Al-Radd ʿalā al-Manṭiqiyyīn - Ibn Taimiya - (288)

Al-Radd ʿalā al-ManṭiqiyyīnIbn Taimiya

from them what later generations of philosophers took up. Thābit ibn Qurrah, in particular, produced an exposition of Aristotle’s statements on divine matters. I have examined that commentary and have pointed out some of its flaws, for it contains much error and misguidance.

The same religion prevailed among the inhabitants of Damascus and other regions before the appearance of Christianity. They used to face the celestial North Pole in their prayers; for that reason, one still finds in Damascus ancient mosques whose qiblah is aligned with the North. Beneath the Great Mosque of Damascus there is a large sanctuary with its prayer-niche oriented toward the North Pole—built for that very purpose.

The Sabians are therefore of two kinds: Sabian Ḥanīfs who profess pure monotheism, and Sabian idolaters. The former are those whom God commended in His words:

“Indeed, those who believe, those who are Jews, the Christians, and the Sabians—whoever believes in God and the Last Day and does righteous deeds—shall have their reward with their Lord; no fear shall be upon them, nor shall they grieve.” (Q 2:62)

Here God praises everyone from these four communities—the believers, the Jews, the Christians, and the Sabians—who believed in God, the Last Day, and performed righteous deeds.

Those monotheists followed the Torah before it was altered and abrogated, just as others followed the Gospel before it too was changed. The Sabians who preceded both were adherents of the creed of Abraham, leader of the Ḥanīfs—peace be upon him. May God bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as He blessed Abraham and the family of Abraham; surely He is Praiseworthy, Glorious—this was before the Torah and the Gospel had been revealed.

The Magians and the idolaters, however, are different, for none among them is a true believer. Thus God, Exalted is He, says:

“Indeed, those who believe, those who are Jews, the Sabians, the Christians, the Magians, and the polytheists—God will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection. Surely God is Witness over all things.” (Q 22:17)

Here six groups are named, and God states that He will decide among them on the Day of Judgment; yet of those six He mentions faith only with respect to the first four.

عنهم ما أخذ من المتفلسفة وكان ثابت بن قرة قد شرح كلام أرسطو في الإلهيات وقد رايته وبينت بعض ما فيه من الفساد فان فيه ضلالا كثيرا. وكذلك كان دين أهل دمشق وغيرها قبل ظهور دين النصرانية وكانوا يصلون إلى القطب الشمالي ولهذا توجد في دمشق مساجد قديمة فيها قبله إلى القطب الشمالي وتحت جامع دمشق معبد كبير له قبلة إلى القطب الشمالي كان لهؤلاء. فان الصابئة نوعان صابئة حنفاء موحدون وصابئة مشركون فالأولون هم الذين اثنى الله عليهم بقوله تعالى: {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالنَّصَارَى وَالصَّابِئِينَ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحاً فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ} فأثنى على من آمن بالله واليوم الآخر وعمل صالحا من هذه الملل الأربع المؤمنين واليهود والنصارى والصابئين. فهؤلاء كانوا يدينون بالتوراة قبل النسخ والتبديل وكذلك الذين دانوا بالإنجيل قبل النسخ والتبديل والصابئون الذين كانوا قبل هؤلاء كالمتبعين لملة إبراهيم إمام الحنفاء صلى الله عليه وصلى الله على محمد وعلى آل محمد كما صلى على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم أنه حميد مجيد قبل نزول التوراة والإنجيل. وهذا بخلاف المجوس والمشركين فأنه ليس فيهم مؤمن فلهذا قال الله تعالى: {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالصَّابِئِينَ وَالنَّصَارَى وَالْمَجُوسَ وَالَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ} فذكر الملل الست هؤلاء وأخبر أنه يفصل بينهم يوم القيمة لم يذكر في الست من كان مؤمنا إنما ذكر ذلك في الأربعة فقط