Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (1/126)

Majmu' al-FatawaIbn Taimiya

the Messenger and his community—conveying his message to them, teaching them, cultivating their conduct, and serving as examples for them to follow—is correct in this. When these scholars reach a consensus, their consensus is conclusive proof: they do not agree upon misguidance. If they disagree over something, they refer it back to Allah and the Messenger, for no individual among them is absolutely infallible. Rather, some of anyone’s words may be accepted and others rejected, except those of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“The scholars are the heirs of the prophets. The prophets did not leave behind dinars or dirhams, but only knowledge. Whoever acquires it has acquired an abundant share.”

But if someone regards them as intermediaries between Allah and His creation—like the chamberlains between a king and his subjects—such that they present the needs of His creation to Allah, and Allah guides and provides for His servants only through their mediation, with people asking them and them asking Allah, then this resembles intermediaries at royal courts. Because of their closeness to the kings, they ask the kings to meet people’s needs. People ask these intermediaries out of courtesy, rather than petitioning the king directly, or because asking the intermediaries is more beneficial to them than asking the king, since the intermediaries are closer to the king than those seeking to have their needs met.

Whoever regards them as intermediaries in this manner is an unbeliever who associates partners with Allah. He must be called upon to repent; if he repents, well and good, but otherwise he is to be put to death. These people liken Allah to others: they have likened the created to the Creator and set up rivals to Allah. The Quran contains more refutations of these people than this fatwa has room to present.

For intermediaries between kings and people serve in one of three ways:

—Either to inform the kings of circumstances among the people of which they are unaware.

الرَّسُولِ وَأُمَّتِهِ يُبَلِّغُونَهُمْ؛ وَيُعَلِّمُونَهُمْ؛ وَيُؤَدِّبُونَهُمْ؛ وَيَقْتَدُونَ بِهِمْ؛ فَقَدْ أَصَابَ فِي ذَلِكَ. وَهَؤُلَاءِ إذَا أَجْمَعُوا فَإِجْمَاعُهُمْ حُجَّةٌ قَاطِعَةٌ لَا يَجْتَمِعُونَ عَلَى ضَلَالَةٍ وَإِنْ تَنَازَعُوا فِي شَيْءٍ رَدُّوهُ إلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ؛ إذْ الْوَاحِدُ مِنْهُمْ لَيْسَ بِمَعْصُومِ عَلَى الْإِطْلَاقِ؛ بَلْ كُلُّ أَحَدٍ مِنْ النَّاسِ يُؤْخَذُ مِنْ كَلَامِهِ وَيُتْرَكُ: إلَّا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَقَدْ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ {الْعُلَمَاءُ وَرَثَةُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ فَإِنَّ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ لَمْ يُوَرِّثُوا دِينَارًا وَلَا دِرْهَمًا وَإِنَّمَا وَرَّثُوا الْعِلْمَ فَمَنْ أَخَذَهُ فَقَدْ أَخَذَ بِحَظِّ وَافِرٍ} . وَإِنْ أَثْبَتَهُمْ وَسَائِطَ بَيْنَ اللَّهِ وَبَيْنَ خَلْقِهِ - كَالْحُجَّابِ الَّذِينَ بَيْنَ الْمَلِكِ وَرَعِيَّتِهِ - بِحَيْثُ يَكُونُونَ هُمْ يَرْفَعُونَ إلَى اللَّهِ حَوَائِجَ خَلْقِهِ؛ فَاَللَّهُ إنَّمَا يَهْدِي عِبَادَهُ وَيَرْزُقُهُمْ بِتَوَسُّطِهِمْ؛ فَالْخَلْقُ يَسْأَلُونَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْأَلُونَ اللَّهَ؛ كَمَا أَنَّ الْوَسَائِطَ عِنْدَ الْمُلُوكِ: يَسْأَلُونَ الْمُلُوكَ الْحَوَائِجَ لِلنَّاسِ؛ لِقُرْبِهِمْ مِنْهُمْ وَالنَّاسُ يَسْأَلُونَهُمْ؛ أَدَبًا مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يُبَاشِرُوا سُؤَالَ الْمَلِكِ؛ أَوْ لِأَنَّ طَلَبَهُمْ مِنْ الْوَسَائِطِ أَنْفَعُ لَهُمْ مِنْ طَلَبِهِمْ مِنْ الْمَلِكِ؛ لِكَوْنِهِمْ أَقْرَبَ إلَى الْمَلِكِ مِنْ الطَّالِبِ لِلْحَوَائِجِ. فَمَنْ أَثْبَتَهُمْ وَسَائِطَ عَلَى هَذَا الْوَجْهِ: فَهُوَ كَافِرٌ مُشْرِكٌ يَجِبُ أَنْ يُسْتَتَابَ فَإِنْ تَابَ وَإِلَّا قُتِلَ. وَهَؤُلَاءِ مُشَبِّهُونَ لِلَّهِ شَبَّهُوا الْمَخْلُوقَ بِالْخَالِقِ وَجَعَلُوا لِلَّهِ أَنْدَادًا. وَفِي الْقُرْآنِ مِنْ الرَّدِّ عَلَى هَؤُلَاءِ: مَا لَمْ تَتَّسِعْ لَهُ هَذِهِ الْفَتْوَى. فَإِنَّ الْوَسَائِطَ الَّتِي بَيْنَ الْمُلُوكِ وَبَيْنَ النَّاسِ: يَكُونُونَ عَلَى أَحَدِ وُجُوهٍ ثَلَاثَةٍ: - إمَّا لِإِخْبَارِهِمْ مِنْ أَحْوَالِ النَّاسِ بِمَا لَا يَعْرِفُونَهُ.