Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (2/645)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

Furthermore, these men established this (1) by rational proofs, such as their assertion: “Any two existing things are either distinct from one another or interpenetrating” (2). They said that knowledge of this is necessary, and they said: “To affirm an existent that cannot be pointed to is an obstinate denial of sensory perception and reason.”

Furthermore, it is well known that the Quran has affirmed (3) Allah’s aboveness in [very] many passages (4). It has even been said (5) that they number approximately (6) three hundred passages. Reports in the Sunnah conveying the same meaning have been mass-transmitted from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and the statements of the early generations, transmitted from them through mass transmission, establish that they agreed upon this and that there was no one among them (7) who denied it.

Anyone who seeks to disparage people and dismiss these revealed and rational proofs must present an argument. Let us suppose that no one debates him except the leading authorities among his own school (8). Yet he has presented no proof other than his statement:

“They did not know that everything situated in a direction is originated and dependent upon that direction.”

It should be said to him: They did not know this, and you have not stated the basis by which it could be known (9). For your claim that it is dependent upon that direction is tenable only if the direction is something that exists and is necessarily attached to it, such that it cannot dispense with it. There is therefore no doubt that whoever says: “The Creator cannot subsist

(1) B and A read: “argued concerning this,” which is erroneous. (2) ʿ and A read: “either distinct from one another, or else interpenetrating”; N and M read: “either distinct from one another or interpenetrating.” (3) B, A, N, and M read: “affirms.” (4) The word “very” is absent from N and M. (5) ʿ and M read: “until it was said.” (6) The word “approximately” is absent from A and B. (7) B and A read: “even if there was no one among them.” The words “there was” are absent from ʿ. (8) The words “his followers” are absent from B and A. (9) B reads: “the basis by which they know this”; A reads: “the basis by which they may know this.”

وَأَيْضًا، فَإِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ قَرَّرُوا ذَلِكَ (١) بِأَدِلَّةٍ عَقْلِيَّةٍ، كَقَوْلِهِمْ: كُلُّ مَوْجُودَيْنِ إِمَّا مُتَبَايِنَانِ وَإِمَّا مُتَدَاخِلَانِ (٢) ، وَقَالُوا: إِنَّ الْعِلْمَ بِذَلِكَ ضَرُورِيٌّ، وَقَالُوا: إِثْبَاتُ مَوْجُودٍ لَا يُشَارُ إِلَيْهِ مُكَابَرَةٌ لِلْحِسِّ وَالْعَقْلِ. وَأَيْضًا، فَمِنَ الْمَعْلُومِ أَنَّ الْقُرْآنَ نَطَقَ (٣) بِالْعُلُوِّ فِي مَوَاضِعَ كَثِيرَةٍ [جِدًّا] (٤) ، حَتَّى قَدْ قِيلَ (٥) إِنَّهَا نَحْوُ (٦) ثَلَاثِمِائَةِ مَوْضِعٍ، وَالسُّنَنُ مُتَوَاتِرَةٌ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - بِمِثْلِ ذَلِكَ، وَكَلَامُ السَّلَفِ الْمَنْقُولِ عَنْهُمْ بِالتَّوَاتُرِ يَقْتَضِي اتِّفَاقَهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِمْ (٧) مَنْ يُنْكِرُهُ. وَمَنْ يُرِيدُ التَّشْنِيعَ عَلَى النَّاسِ، وَدَفْعَ هَذِهِ الْأَدِلَّةِ الشَّرْعِيَّةِ وَالْعَقْلِيَّةِ لَا بُدَّ أَنْ يَذْكُرَ حُجَّةً. وَلْنَفْرِضْ أَنَّهُ لَا يُنَاظِرُهُ إِلَّا أَئِمَّةُ أَصْحَابِهِ (٨) ، وَهُوَ لَمْ يَذْكُرْ دَلِيلًا إِلَّا قَوْلُهُ: " وَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ كُلَّ مَا هُوَ فِي جِهَةٍ فَهُوَ مُحْدَثٌ وَمُحْتَاجٌ إِلَى تِلْكَ الْجِهَةِ " . فَيُقَالُ لَهُ: لَمْ يَعْلَمُوا ذَلِكَ وَلَمْ تَذْكُرْ مَا بِهِ يُعْلَمُ ذَلِكَ (٩) ، فَإِنَّ قَوْلَكَ: مَا هُوَ مُحْتَاجٌ إِلَى تِلْكَ الْجِهَةِ، إِنَّمَا يَسْتَقِيمُ إِذَا كَانَتِ الْجِهَةُ أَمْرًا وُجُودِيًّا وَكَانَتْ لَازِمَةً لَهُ لَا يَسْتَغْنِي عَنْهَا، فَلَا رَيْبَ أَنَّ مَنْ قَالَ: إِنَّ الْبَارِي لَا يَقُومُ

(١) ب، أ: قَرَّرُوا فِي ذَلِكَ، وَهُوَ خَطَأٌ. (٢) ع، أ: إِمَّا مُتَبَايِنَيْنِ وَإِمَّا مُتَدَاخِلَيْنِ ; ن، م: إِمَّا مُتَبَايِنَيْنِ أَوْ مُتَدَاخِلَيْنِ. (٣) ب، أ، ن، م: يَنْطِقُ. (٤) جِدًّا: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٥) ع، م: حَتَّى قِيلَ. (٦) نَحْوُ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . (٧) ب، أ: وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِمْ. وَسَقَطَتْ " يَكُنْ " مِنْ (ع) . (٨) أَصْحَابِهِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ب) ، (أ) . (٩) ب: مَا بِهِ يَعْلَمُونَ ذَلِكَ ; أ: مَا بِهِ يَعْلَمُوا ذَلِكَ.