Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/150)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

except for what the servant himself did by his own choice and power (1), not for what any other creature did. The fact that the Lord is the Creator of all things does not prevent the servant himself from being the one to blame for it, just as another created being blames him for his wrongdoing and aggression while acknowledging that Allah is the Creator of the servants’ actions.

The vast majority of nations affirm divine decree and that Allah is the Creator of all things. Nevertheless, they condemn wrongdoers (2) and punish them in order to restrain their wrongdoing and aggression. Likewise, they (3) believe that Allah is the Creator (4) of harmful animals and harmful plants (5), yet they still strive to ward off their harm and evil. They also agree that a liar and wrongdoer is blameworthy for his lying and wrongdoing, that this is an evil quality (6) in him, and that his very soul (7), being characterized by it, is wicked and unjust and does not deserve the honor befitting those who are truthful and just—even though they acknowledge that all of this is created.

It is not in [the innate dispositions] (8) of people to regard requiting a wrongdoer for his wrongdoing as an injustice to him, even though they affirm divine decree. Allah, then, is all the more deserving of not being ascribed injustice on that account (9). This accords with the approach of those who affirm divine wisdom and causation [among Ahl al-Sunnah] (10). As for

(1) ʿ reads: “and his capacity.” (2) A and B read: “the wrongdoers”; N: “the wrongdoer.” (3) “They” is absent from A and B. (4) A and B read: “created.” (5) ʿ reads: “the animals and the harmful plants.” (6) A and B read: “offensive”; N and M: “a thing,” which is a scribal corruption. (7) ʿ reads: “and that his description of himself.” (8) “Innate dispositions” is absent from N. (9) N reads: “on that account.” (10) “Among Ahl al-Sunnah” is absent from N and M.

إِلَّا بِمَا فَعَلَهُ الْعَبْدُ بِاخْتِيَارِهِ وَقُوَّتِهِ (١) لَا بِفِعْلِ غَيْرِهِ مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ. وَأَمَّا كَوْنُ الرَّبِّ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَذَلِكَ لَا يَمْنَعُ كَوْنَ الْعَبْدِ هُوَ الْمَلُومُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، كَمَا أَنَّ غَيْرَهُ مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ يَلُومُهُ عَلَى ظُلْمِهِ وَعُدْوَانِهِ، مَعَ إِقْرَارِهِ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ خَالِقُ أَفْعَالِ الْعِبَادِ. وَجَمَاهِيرُ الْأُمَمِ مُقِرَّةٌ بِالْقَدَرِ، وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، وَهُمْ مَعَ هَذَا يَذُمُّونَ الظَّالِمِينَ (٢) وَيُعَاقِبُونَهُمْ لِدَفْعِ ظُلْمِهِمْ وَعُدْوَانِهِمْ، كَمَا أَنَّهُمْ (٣) يَعْتَقِدُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ خَالِقُ (٤) الْحَيَوَانَاتِ الْمُضِرَّةِ وَالنَّبَاتَاتِ الْمُضِرَّةِ (٥) وَهُمْ مَعَ هَذَا يَسْعَوْنَ فِي دَفْعِ ضَرَرِهَا وَشَرِّهَا. وَهُمْ أَيْضًا مُتَّفِقُونَ عَلَى أَنَّ الْكَاذِبَ وَالظَّالِمَ مَذْمُومٌ بِكَذِبِهِ وَظُلْمِهِ، وَأَنَّ ذَلِكَ وَصْفٌ سَيِّئٌ (٦) فِيهِ، وَأَنَّ نَفْسَهُ (٧) الْمُتَّصِفَةَ بِذَلِكَ خَبِيثَةٌ ظَالِمَةٌ لَا تَسْتَحِقُّ الْإِكْرَامَ الَّذِي يُنَاسِبُ أَهْلَ الصِّدْقِ وَالْعَدْلِ، وَإِنْ كَانُوا مُقِرِّينَ بِأَنَّ كُلَّ ذَلِكَ مَخْلُوقٌ. وَلَيْسَ فِي [فِطَرِ] (٨) النَّاسِ أَنْ يَجْعَلُوا مُقَابَلَةَ الظَّالِمِ عَلَى ظُلْمِهِ ظُلْمًا لَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانُوا مُقِرِّينَ بِالْقَدَرِ، فَاللَّهُ أَوْلَى أَنْ لَا يُنْسَبَ إِلَى الظُّلْمِ لِذَلِكَ (٩) ، وَهَذَا عَلَى طَرِيقَةِ أَهْلِ الْحِكْمَةِ وَالتَّعْلِيلِ [مِنْ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ] (١٠) . وَأَمَّا عَلَى

(١) ع: وَقُدْرَتِهِ. (٢) أ، ب: الظَّلَمَةَ ; ن: الظَّالِمَ. (٣) أَنَّهُمْ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . (٤) أ، ب: خَلَقَ. (٥) ع: الْحَيَوَانَاتِ وَالنَّبَاتَاتِ الْمُضِرَّةِ. (٦) أ، ب: مُسِيءٌ، ن، م: شَيْءٌ، وَهُوَ تَصْحِيفٌ. (٧) ع: وَأَنَّ وَصْفَهُ نَفْسَهُ. (٨) فِطَرِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) . (٩) ن: بِذَلِكَ. (١٠) مِنْ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ، سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) .