Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (17/196)

Majmu' al-FatawaIbn Taimiya

the moment it is abrogated is then all the more fitting and appropriate. Moreover, it is known that the Quran was revealed gradually. If He delayed revealing the replacement for an abrogated passage, it would not be recognized as its replacement, nor could it be distinguished from other revelations. His words,

“We bring something better than it or equal to it,”

would then convey no more than was already known even if nothing had been abrogated.

The most that could be said is this: if nothing were abrogated, it would be possible for nothing further to be revealed; but if something were abrogated, its replacement would necessarily come, even after some time. Yet this was something they already believed, for they had become accustomed to the Quran being revealed in response to events, questions and needs. When a verse was abrogated, they would not have thought that nothing would be revealed after it. They would not have thought this even if it had not been abrogated, so how could they think it when it was abrogated?

Second: since He has guaranteed them a replacement for what is abrogated, it is clear that His intent is that they should lose nothing of what He has revealed. Rather, there must be something equal or superior to what has been withdrawn. If they remained for a time without a replacement, they would suffer a loss.

Furthermore, this is a promise contingent upon a condition, and such a promise must be fulfilled immediately after that condition is met. It is akin to an exchange, in which the compensation must be paid immediately upon receipt of what is given in exchange for it. An example is someone saying, “Whatever belongings you throw into the sea, I undertake to replace.” This is not an unconditional promise like His words,

“You will surely enter the Sacred Mosque.”

For this reason, a distinction is drawn between saying, “By Allah, I will certainly give you a hundred,” and saying, “By Allah, I will not take anything from you without giving you its replacement.” In the latter case, immediate fulfillment is obligatory.

حِينِ نُسِخَ بَعْدُ أَوْلَى وَأَحْرَى وَلِأَنَّهُ قَدْ عُلِمَ أَنَّ الْقُرْآنَ نَزَلَ شَيْئًا بَعْدَ شَيْءٍ فَلَوْ كَانَ مَا يُنْزِلُهُ بَدَلًا عَنْ الْمَنْسُوخِ يُؤَخِّرُهُ لَمْ يُعْرَفْ أَنَّهُ بَدَلٌ وَلَمْ يَتَمَيَّزْ الْبَدَلُ مِنْ غَيْرِهِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِقَوْلِهِ {نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْهَا أَوْ مِثْلِهَا} فَائِدَةٌ إلَّا كَالْفَائِدَةِ الْمَعْلُومَةِ لَوْ لَمْ يُنْسَخْ شَيْءٌ. غَايَةُ مَا يُقَالُ: أَنَّهُ لَوْ لَمْ يُنْسَخْ شَيْءٌ لَجَازَ أَنْ لَا يَنْزِلَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ شَيْءٌ وَإِذَا نُسِخَ شَيْءٌ فَلَا بُدَّ مِنْ بَدَلِهِ وَلَوْ بَعْدَ حِينٍ. وَهَذَا مِمَّا يَعْتَقِدُونَهُ فَإِنَّهُمْ قَدْ اعْتَادُوا نُزُولَ الْقُرْآنِ عِنْدَ الْحَوَادِثِ وَالْمَسَائِلِ وَالْحَاجَةِ فَمَا كَانُوا يَظُنُّونَهُ - إذَا نُسِخَتْ آيَةٌ - أَنْ لَا يُنْزَلْ بَعْدَهَا شَيْءٌ فَإِنَّهَا لَوْ لَمْ تُنْسَخْ لَمْ يَظُنُّوا ذَلِكَ فَكَيْفَ يَظُنُّونَ إذَا نُسِخَتْ؟ الثَّانِي: أَنَّهُ إذَا كَانَ قَدْ ضَمِنَ لَهُمْ الْإِتْيَانَ بِالْبَدَلِ عَنْ الْمَنْسُوخِ عُلِمَ أَنَّ مَقْصُودَهُ أَنَّهُ لَا يَنْقُصُهُمْ شَيْءٌ مِمَّا أَنْزَلَهُ بَلْ لَا بُدَّ مِنْ مِثْلِ الْمَرْفُوعِ أَوْ خَيْرٍ مِنْهُ وَلَوْ بَقُوا مُدَّةً بِلَا بَدَلٍ لَنَقَصُوا. وَأَيْضًا فَإِنَّ هَذَا وَعْدٌ مُعَلَّقٌ بِشَرْطِ وَالْوَعْدُ الْمُعَلَّقُ بِشَرْطِ يَلْزَمُ عَقِبَهُ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْ جِنْسِ الْمُعَاوَضَةِ وَذَلِكَ مِمَّا يَلْزَمُ فِيهِ أَدَاءُ الْعِوَضِ عَلَى الْفَوْرِ إذَا قَبَضَ الْمُعَوَّضَ كَمَا إذَا قَالَ: مَا أَلْقَيْت مِنْ مَتَاعِك فِي الْبَحْرِ فَعَلَيَّ بَدَلُهُ وَلَيْسَ هَذَا وَعْدًا مُطْلَقًا كَقَوْلِهِ {لَتَدْخُلُنَّ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ} . وَلِهَذَا يُفَرَّقُ بَيْنَ قَوْلِهِ: وَاَللَّهِ لَأُعْطِيَنَّكَ مِائَةً وَبَيْنَ قَوْلِهِ: وَاَللَّهِ لَا آخُذُ مِنْك شَيْئًا إلَّا أَعْطَيْتُك بَدَلَهُ فَإِنَّ هَذَا وَاجِبٌ عَلَى الْفَوْرِ.