Bayān Talbīs al-Jahmiyya - Ibn Taimiya - (5/290)

Bayān Talbīs al-JahmiyyaIbn Taimiya

on account of its nonexistence, and because this is a characteristic of the nonexistent. Every condition that existence precludes and that is peculiar to the nonexistent is all the more precluded by the Lord’s existence. Allah is more deserving than any other existing being of being declared free of it. Allah, glorified is He, is further removed from everything that is incompatible with existence, precludes it, opposes it, or is peculiar to the nonexistent. For His existence is necessary existence, which excludes nonexistence in every respect.

Thus, when these thinkers recognized a kind of perfection and self-sufficiency necessarily possessed by created beings, they knew that the Creator was all the more entitled to it. When they recognized a form of nonexistence that is impossible for existing things and from which they are free, they knew that the Creator was all the more deserving of being declared free of it and was even further removed from it. This is among the finest forms of rational reflection and inference, consistent with sound reason. Allah’s Book presents this in several places through its analogies and examples, including the passages in which He, glorified is He, denies having a partner or offspring, as in His words in Surah al-Nahl:

“They attribute daughters to Allah—glory be to Him—while they have what they desire. (57) When one of them is given news of a daughter, his face darkens and he is filled with suppressed grief. (58) He hides from his people because of the bad news he has received. Should he keep her in humiliation or bury her in the dust? How evil is their judgment! (59) Those who do not believe in the Hereafter have attributes of evil, while Allah has the most exalted attributes.” [verses 57-60]

And His words:

“Allah has favored some of you over others in provision. Yet those who have been favored will not share their provision with their slaves so that they become equal in it. Do they then deny Allah’s favor? (71)” [al-Nahl 71]

And His words, Most High:

“He sets forth for you an example drawn from your own lives: Do you have, among your slaves, any partners

لعدمه وأن هذه صفة المعدوم وكل أمرٍ منه الوجود واختص به المعدوم فوجودُ الرب أحق بمنعه والله أحق بالتنزيه عنه من غيره من الموجودات والله سبحانه ابعد عن كل ما ينافي الوجود ويمانعه ويعارضه ويختص بالمعدوم إذ وجوده هو الوجود الواجب الذي ينافي العدم من كل وجه فتبين أن هؤلاء لما رأوا نوع كمالٍ وغنىً يجب للمخلوقات علموا أن الخالق أحق به ولما رأوا نوع عدم يمتنع على الموجودات ويتنزَّه عنه علموا أن تنزيه الخالق أحق بذلك وهو عن ذلك أبعد وهذا من أحسن النظر والاعتبار العقلي الموافق للعقل الصريح وبهذا جاء كتاب الله في غير موضع فيما ضربه من القياس والمثال كقوله سبحانه حيث نفى عن نفسه الشريك والولد في مواضع مثل قوله في سورة النحل وَيَجْعَلُونَ لِلَّهِ الْبَنَاتِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَلَهُمْ مَا يَشْتَهُونَ (٥٧) وَإِذَا بُشِّرَ أَحَدُهُمْ بِالْأُنْثَى ظَلَّ وَجْهُهُ مُسْوَدًّا وَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ (٥٨) يَتَوَارَى مِنَ الْقَوْمِ مِنْ سُوءِ مَا بُشِّرَ بِهِ أَيُمْسِكُهُ عَلَى هُونٍ أَمْ يَدُسُّهُ فِي التُّرَابِ أَلَا سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ (٥٩) لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ مَثَلُ السَّوْءِ وَلِلَّهِ الْمَثَلُ الْأَعْلَى [الآيات ٥٧-٦٠] وكقوله وَاللَّهُ فَضَّلَ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فِي الرِّزْقِ فَمَا الَّذِينَ فُضِّلُوا بِرَادِّي رِزْقِهِمْ عَلَى مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَهُمْ فِيهِ سَوَاءٌ أَفَبِنِعْمَةِ اللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ (٧١) [النحل ٧١] وقوله تعالى ضَرَبَ لَكُمْ مَثَلًا مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ هَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ مِنْ شُرَكَاءَ