Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/193)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

every respect, he would be among the most foolish of fools, if such a person could exist(1)—so what of the fact that this is impossible? Indeed, a volitional agent cannot do anything unless it comes to preponderate for him, such that doing it becomes dearer to him than not doing it; and giving precedence to what is dearer constitutes pleasure and benefit.

Thus, these Qadariyya who explain divine action in terms of purpose(2) are(3) the very ones who posit what cannot possibly constitute a purpose(4) and can(5) only be either impossible or an act of foolishness. If they affirm(6) a purpose subsisting in Him, it necessarily follows that He is a subject in which temporally originated events subsist—something they deem impossible. Moreover, if that purpose exists for another purpose, an infinite regress necessarily follows, which they deem impossible with respect to the past; as for the future, they hold two views. If it does not exist for another purpose, then it may arise without any purpose. Thus, the principles upon which they and those who affirm divine decree agree constitute an argument for the latter against them(7).

[Section: Whoever Denies That Volitional Acts Subsist in the Essence of the Exalted Lord Must Inevitably Espouse Contradictory and Corrupt Positions]

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(Section)(8)

Broadly speaking, whoever denies that volitional acts subsist in the Essence of the Exalted Lord must inevitably espouse contradictory and corrupt positions. Since(9) the Jahmiyya who uphold compulsion and the Mu'tazilite Qadariyya

(1) (A) and (B) read: “the most foolish of people when he exists.” (2) (N) reads: “they explain divine decree in terms of purpose.” (3) “They” is omitted from (A) and (B). (4) (A) reads: “an accident,” which is a textual corruption. (5) (ʿA) reads: “or can only be.” (6) (B) alone reads: “if they affirm.” (7) (A) and (B) read: “against them—and Allah knows best.” (8) At the word “Section,” a lengthy passage is omitted from manuscript (N). I shall indicate where the omission ends in its proper place, Allah willing. (9) (B) alone reads: “For this reason.”

كُلِّ وَجْهٍ، كَانَ هَذَا مِنْ أَسَفِهِ السُّفَهَاءِ لَوْ وُجِدَ (١) ، فَكَيْفَ إِذَا كَانَ مُمْتَنِعًا؟ فَإِنَّهُ يَمْتَنِعُ أَنْ يَفْعَلَ الْمُخْتَارُ شَيْئًا حَتَّى يَتَرَجَّحَ عِنْدَهُ، فَيَكُونَ أَنْ يَفْعَلَهُ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ أَنْ لَا يَفْعَلَهُ، وَتَرْجِيحُ الْأَحَبِّ لَذَّةً وَمَنْفَعَةً. فَهَؤُلَاءِ الْقَدَرِيَّةُ الَّذِينَ يُعَلِّلُونَ بِالْغَرَضِ (٢) هُمُ (٣) الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ مَا يَمْتَنِعُ أَنْ يَكُونَ غَرَضًا (٤) ، وَلَا يَكُونُ (٥) إِلَّا مُمْتَنِعًا أَوْ سَفَهًا، وَإِنْ أَثْبَتُوا (٦) غَرَضًا قَائِمًا بِهِ، لَزِمَ أَنْ يَكُونَ مَحَلًّا لِلْحَوَادِثِ، وَهُمْ يُحِيلُونَ ذَلِكَ. ثُمَّ الْغَرَضُ إِنْ كَانَ لِغَرَضٍ آخَرَ لَزِمَ التَّسَلْسُلُ، وَهُمْ يُحِيلُونَهُ فِي الْمَاضِي. وَلَهُمْ فِي الْمُسْتَقْبَلِ قَوْلَانِ. وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِغَرَضٍ آخَرَ جَازَ أَنْ يَحْدُثَ لَا لِغَرَضٍ. فَهَذِهِ الْأُصُولُ الَّتِي اتَّفَقُوا عَلَيْهَا - هُمْ وَالْمُثْبِتُونَ لِلْقَدَرِ - هِيَ حُجَّةٌ لِأُولَئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ (٧) . [فصل مَنْ نَفَى قِيَامَ الْأُمُورِ الِاخْتِيَارِيَّةِ بِذَاتِ الرَّبِّ تَعَالَى لَا بُدَّ أَنْ يَقُولَ أَقْوَالًا مُتَنَاقِضَةً فَاسِدَةً] [ (فَصْلٌ) (٨) وَفِي الْجُمْلَةِ مَنْ نَفَى قِيَامَ الْأُمُورِ الِاخْتِيَارِيَّةِ بِذَاتِ الرَّبِّ تَعَالَى لَا بُدَّ أَنْ يَقُولَ أَقْوَالًا مُتَنَاقِضَةً فَاسِدَةً. وَلَمَّا (٩) كَانَتِ الْجَهْمِيَّةُ الْمُجْبِرَةُ وَالْقَدَرِيَّةُ الْمُعْتَزِلَةُ

(١) أ، ب: أَسَفَهِ النَّاسِ إِذَا وُجِدَ. (٢) ن: يُعَلِّلُونَ بِالْقَدَرِ بِالْغَرَضِ. (٣) هُمْ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . (٤) أ: عَرَضًا، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. (٥) ع: أَوْ لَا يَكُونُ. (٦) ب فَقَطْ: إِنْ أَثْبَتُوا. (٧) أ، ب: عَلَيْهِمْ، وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. (٨) عِنْدَ كَلِمَةِ " فَصْلٌ " يُوجَدُ سَقْطٌ طَوِيلٌ فِي نُسْخَةٍ (ن) سَأُشِيرُ إِلَى نِهَايَتِهِ فِي مَوْضِعِهِ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ. (٩) ب فَقَطْ: وَلِذَا.