Al-Risālah al-Akmalīyah - Ibn Taimiya - (16)

Al-Risālah al-AkmalīyahIbn Taimiya

perfection, as in His words:

“Is, then, He who creates like one who does not create? Will you not take heed?”

[al-Nahl: 17]

He thus made clear that creating is an attribute of perfection, that one who creates is superior to one who does not, and that whoever equates the two has acted unjustly.

He also says:

“Allah sets forth the example of an enslaved man, owned by another and powerless to do anything, and another whom We have granted a good provision from Us, from which he spends privately and openly. Are they equal? All praise belongs to Allah, but most of them do not know.”

[al-Nahl: 75]

He thus made clear that being enslaved and powerless is an attribute of imperfection, whereas power, dominion, and beneficence are attributes of perfection, and that the two are not alike. The latter attributes belong to Allah, while the former apply to what is worshipped besides Him.

He also says:

“And Allah sets forth the example of two men: one of them is mute, powerless to do anything, and a burden upon his master; wherever he directs him, he brings no good. Is such a man equal to one who enjoins justice and follows a straight path?”

[al-Nahl: 76]

This is another example. The first is the likeness of one incapable of speech and action, who has no power over anything. The other speaks, enjoins justice, and follows a straight path: he is just in what he commands and upright in what he does.

He thus made clear that superiority lies in speech that comprises justice and in upright action. Mere speech and action may be either praiseworthy or blameworthy. What is praiseworthy is that for which its author deserves praise; such a person is therefore not equal to one incapable of speech and action.

الكمال، في مثل قوله تعالى: {أَفَمَن يَخْلُقُ كَمَن لاَّ يَخْلُقُ أَفَلا تَذَكَّرُونَ} [النحل: ١٧] وقد بين أن الخلق صفة كمال، وأن الذي يخلق أفضل من الذي لا يخلق، وأن من عَدَل هذا بهذا فقد ظلم. وقال تعالى: {ضَرَبَ اللهُ مَثَلاً عَبْدًا مَّمْلُوكًا لاَّ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ وَمَن رَّزَقْنَاهُ مِنَّا رِزْقًا حَسَنًا فَهُوَ يُنفِقُ مِنْهُ سِرًّا وَجَهْرًا هَلْ يَسْتَوُونَ الْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ} [النحل: ٧٥] ، فبين أن كونه مملوكًا عاجزًا صفة نقص، وأن القدرة والملك والإحسان صفة كمال، وأنه ليس هذا مثل هذا، وهذا لله، وذاك لما يعبد من دونه. وقال تعالى: {وَضَرَبَ اللهُ مَثَلاً رَّجُلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا أَبْكَمُ لاَ يَقْدِرُ عَلَىَ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ كَلٌّ عَلَى مَوْلاهُ أَيْنَمَا يُوَجِّههُّ لاَ يَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي هُوَ وَمَن يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَهُوَ عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ} [النحل: ٧٦] ، وهذا مثل آخر. فالأول مثل العاجز عن الكلام، وعن الفعل الذي لا يقدر على شىء. والآخر المتكلم الآمر بالعدل الذي هو على صراط مستقيم، فهو عادل في أمره مستقيم في فعله. فبين أن التفضيل بالكلام المتضمن للعدل والعمل المستقيم، فإن مجرد الكلام والعمل قد يكون محمودًا، وقد يكون مذمومًا، فالمحمود هو الذي يستحق صاحبه الحمد، فلا يستوى هذا والعاجز عن الكلام والفعل.