Al-Istiqama - Ibn Taimiya - (1/253)

Al-IstiqamaIbn Taimiya

And Allah Most High has said:

“Whoever turns away from the remembrance of the Most Merciful, We appoint for him a devil to be his companion. And indeed, they turn them away from the path while they think they are rightly guided. Then, when he comes to Us, he says, ‘If only there were between me and you the distance between east and west! What an evil companion!’ And it will not benefit you that Day, since you wronged yourselves, that you share in the punishment.”
[Sūrah al-Zukhruf 36–39]

Allah Most High has also said:

“Then We put you on an ordained way concerning the matter, so follow it and do not follow the desires of those who do not know. Indeed, they will never avail you against Allah at all. The wrongdoers are allies of one another, whereas Allah is the protector of the righteous.”
[Sūrah al-Jāthiyah 18–19]

The revealed law upon which Allah set him encompasses what He has commanded. Any love, spiritual taste, or inward feeling that is not supported by this revealed law belongs to the desires of those who do not know. For knowledge of what Allah loves comes only from the guidance He has sent down to His servants.

Thus, in one of the two verses, He says:

“Indeed, many lead others astray through their desires without knowledge.”
[Sūrah al-An‘ām 119]

And in the other verse, He says:

“But if they do not respond to you, then know that they only follow their desires. And who is more astray than one who follows his own desire without guidance from Allah?”
[Sūrah al-Qasas 50]

Thus, regarding anyone who follows a spiritual taste or inward feeling without guidance from Allah, whether arising from love or hatred: no one has the right to follow what he loves, commanding it and adopting it as religion, or to forbid and condemn what he hates, making that a matter of religion, except with guidance from Allah. That guidance is Allah’s revealed law, upon which He set His Messenger. Whoever follows his own inclinations in love and hatred without adhering to the revealed law has followed his own desire without guidance from Allah.

وَقد قَالَ تَعَالَى {وَمن يَعش عَن ذكر الرَّحْمَن نقيض لَهُ شَيْطَانا فَهُوَ لَهُ قرين وَإِنَّهُم ليصدونهم عَن السَّبِيل وَيَحْسبُونَ أَنهم مهتدون حَتَّى إِذا جَاءَنَا قَالَ يَا لَيْت بيني وَبَيْنك بعد المشرقين فبئس القرين وَلنْ ينفعكم الْيَوْم إِذْ ظلمتم أَنكُمْ فِي الْعَذَاب مشتركون} [سُورَة الزخرف ٣٦ ٣٩] وَقد قَالَ تَعَالَى {ثمَّ جعلناك على شَرِيعَة من الْأَمر فاتبعها وَلَا تتبع أهواء الَّذين لَا يعلمُونَ إِنَّهُم لن يغنوا عَنْك من الله شَيْئا وَإِن الظَّالِمين بَعضهم أَوْلِيَاء بعض وَالله ولي الْمُتَّقِينَ} [سُورَة الجاثية ١٨ ١٩] فالشريعة الَّتِي جعله عَلَيْهَا تَتَضَمَّن مَا أَمر بِهِ وكل حب وذوق وَوجد لَا تشهد لَهُ هَذِه الشَّرِيعَة فَهُوَ من أهواء الَّذين لَا يعلمُونَ فَإِن الْعلم بِمَا يُحِبهُ الله إِنَّمَا هُوَ مَا أنزلهُ الله إِلَى عباده من هداه وَلِهَذَا قَالَ فِي إِحْدَى الْآيَتَيْنِ {وَإِن كثيرا ليضلون بأهوائهم بِغَيْر علم} [سُورَة الْأَنْعَام ١١٩] وَقَالَ فِي الْآيَة الْأُخْرَى {فَإِن لم يَسْتَجِيبُوا لَك فَاعْلَم أَنما يتبعُون أهواءهم وَمن أضلّ مِمَّن اتبع هَوَاهُ بِغَيْر هدى من الله} [سُورَة الْقَصَص ٥٠] فَكل من اتبع ذوقا أَو وجدا بِغَيْر هدى من الله سَوَاء كَانَ ذَلِك عَن حب أَو بغض فَلَيْسَ لأحد أَن يتبع مَا يُحِبهُ فيأمر بِهِ ويتخذه دينا وَينْهى عَمَّا يبغضه ويذمه ويتخذ ذَلِك دينا إِلَّا بهدى من الله وَهُوَ شَرِيعَة الله الَّتِي جعل عَلَيْهَا رَسُوله وَمن اتبع مَا يهواه حبا وبغضا بِغَيْر الشَّرِيعَة فقد اتبع هَوَاهُ بِغَيْر هدى من الله