Al-Radd ʿalā al-Manṭiqiyyīn - Ibn Taimiya - (185)

Al-Radd ʿalā al-ManṭiqiyyīnIbn Taimiya

In Damascus a man claimed that, between two mountains, he beheld the likeness of a figure who had closed the gap between the two peaks, his head reaching their summit. The figure announced, “I am al-Khidr, the chief of the saints,” and said to the onlooker, “You are a righteous man, a friend of God.” He then stretched out his hand toward an axe the man had forgotten about a mile away, fetched it, and handed it to him. Tales of this kind are plentiful.

Anyone who says truthfully that he has seen al-Khidr must fall into one of three situations. Either he merely imagines the vision—what he envisions in his mind he assumes to exist outside it, as happens to many who engage in ascetic disciplines; or it is a jinn that has taken human form in order to mislead him—something we have witnessed so often that its details would be lengthy to relate; or he has actually seen a human being whom he mistakenly assumed to be al-Khidr. Should that jinn or human assert, “I am al-Khidr,” he is lying. In this matter, genuine perception does not extend beyond these three possibilities.

As for the reports on this subject, they are numerous. Yet it has never been transmitted from any of the Companions that they met or even saw al-Khidr, for their knowledge and faith surpassed that of others, and Satan could not deceive them as he has deceived many worshippers. For the same reason, many unbelievers—Jews and Christians alike—are visited by someone they imagine to be al-Khidr, appearing even in their churches and sometimes telling them various things; in truth, it is nothing but a devil who comes to lead them astray.

Had al-Khidr been alive, it would have been incumbent upon him to come to the Prophet —may Allah bless him and grant him peace—believe in him, and strive at his side, in accordance with the covenant Allah took from the prophets and their followers:

“And when Allah took the covenant of the prophets: ‘Whatever I have given you of Scripture and wisdom, then there comes to you a Messenger confirming what you have; you shall surely believe in him and support him.’” (Qur’an 3:81)

Al-Khidr, after all, repaired a ship for ordinary folk; how could he then fail to be found in the company of Muhammad and his Companions? If he was a prophet, our Prophet is superior to him; and if he was not a prophet, then Abu Bakr and ʿUmar are superior to him. The matter is discussed at length elsewhere.

بدمشق رأى شخص بين الجبلين صورة رجل قد سد ما بين الجبلين وبلغ رأسه راس الجبل وقال أنا الخضر وأنا نقيب الأولياء وقال للرجل الرائي أنت رجل صالح وأنت ولي الله ومد يده إلى فأس كان الرجل نسيه في مكان وهو ذاهب إليه فناوله اياه وكان بينه وبين ذلك المكان نحو ميل ومثل هذه الحكاية كثير. وكل من قال أنه رأى الخضر وهو صادق أما أن يتخيل له في نفسه أنه رآه ويظل ما في نفسه كان في الخارج كما يقع لكثير من أرباب الرياضات وأما أن يكون جنيا يتصور له بصورة إنسان ليضله وهذا كثير جدا قد علمنا منه ما يطول وصفه وأما أن يكون رأى انسيا ظن أنه الخضر وهو غالط في ظنه فان قال له ذلك الجني أو الإنسي أنه الخضر فيكون قد كذب عليه لا يخرج الصدق في هذا الباب عن هذه الأقسام الثلاثة. وأما الأحاديث فكثيرة ولهذا لم ينقل عن احد من الصحابة أنه رأى الخضر ولا اجتمع به لأنهم كانوا أكمل علما وإيمانا من غيرهم فلم يكن يمكن الشيطان التلبيس عليهم كما لبس على كثير من العباد ولهذا كثير من الكفار اليهود والنصارى يأتيهم من يظنون أنه الخضر ويحضر في كنائسهم وربما حدثهم بأشياء وإنما هو شيطان جاء إليهم فيضلهم. ولو كان الخضر حيا لوجب عليه أن يأتي إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فيؤمن به ويجاهد معه كما اخذ الله الميثاق على الأنبياء وأتباعهم بقوله: {وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ النَّبِيِّينَ لَمَا آتَيْتُكُمْ مِنْ كِتَابٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُصَدِّقٌ لِمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنْصُرُنَّهُ} والخضر قد أصلح السفينة لقوم من عرض الناس فكيف لا يكون بين محمد وأصحابه. وهو أن كان نبيا فنبينا أفضل منه وان لم يكن نبيا فأبو بكر وعمر أفضل منه وهذا مبسوط في موضعه