Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (1/103)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

in rejecting the imposition of obligations beyond one’s capacity. Could there be any instance of imposing what is beyond one’s capacity more extreme than this?!”

He replied:

“Affirming this rests upon those premises.”

I said:

“But what we seek from those premises is what concerns us. Otherwise, what have we to do with what has passed, if no command or prohibition from it pertains to us? If our discussion of those premises yields us neither benefit nor gracious aid, and does nothing but charge us (1) with what lies beyond our power, it becomes clear that belief in this Awaited One belongs to the realm of ignorance and misguidance, not to that of benefit and gracious aid (2).

“As for what the Imāmiyya transmit from the deceased imams: if it is true and secures their felicity, they have no need (3) of the Awaited One. But if it is (4) false, they have likewise derived no benefit from the Awaited One in refuting that falsehood. Thus, they have derived no benefit from the Awaited One—[neither] (5) in establishing any truth, nor in disproving any falsehood, nor in enjoining right, nor in forbidding wrong. Not one of them has obtained through him any of the benefit or gracious aid sought (6) from the imamate.

“The ignorant who pin their affairs upon unknown figures, such as the Men of the Unseen and the Pole,

(1) N and M read: “by imposing.” (2) A and B read: “gracious aid and benefit.” (3) N and M read: “and they have no need.” (4) N and M read: “then, if it is.” (5) The word *lā* (neither) is added in A and B. (6) B alone reads: “and the gracious aid and the benefit sought.” 1

إِنْكَارًا لِتَكْلِيفِ مَا لَا يُطَاقُ، فَهَلْ يَكُونُ فِي تَكْلِيفِ مَا لَا يُطَاقُ أَبْلَغُ مِنْ هَذَا؟ ! . فَقَالَ: إِثْبَاتُ هَذَا مَبْنِيٌّ عَلَى تِلْكَ الْمُقَدِّمَاتِ. قُلْتُ: لَكِنَّ الْمَقْصُودَ لَنَا مِنْ تِلْكَ الْمُقَدِّمَاتِ هُوَ مَا يَتَعَلَّقُ بِنَا نَحْنُ، وَإِلَّا فَمَا عَلَيْنَا مَا مَضَى إِذَا لَمْ يَتَعَلَّقْ بِنَا مِنْهُ أَمْرٌ وَلَا نَهْيٌ، وَإِذَا كَانَ كَلَامُنَا فِي تِلْكَ الْمُقَدِّمَاتِ لَا يُحَصِّلُ لَنَا فَائِدَةً وَلَا لُطْفًا، وَلَا يُفِيدُنَا إِلَّا تَكْلِيفَ (١) مَا لَا يُقْدَرُ عَلَيْهِ عُلِمَ أَنَّ الْإِيمَانَ بِهَذَا الْمُنْتَظَرِ مِنْ بَابِ الْجَهْلِ، وَالضَّلَالِ لَا مِنْ بَابِ الْمَصْلَحَةِ وَاللُّطْفِ (٢) . وَالَّذِي عَنْهُ الْإِمَامِيَّةُ مِنَ النَّقْلِ عَنِ الْأَئِمَّةِ الْمَوْتَى: إِنْ كَانَ حَقًّا يَحْصُلُ بِهِ سَعَادَتُهُمْ، فَلَا حَاجَةَ (٣) بِهِمْ إِلَى الْمُنْتَظَرِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ (٤) بَاطِلًا، فَهُمْ أَيْضًا لَمْ يَنْتَفِعُوا بِالْمُنْتَظَرِ فِي رَدِّ هَذَا الْبَاطِلِ، فَلَمْ يَنْتَفِعُوا بِالْمُنْتَظَرِ [لَا.] (٥) فِي إِثْبَاتِ حَقٍّ، وَلَا فِي نَفْيِ بَاطِلٍ، وَلَا أَمْرٍ بِمَعْرُوفٍ، وَلَا نَهْيٍ عَنْ مُنْكَرٍ، وَلَمْ يَحْصُلْ لِوَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ بِهِ شَيْءٌ مِنَ الْمَصْلَحَةِ، وَاللُّطْفِ الْمَطْلُوبِ (٦) مِنَ الْإِمَامَةِ. وَالْجُهَّالُ الَّذِينَ يُعَلِّقُونَ أُمُورَهُمْ بِالْمَجْهُولَاتِ كَرِجَالِ الْغَيْبِ، وَالْقُطْبِ،

(١) ن، م: بِتَكْلِيفِ. (٢) أ، ب: اللُّطْفِ وَالْمَصْلَحَةِ. (٣) ن، م: وَلَا حَاجَةَ. (٤) ن، م: فَإِنْ كَانَ. (٥) لَا: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٦) ب (فَقَطْ) : وَاللُّطْفِ وَالْمَنْفَعَةِ الْمَطْلُوبَةِ. ١