Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/85)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

by the generic name (1), as with the terms “allowable” in its broad and restricted senses (2), “permissible” in its broad and restricted senses, “blood relatives” in its broad and restricted senses, and “animal” (3) in its broad and restricted senses. Thus, they apply (4) the term “animal” to (5) non-rational beings, since the rational being is specifically designated by the name “human.”

They applied the same convention to “speculative discourse” and “disputation.” Thus they say (6), “So-and-so engages in speculative discourse and is a speculative theologian” (7), when he speaks (8) without knowledge. This is why the Salaf censured speculative theologians. The same applies to disputation: if discourse is not (9) grounded in sound proof, it is nothing but sheer disputation.

Appealing to the divine decree falls into this category, as related in the Sahih from Alī—may Allah be pleased with him—who said:

“Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, came at night to Fātima and me and said, ‘Will you not rise and pray?’ (10) I replied, ‘O Messenger of Allah, our souls are in Allah’s hand. If He wills to rouse us, He will rouse us.’ He then turned away, saying:

‘Yet man is more contentious than anything.’” (11)

[Surah al-Kahf: 54]

For when he instructed them to rise for the night prayer, Alī sought to excuse himself

(1) M alone reads: “by its generic name.” (2) M alone reads: “as with the term ‘allowable’ in its restricted and broad senses.” (3) A and B read: “and the term ‘allowability.’” (4) A and B read: “and they apply.” (5) N and M read: “from.” (6) B reads: “They gained predominance in the use of the terms kalām (speculative discourse) and jadal (disputation), and for that reason they say”; A reads: “They attained ascendancy in the use of the terms kalām and jadal, and likewise they say”; M and N read: “They likewise did the same with the terms kalām and jadal, and so they say.” (7) Ayn reads: “and he speaks.” (8) M alone reads: “has spoken.” (9) B reads: “the practitioners of kalām and jadal; then, if the discourse is not…”; M reads: “the practitioners of kalām, and likewise the practitioners of jadal, if the discourse is not….” (10) N reads: “and then pray?” (11) The hadith narrated from Alī—may Allah be pleased with him—is found in al-Bukhārī, 6/88 (Book of Tafsīr, Surah al-Kahf), and 2/50 (Book of Tahajjud, chapter “The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—Urging Night Prayer…”); and al-Musnad (al-Maʿārif ed.), 2/89, 172.

بِالِاسْمِ الْعَامِّ (١) ، كَمَا فِي لَفْظِ الْجَائِزِ الْعَامِّ وَالْخَاصِّ (٢) ، وَالْمُبَاحِ الْعَامِّ وَالْخَاصِّ، وَذَوِي الْأَرْحَامِ الْعَامِّ وَالْخَاصِّ وَلَفْظِ الْحَيَوَانِ (٣) الْعَامِّ وَالْخَاصِّ، فَيُطْلِقُونَ (٤) لَفْظَ الْحَيَوَانِ عَلَى (٥) غَيْرِ النَّاطِقِ لِاخْتِصَاصِ النَّاطِقِ بِاسْمِ الْإِنْسَانِ. وَعَمِلُوا فِي لَفْظِ الْكَلَامِ وَالْجَدَلِ كَذَلِكَ، فَيَقُولُونَ (٦) : فُلَانٌ صَاحِبُ كَلَامٍ وَمُتَكَلِّمٌ (٧) إِذَا كَانَ قَدْ يَتَكَلَّمُ (٨) بِلَا عِلْمٍ، وَلِهَذَا ذَمَّ السَّلَفُ أَهْلَ الْكَلَامِ. وَكَذَلِكَ الْجَدَلُ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنِ (٩) الْكَلَامُ بِحُجَّةٍ صَحِيحَةٍ لَمْ يَكْ إِلَّا جَدَلًا مَحْضًا. وَالِاحْتِجَاجُ بِالْقَدَرِ مِنْ هَذَا الْبَابِ، كَمَا فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: " «طَرَقَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَفَاطِمَةَ فَقَالَ: " أَلَا تَقُومَانِ تُصَلِّيَانِ؟ " (١٠) فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّمَا أَنْفُسُنَا بِيَدِ اللَّهِ إِنْ شَاءَ يَبْعَثُنَا بَعَثَنَا. قَالَ فَوَلَّى وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: {وَكَانَ الْإِنْسَانُ أَكْثَرَ شَيْءٍ جَدَلًا} » (١١) [سُورَةُ الْكَهْفِ: ٥٤] فَإِنَّهُ لَمَّا أَمَرَهُمْ بِقِيَامِ اللَّيْلِ فَاعْتَلَّ عَلِيٌّ

(١) م فَقَطْ: بِاسْمِهِ الْعَامِّ. (٢) م فَقَطْ: كَمَا فِي اسْمِ الْجَائِزِ الْخَاصِّ وَالْعَامِّ. (٣) أ، ب: وَلَفْظِ الْجَوَازِ. (٤) أ، ب: وَيُطْلِقُونَ. (٥) ن، م: عَنْ. (٦) ب: غَلَبُوا فِي لَفْظِ الْكَلَامِ وَالْجَدَلِ فَلِذَلِكَ يَقُولُونَ ; أ: عَلَوْا فِي لَفْظِ الْكَلَامِ وَالْجَدَلِ فَكَذَلِكَ يَقُولُونَ ; م، ن: وَكَذَلِكَ فَعَلُوا فِي لَفْظِ الْكَلَامِ وَالْجَدَلِ فَيَقُولُونَ. (٧) ع: وَيَتَكَلَّمُ. (٨) م (فَقَطْ) : قَدْ تَكَلَّمَ. (٩) ب: أَهْلَ الْكَلَامِ وَالْجَدَلِ فَإِذَا لَمْ يَكُنِ. . . ; م: أَهْلَ الْكَلَامِ وَكَذَلِكَ أَهْلَ الْجَدَلِ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنِ. . . (١٠) ن: فَتُصَلِّيَانِ. (١١) الْحَدِيثُ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فِي: الْبُخَارِيِّ ٦/٨٨ (كِتَابُ التَّفْسِيرِ، سُورَةُ الْكَهْفِ، ٢/٥٠ (كِتَابُ التَّهَجُّدِ، بَابُ تَحْرِيضِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى صَلَاةِ اللَّيْلِ. . .) ، الْمُسْنَدَ (ط الْمَعَارِفِ) ٢/٨٩، ١٧٢.