Al-Siyasa al-Shar'iyya - Ibn Taimiya - (الكتاب/233)

Al-Siyasa al-Shar'iyyaIbn Taimiya

Chapter

A ruler cannot dispense with consultation, for Allah commanded His Prophet to consult others. Allah, Exalted is He, says:

“Pardon them, seek forgiveness for them, and consult them in matters of concern. Then, once you have resolved upon a course of action, put your trust in Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who put their trust in Him.” (1) [Āl Imrān: 159]

It has been narrated that Abu Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “No one consulted his Companions more often than the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.” (2)

It has been said that Allah Most High commanded His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to consult them in order to win the hearts of his Companions, so that those who came after him would follow his example, and so that he might elicit their opinions (3) concerning matters about which no revelation had descended, such as questions of war, military affairs (4), and other matters. Anyone other than him, peace and blessings be upon him, has even greater need of consultation.

Allah, Exalted is He, praised the believers for this, saying:

“Their affairs are conducted through mutual consultation, and they spend from what We have provided them.” (5) [al-Shūrā: 38]

When the ruler consults them, if one of them makes clear to him what must be followed from the Book of Allah, the sunnah of His Messenger, or the consensus of the Muslims, he must follow it. No one may be obeyed in contravention of it, even if that person is of great stature in matters of religion or

(1) In the other manuscripts, the verse continues through: “and consult them in the matter.” (2) Recorded by Ibn Hibbān (4872) and al-Bayhaqī (7/45, 10/109) as part of the lengthy hadith recounting al-Hudaybiyya, through Ma'mar, from al-Zuhrī, who said: “Abū Hurayra used to say this.” (3) The original reads: “the person after him who follows his example, and the one who elicits [their opinion]”; (ز) has “so that whoever comes after him may follow his example,” and (ي) has “he elicits [their opinion].” (4) The original and (ب، ل) read “military affairs”; (ف، ي، ز، ظ، ط) read “particular matters.” A marginal note in (ي) reads: “ظ: matters based on experience.” (5) In the other manuscripts, the verse is quoted from “What is with Allah is better and more lasting …” through “they spend.”

فصل لا غنى لولي الأمر عن المشاورة، فإن الله أمر بها نبيه، قال ﷾: ﴿فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ﴾ (١) [آل عمران: ١٥٩]. وقد رُوِي عن أبي هريرة ﵁ قال: لم يكن أحدٌ أكثر مشاورةً لأصحابه من رسول الله ﷺ (٢). وقد قيل: إن الله تعالى أمر بها نبيَّه ﷺ لتاليفِ قلوبِ أصحابِه، وليقتدي به من بعده، وليَسْتَخْرج (٣) منهم الرأي فيما لم ينزل فيه وحي من أمر الحروب والأمور الحربية (٤) وغير ذلك؛ فغيره ﷺ أولى بالمشاورة. وقد أثنى الله ﷾ على المؤمنين بذلك، فقال تعالى: ﴿وَأَمْرُهُمْ شُورَى بَيْنَهُمْ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ﴾ (٥) [الشورى: ٣٨]. وإذا استشارَهم، فإن بيَّن له بعضهم ما يجبُ اتباعُه من كتاب الله وسنة رسوله، أو إجماع المسلمين؛ فعليه اتباع ذلك، ولا طاعة لأحدٍ في خلاف ذلك، وإن كان عظيمًا في الدين أو

(١) الآية في بقية النسخ إلى: «وشاورهم في الأمر». (٢) أخرجه ابن حبان (٤٨٧٢)، والبيهقي: (٧/ ٤٥، ١٠/ ١٠٩) في حديث قصة الحديبية الطويل، من طريق معمر عن الزهري: كان أبو هريرة يقول به. (٣) الأصل: «والمقتدي [ز: ليقتدي] به من بعده والمستخرج [ي: يستخرج]». (٤) كذا في الأصل و (ب، ل)، و (ف، ي، ز، ظ، ط): «الجزئية»، وكتب في هامش (ي): «ظ: التجربية». (٥) في بقية النسخ سيقت الآية من قوله: «وما عند الله خير وأبقى ... » إلى «ينفقون».