Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/170)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

If such a distinction is possible with respect to created beings, then it is all the more possible with respect to Allah. He (1)—Glorified is He—commanded creation, through His messengers, to do what benefits them and forbade them from what harms them. Yet (2) among them are some whose actions He willed to create; He—Glorified is He—therefore willed to create that action and cause the person to perform it. Among them are also those whose actions He did not will to create. The consideration involved in His creating the servants’ actions and all other created things is distinct from that involved in His commanding the servant, by way of explaining what is (3) beneficial or harmful to the servant.

When He—Glorified is He—commanded Pharaoh, Abu Lahab, and others to believe, He thereby explained (4) to them what would benefit them and set them aright (5) if they did it. It does not follow (6), merely because He commanded them, that He must assist them. Rather, His creating that action for them and assisting them in it may entail some detrimental consequence insofar as it is an act of His, for He creates whatever He creates for a wisdom of His (7). Nor does it follow (8), when the commanded act benefits the person commanded if he performs it, that it must benefit the one issuing the command if he [himself] (9) performs it or causes the person commanded to perform it (10). What, then, does the consideration involved in creation have to do with that involved in command?

(1) (N) and (M) read: “and He.” (2) (N) reads: “and let it be,” which is a corruption. (3) (A) reads: “by way of clear explanation”; (B) reads: “and by way of a clear explanation,” which is a copyist’s error. (4) (A), (B), and (N) read: “it became clear.” (5) (N) reads: “what sets them aright and benefits them.” (6) (B) alone reads: “nor is it incumbent upon Him.” (7) “Of His” is omitted from (B) alone. (8) (N) and (M) read: “so it does not follow.” (9) “He Himself” is omitted from (N) and (M). (10) “For him” is omitted from (A), (B), and (ʿ).

وَإِذَا أَمْكَنَ الْفَرْقُ فِي حَقِّ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ فَهُوَ فِي حَقِّ اللَّهِ أَوْلَى بِالْإِمْكَانِ. فَهُوَ (١) سُبْحَانَهُ أَمَرَ الْخَلْقَ عَلَى أَلْسُنِ رُسُلِهِ بِمَا يَنْفَعُهُمْ، وَنَهَاهُمْ عَمَّا يَضُرُّهُمْ، وَلَكِنْ (٢) مِنْهُمْ مَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ فِعْلَهُ، فَأَرَادَ هُوَ سُبْحَانَهُ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ ذَلِكَ الْفِعْلَ وَيَجْعَلَهُ فَاعِلًا لَهُ. وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ لَمْ يُرِدْ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ فِعْلَهُ. فَجِهَةُ خَلْقِهِ سُبْحَانَهُ لِأَفْعَالِ الْعِبَادِ وَغَيْرِهَا مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقَاتِ - غَيْرُ جِهَةِ أَمْرِهِ لِلْعَبْدِ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْبَيَانِ لِمَا هُوَ (٣) مَصْلَحَةٌ لِلْعَبْدِ أَوْ مَفْسَدَةٌ. وَهُوَ سُبْحَانَهُ إِذَا أَمَرَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَأَبَا لَهَبٍ وَغَيْرِهِمَا بِالْإِيمَانِ، كَانَ قَدْ بَيَّنَ (٤) لَهُمْ مَا يَنْفَعُهُمْ وَيُصْلِحُهُمْ (٥) إِذَا فَعَلُوهُ وَلَا يَلْزَمُ (٦) إِذَا أَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يُعِينَهُمْ، بَلْ قَدْ يَكُونُ فِي خَلْقِهِ لَهُمْ ذَلِكَ الْفِعْلَ وَإِعَانَتِهِمْ عَلَيْهِ وَجْهُ مَفْسَدَةٍ، مِنْ حَيْثُ هُوَ فِعْلٌ لَهُ، فَإِنَّهُ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَخْلُقُ لِحِكْمَةٍ لَهُ (٧) ، وَلَا يَلْزَمُ (٨) إِذَا كَانَ الْفِعْلُ الْمَأْمُورُ بِهِ مَصْلَحَةً لِلْمَأْمُورِ إِذَا فَعَلَهُ، أَنْ يَكُونَ مَصْلَحَةً لِلْآمِرِ إِذَا فَعَلَهُ [هُوَ] (٩) ، أَوْ جَعَلَ الْمَأْمُورَ فَاعِلًا لَهُ (١٠) ، فَأَيْنَ جِهَةُ الْخَلْقِ مِنْ جِهَةِ الْأَمْرِ؟

(١) ن، م: وَهُوَ. (٢) ن: وَلْيَكُنْ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. (٣) أ: عَلَى وَجْهِ الْبَيَانِ الظَّاهِرِ، ب: وَعَلَى وَجْهِ بَيَانٍ ظَاهِرٍ، وَهُوَ تَصْحِيفٌ. (٤) أ، ب، ن: تَبَيَّنَ. (٥) ن: مَا يُصْلِحُهُمْ وَيَنْفَعُهُمْ. (٦) ب فَقَطْ: وَلَا يَلْزَمُهُ. (٧) لَهُ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ب) فَقَطْ. (٨) ن، م: فَلَا يَلْزَمُ. (٩) هُوَ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (١٠) لَهُ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) ، (ع) .