Al-Amr bi-l-Maʿrūf wa-n-Nahy ʿan al-Munkar - Ibn Taimiya - (17)

Al-Amr bi-l-Maʿrūf wa-n-Nahy ʿan al-MunkarIbn Taimiya

For this reason, anyone from among the scholars or worshippers who steps outside the dictates of the Qur’an and the Sunnah is deemed one of the People of Desire, just as the early generations used to label them. Whoever fails to follow sound knowledge is, in reality, following his own whim; and knowledge of the religion exists only through the guidance of Allah that He sent with His Messenger.

Allah, Exalted is He, said: “Indeed, many lead others astray by their desires without knowledge.” ⦗6:119⦘.

He also said: “And who is more astray than one who follows his desire without guidance from Allah?” ⦗28:50⦘.

Accordingly, the servant must examine both his love and his hate—and the degree of each—to see whether they conform to the command of Allah and His Messenger, that is, to the guidance Allah revealed to His Messenger. He must be sure he is under divine instruction for that love and hate, never pushing ahead of Allah and His Messenger, for He has said: “Do not put yourselves before Allah and His Messenger.” ⦗49:1⦘.

Whoever loves or hates before Allah and His Messenger have instructed him has, to some extent, gone ahead of Allah and His Messenger. Love and hate by themselves are mere inclination, but what is forbidden is to act upon one’s love and hate without guidance from Allah.

Thus He said: “Do not follow desire, lest it lead you away from the path of Allah. Truly, those who stray from the path of Allah will have a severe punishment.” ⦗38:26⦘.

He has therefore made it clear that whoever follows his own desire will be turned away from the path of Allah—that is, from the guidance He sent with His Messenger, the path that leads to Him.

ولهذا كان من خرج عن موجب الكتاب والسنة من العلماء والعباد يجعل من أهل الأهواء؛ كما كان السلف يسمونهم أهل الأهواء؛ وذلك أن كل من لم يتبع العلم فقد اتبع هواه؛ والعلم بالدين لا يكون إلا بهدي الله الذي بعث به رسوله؛ ولهذا قال تعالى في موضع: {وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا لَيُضِلُّونَ بِأَهْوَائِهِمْ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ} [الأنعام: ١١٩] (سورة الأنعام: من الآية ١١٩) . وقال في موضع آخر: {وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنَ اتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِنَ اللَّهِ} [القصص: ٥٠] (سورة القصص: من الآية ٥٠) . فالواجب على العبد أن ينظر في نفس حبه وبغضه، ومقدار حبه وبغضه: هل هو موافق لأمر الله ورسوله؟ وهو هدي الله الذي أنزله على رسوله؛ بحيث يكون مأمورا بذلك الحب والبغض، لا يكون متقدما فيه بين يدي الله ورسوله؛ فإنه قد قال: {لَا تُقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ} [الحجرات: ١] (سورة الحجرات: من الآية ١) . ومن أحب أو أبغض قبل أن يأمره الله ورسوله ففيه نوع من التقدم بين يدي الله ورسوله. ومجرد الحب والبغض هوى؛ لكن المحرم اتباع حبه وبغضه بغير هدي من الله؛ ولهذا قال: {وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَى فَيُضِلَّكَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَضِلُّونَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ} [ص: ٢٦] (سورة ص: من الآية ٢٦) . فأخبر أن من اتبع هواه أضله ذلك عن سبيل الله، وهو هداه الذي بعث به رسوله، وهو السبيل إليه.