Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (2/485)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

a trunk, thick frond bases, fibre, fronds, leaflets, and a palm heart (1)? Does it not have a single name (2), and is it not called a date palm with all its attributes? Likewise, Allah—to Him belongs the highest similitude (3)—is one God with all His attributes.

We do not say:

At some point in time, He was incapable until He created power (4), for one who has no power is powerless.

Nor do we say:

At some point in time, He did not know until He created knowledge for Himself (5), for one who does not know is ignorant.

Rather, we say:

Allah has always been Knowing, Powerful, and Sovereign, there being neither a ‘when’ nor a ‘how.’

Allah called a disbelieving man named al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīra al-Makhzūmī ‘alone,’ saying:

“Leave Me with the one whom I created alone.” (6)

[Surah al-Muddaththir: 11]

Yet this man whom He called ‘alone’ had two eyes, two ears, a tongue, two lips, two hands, two legs, and many bodily members. Allah nevertheless called him ‘alone’ with all his attributes. Likewise, Allah—to Him belongs the highest similitude—is (7), with all His attributes, one God.”

What Imam Ahmad has mentioned here contains the profound insights underlying these issues and a clarification of

(1) In *Lisān al-Arab*: “The *karab* of a date palm are the bases of its fronds.” *Al-Muhkam* states: “*Karab* are the thick, broad bases of fronds that dry out and become like shoulder blades; the singular is *karaba*.” The same work also states: “*Jummār* is well known: it is the heart of the date palm, and the singular is *jummāra*. The *jummāra* of a date palm is its heart at the crown. Its crown is cut off and then peeled away to reveal within it a white *jummāra*, resembling a large piece of a camel’s hump. It is tender and eaten with honey.” (2) (A) reads: “and its name is one”; *al-Radd* reads: “and its name is the name of a single thing.” (3) (A) reads: “Likewise—to Allah belongs the highest similitude.” (4) (A) reads: “and He was incapable until He created power for Himself”; *al-Radd* reads: “and He had no power until He created power”; (B) reads: “He was incapable…” etc. (5) *Al-Radd* reads: “and He did not know until He created knowledge.” (6) *Al-Radd* reads: “And I granted him abundant wealth.” (7) (B) and (Alif) read: “and He is.”

جِذْعٌ وَكَرَبٌ وَلِيفٌ وَسَعَفٌ وَخُوصٌ وَجُمَّارٌ (١) وَاسْمُهَا اسْمُ وَاحِدٍ (٢) وَسُمِّيَتْ نَخْلَةً بِجَمِيعِ صِفَاتِهَا؟ فَكَذَلِكَ اللَّهُ - وَلَهُ الْمَثَلُ الْأَعْلَى (٣) - بِجَمِيعِ صِفَاتِهِ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ. لَا نَقُولُ: إِنَّهُ كَانَ فِي وَقْتٍ مِنَ الْأَوْقَاتِ وَلَا يَقْدِرُ حَتَّى خَلَقَ قُدْرَةً (٤) وَالَّذِي لَيْسَ لَهُ قُدْرَةٌ هُوَ عَاجِزٌ. وَلَا نَقُولُ: قَدْ كَانَ فِي وَقْتٍ مِنَ الْأَوْقَاتِ وَلَا يَعْلَمُ حَتَّى خَلَقَ لِنَفْسِهِ عِلْمًا (٥) وَالَّذِي لَا يَعْلَمُ هُوَ جَاهِلٌ. وَلَكِنْ نَقُولُ: لَمْ يَزَلِ اللَّهُ عَالِمًا قَادِرًا مَالِكًا لَا مَتَى وَلَا كَيْفَ. وَقَدْ سَمَّى اللَّهُ رَجُلًا كَافِرًا اسْمُهُ الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ الْمُغِيرَةِ الْمَخْزُومِيُّ فَقَالَ: {ذَرْنِي وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيدًا} (٦) [سُورَةُ الْمُدَّثِّرِ: ١١] وَقَدْ كَانَ هَذَا الَّذِي سَمَّاهُ وَحِيدًا لَهُ عَيْنَانِ وَأُذُنَانِ، وَلِسَانٌ وَشَفَتَانِ، وَيَدَانِ وَرِجْلَانِ، وَجَوَارِحُ كَثِيرَةٌ فَقَدْ سَمَّاهُ اللَّهُ وَحِيدًا بِجَمِيعِ صِفَاتِهِ، فَكَذَلِكَ اللَّهُ - وَلَهُ الْمَثَلُ الْأَعْلَى - هُوَ (٧) بِجَمِيعِ صِفَاتِهِ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ ". وَهَذَا الَّذِي ذَكَرَهُ الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ يَتَضَمَّنُ أَسْرَارَ هَذِهِ الْمَسَائِلِ، وَبَيَانَ

(١) فِي اللِّسَانِ: " وَكَرَبُ النَّخْلِ: أُصُولُ السَّعَفِ. وَفِي الْمُحْكَمِ: الْكَرَبُ: أُصُولُ السَّعَفِ الْغِلَاظُ الْعِرَاضُ الَّتِي تَيْبَسُ فَتَصِيرُ مِثْلَ الْكَتِفِ، وَاحِدَتُهَا كَرَبَةٌ ". وَفِيهِ: " وَالْجُمَّارُ مَعْرُوفٌ: شَحْمُ النَّخْلِ، وَاحِدَتُهُ جُمَّارَةٌ. وَجُمَّارَةُ النَّخْلِ: شَحْمَتُهُ الَّتِي فِي قِمَّةِ رَأْسِهِ تُقْطَعُ قِمَّتُهُ ثُمَّ تُكْشَطُ عَنْ جُمَّارَةٍ فِي جَوْفِهَا بَيْضَاءَ كَأَنَّهَا قِطْعَةُ سَنَامٍ ضَخْمَةٌ، وَهِيَ رَخْصَةٌ تُؤْكَلُ بِالْعَسَلِ ". (٢) ع: وَاسْمُهَا وَاحِدٌ ; الرَّدُّ: وَاسْمُهَا اسْمُ شَيْءٍ وَاحِدٍ. (٣) ع: فَكَذَلِكَ لِلَّهِ الْمَثَلُ الْأَعْلَى. (٤) ع: وَلَا يَقْدِرُ حَتَّى يَخْلُقَ لِنَفْسِهِ قُدْرَةً ; الرَّدُّ: وَلَا قُدْرَةَ لَهُ حَتَّى خَلَقَ قُدْرَةً ; ب: لَا يَقْدِرُ. . إِلَخْ. (٥) الرَّدُّ: وَلَا يَعْلَمُ حَتَّى خَلَقَ الْعِلْمِ. (٦) الرَّدُّ: وَجَعَلْتُ لَهُ مَالًا مَمْدُودًا. (٧) ب، ا: وَهُوَ.