Bayān Talbīs al-Jahmiyya - Ibn Taimiya - (4/527)

Bayān Talbīs al-JahmiyyaIbn Taimiya

of the difference between what a living creature does on its own and what it asks of another. If, in their view, people’s supplication means nothing more than that they act on their own, then they would never be invoking Allah at all. Anyone who is not invoking Allah does not point toward Him in supplication; rather, doing so would be pointless. Indeed, even saying, “O Allah, do such-and-such,” would be pointless. This is the reality of their doctrine: to invalidate the various forms of supplication with which the messengers were sent, and to invalidate the disposition toward such supplication that Allah has instilled in His servants.

These people are the source of Jahmism and the negation of Allah’s attributes. Whoever agrees with them in any of this is among those who deny that Allah is the One who exists and is sought, invoked, and worshipped. Thus, you will find that most of those who deny that Allah is above the Throne display a corresponding degree of disengagement from invoking Allah, petitioning Him, and worshipping Him. The exception is someone who is ignorant of the reality of their doctrine, agreeing with them verbally on a statement whose true meaning he does not understand, while his innate disposition remains sound and intact. Such a person has both faith and hypocrisy within him. But if this doctrine takes hold of his heart, his innate disposition becomes corrupted.

When free to choose, these people turn away from invoking Allah and worshipping Him with sincere devotion, and they dispute concerning this. Yet when driven by necessity, they are as Allah Most High says:

“And among His signs are the ships sailing the sea like mountains. {32} If He wills, He stills the wind, leaving them motionless on its surface. Surely in this are signs for everyone steadfast and grateful. {33} Or He destroys them because of what they have earned—yet He pardons much—{34} and so that those who dispute concerning Our signs may know that they have no escape. {35}”
[al-Shūrā 32-35]

This is especially so according to the better-known of the two readings, namely the reading

بالفرق بين ما يفعله الحيوان بنفسه وبين ما يطلبه من غيره فإذا كان دعاء العباد عندهم لا معنى له إلا أنهم يفعلون بأنفسهم لم يكونوا دعين لله قط ومن لم يكن داعياً لله فإنه لا يشير إليه عند الدعاء بل ذلك عبث بل قوله يا الله افعل كذا عبث وهذا حقيقة مذهب القوم إبطال ما بعثت به الرسل من أنواع الأدعية وإبطال ما فطر الله عليه عباده من ذلك وهؤلاء هم أصل التجهم والتعطيل فمن وافقهم في شيء من ذلك كان من الجاحدين لأن يكون الله هو الموجود المقصود المدعو المعبود ولهذا تجد غالب هؤلاء النفاة لأن يكون الله فوق العرش فيهم من الانحلال عن دعاء الله ومسألته وعبادته بقدر ذلك إلا من يكون منهم جاهلاً بحقيقة مذهبهم يوافقهم بلسانه على قول لا يفهم حقيقته وفطرته على الصحة والسلامة فإنه يكون فيه إيمان ونفاق فأما إذا استحوذ على قلبه تغيرت فطرته وهؤلاء يعرضون عن دعاء الله وعبادته مخلصين له الدين عند الاختيار ويجادلون في ذلك لكن عند الاضطرار هم كما قال الله تعالى وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ الْجَوَارِ فِي الْبَحْرِ كَالْأَعْلَامِ {٣٢} إِن يَشَأْ يُسْكِنِ الرِّيحَ فَيَظْلَلْنَ رَوَاكِدَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ {٣٣} أَوْ يُوبِقْهُنَّ بِمَا كَسَبُوا وَيَعْفُ عَن كَثِيرٍ {٣٤} وَيَعْلَمَ الَّذِينَ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي آيَاتِنَا مَا لَهُم مِّن مَّحِيصٍ {٣٥} [الشورى ٣٢-٣٥] لاسيما على أشهر القراءتين وهي قراءة