Bayān Talbīs al-Jahmiyya - Ibn Taimiya - (1/470)

Bayān Talbīs al-JahmiyyaIbn Taimiya

the Resurrection and the settling of the two groups in Paradise and Hell, describing the reward and punishment therein. He has also spoken in general terms of things whose details we do not know, as in His words, Most High:

“No soul knows what joy is kept hidden for them as a reward for what they used to do. (17)” [al-Sajdah: 17]

And the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Allah Most High says, ‘I have prepared for My righteous servants what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has ever conceived.’”

Thus, what He has told us in detail is that which we need and benefit from knowing in detail; everything else has been conveyed in general terms, for it is impossible for us to know in detail everything that has happened and will happen. Similarly, He has commanded us to believe in the angels, the prophets, and the scriptures in general, while giving us certain details concerning the prophets, their scriptures and their stories, and the angels. The remaining accounts He has left in general terms, as He said:

“Among them are those whose stories We have related to you, and among them are those whose stories We have not related to you.” [Ghāfir: 78]

And He, Most High, said:

“We certainly gave Moses the Scripture and appointed his brother Aaron to assist him. (35) Then We said, ‘Go, both of you, to the people who have denied Our signs.’ Then We utterly destroyed them. (36) And the people of Noah—when they denied the messengers, We drowned them and made them a sign for mankind. And We have prepared a painful punishment for the wrongdoers. (37) And We destroyed ‘Ād, Thamūd, the people of al-Rass, and many generations between them. (38) For each We set forth examples, and each We utterly destroyed. (39)” [al-Furqān: 35–39]

There are many similar passages.

Thus, although detailed accounts were given of the creation of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, and of the Resurrection, when the heavens and the earth and all that is between them will be transformed, the Throne was not included in this. Rather, He stated that it would remain after the transformation of the heavens

القيامة، واستقرار الفريقين في الجنة والنار، وذكر ما فيهما من الثواب والعقاب، وقد أجمل من ذلك ما لا نعلمه على التفصيل كقوله تعالى: {فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَّا أُخْفِيَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ (١٧) } [السجدة: ١٧] وقوله صلى الله عليه وسلم: «يقول الله تعالى أعددت لعبادي الصالحين ما لا عين رأت ولا أذن سمعت ولا خطر على قلب بشر» فكان الذي أخبرنا به مفصلًا، ما لنا حاجة ومنفعة بمعرفته مفصلًا، وما سوى ذلك فوقع الخبر به مجملًا، إذ يمتنع أن نعلم كل ما كان وسيكون مفصلًا، وهذا كما أنه أمرنا أن نؤمن بالملائكة والأنبياء والكتب عمومًا، وقد فصل لنا من أخبار الأنبياء، وأمر كتبهم وقصصهم، وأمر الملائكة ما فصله، والثاني أجمله كما قال: {مِنْهُم مَّن قَصَصْنَا عَلَيْكَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن لَّمْ نَقْصُصْ عَلَيْكَ} [غافر: ٧٨] وقال تعالى: {وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلْنَا مَعَهُ أَخَاهُ هَارُونَ وَزِيرًا (٣٥) فَقُلْنَا اذْهَبَا إِلَى الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا فَدَمَّرْنَاهُمْ تَدْمِيرًا (٣٦) وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ لَّمَّا كَذَّبُوا الرُّسُلَ أَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ لِلنَّاسِ آيَةً وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا (٣٧) وَعَادًا وَثَمُودَ وَأَصْحَابَ الرَّسِّ وَقُرُونًا بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ كَثِيرًا (٣٨) وَكُلًّا ضَرَبْنَا لَهُ الْأَمْثَالَ وَكُلًّا تَبَّرْنَا تَتْبِيرًا (٣٩) } [الفرقان: ٣٥-٣٩] وأمثال هذا. فلما وقع التفصيل في خلق السموات والأرض وما بينهما، وفي القيامة التي تستحيل فيها السموات والأرض وما بينهما، لم يكن العرش داخلًا في ذلك، بل أخبر ببقائه بعد تغير السموات