Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (388)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

a word in the language of the Romans, borrowed into Arabic.” He added: “Its precise meaning is a garden containing everything found in gardens.” Hassān said:

Allah’s reward for all granted life eternal
Is gardens of al-Firdaws, where they abide forever.

[Surah al-Mu’minūn (23): verse 91]
“Allah has never taken a son, nor has there ever been any god alongside Him. Otherwise, each god would have taken away what he created, and some would have risen above others. Exalted is Allah above what they attribute to Him (91).”

Consider this brilliant proof, expressed in such concise, clear words. The true God must necessarily be a creator who acts, bringing benefit to His worshippers and warding off harm from them. If there were another god alongside Him, glorified is He, that god would also have his own creation and actions. He would then refuse to share divinity with the other god. Rather, if he could overpower the other and claim divinity exclusively for himself, he would do so. If he could not, he would withdraw with his own creation and take it away, just as earthly kings separate from one another with their subjects when one cannot overpower another and gain supremacy over him.

Thus, one of three things must follow: either each god would withdraw with his own creation and dominion; or some would gain supremacy over others; or all would be subject to the power of one God who exercises authority over them while they exercise none over Him, who is beyond their rule while they cannot escape His. He alone would then be the true God, while they would be servants under His dominion and subject to His power.

The orderly functioning of the upper and lower worlds, their interconnectedness, and their operation according to a precise order that neither falters nor breaks down are among the clearest proofs that their governor is One, with no god besides Him—just as the argument from mutual exclusion demonstrates that their Creator is One, with no Lord besides Him.

That is mutual exclusion in action and bringing things into existence; this is mutual exclusion in ultimate purpose and divinity.

Just as it is impossible for the world to have two equally matched creator-lords, it is likewise impossible for it to have two gods rightfully worshipped.

بالرومية، منقول إلى لغة العرب. قال وحقيقته: أنه البستان الذي يجمع كل ما يكون في البساتين. قال حسان: وإن ثواب الله كل مخلد ... جنان من الفردوس فيها يخلد [سورة المؤمنون (٢٣) : آية ٩١] مَا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ مِنْ وَلَدٍ وَما كانَ مَعَهُ مِنْ إِلهٍ إِذاً لَذَهَبَ كُلُّ إِلهٍ بِما خَلَقَ وَلَعَلا بَعْضُهُمْ عَلى بَعْضٍ سُبْحانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ (٩١) تأمل هذا البرهان الباهر بهذا اللفظ الوجيز البين. فإن الإله الحق لا بد أن يكون خالقا فاعلا، يوصل إلى عابديه النفع، ويدفع عنهم الضر فلو كان معه سبحانه إله لكان له خلق وفعل، وحينئذ فلا يرضي شركة الإله الآخر معه، بل إن قدر على قهره والتفرد بالالهية دونه فعل، وإن لم يقدر على ذلك انفرد بخلقه، وذهب به، كما ينفرد ملوك الدنيا بعضهم عن بعض بمماليكهم، إذا لم يقدر المنفرد على قهر الآخر، والعلو عليه. فلا بد من أحد أمور ثلاثة: وإما أن يذهب كل إله بخلقه وسلطانه. وإما أن يعلو بعضهم على بعض. وإما أن يكونوا كلهم تحت قهر إله واحد، يتصرف فيهم ولا يتصرفون فيه، ويمتنع من حكمهم ولا يمتنعون من حكمه. فيكون وحده هو الإله الحق، وهم العبيد المبوبون المقهورون. وانتظام أمر العالم العلوي والسفلي وارتباط بعضه ببعض، وجريانه على نظام محكم لا يختلف، ولا يفسد. من أدل دليل على أن مدبره واحد، لا إله غيره كما دل دليل التمانع على أن خالقه واحد، لا رب غيره. فذلك تمانع في الفعل والإيجاد، وهذا تمانع في الغاية والألوهية. فكما يستحيل أن يكون للعالم ربان خالقان متكافئان كذلك يستحيل أن يكون له إلهان معبودان.