Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (2/597)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

If it is said:

“Then the same consequence follows (1) with respect to what the two have in common, such as existence, knowledge, and life.”

The reply is:

“These matters may be considered in three (2) respects. The first is what is peculiar to the Lord. This comprises what is necessary for Him, what is possible for Him, and what is impossible for Him; the servant has no share in any of this.

“The second is what is peculiar to the servant, such as the servant’s knowledge, power, and life. If origination and nonexistence (3) are possible for these, that has no bearing on the Lord’s knowledge, power, and life, for there is no commonality in this respect.

“The third is the universal considered in the abstract: life, knowledge, and power without qualification. Whatever necessarily belongs to this abstract universal necessarily applies in both cases; whatever is possible for it is possible in both cases; and whatever is impossible for it is impossible in both cases.

“What must [be said] (4), therefore, is: ‘This is an attribute of perfection wherever it exists.’ Life, knowledge (5), and power are attributes of perfection for everything possessing them. What is possible in both cases is for these qualities to be accompanied (6) by another attribute, such as hearing, sight, or speech. These latter attributes may accompany the former in any subject—unless, of course, some impediment arises from the subject rather than from the attribute itself. As for what is impossible in both cases (7), it is impossible for these attributes to subsist except in a subject

(1) (ن), (م): “Then does it follow?” (2) All manuscripts read: “three.” (3) (ب), (أ): “and beginninglessness,” which is an error. (4) The word *yuqālu* (“be said”) occurs only in (ع). (5) “And knowledge” is omitted from (ب), (أ). (6) (ب), (أ), (ن), (م): “What is possible for it is its being accompanied”; the intended referents are Allah Most High and the human being. (7) (ب), (ن), (م): “for it”; the adopted reading is from (ع), (أ).

وَإِذَا قِيلَ: فَهَذَا يَلْزَمُ (١) فِيمَا اتَّفَقَا فِيهِ، كَالْوُجُودِ وَالْعِلْمِ وَالْحَيَاةِ. قِيلَ: هَذِهِ الْأُمُورُ لَهَا ثَلَاثَةُ (٢) اعْتِبَارَاتٍ: أَحَدُهَا: مَا يَخْتَصُّ بِهِ الرَّبُّ، فَهَذَا مَا يَجِبُ لَهُ وَيَجُوزُ وَيَمْتَنِعُ عَلَيْهِ، لَيْسَ لِلْعَبْدِ فِيهِ نَصِيبٌ. وَالثَّانِي: مَا يَخْتَصُّ بِالْعَبْدِ، كَعِلْمِ الْعَبْدِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ وَحَيَاتِهِ، فَهَذَا إِذَا جَازَ عَلَيْهِ الْحُدُوثُ وَالْعَدَمُ (٣) لَمْ يَتَعَلَّقْ ذَلِكَ بِعِلْمِ الرَّبِّ وَقُدْرَتِهِ وَحَيَاتِهِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا اشْتِرَاكَ فِيهِ. وَالثَّالِثُ: الْمُطْلَقُ الْكُلِّيُّ، وَهُوَ مُطْلَقُ الْحَيَاةِ وَالْعِلْمِ وَالْقُدْرَةِ، فَهَذَا الْمُطْلَقُ مَا كَانَ وَاجِبًا لَهُ كَانَ وَاجِبًا فِيهِمَا، وَمَا كَانَ جَائِزًا عَلَيْهِ كَانَ جَائِزًا عَلَيْهِمَا، وَمَا كَانَ مُمْتَنِعًا عَلَيْهِ كَانَ مُمْتَنِعًا عَلَيْهِمَا. فَالْوَاجِبُ أَنْ [يُقَالُ] (٤) : هَذِهِ صِفَةُ كَمَالٍ حَيْثُ كَانَتْ، فَالْحَيَاةُ وَالْعِلْمُ (٥) وَالْقُدْرَةُ صِفَةُ كَمَالٍ لِكُلِّ مَوْصُوفٍ، وَالْجَائِزُ عَلَيْهِمَا اقْتِرَانُهُمَا (٦) بِصِفَةٍ أُخْرَى كَالسَّمْعِ وَالْبَصَرِ وَالْكَلَامِ. فَهَذِهِ الصِّفَاتُ يَجُوزُ أَنْ تُقَارِنَ هَذِهِ فِي كُلِّ مَحَلٍّ، اللَّهُمَّ إِلَّا إِذَا كَانَ هُنَاكَ مَانَعٌ مِنْ جِهَةِ الْمَحَلِّ لَا مِنْ جِهَةِ الصِّفَةِ. وَأَمَّا الْمُمْتَنِعُ عَلَيْهِمَا (٧) فَيَمْتَنِعُ أَنْ تَقُومَ هَذِهِ الصِّفَاتُ إِلَّا بِمَوْصُوفٍ

(١) ن، م: فَهَلْ لَزِمَ. (٢) فِي جَمِيعِ الْأُصُولِ: ثَلَاثُ. (٣) ب، أ: وَالْقِدَمُ، وَهُوَ خَطَأٌ. (٤) يُقَالُ: فِي (ع) فَقَطْ. (٥) وَالْعِلْمُ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ب) ، (أ) . (٦) ب، أ، ن، م: وَالْجَائِزُ عَلَيْهَا اقْتِرَانُهَا، وَالْمَقْصُودُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى وَالْإِنْسَانُ. (٧) ب، ن، م: عَلَيْهَا ; وَالْمُثْبَتُ عَنْ (ع) ، (أ) .