Al-Siyasa al-Shar'iyya - Ibn Taimiya - (الكتاب/244)

Al-Siyasa al-Shar'iyyaIbn Taimiya

corruption, though they may hold a higher station than others, as Allah Most High says:

“Do not falter or grieve, for you will have the upper hand, if you are believers.” [Āl Imrān: 139]

He also says:

“So do not falter and call for peace when you have the upper hand. Allah is with you and will never diminish the reward of your deeds.” [Muhammad: 35]

And He says:

“Honor belongs to Allah, His Messenger, and the believers.” [al-Munāfiqūn: 8]

Many a person seeks superiority only to sink lower (1), and many another is placed (2) among those of the highest rank (3) though he seeks neither superiority nor corruption. This is because [seeking superiority over others is an injustice (4), for all people are of the same kind] (5). Thus, for a person to desire that he be above his peer and that his peer be beneath him is an injustice to the latter. Moreover, because it is an injustice, people hate (6) anyone who acts in this way (7) and become his enemies: the just among them do not wish to be subjugated by their peer, while the unjust (8) among them would rather be the one who subjugates others.

Thus, the person who seeks superiority ruins both his religion and his worldly life through his injustice toward people and their resulting hostility. He consequently needs supporters to repel his enemies, yet those supporters are, in reality, his enemies: they assist him only because they thereby satisfy their own desires. For this reason, anyone who seeks leadership for its own sake is foolish and ignorant; rather,

(1) Manuscripts (Yā, Zā, Bā, Lām) read: “safālan” (“low”). (2) The original manuscript reads: “yabkhalu” (“he is stingy”)! (3) Manuscript Bā reads: “al-ālamīn” (“the worlds”)!, while Zā reads: “al-ālīn” (“those of high rank”). (4) This is omitted from Zā, and one reader added a note indicating the omission. (5) The text in square brackets is absent from the original manuscript but appears in all the other manuscripts. (6) The original manuscript reads: “yabghūna” (“they seek”)! (7) Manuscripts (Zā, Bā) read: “yubghidūna minhu dhālika” (“they hate that in him”). (8) The original manuscript reads: “fahuwa” (“then he”)!

فسادًا، مع أنهم قد يكونون أعلى من غيرهم، كما قال تعالى: ﴿وَلَا تَهِنُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَنْتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ﴾ [آل عمران: ١٣٩]، وقال تعالى: ﴿فَلَا تَهِنُوا وَتَدْعُوا إِلَى السَّلْمِ وَأَنْتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ وَاللَّهُ مَعَكُمْ وَلَنْ يَتِرَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ﴾ [محمد: ٣٥]، وقال: ﴿وَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾ [المنافقون: ٨]. فكم ممن يريد العلوَّ ولا يزيده ذلك إلا سفولًا (١)، وكم ممن جعل (٢) من الأعْلَين (٣) وهو لا يريد العلوّ ولا الفساد، وذلك لأن [إرادة العلو على الخلق ظلم (٤)؛ لأن الناس من جنس واحد] (٥) فإرادة الإنسان أن يكون هو الأعلى ونظيره تحته ظلمٌ له. ثم مع أنه ظلم فالناس يبغضون (٦) من يكون كذلك (٧) ويعادونه؛ لأن العادل منهم ما يحب أن يكون مقهورًا لنظيره، وغير (٨) العادل منهم يُؤثِر أن يكون هو القاهر. فمريدُ العلوِّ فسد عليه دينُه ودنياه بظلم الناس ومعاداتهم لذلك، فيحتاج لذلك إلى أعوانه يدفعون أعداءه، والأعوان في الحقيقة أعداء له، إنما يعينونه لما ينالونه من أهوائهم، فلهذا كان من طلبَ الرياسة إليه أحمقَ جاهلًا، وإنما

(١) (ي، ظ، ب، ل): «سفالًا». (٢) الأصل: «يبخل»! (٣) (ب): «العالمين»! و (ظ): «العالين». (٤) سقطت من (ز) وعلق أحد المطالعين بما يشير إلى ذلك. (٥) ما بين المعكوفين ليس في الأصل وهو في سائر النسخ. (٦) الأصل: «يبغون»! (٧) (ظ، ب): «يبغضون منه ذلك». (٨) الأصل: «فهو»!