Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/45)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

And Allah has commanded His servants (1) to say:

“Guide us to the straight path—the path of those upon whom You have bestowed Your favor.”

Supplication is made only for something in the future that has not yet occurred and that will (2) be brought about by Allah Most High. This sought guidance is distinct from the guidance that consists in the Messenger’s explanation and conveyance, peace and blessings be upon him.

Allah Most High said:

“By it Allah guides those who seek His pleasure to the ways of peace.”

[Surah al-Mā’idah]

And Allah Most High said:

“Had it not been for Allah’s favor and mercy upon you, not one of you would ever have been purified. But Allah purifies whom He wills, and Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”

[Surah al-Nūr: 21]

Abraham, Allah’s intimate friend, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Our Lord, make us both submissive to You, and from our descendants a community submissive to You. Show us our rites and accept our repentance.”

[Surah al-Baqarah: 128]

And Allah Most High said:

“We made from among them leaders who guided by Our command when they remained patient and had certainty in Our signs.”

[Surah al-Sajdah: 24]

And Allah Most High said:

“We made them leaders calling to the Fire.”

[Surah al-Qasas: 41]

There are many similar passages in the Book and the Sunnah in which He, Glorified and Most High, makes clear His singling out (3) His believing servants for guidance, faith, and righteous deeds. Reason also indicates this. For if (4) it were assumed that all the causes necessitating the act were equally present in the one who performs it and the one who refrains from it, then it would be the case that

(1) B reads: *bi-an* (“that,” preceded by *bi-*); omitted from A. (2) B and A read: “not yet occurring; rather, it will be.” (3) B reads: “makes clear the singling out”; A: “makes clear His singling out”; N: *tubayyinu taālā ikhtisāsa*; M: “Allah makes clear the singling out.” (4) B and A read: “then if.”

وَقَدْ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ عِبَادَهُ أَنْ (١) يَقُولُوا: {اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ} . وَالدُّعَاءُ إِنَّمَا يَكُونُ لِشَيْءٍ مُسْتَقْبَلٍ غَيْرِ حَاصِلٍ يَكُونُ (٢) مِنْ فِعْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى. وَهَذِهِ الْهِدَايَةُ الْمَطْلُوبَةُ غَيْرُ الْهُدَى الَّذِي هُوَ بَيَانُ الرَّسُولِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَتَبْلِيغِهِ. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {يَهْدِي بِهِ اللَّهُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ رِضْوَانَهُ سُبُلَ السَّلَامِ} [سُورَةُ الْمَائِدَةِ] . وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ مَا زَكَى مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ أَبَدًا وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يُزَكِّي مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ} [سُورَةُ النُّورِ: ٢١] . وَقَالَ الْخَلِيلُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: {رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُسْلِمَةً لَكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَا} [سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ: ١٢٨] . وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُوا وَكَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يُوقِنُونَ} [سُورَةُ السَّجْدَةِ: ٢٤] . وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ} [سُورَةُ الْقَصَصِ: ٤١] . وَمِثْلُ هَذَا كَثِيرٌ فِي الْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ يُبَيِّنُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى اخْتِصَاصَهُ (٣) عِبَادَهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِالْهُدَى وَالْإِيمَانِ وَالْعَمَلِ الصَّالِحِ، وَالْعَقْلُ يَدُلُّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، فَإِنَّهُ إِذَا (٤) قُدِّرَ أَنَّ جَمِيعَ الْأَسْبَابِ الْمُوجِبَةِ لِلْفِعْلِ مِنَ الْفَاعِلِ كَمَا هِيَ مِنَ التَّارِكِ، كَانَ

(١) ب: بِأَنْ وَسَقَطَتْ مِنْ (أ) . (٢) ب، أ: غَيْرِ حَاصِلٍ بَلْ يَكُونُ. (٣) ب: يُبَيِّنُ اخْتِصَاصَ، أ: يُبَيِّنُ اخْتِصَاصَهُ، ن: تُبَيِّنُ تَعَالَى اخْتِصَاصَ ; م: يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ اخْتِصَاصَ. (٤) ب، أ: فَإِذَا.