Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (2/590)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

Moreover, the generality and universality ascribed to them, or the composition ascribed to them—such as the composition of a species from genus and differentia—are purely conceptual matters of the mind, with no existence in external reality. Nothing in external reality encompasses both this and that, [nor is there in external reality a human being composed of this and that] (1). Rather, a human being is characterized by this and that [and the other] (2): by an attribute whose counterpart is found in every human being, another whose counterpart is found in every animal, and another whose counterpart is found in every growing thing.

As for the very attribute inhering in him (3), and the very entity described in which the attribute inheres, there is no sharing or universality in either of them whatsoever, nor is that entity (4) composed of something universal and something particular.

This point is the source of error for many logicians concerning universals and for many theologians concerning the doctrine of “states.” It was because of this (5) that those among both groups who erred fell into error in theology (6) on matters related to it. (7 For the theologians likewise saw that things agree in some attributes and differ in others 7) (7), while what is common is identical with what is individuated (8). They therefore divided into two groups. One group affirmed that these things exist in external reality, but held that they were neither existent nor nonexistent, for if they were existent, they would be either existent entities or

(1) The passage between square brackets is omitted from (ن) only. (2) “And this” is omitted from (ن), (م), and (ع). (3) (ن), (م): “with it.” (4) “It” is omitted from (ب) and (أ). (5) (ب), (أ): “And the cause of that”; this is erroneous. (6) (ب), (أ): “concerning forms”; this is a textual corruption. (7) (7–7): In (ن) and (م), the text in these phrases is incomplete and confused. (8) (ب), (أ): “and what is common is other than what is individuated.”

وَمَا يُدَّعَى فِيهَا مِنْ عُمُومٍ وَكُلِّيَّةٍ أَوْ مِنْ تَرْكِيبٍ كَتَرْكِيبِ النَّوْعِ مِنَ الْجِنْسِ وَالْفَصْلِ، هِيَ أُمُورٌ عَقْلِيَّةٌ ذِهْنِيَّةٌ لَا وُجُودَ لَهَا فِي الْخَارِجِ، فَلَيْسَ فِي الْخَارِجِ شَيْءٌ يَعُمُّ هَذَا وَهَذَا، [وَلَا فِي الْخَارِجِ إِنْسَانٌ مُرَكَّبٌ مِنْ هَذَا وَهَذَا] (١) ، بَلِ الْإِنْسَانُ مَوْصُوفٌ بِهَذَا وَهَذَا [وَهَذَا] (٢) بِصِفَةٍ يُوجَدُ نَظِيرُهَا فِي كُلِّ إِنْسَانٍ، وَبِصِفَةٍ يُوجَدُ نَظِيرُهَا فِي كُلِّ حَيَوَانٍ، وَبِصِفَةٍ يُوجَدُ نَظِيرُهَا فِي كُلِّ نَامٍ. وَأَمَّا نَفْسُ الصِّفَةِ الَّتِي قَامَتْ بِهِ (٣) ، وَنَفْسُ الْمَوْصُوفِ الَّذِي قَامَتْ بِهِ الصِّفَةُ، فَلَا اشْتِرَاكَ فِيهِ أَصْلًا وَلَا عُمُومَ، وَلَا هُوَ (٤) مُرَكَّبٌ مِنْ عَامٍّ وَخَاصٍّ. وَهَذَا الْمَوْضِعُ مَنْشَأُ زَلَلِ كَثِيرٍ مِنَ الْمَنْطِقِيِّينَ فِي الْكُلِّيَّاتِ، وَكَثِيرٌ مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّمِينَ فِي مَسْأَلَةِ الْحَالِ. وَبِسَبَبِ ذَلِكَ (٥) غَلِطَ مَنْ غَلِطَ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ وَهَؤُلَاءِ فِي الْإِلَهِيَّاتِ (٦) فِيمَا يَتَعَلَّقُ بِهَذَا، (٧ فَإِنَّ الْمُتَكَلِّمِينَ أَيْضًا رَأَوْا أَنَّ الْأَشْيَاءَ تَتَّفِقُ بِصِفَاتٍ وَتَخْتَلِفُ بِصِفَاتٍ ٧) (٧) ، وَالْمُشْتَرَكُ عَيْنُ الْمُمَيَّزِ (٨) ، فَصَارُوا حِزْبَيْنِ: حِزْبًا أَثْبَتَ هَذِهِ الْأُمُورَ فِي الْخَارِجِ، لَكِنَّهُ قَالَ: لَا مَوْجُودَةٌ وَلَا مَعْدُومَةٌ، لِأَنَّهَا لَوْ كَانَتْ مَوْجُودَةً لَكَانَتْ أَعْيَانًا مَوْجُودَةً أَوْ

(١) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) فَقَطْ. (٢) وَهَذَا: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) ، (ع) . (٣) ن، م: بِهَا. (٤) هُوَ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ب) ، (أ) . (٥) ب، أ: وَسَبَبُ ذَلِكَ، وَهُوَ خَطَأٌ. (٦) ب، أ: فِي الْهَيْئَاتِ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. (٧) (٧ - ٧) : الْكَلَامُ فِي (ن) ، (م) فِي هَذِهِ الْعِبَارَاتِ نَاقِصٌ وَمُضْطَرِبٌ. (٨) ب، أ: وَالْمُشْتَرَكُ غَيْرُ الْمُمَيَّزِ.