Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (358)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

Thus, the claim that this is comparable to a master leaving his male and female slaves to commit sexual immorality with one another and take one another captive is utterly false and baseless. The difference between the two is too plain and too great to require explanation or even a reminder. All praise belongs to Allah, the Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy. His perfect self-sufficiency marks the distinction, as do His praiseworthiness and sovereignty, His might, wisdom and knowledge, His beneficence and justice, His religion, law, judgment and generosity; His love of forgiveness, pardoning offenders and overlooking wrongdoing; and His acceptance of the repentance of the repentant, the patience of the patient, and the gratitude of the grateful—those who prefer Him to all others, seek His pleasure, worship Him alone, treat His servants with justice, kindness and sincere counsel, and strive against His enemies, sacrificing their blood and wealth out of love for Him and in pursuit of His pleasure. Thus the wicked are distinguished from the good, and His allies from His enemies. The goodness of the latter and the wickedness of the former become manifest, bringing about the consequences that the Lord, Most High, loves: reward and punishment, praise for His allies and blame for His enemies.

[Surah al-Nahl (16): verse 99]
“He has no authority over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord.” (99)

If it is asked: Here He affirms that Satan has authority over his allies. How, then, does He deny it when He recounts Satan’s words and affirms their truth:

14:23 “And Satan will say when the matter has been decided, ‘Indeed, Allah gave you a true promise. I too promised you, but I failed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, and you responded to me.’”

And Allah, Most High, says:

34:20, 21 “Indeed, Iblīs’s assumption about them proved true, and they followed him, except for a group of believers. He had no authority over them, except that We might know those who believe in the Hereafter from those who doubt it.”

The answer is that the authority affirmed for him over them differs from the authority denied him in two respects.

First: the authority affirmed is his power to gain mastery over them and to toy

فدعوى المدعي: أن هذا نظير تخلية السيد بين عبيده وإمائه يفجر بعضهم ببعض، ويسبي بعضهم بعضا أكذب دعوى وأبطلها. والفرق بينهما أظهر وأعظم من أن يحتاج إلى ذكره، والتنبيه عليه. والحمد لله الغني الحميد. فغناه التام فارق، وحمده وملكه، وعزته وحكمته وعلمه، وإحسانه وعدله، ودينه وشرعه وحكمه وكرمه، ومحبته للمغفرة والعفو عن الجناة، والصفح عن المسيئين، وقبوله توبة التائبين، وصبر الصابرين، وشكر الشاكرين الذين يؤثرونه على غيره، ويتطلبون مرضاته، ويعبدونه وحده، ويسيرون في عبيده سيرة العدل والإحسان والنصائح، ويجاهدون أعداءه، فيبذلون دماءهم وأموالهم في محبته ومرضاته. ليتميز الخبيث من الطيب، ووليه من عدوه، ويخرج طيبات هؤلاء وخبائث أولئك إلى الخارج، فيترتب عليها آثارها المحبوبة للرب تعالى من الثواب والعقاب، والحمد لأوليائه والذم لأعدائه. [سورة النحل (١٦) : آية ٩٩] إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ سُلْطانٌ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَلى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ (٩٩) فإن قيل: فقد أثبت له على أوليائه هاهنا سلطانا، فكيف نفاه بقوله تعالى حاكيا عنه مقررا له ١٤: ٢٣ وَقالَ الشَّيْطانُ لَمَّا قُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ وَوَعَدْتُكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ، وَما كانَ لِي عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ سُلْطانٍ إِلَّا أَنْ دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِي وقال تعالى: ٣٤: ٢٠، ٢١ وَلَقَدْ صَدَّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِبْلِيسُ ظَنَّهُ فَاتَّبَعُوهُ إِلَّا فَرِيقاً مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَما كانَ لَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ سُلْطانٍ إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَنْ يُؤْمِنُ بِالْآخِرَةِ مِمَّنْ هُوَ مِنْها فِي شَكٍّ. قيل: السلطان الذي أثبته له عليهم غير السلطان الذي نفاه من وجهين. أحدهما: أن السلطان الثابت: هو سلطان التمكن منهم، وتلاعبه