forgiveness, our Lord; to You is the journey’s end.’ Allah does not burden any soul…” (Qur’an 2:285–286)

وكذلك هم في الأنبياء وسط فإن اليهود كما قال فيهم: {أَفَكُلَّمَا جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ بِمَا لا تَهْوَى أَنْفُسُكُمُ اسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ فَفَرِيقاً كَذَّبْتُمْ وَفَرِيقاً تَقْتُلُونَ} (سورة البقرة ٨٧) وكذلك كانوا يقتلون الأنبياء ويقتلون الذين يأمرون بالقسط من الناس. والنصارى غلوا فأشركوا بهم ومن هو دونهم قال الله فيهم: {اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَاباً مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُوا إِلَهاً وَاحِداً لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ سُبْحَانَهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ} (سورة التوبة ٣١) . والمسلمون آمنوا بهم كلهم ولم يفرقوا بين أحد منهم فإن الإيمان بجميع النبيين فرض واجب ومن كفر بواحد منهم فقد كفر بهم كلهم ومن سب نبيا من الأنبياء فهو كافر يجب قتله باتفاق العلماء وفي استتابته نزاع قال تعالى: {قُولُوا آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالأَسْبَاطِ وَمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَى وَعِيسَى وَمَا أُوتِيَ النَّبِيُّونَ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ لا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ} (سورة البقرة ١٣٦) . وقال تعالى: {وَلَكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَالْمَلائِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ} (سورة البقرة ١٧٧) . وقال تعالى: {آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ لا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْساً