Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (2/606)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

the doctrines of the Rāfidites, Kharijites, Qadarites, Jahmites, and Murji'ites. Because of the inquisition, however, these matters came to be discussed extensively, and Allah elevated the standing of this imam. He thus became one of the imams of the Sunnah (1) and one of its leading luminaries, [because he undertook to proclaim it] (2) and make it manifest, possessed knowledge of its revealed texts and transmitted reports, and elucidated its hidden subtleties (3)—not because he introduced a new doctrine or innovated an opinion (4).

For this reason, one of the shaykhs of the Maghreb (5) said: “The doctrine belongs to Mālik and al-Shāfi'ī, while prominence belongs to Ahmad.” He meant that the imams followed a single doctrine concerning foundational matters (6), and it was just as he said. Thus, singling out Ahmad and his companions for discussion regarding the questions of the imamate and Mu'tazilism (7) is like singling him out as the one with whom to discuss the questions concerning the Harūrī Kharijites (8)—or, indeed, the prophethood of our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the refutation of the Jews and Christians.

The command to believe the Messenger regarding all that he reported [to us] (9), and to obey him in all that he commanded [us to do] (10), encompasses all servants and is incumbent upon every individual. The most blessed among them are those most obedient to Allah and most faithful in following Allah’s Messenger (11). And if it be supposed that among the Hanbalis—or among other groups of

(1) (ب) only reads: “one of the imams of the adherents of the Salaf.” (2) The words in square brackets are omitted only from (ن). (3) (ب) and (أ): “and elucidating its hidden mysteries”; (ن) and (م): “and elucidating the beauty of its mysteries.” (4) (ب) and (أ): “not that he introduced a doctrine or innovated an opinion”; (ن) and (م): “not because he introduced a doctrine or innovated an opinion.” (5) (ب) and (أ): “the West.” (6) Mustajī Zādah commented in the margin of (ع): “That is, with regard to foundational religious principles and beliefs.” (7) (ب) and (أ): *fa-takhsīsuhu* (“thus, singling him out”); (ن): *fa-takhassusu* (“thus, specialization”). (8) (ن): *al-mutakhassisa* (“the specialized [group]”), which is a corruption. (9) *Bihi* (“it”) occurs only in (ع). (10) *Bihi* (“it”) occurs only in (ع). (11) (ب) and (أ): “upon every individual—the wicked among them, the most obedient among them, and those most faithful in following the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.”

مَذْهَبِ الرَّوَافِضِ وَالْخَوَارِجِ وَالْقَدَرِيَّةِ وَالْجَهْمِيَّةِ وَالْمُرْجِئَةِ، وَلَكِنْ بِسَبَبِ الْمِحْنَةِ كَثُرَ الْكَلَامُ، وَرَفَعَ اللَّهُ قَدْرَ هَذَا الْإِمَامِ، فَصَارَ إِمَامًا مِنْ أَئِمَّةِ السُّنَّةِ (١) ، وَعَلَمًا مِنْ أَعْلَامِهَا، [لِقِيَامِهِ بِإِعْلَامِهَا] (٢) وَإِظْهَارِهَا، وَاطِّلَاعِهِ عَلَى نُصُوصِهَا وَآثَارِهَا، وَبَيَانِهِ لِخَفِيِّ أَسْرَارِهَا (٣) ، لَا لِأَنَّهُ أَحْدَثَ مَقَالَةً أَوِ ابْتَدَعَ رَأْيًا (٤) . وَلِهَذَا قَالَ بَعْضُ شُيُوخِ الْمَغْرِبِ (٥) : الْمَذْهَبُ لِمَالِكٍ وَالشَّافِعِيِّ، وَالظُّهُورُ لِأَحْمَدَ ; يَعْنِي أَنَّ مَذَاهِبَ الْأَئِمَّةِ فِي الْأُصُولِ (٦) مَذْهَبٌ وَاحِدٌ وَهُوَ كَمَا قَالَ فَتَخْصِيصُ (٧) الْكَلَامِ مِنْ أَحْمَدَ وَأَصْحَابِهِ فِي مَسَائِلِ الْإِمَامَةِ وَالِاعْتِزَالِ، كَتَخْصِيصِهِ (٨) بِالْكَلَامِ مَعَهُ فِي مَسَائِلِ الْخَوَارِجِ الْحَرُورِيَّةِ، بَلْ فِي نُبُوَّةِ نَبِيِّنَا - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَالرَّدِّ عَلَى الْيَهُودِ وَالنَّصَارَى. وَالْخِطَابُ بِتَصْدِيقِ الرَّسُولِ فِيمَا أَخْبَرَ [بِهِ] (٩) ، وَطَاعَتِهِ فِيمَا أَمَرَ [بِهِ] (١٠) ، قَدْ شَمِلَ جَمِيعَ الْعِبَادِ، وَوَجَبَ عَلَى كُلِّ أَحَدٍ، فَأَسْعَدُهُمْ أَطْوَعُهُمْ لِلَّهِ وَأَتْبَعُهُمْ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ (١١) ، وَإِذَا قُدِّرَ أَنَّ فِي الْحَنْبَلِيَّةِ - أَوْ غَيْرِهِمْ مِنْ طَوَائِفِ

(١) ب (فَقَطْ) : مِنْ أَئِمَّةِ أَهْلِ السَّلَفِ. (٢) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) فَقَطْ. (٣) ب، أ: وَبَيَانِ خَفِيِّ أَسْرَارِهَا ; ن، م: وَبَيَانِ حُسْنِ أَسْرَارِهَا. (٤) ب، أ: لَا أَنَّهُ أَحْدَثَ مَقَالَةً وَلَا ابْتَدَعَ رَأْيًا ; ن، م: لَا لِأَنَّهُ أَحْدَثَ مَقَالَةً وَلَا ابْتَدَعَ رَأْيًا. (٥) ب، أ: الْغَرْبِ. (٦) عَلَّقَ مُسْتَجِي زَادَهْ فِي هَامِشِ (ع) بِقَوْلِهِ: " يَعْنِي فِي الْأُصُولِ الدِّينِيَّةِ وَالِاعْتِقَادَاتِ ". (٧) ب، أ: فَتَخْصِيصُهُ ; ن: فَتَخَصُّصُ. (٨) ن: الْمُتَخَصِّصَةِ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. (٩) بِهِ: فِي (ع) فَقَطْ. (١٠) بِهِ: فِي (ع) فَقَطْ. (١١) ب، أ: عَلَى كُلِّ أَحَدٍ فَاسْقُهُمْ وَأَطْوَعُهُمْ وَأَتْبَعُهُمْ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -.