Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/106)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

to mean this, since no one, prior to acting, possesses the capacity that necessitates the act; this is therefore not peculiar to sinners. Rather, what is meant is that their aversion to hearing the truth is so intense that, [because of it], they cannot bring themselves to hear it (1). This is due to their hatred of it (2), not any inability to hear it—just as an envious person cannot bring himself to do good to the person he envies because of his hatred, not because he is incapable of doing so (3).

The absence of this ability does not preclude (4) commands and prohibitions, for Allah commands a person to do what he dislikes and prohibits him from what he loves. As He Most High says:

“Fighting has been prescribed for you, though it is hateful to you” [Surah al-Baqarah: 216].

And He says:

“But as for one who feared standing before his Lord and restrained the soul from its desires” [Surah al-Nāziʿāt: 40].

A person is capable of doing so if he wills it (5), and of refraining from what Allah has prohibited. It is not a condition of what is commanded (6) that the servant desire it, nor is it a condition of what is prohibited that the servant be averse to it. An act depends upon both capacity and will (7). What is required for obligation is that the servant be capable of the act, not that he desire it. Yet the act comes into existence only if he desires it. Thus, will (8) is a condition for its existence, not for its obligation.

The Third Point: (9)

If imposing an obligation that cannot be fulfilled is interpreted as requiring an act for which there is no

(1) A and B read: “their souls cannot hear it”; N reads: “their souls are incapable of hearing it”; M reads: “their souls cannot hear anything with them.” (2) N and Ayn read: “that.” (3) A and B read: “he is not incapable of it.” (4) A, B, N, and Ayn read: “does not preclude.” The word is undotted in M. (5) A and B read: “if he wills.” (6) N and M read: “Nor is it a condition of the person commanded that he be…” (7) Ayn reads: “upon will and capacity.” (8) A and B read: “desiring it, and will”; Ayn reads: “desiring; thus, will.” (9) N and M read: “The Fourth Point,” which is an error.

بِهِ هَذَا، فَإِنَّ جَمِيعَ النَّاسِ قَبْلَ الْفِعْلِ لَيْسَ مَعَهُمُ الْقُدْرَةُ الْمُوجِبَةُ لِلْفِعْلِ، فَلَا يُخْتَصُّ بِذَلِكَ الْعُصَاةُ، بَلِ الْمُرَادُ أَنَّهُمْ يَكْرَهُونَ سَمَاعَ الْحَقِّ كَرَاهَةً شَدِيدَةً لَا تَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْفُسُهُمْ [مَعَهَا] سَمَاعَهُ (١) . لِبُغْضِهِمْ لِذَلِكَ (٢) لَا لِعَجْزِهِمْ عَنْهُ، كَمَا أَنَّ الْحَاسِدَ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ الْإِحْسَانَ إِلَى الْمَحْسُودِ لِبُغْضِهِ لَا لِعَجْزِهِ عَنْهُ (٣) . وَعَدَمُ هَذِهِ الِاسْتِطَاعَةِ لَا يَمْنَعُ (٤) الْأَمْرَ وَالنَّهْيَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ الْإِنْسَانَ بِمَا يَكْرَهُهُ، وَيَنْهَاهُ عَمَّا يُحِبُّهُ. كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: {كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَكُمْ} [سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ: ٢١٦] ، وَقَالَ: {وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَى} [سُورَةُ النَّازِعَاتِ: ٤٠] ، وَهُوَ قَادِرٌ عَلَى فِعْلِ ذَلِكَ إِذَا أَرَادَهُ (٥) ، وَعَلَى تَرْكِ مَا نَهَى عَنْهُ، وَلَيْسَ مِنْ شَرْطِ الْمَأْمُورِ بِهِ أَنْ يَكُونَ (٦) الْعَبْدُ مُرِيدًا لَهُ، وَلَا مِنْ شَرْطِ الْمَنْهِيِّ عَنْهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ الْعَبْدُ كَارِهًا لَهُ، فَإِنَّ الْفِعْلَ يَتَوَقَّفُ عَلَى الْقُدْرَةِ وَالْإِرَادَةِ (٧) ، وَالْمَشْرُوطُ فِي التَّكْلِيفِ أَنْ يَكُونَ الْعَبْدُ قَادِرًا عَلَى الْفِعْلِ لَا أَنْ يَكُونَ مُرِيدًا لَهُ، لَكِنَّهُ لَا يُوجَدُ إِلَّا إِذَا كَانَ مُرِيدًا لَهُ، فَالْإِرَادَةُ (٨) شَرْطٌ فِي وُجُودِهِ لَا فِي وُجُوبِهِ. الْوَجْهُ الثَّالِثُ: (٩) أَنَّ تَكْلِيفَ مَا لَا يُطَاقُ إِذَا فُسِّرَ بِأَنَّهُ الْفِعْلُ الَّذِي لَيْسَ لَهُ

(١) أ، ب لَا تَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْفُسَهُمْ سَمْعَهُ ; ن: لَا تَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْفُسُهُمْ لِسَمَاعِهَا ; م: لَا تَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْفُسُهُمْ مَعَهُمْ سَمَاعًا (٢) ن، ع: ذَلِكَ. (٣) أ، ب: لَا يَعْجَزُ عَنْهُ. (٤) أ، ب، ن، ع: لَا تَمْنَعُ. وَالْكَلِمَةُ غَيْرُ مَنْقُوطَةٍ فِي (م) . (٥) أ، ب: إِذَا أَرَادَ. (٦) ن، م: وَلَيْسَ مِنْ شَرْطِ الْمَأْمُورِ أَنَّهُ يَكُونُ. (٧) ع: عَلَى الْإِرَادَةِ وَالْقُدْرَةِ. (٨) أ، ب: مُرِيدًا لَهُ وَالْإِرَادَةُ ; ع: مُرِيدًا فَالْإِرَادَةُ. (٩) ن، م: الرَّابِعُ، وَهُوَ خَطَأٌ.