Al-Siyasa al-Shar'iyya - Ibn Taimiya - (الكتاب/248)

Al-Siyasa al-Shar'iyyaIbn Taimiya

for what lies beyond his ability.

Appointing the righteous to positions of authority is better for the Muslim community than appointing the wicked. If someone is unable to establish the religion through political authority and jihad, but does whatever he can (1) in his heart, prays for the Muslim community, loves goodness and its people (2), and performs whatever obligatory duties he can, he is not charged with what lies beyond his ability. Religion is upheld by the Book that guides and the iron that gives support, as Allah Most High has stated.

Everyone must therefore strive to bring the Quran and iron together for Allah’s sake, seeking what is with Him and relying upon Allah in doing so. Worldly life will then serve religion. As Muādh ibn Jabal said: “Son of Adam, you need your share of this world, but you need your share of the Hereafter even more. If you begin with your share of the Hereafter, it will pass by your worldly share and gather it into its train. But if you begin with your worldly share, you will lose your share of the Hereafter, while even your worldly lot will remain precarious.” (3)

The evidence for this is the report narrated by al-Tirmidhī (4) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: “Whoever begins the morning with the Hereafter as his greatest concern, Allah will set all his affairs in order, place contentment in his heart, and cause this world to come to him humbled. But whoever begins the morning with this world as his greatest concern, Allah will throw his livelihood into disarray and place poverty before

(1) The remaining manuscripts add: “by way of sincere counsel.” (2) Manuscript Yā reads: “and love of goodness and its people”; manuscripts Zā and Bā: “and love of the religion and its people”; and manuscripts Fā and Lām: “and love of its people.” (3) Recorded by Ibn Abī Shayba (7:125–126), al-Tabarānī in *al-Kabīr* (20, no. 49), and Abū Nuaym in *al-Hilya* (1:234). Al-Haythamī states in *al-Majma* (4:224): “Its narrators are among those of the Sahih collections, although I could find no evidence that Ibn Sīrīn heard directly from Muādh.” (4) Al-Tirmidhī (2465). It was also recorded by Wakī in *al-Zuhd* (359) and al-Hārith ibn Abī Usāma in his *Musnad—Zawāid* (1092), from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him). The hadith has many corroborating narrations. See its documentation in Wakī’s *al-Zuhd*.

بما يعجز عنه. فإن تولية الأبرار خير للأمة من تولية الفجار، ومن كان عاجزًا عن إقامة الدين بالسلطان والجهاد، ففَعَل ما يقدر عليه (١) بقلبه، والدعاء للأمة، ومحبّة الخير وأهله (٢)، وفعَل ما يقدرُ عليه من الواجبات= لم يُكَلَّف بما يعجز عنه، فإنَّ قِوام الدين بالكتاب الهادي والحديد الناصر، كما ذكر الله تعالى. فعلى كلّ أحدٍ الاجتهاد في اتفاق القرآن والحديد لله، ويطلب ما عنده مستعينًا بالله في ذلك. ثم الدنيا تخدم الدين، كما قال معاذ بن جبل: ابن آدم أنت محتاجٌ إلى نصيبك من الدنيا، وأنت إلى نصيبك من الآخرة أحْوَج، فإن بدأتَ بنصيبك من الآخرة مَرَّ بنصيبك مِن الدنيا فانتظَمْتَه انتظامًا، وإن بدأتَ بنصيبك من الدنيا فاتَك نصيبُك من الآخرة، وأنتَ مِن الدنيا على خطر (٣). ودليل ذلك: ما رواه الترمذي (٤) عن النبي ﷺ أنه قال: «من أصبح والآخرة أكبر هَمِّه جمع الله له شمله، وجعل غناه في قلبه، وأتته الدنيا وهي راغمة. ومن أصبح والدنيا أكبر هَمِّه فرَّق الله عليه ضيعته وجعل فقره بين

(١) في بقية النسخ زيادة: «من النصيحة». (٢) (ي): «ومحبته للخير وأهله»، (ظ، ب): «ومحبة الدين وأهله»، (ف، ل): «ومحبة أهله». (٣) أخرجه ابن أبي شيبة: (٧/ ١٢٥ - ١٢٦)، والطبراني في «الكبير»: (٢٠/رقم ٤٩)، وأبو نعيم في «الحلية»: (١/ ٢٣٤). قال الهيثمي في «المجمع»: (٤/ ٢٢٤): رجاله رجال الصحيح، غير أني لم أجد لابن سيرين سماعًا من معاذ. (٤) (٢٤٦٥). وأخرجه وكيع في «الزهد» (٣٥٩)، والحارث بن أبي أسامة في «مسنده - زوائده» (١٠٩٢) من حديث أنس ﵁. وللحديث شواهد كثيرة. انظر تخريجه في «الزهد» لوكيع.