Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/69)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

[from it] (1) until [Allah] (2) creates the act of fleeing in me.’ Rather, he strives to flee, asks Allah to help him do so, and flees from it when he is powerless against it. Likewise, if he needs food, drink, or clothing (3), he does not say, ‘I will not eat, drink, or clothe myself until Allah (4) creates my doing so.’ Rather, he desires these things, strives to obtain them, and asks Allah to make them easy [for him] (5).

Human nature is innately disposed to love what it needs, repel what harms it, and seek the help of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, in doing so. This [is] what is entailed by the innate disposition (6) upon which [Allah] (7) created His servants and what that disposition necessarily demands. For this reason, Allah commanded His servants to ask Him to help them do what He has commanded.”

Sixth: It may be said that such a statement must come either from someone who wants to obey and knows that obedience benefits him, or from someone who neither wants to obey nor knows that it benefits him. Yet in either case, it is impossible [for him] (8) to make such a statement. As for the former, anyone who wants to obey and knows that obedience benefits him will certainly obey, provided (9) he is not incapable, for the very firm resolve

(1) “From it” is omitted in N and M. (2) The name “Allah” is omitted in N. (3) Ayn, N, and M read: “and drink and clothing.” (4) The name “Allah” is omitted in Ayn, A, and B. (5) “For him” is omitted in N and M. (6) B and A read: “it seeks Allah’s help in that, and this is entailed by the innate disposition.” N and M read: “it seeks Allah’s help in that. This is entailed by the innate disposition.” The reading adopted in the text is from Ayn. (7) The name “Allah” is omitted in N and M. (8) “From him” is omitted in N and M. (9) Ayn reads: “then if.”

[مِنْهُ] (١) حَتَّى يَخْلُقَ [اللَّهُ] (٢) فِيَّ الْهَرَبَ، بَلْ يَحْرِصُ عَلَى الْهَرَبِ وَيَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الْإِعَانَةَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، وَيَفِرُّ مِنْهُ إِذَا عَجَزَ. وَكَذَلِكَ إِذَا كَانَ مُحْتَاجًا إِلَى طَعَامٍ أَوْ شَرَابٍ أَوْ لِبَاسٍ (٣) ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَقُولُ: لَا آكُلُ وَلَا أَشْرَبُ وَلَا أَلْبَسُ حَتَّى يَخْلُقَ اللَّهُ (٤) فِي ذَلِكَ، بَلْ يُرِيدُ ذَلِكَ وَيَسْعَى فِيهِ وَيَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ تَيْسِيرَهُ [عَلَيْهِ] (٥) . فَالْفِطْرَةُ مَجْبُولَةٌ عَلَى حُبِّ مَا تَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ، وَدَفْعِ مَا يَضُرُّهَا، وَأَنَّهَا تَسْتَعِينُ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ. هَذَا [هُوَ] مُوجَبُ الْفِطْرَةِ (٦) الَّتِي فَطَرَ [اللَّهُ] (٧) عَلَيْهَا عِبَادَهُ، وَإِيجَابَهَا ذَلِكَ، وَلِهَذَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ الْعِبَادَ أَنْ يَسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ أَنْ يُعِينَهُمْ عَلَى فِعْلِ مَا أَمَرَ. الْوَجْهُ السَّادِسُ: أَنْ يُقَالَ: مِثْلُ هَذَا الْكَلَامِ إِمَّا أَنْ يَقُولَهُ مَنْ يُرِيدُ الطَّاعَةَ، وَيَعْلَمُ أَنَّهَا تَنْفَعُهُ، أَوْ مَنْ لَا يُرِيدُهَا وَلَا يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهَا تَنْفَعُهُ، وَكِلَاهُمَا يَمْتَنِعُ [مِنْهُ] (٨) أَنْ يَقُولَ مِثْلَ هَذَا الْكَلَامِ. أَمَّا الْأَوَّلُ فَمَنْ أَرَادَ الطَّاعَةَ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّهَا تَنْفَعُهُ أَطَاعَ قَطْعًا إِذَا (٩) لَمْ يَكُنْ عَاجِزًا، فَإِنَّ نَفْسَ الْإِرَادَةِ الْجَازِمَةِ

(١) مِنْهُ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٢) لَفْظُ الْجَلَالَةِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) . (٣) ع، ن، م وَشَرَابٍ وَلِبَاسٍ. (٤) لَفْظُ الْجَلَالَةِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ع) ، (أ) ، (ب) . (٥) عَلَيْهِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٦) ب، أ: تَسْتَعِينُ بِاللَّهِ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَهَذَا مُوجَبُ الْفِطْرَةِ ; ن، م: تَسْتَعِينُ بِاللَّهِ عَلَى ذَلِكَ. هَذَا مُوجَبُ الْفِطْرَةِ. وَالْمُثْبَتُ مِنْ (ع) . (٧) لَفْظُ الْجَلَالَةِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٨) مِنْهُ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٩) ع: فَإِذَا.