Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/204)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

is obligatory with respect to everything decreed (1), [and there is no evidence that this is obligatory] (2).

People have differed over whether contentment with poverty, illness, humiliation, [and the like] (3) is recommended or obligatory. There are two views on this in the school of Ahmad and in other schools. Most scholars hold that contentment with such things is recommended, not obligatory, because Allah praised those who are content, saying:

“Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him.”

[Surah al-Bayyina: 8]

Allah has only made patience obligatory (4), for He commanded it in more than one verse. He did not command contentment with what has been decreed; rather, He commanded contentment with what He has prescribed. One must therefore be content with what has been commanded, as in His saying, Exalted is He:

“If only they had been content with what Allah and His Messenger gave them and had said, ‘Allah is sufficient for us. Allah will give us from His bounty, as will His Messenger. Indeed, our desire is for Allah.’”

[Surah al-Tawba: 59]

The second view is that it is obligatory, because it is part of the completeness of one’s contentment with Allah (5) as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—as Prophet. This is also based on the report:

“Whoever is not content (6) with My decree and does not remain patient through My trial (7), let him take a lord other than Me” (8).

(1) (A) reads: “with respect to all that is entailed”; (B): “with respect to all that is entailed.” (2) The passage within square brackets is omitted in (N). (3) “And the like” is omitted in (N). (4) (A), (B), and (‘Ayn) read: “Allah has only made patience obligatory.” (5) (‘Ayn) reads: “because it is part of complete contentment with Allah.” (6) (A) and (B) read: “believe.” (7) (A) reads: “and does not patiently endure My trial”; (N): “and does not patiently endure My affliction”; (‘Ayn): “and does not patiently endure My affliction.” (8) (N) reads: “let him take a lord other than Me”; (‘Ayn): “let him take for himself a lord other than Me.”

وَاجِبٌ بِكُلِّ الْمَقْضِيَّاتِ (١) ، [وَلَا دَلِيلَ عَلَى وُجُوبِ ذَلِكَ] (٢) . وَقَدْ تَنَازَعَ النَّاسُ فِي الرِّضَا بِالْفَقْرِ وَالْمَرَضِ وَالذُّلِّ [وَنَحْوِهَا] (٣) ، هَلْ هُوَ مُسْتَحَبٌّ أَوْ وَاجِبٌ؟ عَلَى قَوْلَيْنِ فِي مَذْهَبِ أَحْمَدَ وَغَيْرِهِ. وَأَكْثَرُ الْعُلَمَاءِ عَلَى أَنَّ الرِّضَا بِذَلِكَ مُسْتَحَبٌّ وَلَيْسَ بِوَاجِبٍ، لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ أَثْنَى عَلَى أَهْلِ الرِّضَا بِقَوْلِهِ: {رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ} [سُورَةُ الْبَيِّنَةِ: ٨] ، وَإِنَّمَا أَوْجَبَ اللَّهُ الصَّبْرَ (٤) ، فَإِنَّهُ أَمَرَ بِهِ فِي غَيْرِ آيَةٍ، وَلَمْ يَأْمُرْ بِالرِّضَا بِالْمَقْدُورِ، وَلَكِنْ أَمَرَ بِالرِّضَا بِالْمَشْرُوعِ. فَالْمَأْمُورُ بِهِ يَجِبُ الرِّضَا بِهِ، كَمَا فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: {وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ رَضُوا مَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَقَالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ سَيُؤْتِينَا اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَرَسُولُهُ إِنَّا إِلَى اللَّهِ رَاغِبُونَ} [سُورَةُ التَّوْبَةِ: ٥٩] . وَالْقَوْلُ الثَّانِي: إِنَّهُ وَاجِبٌ ; لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ تَمَامِ رِضَاهُ بِاللَّهِ (٥) رَبًّا، وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَبِيًّا، وَلِمَا رُوِيَ: " «مَنْ لَمْ يَرْضَ (٦) بِقَضَائِي، وَلَمْ يَصْبِرْ عَلَى بَلْوَائِي (٧) ، فَلْيَتَّخِذْ رَبًّا سِوَائِي» (٨) " .

(١) أ: لِكُلِّ الْمُقْتَضَيَاتِ، ب: لِكُلِّ الْمُقْتَضَيَاتِ. (٢) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) . (٣) وَنَحْوِهَا: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) . (٤) أ، ب، ع: وَإِنَّمَا أَوْجَبَ الصَّبْرَ. (٥) ع: لِأَنَّهُ مِنْ تَمَامِ الرِّضَا بِاللَّهِ. (٦) أ، ب: يُؤْمِنْ. (٧) أ: وَيَصْبِرْ عَلَى بَلْوَائِي، ن: وَيَصْبِرْ عَلَى بَلَائِي، ع: وَلَمْ يَصْبِرْ عَلَى بَلَائِي. (٨) ن: فَلْيَتَّخِذْ رَبًّا سِوَايَ ; ع: فَلْيَتَّخِذْ لَهُ رَبًّا سِوَائِي.