Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/144)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

He has wisdom in them (1), and through His creation of them (2), He is Praiseworthy and Glorious. All dominion and all praise belong to Him. Thus, in relation to Him, they are neither evil nor blameworthy, and nothing suggesting the contrary should be ascribed to Him. Likewise, Glorified is He, He is the Creator (3) of illnesses, pains, offensive odors, repulsive forms, and filthy bodies such as snakes and excrement (4), because of the consummate wisdom He has in creating them.

Thus, if it is said:

“This excrement and these foul odors are from Allah,”

this may give the impression that they issued from Him, whereas Allah is exalted far above that.

Likewise, if it is said:

“Reprehensible acts are from Allah [or acts of disobedience are from Allah]” (5),

this may suggest that they issue from His Essence, just as they issue from the servant himself and as speech issues from the speaker. Allah is exalted far above that. Or [that] may suggest that they (6), as coming from Him, are reprehensible and evil; Allah is exalted far above that.

Rather, His creation of everything He creates is good on His part according to both positions (7): the position that consigns the reason to Allah and the position that affirms reasons and purposes.

Likewise, when it is said regarding tastes, colors, odors, and comparable accidents:

“This taste, whether sweet or bitter, is from Allah or from this plant; and these odors, whether pleasant or foul, are from Allah or from this physical source (8),”

and similar statements.

It may also create a misleading impression when it is said:

(1) A, B, and M read: “He has wisdom in them.” (2) A and B read: “He creates them for that wisdom”; N reads: “He creates it for that wisdom”; M reads: “Thus He creates it for that wisdom.” (3) N and M read: “created.” (4) N and M read: “and excrement.” (5) The text between square brackets is absent from A and B. (6) N reads: “and it may suggest that they are”; M reads: “and they may suggest that they are.” (7) ʿ and M read: “Rather, all that He creates is good on His part according to the view . . . etc.” N reads: “Rather, His creation of all that He creates is good on His part according to the view . . . etc.” (8) N reads, using the masculine form of “this”: “or from this physical source”; M reads: “or al-ghayra (jealousy).”

فَلَهُ فِيهَا (١) حِكْمَةٌ، هُوَ بِخَلْقِهِ لَهَا (٢) حُمَيْدٌ مَجِيدٌ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، فَلَيْسَتْ بِالْإِضَافَةِ إِلَيْهِ شَرًّا وَلَا مَذْمُومَةً، فَلَا يُضَافُ إِلَيْهِ مَا يُشْعِرُ بِنَقِيضِ ذَلِكَ، كَمَا أَنَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ خَالِقُ (٣) الْأَمْرَاضِ وَالْأَوْجَاعِ وَالرَّوَائِحِ الْكَرِيهَةِ وَالصُّوَرِ الْمُسْتَقْبَحَةِ وَالْأَجْسَامِ الْخَبِيثَةِ كَالْحَيَّاتِ وَالْعَذِرَاتِ (٤) لِمَا لَهُ فِي ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْحِكْمَةِ الْبَالِغَةِ. فَإِذَا قِيلَ: هَذِهِ الْعَذِرَةُ وَهَذِهِ الرَّوَائِحُ الْخَبِيثَةُ مِنَ اللَّهِ، أَوْهَمَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهَا خَرَجَتْ مِنْهُ، وَاللَّهُ مُنَزَّهٌ عَنْ ذَلِكَ. وَكَذَلِكَ إِذَا قِيلَ: الْقَبَائِحُ مِنَ اللَّهِ [أَوِ الْمَعَاصِي مِنَ اللَّهِ] (٥) ، قَدْ يُوهِمُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهَا خَارِجَةٌ مِنْ ذَاتِهِ، كَمَا تَخْرُجُ مِنْ ذَاتِ الْعَبْدِ، وَكَمَا يَخْرُجُ الْكَلَامُ مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّمِ، وَاللَّهُ مُنَزَّهٌ عَنْ ذَلِكَ، أَوْ يُوهِمُ [ذَلِكَ] أَنَّهَا (٦) مِنْهُ قَبِيحَةٌ وَسَيِّئَةٌ، وَاللَّهُ مُنَزَّهٌ عَنْ ذَلِكَ. بَلْ جَمِيعُ خَلْقِهِ خَلْقُهُ لَهُ حَسَنٌ عَلَى قَوْلَيْ (٧) التَّفْوِيضِ وَالتَّعْلِيلِ. وَكَذَلِكَ إِذَا قِيلَ لِلطُّعُومِ وَالْأَلْوَانِ وَالرَّوَائِحِ وَنَحْوِهَا مِنَ الْأَعْرَاضِ: هَذَا الطَّعْمُ الْحُلْوُ وَالْمُرُّ مِنَ اللَّهِ أَوْ مِنْ هَذَا النَّبَاتِ، وَهَذِهِ الرَّوَائِحُ الطَّيِّبَةُ أَوِ الْخَبِيثَةُ مِنَ اللَّهِ أَوْ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْعَيْنِ (٨) ، وَأَمْثَالُ ذَلِكَ. وَقَدْ يُوهِمُ إِذَا قِيلَ:

(١) أ، ب، م: لَهُ فِيهَا. (٢) أ، ب: هُوَ يَخْلُقُهَا لَهَا، ن: هُوَ يَخْلُقُهُ لَهَا ; م: فَهُوَ يَخْلُقُهُ لَهَا. (٣) ن، م: خَلَقَ. (٤) ن، م: وَالْعَذِرَةِ. (٥) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . (٦) ن: وَيُوهِمُ أَنَّهَا، م: وَتُوهِمُ أَنَّهَا. (٧) ع، م: بَلْ جَمِيعُ خَلْقِهِ لَهُ حَسَنٌ عَلَى قَوْلِ. . . إِلَخْ، وَفِي (ن) : بَلْ جَمِيعُ خَلْقِهِ خَلْقُهُ لَهُ حَسَنٌ عَلَى قَوْلِ. . . إِلَخْ. (٨) ن: أَوْ مِنْ هَذَا الْعَيْنِ ; م: أَوِ الْغَيْرَةِ.