Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (2/531)

Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-ṢāliḥīnIbn al-'Uthaymin

goes hungry and thirsty, feels cold and heat, sleeps and wakes, eats and drinks, remembers and forgets, knows some things and is unaware of others—exactly like any other human being. He (peace and blessings be upon him) declared, “I am only a human being like you.”

Allah likewise instructed him to proclaim before all people: “Say, I am only a human being like you. It has been revealed to me that your god is One God” (al-Kahf: 110). Thus, he is not a deity to be worshipped, nor a lord who controls benefit and harm; indeed, he (peace be upon him) did not possess for his own self benefit or harm.

With this, every specious claim put forward by those who attach themselves to the Messenger—calling upon him, worshipping him, or placing their hopes in him to remove affliction or bring about good—is invalidated, for he does not have that power. Allah says: “Say, I do not possess for you harm or guidance. Say, none can protect me from Allah, nor can I find any refuge apart from Him—[my duty is] only to deliver from Allah and His messages” (al-Jinn: 21–23). If Allah wished to afflict me with something, no one could shield me from Him—my task is solely to convey Allah’s message and His revelations.

His words, “I am only a human being like you,” prepare the way for his statement, “and you bring your disputes to me.” That is, since I am merely human, I do not know by myself who among you is right and who is wrong. “You bring your disputes to me” means you submit your cases to me for judgment, and some of you are more eloquent than others in argument—clearer and stronger in speech. People say: so-and-so is a skilled litigant, so-and-so is a forceful debater, able to overwhelm his opponent with proof, just as Allah, Exalted is He, says: “He said, ‘Entrust her to me,’ and he overpowered me in speech” (Ṣād: 23)—meaning he defeated me in discussion and disputation. Likewise here, “more eloquent” (al-aḥan) means clearer, more articulate, and more persuasive.

This is something observable: you may see two people bringing their case before a judge; one of them is

صلى الله عليه وسلم يجوع ويعطش، ويبرد ويحتر، وينام ويستيقظ، ويأكل ويشرب، ويذكر وينسى، ويعلم ويجهل بعض الشي كالبشر تماماً، يقول ﷺ " إنما أنا بشرٌ مثلكم". وهكذا أمره الله ﷿ أن يعلن للملأ فيقول: (قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يُوحَى إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ) (الكهف: ١١٠) ، فلست إلها يُعبد، ولا رباً ينفع ويضر، بل ﵊ لا يملك لنفسه نفعاً ولا ضراً. وبهذا تنقطع جميع شيه الذين يتعلقون بالرسول ﷺ ممن يدعونهُ، أو يعبدونه، أو يؤملونه لكشف الضر، أو يؤملونه لجلب الخير، فإنه ﵊ لا يملك ذلك (قُلْ إِنِّي لا أَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ ضَرّاً وَلا رَشَداً) (قُلْ إِنِّي لَنْ يُجِيرَنِي مِنَ اللَّهِ أَحَدٌ وَلَنْ أَجِدَ مِنْ دُونِهِ مُلْتَحَداً) (إِلَّا بَلاغاً مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِسَالاتِهِ) (الجن: ٢١-٢٣) لو أراد الله أن يصيبني بسوء ما أجارني منه أحد؛ إلا بلاغاً من الله ورسالاته. وفي قوله: " إنما أنا بشر مثلكم" تمهيد لقوله " وإنكم تختصمون إلي" يعني فإذا كنت بشراً مثلكم فإني لا أعلم من المحق منكم ومن المبطل " تختصمون إلي": يعني تتحاكمون إلى في الحصومة، فيكون بعضكم ألحن من البعض الآخر في الحجة، أي أفصح وأقوى كلاماً، يقال: فلان حجيج وفلان ذو جدل، يقوى على غيره في الحجة، كما قال الله تعالى: (فَقَالَ أَكْفِلْنِيهَا وَعَزَّنِي فِي الْخِطَابِ) (صّ: ٢٣) أي غلبني في الخطاب والمخاصمة، فهكذا هنا ألحن يعني أبين وأفصح وأظهر. وهذا مشاهد، فقد تجد اثنين يتحاكمان إلي القاضي؛ أحدهما يكون