Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (15/9)

it had become an indecency and an evil way only because it was prohibited, this reasoning would not hold, for a cause precedes its effect rather than follows it. There are many such examples in the Quran.

As for commands, His words:

“Fighting has been prescribed for you, though it is hateful to you. Yet you may hate something that is good for you, and you may love something that is bad for you. Allah knows, while you do not know.”

show that He commanded it because it is good for us, and because Allah knew about it what we did not know. Likewise, His words in the verse on purification:

“But He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you, so that you may be grateful.”

show that He commanded purification because of the benefit it holds for us. This, too, occurs frequently in the Quran.

كَانَ إنَّمَا صَارَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَاءَ سَبِيلًا بِالنَّهْيِ لَمَا صَحَّ ذَلِكَ؛ لِأَنَّ الْعِلَّةَ تَسْبِقُ الْمَعْلُولَ لَا تَتْبَعُهُ وَمِثْلُ ذَلِكَ كَثِيرٌ فِي الْقُرْآنِ. وَأَمَّا فِي الْأَمْرِ فَقَوْلُهُ: {كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَكُمْ وَعَسَى أَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ وَعَسَى أَنْ تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ} دَلِيلٌ عَلَى أَنَّهُ أَمَرَ بِهِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ خَيْرٌ لَنَا؛ وَلِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِمَ فِيهِ مَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْهُ. وَمِثْلُهُ قَوْلُهُ فِي آيَةِ الطُّهُورِ {وَلَكِنْ يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ} دَلِيلٌ عَلَى أَنَّهُ أَمَرَ بِالطُّهُورِ؛ لِمَا فِيهِ مِنْ الصَّلَاحِ لَنَا وَهَذَا أَيْضًا فِي الْقُرْآنِ كَثِيرٌ.