Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/88)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

Allah Most High has said:

“Or do those who commit evil deeds think that We will make them like those who believe and do righteous deeds, equal in their life and their death? Evil indeed is their judgment.”

[Surah al-Jāthiya: 21]

This is a rhetorical question expressing repudiation (1). It repudiates anyone who thinks (2) or supposes this. Repudiation is directed only at someone who supposes or thinks (3) something that is erroneous and false, and whose falsity is known—not at someone whose supposition (4) is neither erroneous nor false.

It is thus known that equating those who obey [with] those (5) who disobey is demonstrably false, and that this constitutes an evil judgment (6) from which Allah is exalted.

Similar to this is His saying, Most High (7):

“Or should We make those who believe and do righteous deeds like those who spread corruption in the land? Or should We make the God-fearing like the wicked?”

[Surah Sād: 28]

And His saying, Most High (8):

“Shall We then make the Muslims like the criminals? What is the matter with you? How do you judge?”

[Surah al-Qalam: 35–36]

In sum, equating (9) the righteous

(1) A and B read: “repudiative.” (2) N and M read: “of one who says that he thinks.” (3) Ayn reads: “or thinks”; all other copies read: “and thinks.” (4) The word “something” is absent from A and B. (5) Ayn, N, and M read: “and those who disobey.” (6) A and B read: “among the most unjust of things,” which is a corruption. (7) “Most High” is added in A and B. (8) “Most High” is added in A and B. (9) N and M read: “In sum, then, equating.”

وَقَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: {أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ اجْتَرَحُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ أَنْ نَجْعَلَهُمْ كَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَوَاءً مَحْيَاهُمْ وَمَمَاتُهُمْ سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ} [سُورَةُ الْجَاثِيَةِ: ٢١] وَهَذَا اسْتِفْهَامُ إِنْكَارٍ (١) يَقْتَضِي الْإِنْكَارَ عَلَى مَنْ يَحْسَبُ (٢) ذَلِكَ وَيَظُنُّهُ، وَإِنَّمَا يُنْكَرُ عَلَى مَنْ ظَنَّ أَوْ حَسِبَ (٣) مَا هُوَ خَطَأٌ بَاطِلٌ يُعْلَمُ بُطْلَانُهُ، لَا مَنْ ظَنَّ ظَنًّا مَا (٤) لَيْسَ بِخَطَأٍ وَلَا بَاطِلٍ. فَعُلِمَ أَنَّ التَّسْوِيَةَ بَيْنَ أَهْلِ الطَّاعَةِ [وَبَيْنَ] أَهْلِ (٥) الْمَعْصِيَةِ مِمَّا يُعْلَمُ بُطْلَانُهُ، وَأَنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْحُكْمِ السَّيِّئِ (٦) الَّذِي يُنَزَّهُ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ. وَمَثَّلَهُ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى (٧) : {أَمْ نَجْعَلُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ كَالْمُفْسِدِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَمْ نَجْعَلُ الْمُتَّقِينَ كَالْفُجَّارِ} [سُورَةُ ص: ٢٨] ، وَقَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى (٨) : {أَفَنَجْعَلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ كَالْمُجْرِمِينَ - مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ} [سُورَةُ الْقَلَمِ: ٣٥، ٣٦] ، وَفِي الْجُمْلَةِ التَّسْوِيَةُ (٩) بَيْنَ الْأَبْرَارِ

(١) أ، ب: إِنْكَارِي. (٢) ن، م: عَلَى مَنْ يَقُولُ يَحْسَبُ. (٣) أَوْ حَسِبَ: فِي (ع) ، وَفِي سَائِرِ النُّسَخِ: وَحَسِبَ. (٤) مَا: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . (٥) ع، ن، م: وَأَهْلِ. (٦) أ، ب: مِنْ أَظْلَمِ الشَّيْءِ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. (٧) تَعَالَى: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٨) تَعَالَى: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٩) ن، م: وَبِالْجُمْلَةِ فَالتَّسْوِيَةُ.