Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (4/364)

Majmu' al-FatawaIbn Taimiya

but only after searching for evidence that restricts its scope—and Allah knows best. Its general scope must therefore be affirmed. If the account has been repeated without anything indicating a restricted scope, then claiming that its scope is restricted is not a falsehood.

Their denial that the cherubim prostrated is groundless, for they prostrated in obedience to and worship of their Lord. The proponent of this view further claimed that they are superior to Adam if it is established that they did not prostrate. Unsupported accounts neither establish truth nor overthrow falsehood. Their interpretation of “the exalted ones” as the cherubim amounts to speaking about the Book of Allah, glorified and exalted is He, without knowledge. This interpretation is not known to have come from any recognized imam, nor does the wording provide any evidence for it.

It has also been said that “Have you become arrogant?” means: Did you seek to become great only from this moment, or were you exalted before that? We have no need to interpret Allah’s words according to our own opinions, and Allah knows best their interpretation.

Here arises (a third question: those who prostrated to him may have done so despite being superior to him, for a superior may serve an inferior.

We reply: Know that there is nothing objectionable in a superior benefiting an inferior, for the leader of a people is their servant. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is the best of people and the one who benefits people most. In reality, however, the reward for the benefit he provides returns to him, and drawing near to Allah is brought to completion by benefiting His creation. This can be raised as an objection against anyone who argues from the angels’ management of our affairs that they are superior to us because of the many benefits they bring us.

As for prostration itself, it brings no benefit to its recipient beyond exaltation, distinction, and honor. It is utterly inappropriate for someone superior to be beneath someone inferior to him and lower than him in actual—not merely imagined—honor. Understand this, for a subtle truth lies beneath it.

لَكِنْ بَعْدَ الْبَحْثِ عَنْ دَلِيلِ التَّخْصِيصِ وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. فَيَجِبُ الْقَوْلُ بِالْعُمُومِ وَإِذَا كَانَتْ الْقِصَّةُ قَدْ تَكَرَّرَتْ وَلَيْسَ فِيهَا مَا يَدُلُّ عَلَى الْخُصُوصِ فَلَيْسَ دَعْوَى الْخُصُوصِ فِيهَا مِنْ الْبُهْتَانِ. وَأَمَّا إنْكَارُهُمْ لِسُجُودِ الكروبيين فَلَيْسَ بِشَيْءِ لِأَنَّهُمْ سَجَدُوا طَاعَةً وَعِبَادَةً لِرَبِّهِمْ وَزَادَ قَائِلُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُمْ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ آدَمَ إذَا ثَبَتَ أَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَسْجُدُوا وَالْحِكَايَاتُ الْمُرْسَلَةُ لَا تُقِيمُ حَقًّا وَلَا تَهْدِمُ بَاطِلًا؛ وَتَفْسِيرُهُمْ {الْعَالِينَ} بالكروبيين قَوْلٌ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى بِلَا عِلْمٍ وَلَا يُعْرَفُ ذَلِكَ عَنْ إمَامٍ مُتَّبَعٍ. وَلَا فِي اللَّفْظِ دَلِيلٌ عَلَيْهِ وَقِيلَ: {أَسْتَكْبَرْتَ} أَطَلَبْت أَنْ تَكُونَ كَبِيرًا مِنْ هَذَا الْوَقْتِ؟ أَمْ كُنْت عَالِيًا قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ؟ وَلَا حَاجَةَ بِنَا إلَى تَفْسِيرِ كَلَامِ اللَّهِ بِآرَائِنَا وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِتَفْسِيرِهِ. وَهَاهُنَا (سُؤَالٌ ثَالِثٌ وَهُوَ: أَنَّ السُّجُودَ لَهُ قَدْ يَكُونُ السَّاجِدُونَ سَجَدُوا لَهُ مَعَ فَضْلِهِمْ عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ الْفَاضِلَ قَدْ يَخْدُمُ الْمَفْضُولَ فَنَقُولُ: اعْلَمْ أَنَّ مَنْفَعَةَ الْأَعْلَى لِلْأَدْنَى غَيْرُ مُسْتَنْكَرَةٍ؛ فَإِنَّ سَيِّدَ الْقَوْمِ خَادِمُهُمْ فَالنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَفْضَلُ النَّاسِ وَأَنْفَعُ النَّاسِ لِلنَّاسِ لَكِنَّ مَنْفَعَتَهُ فِي الْحَقِيقَةِ يَعُودُ إلَيْهِ ثَوَابُهَا وَتَمَامُ التَّقَرُّبِ إلَى اللَّهِ يَحْصُلُ بِنَفْعِ خَلْقِهِ فَهَذَا يَصْلُحُ أَنْ يُورَدَ عَلَى مَنْ احْتَجَّ بِتَدْبِيرِهِمْ لَنَا فَفَضَّلَهُمْ عَلَيْنَا لِكَثْرَةِ مَنْفَعَتِهِمْ لَنَا وَأَمَّا نَفْسُ السُّجُودِ فَلَا مَنْفَعَةَ فِيهِ لِلسُّجُودِ لَهُ إلَّا مُجَرَّدَ تَعْظِيمٍ وَتَشْرِيفٍ وَتَكْرِيمٍ وَلَا يَصْلُحُ أَلْبَتَّةَ أَنْ يَكُونَ مَنْ هُوَ أَفْضَلُ أَسْفَلَ مِمَّنْ دُونَهُ وَتَحْتَهُ فِي الشَّرَفِ وَالْمُحَقَّقُ؛ لَا الْمُتَوَهَّمُ؛ فَافْهَمْ هَذَا فَإِنَّ تَحْتَهُ سِرًّا.