Editorial Introduction
All praise belongs to Allah, who created the heavens and the earth and made darkness and light—yet those who disbelieve in their Lord set up equals with Him. All praise is also due to Allah, for no act of gratitude for any of His favors can be rendered except through yet another favor from Him. Thus, when one thanks Him for past blessings, that very thanksgiving itself becomes a new blessing that likewise demands gratitude.
I praise Him with a praise befitting the generosity of His Countenance and the majesty of His glory. I seek His aid as one who possesses neither power nor strength except through Him. I ask Him for guidance by means of His guidance, for whoever receives it will never go astray. I seek His forgiveness for my past and future shortcomings, with the plea of a servant who acknowledges his bondage and knows that none forgives his sin or delivers him from it but He.
I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and His messenger. He was sent at a time when humanity had split into two camps:
1. A people of the Scripture who had altered its rulings and disbelieved in Allah. They forged lies with their tongues and mixed them with the truth that Allah had revealed to them. Concerning their disbelief, Allah said to His Prophet: “Among them is a faction who twist their tongues while reciting the Scripture so that you might think it is from the Scripture, yet it is not. They say, ‘It is from Allah,’ but it is not from Allah; and they knowingly tell lies about Allah” (Āl ʿImrān 3:78).
He also said: “Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture? They believe in superstition and false gods, and they say to the disbelievers, ‘These are better guided than the believers.’ Those are the ones whom Allah has cursed; and whomever Allah curses, you will never find for him a helper” (al-Nisāʾ 4:51–52).
2. A group who disbelieved in Allah altogether, invented practices for which Allah had granted no permission, and fashioned with their own hands
مقدمة التحقيق
الحمد لله الذي خلق السموات والأرض، وجعل الظلمات والنور، ثم الذين كفروا بربهم يعدلون. والحمد لله الذي لا يؤدَّى شكرُ نعمة من نِعَمه إلا بنعمةٍ منه توجب على مؤدِّي ماضي نعمه بأدائها: نعمةً حادثة يجب عليه شكره بها.
أحمده حمدًا كما ينبغي لكرم وجهه وعزِّ جلاله، وأستعينه استعانة من لا حول له ولا قوة إلا به، وأستهديه بهداه الذي لا يضل من أنعم به عليه، وأستغفره لما أزلفت وأخَّرت: استغفار من يقرُّ بعبوديته، ويعلم أنه لا يغفر ذنبه ولا ينجيه منه إلا هو.
وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، وأن محمدًا عبده ورسوله، بعثه والناس صنفان:
(أحدُهما): أهل كتاب بدَّلوا من أحكامه، وكفروا بالله، فافتعلوا كذبًا صاغوه بألسنتهم، فخلطوه بحق الله الذي أنزل إليهم. فذكر ﵎ لنبيه من كفرهم، فقال: ﴿وَإِنَّ مِنْهُمْ لَفَرِيقًا يَلْوُونَ أَلْسِنَتَهُمْ بِالْكِتَابِ لِتَحْسَبُوهُ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَقُولُونَ هُوَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ وَيَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾ [آل عمران/ ٧٨].
وقال ﵎: ﴿أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا نَصِيبًا مِنَ الْكِتَابِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْجِبْتِ وَالطَّاغُوتِ وَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا هَؤُلَاءِ أَهْدَى مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا سَبِيلًا (٥١) أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَمَنْ يَلْعَنِ اللَّهُ فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُ نَصِيرًا﴾ [النساء/ ٥١ - ٥٢].
(وصِنْفٌ): كفروا بالله فابتدعوا ما لم يأذن به الله، ونصبوا بأيديهم