Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/67)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

It is well known that anyone warned of an enemy advancing upon him does not say to the one warning him, “Tell Allah to create in me the ability to flee, so that I may flee.” Rather, he makes every effort to flee, while Allah is the One who helps him to do so.

Such words can be spoken only by someone who denies the Messengers, for it is not part of innate human nature, when one believes the warner, to plead such an excuse. If this constitutes denial, then what befell those who denied will befall him.

Third: He should say to him, “I have no right to say [anything like] (1) this to my Lord. Rather, my duty is to convey His messages. I am accountable only for what I have been charged with, and you are accountable for what you have been charged with. My only duty is to convey the message clearly, and I have fulfilled that duty (2).”

Fourth: He should say, “Neither I nor anyone else has the right to say to Him, ‘Why did You not [place] (3) such-and-such in this one, and such-and-such in that one?’ For people hold one of two views: those who say (4) that there is no wisdom other than sheer will maintain that He does whatever He wills and decrees whatever He chooses. Those who say [that] He possesses wisdom (5) maintain that He does nothing except for a wise purpose, and whenever He leaves something undone (6), it is only because there is no wisdom in doing it.

(1) The word “like” is added in Ayn alone. (2) A and B read: “and it was completed thereby.” (3) The word “place” is omitted in N and M. (4) B and A read: “among them are those who say,” which is an error. (5) B and A read: “and among them are those who say that He possesses wisdom.” N and M read: “and those who say, ‘He possesses wisdom.’” (6) N and M read: “nor did He leave it.”

وَمِنَ الْمَعْلُومِ أَنَّ مَنْ أَنْذَرَ بِعَدُوٍّ يَقْصِدُهُ لَمْ يَقُلْ لِنَذِيرِهِ: قُلْ لِلَّهِ يَخْلُقُ فِيَّ قُدْرَةً عَلَى الْفِرَارِ حَتَّى أَفِرَّ، بَلْ يَجْتَهِدُ فِي الْفِرَارِ، وَاللَّهُ هُوَ الَّذِي يُعِينُهُ عَلَى الْفِرَارِ. فَهَذَا الْكَلَامُ لَا يَقُولُهُ إِلَّا مُكَذِّبٌ لِلرُّسُلِ، إِذْ لَيْسَ فِي الْفِطْرَةِ مَعَ تَصْدِيقِ النَّذِيرِ الِاعْتِلَالُ بِمِثْلِ هَذَا. وَإِذَا كَانَ هَذَا تَكْذِيبًا حَاقَ بِهِ مَا حَاقَ بِالْمُكَذِّبِينَ. الْوَجْهُ الثَّالِثُ: أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهُ: أَنَا لَيْسَ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ لِرَبِّي [مِثْلَ] (١) هَذَا الْكَلَامِ، بَلْ عَلَيَّ أَنَّ أُبَلِّغَ رِسَالَاتِهِ، وَإِنَّمَا عَلَيَّ مَا حُمِّلْتُ وَعَلَيْكَ مَا حُمِّلْتَ، وَلَيْسَ عَلَيَّ إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ، وَقَدْ قُمْتُ بِهِ (٢) . الرَّابِعُ: أَنْ يَقُولَ: لَيْسَ لِي وَلَا لِغَيْرِي أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهُ: لِمَ لَمْ [تَجْعَلْ] (٣) فِي هَذَا كَذَا وَفِي هَذَا كَذَا، فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ عَلَى قَوْلَيْنِ: مَنْ يَقُولُ (٤) : إِنَّهُ لَا حِكْمَةَ إِلَّا مَحْضُ الْمَشِيئَةِ، يَقُولُ إِنَّهُ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ. وَمَنْ يَقُولُ: [إِنَّ] لَهُ حِكْمَةً (٥) ، يَقُولُ: لَمْ يَفْعَلْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا لِحِكْمَةٍ، وَلَمْ يَتْرُكْهُ (٦) إِلَّا لِانْتِفَاءِ الْحِكْمَةِ فِيهِ.

(١) مِثْلَ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (ع) فَقَطْ. (٢) أ، ب: وَقَدْ تَمَّتْ بِهِ. (٣) تَجْعَلْ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٤) ب، أ: مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ، وَهُوَ خَطَأٌ. (٥) ب، أ: وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ أَنَّ لَهُ حِكْمَةً، ن، م: وَمَنْ يَقُولُ لَهُ حِكْمَةٌ. (٦) ن، م: وَلَا تَرَكَهُ.