Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (3/361)

Majmu' al-FatawaIbn Taimiya

—that was because they rejected Allah’s signs and killed the prophets unjustly. That was because they disobeyed and used to transgress.” Thus, He attributed this to disobedience and transgression.

Disobedience means failing to comply with a command, which constitutes falling short; transgression means exceeding a limit. Likewise, anyone “entrusted with property” is liable: if he falls short and neglects what he has been instructed to do—which constitutes disobedience; if he transgresses through betrayal or otherwise. Hence His words:

“Do not cooperate in sin and transgression.”

Sin here means disobedience, and Allah knows best. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Allah has prescribed obligations, so do not neglect them; He has forbidden certain things, so do not violate those prohibitions; He has set limits, so do not overstep them; and He has remained silent about certain things out of mercy for you, not forgetfulness, so do not ask about them.”

Disobedience consists in neglecting obligations and violating prohibitions—that is, failing to comply with commands and prohibitions. Transgression consists in exceeding the limits of what is permissible.

He, the Exalted, says:

“He enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong, makes lawful for them good things, and prohibits for them evil things.”

Disobedience means failing to comply with His commands and prohibitions, while transgression means going beyond what He has permitted into what He has forbidden. The same distinction applies—and Allah knows best—to His words:

“Our Lord, forgive us our sins and our excesses in our affairs.”

Sins refer to disobedience, while excess refers to transgression and exceeding the limit. Know that “exceeding the limit” is a form of violating a prohibition, because overstepping the limit is unlawful and forbidden. It therefore falls within the category of prohibited acts. Prohibited acts, however, are of two kinds: those prohibited absolutely, such as disbelief—committing such an act is a sin and is forbidden.

ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ ذَلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوْا وَكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ} فَجَعَلَ ذَلِكَ بِالْمَعْصِيَةِ وَالِاعْتِدَاءِ. وَالْمَعْصِيَةُ: مُخَالَفَةُ الْأَمْرِ وَهُوَ التَّقْصِيرُ وَالِاعْتِدَاءُ مُجَاوَزَةُ الْحَدِّ. وَكَذَلِكَ يَضْمَنُ كُلُّ " مُؤْتَمَنٍ عَلَى مَالٍ " إذَا قَصَّرَ وَفَرَّطَ فِي مَا أُمِرَ بِهِ وَهُوَ الْمَعْصِيَةُ إذَا اعْتَدَى بِخِيَانَةِ أَوْ غَيْرِهَا؛ وَلِهَذَا قَالَ: {وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ} فَالْإِثْمُ هُوَ الْمَعْصِيَةُ وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ {إنَّ اللَّهَ فَرَضَ فَرَائِضَ فَلَا تُضَيِّعُوهَا وَحَرَّمَ مَحَارِمَ فَلَا تَنْتَهِكُوهَا وَحَدَّ حُدُودًا فَلَا تَعْتَدُوهَا وَسَكَتَ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ رَحْمَةً لَكُمْ مِنْ غَيْرِ نِسْيَانٍ فَلَا تَسْأَلُوا عَنْهَا} فَالْمَعْصِيَةُ تَضْيِيعُ الْفَرَائِضِ وَانْتِهَاكُ الْمَحَارِمِ: وَهُوَ مُخَالَفَةُ الْأَمْرِ وَالنَّهْيِ وَالِاعْتِدَاءُ مُجَاوَزَةُ حُدُودِ الْمُبَاحَاتِ. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبَائِثَ} فَالْمَعْصِيَةُ مُخَالَفَةُ أَمْرِهِ وَنَهْيِهِ وَالِاعْتِدَاءُ مُجَاوَزَةُ مَا أَحَلَّهُ إلَى مَا حَرَّمَهُ وَكَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ - وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ -: {رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِي أَمْرِنَا} فَالذُّنُوبُ: الْمَعْصِيَةُ وَالْإِسْرَافُ: الِاعْتِدَاءُ وَمُجَاوَزَةُ الْحَدِّ. وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ " مُجَاوَزَةَ الْحَدِّ " هِيَ نَوْعٌ مِنْ مُخَالَفَةِ النَّهْيِ لِأَنَّ اعْتِدَاءَ الْحَدِّ مُحَرَّمٌ مَنْهِيٌّ عَنْهُ فَيَدْخُلُ فِي قِسْمِ الْمَنْهِيِّ عَنْهُ؛ لَكِنَّ الْمَنْهِيَّ عَنْهُ قِسْمَانِ: مَنْهِيٌّ عَنْهُ مُطْلَقًا كَالْكُفْرِ فَهَذَا فِعْلُهُ إثْمٌ وَمَنْهِيٌّ عَنْهُ.