Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/217)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

[A section from the Rāfidī’s discourse—his assertion: “No confidence remains in Allah’s promise or threat”]

(Section)

[The Rāfidī] said:(1)

“Another consequence is that(2) no confidence remains in Allah’s promise or threat. For if they allow falsehood in the world to be attributed(3) to Him, He could be deemed to be lying in everything He reports. The sending of the prophets(4) would therefore serve no purpose. Indeed,(5) He could even send a liar,(6) leaving us with no means of distinguishing a truthful prophet from a liar.”

The response to this is given from several perspectives:

The first(7) is that it has been stated repeatedly that a distinction must be drawn(8) between what He creates as an attribute in another and what He Himself is characterized [by](9) in Himself. There is likewise a distinction between ascribing a created thing to its Creator and attributing a quality to the subject it characterizes.

All rational people recognize this distinction. For when He creates(10) motion in another, He is not

(1) “The Rāfidī” is added in (ʿ). The following passage appears in (K), p. [0–9] 9 (M). (2) (N), (ʿ), (A), and (B) read: “that.” (3) (N) and (M) read: “the ascription of.” (4) (A), (B), and (ʿ) read: “the commissioning of the prophets.” (5) The word “Indeed” is omitted from (B) only. (6) (K) reads: “the liars.” (7) “One of them” is omitted from (A); (B) reads: “the first.” (8) (N) reads: “that there is no distinction”; (M): “that no distinction.” Both readings are erroneous. (9) “By it” is omitted from (N); (M) reads: “by it, He.” (10) (ʿ) reads: “Thus, when He creates”; (B): “For when He created.”

[فصل من كلام الرافضي قوله: لَا يَبْقَى وُثُوقٌ بِوَعْدِ اللَّهِ وَوَعِيدِهِ] (فَصْلٌ) قَالَ [الرَّافِضِيُّ] : (١) " وَمِنْهَا أَنَّهُ (٢) لَا يَبْقَى وُثُوقٌ بِوَعْدِ اللَّهِ وَوَعِيدِهِ، لِأَنَّهُمْ إِذَا جَوَّزُوا اسْتِنَادَ (٣) الْكَذِبِ فِي الْعَالَمِ إِلَيْهِ، جَازَ أَنْ يُكَذَّبَ فِي إِخْبَارَاتِهِ كُلِّهَا، فَتَنْتَفِي فَائِدَةُ بَعْثَةِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ (٤) ، بَلْ (٥) وَجَازَ مِنْهُ إِرْسَالُ الْكَذَّابِ (٦) ، فَلَا يَبْقَى لَنَا طَرِيقٌ إِلَى تَمْيِيزِ الصَّادِقِ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَالْكَاذِبِ " . وَالْجَوَابُ عَنْ هَذَا مِنْ وُجُوهٍ: أَحَدُهَا (٧) : أَنَّهُ تَقَدَّمَ غَيْرَ مَرَّةٍ أَنَّهُ فَرَّقَ (٨) بَيْنَ مَا خَلَقَهُ صِفَةً لِغَيْرِهِ، وَبَيْنَ مَا اتَّصَفَ هُوَ [بِهِ] (٩) فِي نَفْسِهِ، وَفَرْقٌ بَيْنَ إِضَافَةِ الْمَخْلُوقِ إِلَى خَالِقِهِ، وَإِضَافَةِ الصِّفَةِ إِلَى الْمَوْصُوفِ بِهَا. وَهَذَا الْفَرْقُ مَعْلُومٌ بِاتِّفَاقِ الْعُقَلَاءِ، فَإِنَّهُ إِذَا خَلَقَ (١٠) لِغَيْرِهِ حَرَكَةً لَمْ يَكُنْ

(١) الرَّافِضِيُّ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (ع) ، وَالْكَلَامُ التَّالِي فِي (ك) ص [٠ - ٩] ٩ (م) . (٢) ن، ع، أ، ب: أَنَّ. (٣) ن، م: إِسْنَادَ. (٤) أ، ب، ع: الْبَعْثَةِ لِلْأَنْبِيَاءِ. (٥) بَلْ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ب) فَقَطْ. (٦) ك: الْكَذَّابِينَ. (٧) أَحَدُهَا: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، وَفِي (ب) : الْأَوَّلُ. (٨) ن: أَنَّهُ لَا فَرْقَ ; م: أَنْ لَا فَرْقَ، وَكِلَاهُمَا خَطَأٌ. (٩) بِهِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، وَفِي (م) : بِهِ هُوَ. (١٠) ع: فَإِذَا خَلَقَ، ب: فَإِنَّهُ إِذْ خَلَقَ.