Al-Radd ʿalā man qāla bi-fanāʾ al-Janna wa-al-Nār - Ibn Taimiya - (86)

Al-Radd ʿalā man qāla bi-fanāʾ al-Janna wa-al-NārIbn Taimiya

from the Prophet ﷺ that he said:

“None of you will enter Paradise because of his deeds.”
They asked, “Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?”
He replied, “Not even I, unless Allah envelops me in mercy and bounty.” (1)

In numerous passages Allah recounts His favours, kindnesses, and blessings upon His servants, commanding them to remember them and to give thanks for them.

The servant, however, has been forbidden to remind others of his charity, for He, Exalted is He, says:

“Do not nullify your charities with reminders of favour and injury.” (2)

The reason is that, in truth, the giver of charity benefits only himself, not the recipient; were there no advantage, reward, or compensation in it for him, he would not give at all. He is like a hired man who serves the slaves for a wage he receives from their master; he has shown no real favour to the slaves themselves.

Moreover, it is Allah who has favoured the giver by making it easy for him to benefit himself, and so he must thank Allah and recognise that the real benefactor is Allah. If he looks at the act itself, Allah is its Creator; if he looks at its outcome, he is seeking its recompense from Allah; and if he looks at the supposed beneficiary, he sees that he has merely benefited himself. Allah has been kind to him by making him one who benefits himself rather than wrongs himself.

For this reason, reminding a creature of one’s charity is an act of injustice that nullifies the charity. Allah, on the other hand, is the One who truly bestows blessings upon His servants, and when He assists them to thank Him and makes them grateful—rewarding them for that gratitude ⦗11-A⦘—this too is pure grace from Him. All of it is generosity and beneficence for which He takes no recompense from anyone, neither from the one favoured nor from anyone else. He is therefore the true Bestower. And even though His bestowal embodies a wisdom He loves and approves, that wisdom itself comes from Him. Thus no one can claim a favour over Him; He is sheer Generosity, and there is nothing whatsoever like unto Him.

People have discussed generosity and beneficence, and whether one who acts for a particular wisdom and purpose can truly be called generous.

(1) “Sahih al-Bukhari,” with its commentary “Fath al-Bari,” Kitab al-Riqaq, chapter on moderation and perseverance in action, vol. 11, p. 300; and “Sahih Muslim,” same wording, hadith no. 2816, vol. 4, p. 2169, from the narration of Abu Hurayra. (2) Quran, al-Baqara 2:264. (3) In the original it reads “wa la min al-muhsin” (and not from the benefactor), but the intended meaning is “mustaqqim” (straight), omitting the conjunction wa.

عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال: "لن يدخل أحد منكم بعمله الجنة" قالوا ولا أنت يا رسول الله؟ قال: "ولا أنا، إلا أن يتغمدني الله برحمة منه وفضل" (١) . والله تعالى في غير موضع يذكر آلاءه وإحسانه ونعمه على عباده، ويأمرهم أن يذكروها، ويأمرهم أن يشكروها. والعبد قد نهي أن يمن بصدقته بقوله تعالى: {لا تُبْطِلُوا صَدَقَاتِكُمْ بِالْمَنِّ وَالْأَذَى} (٢) لأن المتصدق في الحقيقة إنما أحسن إلى نفسه لا إلى المتصدق عليه، فإنه لولا أن له في ذلك منفعة وأجرا وعوضا لم يتصدق عليه، فصار كالذي يخدم المماليك بأجرة يأخذها من سيدهم ليس بمحسن إليهم. وأيضا فإن المصدق الله هو المنعم عليه بما يسره الله للإحسان إلى نفسه وعليه أن يشكر الله تعالى ويرى أن الله هو المحسن إليه، فإن نظر إلى الفعل فالله خالقه، وإن نظر إلى غايته فهو يطلب جزاءه وعوضه من الله، وإن نظر إلى المحسن إليه فهو المحسن إلى نفسه، والله أحسن إليه أن جعله محسنا إلى نفسه لا ظالما لها. فلهذا كان منه على المخلوق ظلما أبطل به صدقته، والله هو المنعم على عباده حقيقة بالنعمة، والشكر عليها إذا أعانهم على شكره وجعلهم شاكرين بنعمته، بثواب الشكر "١١ - أ" ، فكل ذلك تفضل منه وإحسان من غير أن يكون له على ذلك عوض يأخذه من غيره، لا (٣) من المحسن إليه ولا من غيره فهو المنعم حقيقة، وإن كان له في الإنعام حكمة يحبها ويرضاها، فتلك الحكمة منه، فما لأحد عليه منة وهو الجواد المحض وهو سبحانه ليس كمثله شيء. وللناس كلام في الجود والإحسان ومن يفعل لحكمة ومقصود هل هو جواد

(١) "صحيح البخاري" مع شرحه "فتح الباري" - كتاب الرقاق - باب القصد والمداومة على العمل ١١/٣٠٠ "وصحيح مسلم" واللفظ له، حديث رقم ٢٨١٦-٤/٢١٦٩ من رواية أبي هريرة. (٢) سورة البقرة، الآية: ٢٦٤. (٣) في الأصل "ولا من المحسن" والمعنى مستقيم بدون حرف الواو.