Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/219)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

“You did not walk [when you walked] (1); rather, Allah walked. You did not slap; rather, Allah slapped. You did not stab; rather, Allah stabbed. You did not strike with the sword; rather, Allah struck. You did not mount the horse (2); rather, Allah mounted it. You neither fasted, prayed, nor performed Hajj (3); rather, Allah fasted, prayed, and performed Hajj.”

It is known by necessity (4) that all of this is false. This (5) is an example of the excesses of those who affirm divine decree. Hence, it is related that when Uthmān ibn Affān [may Allah be pleased with him] (6) was besieged (8), they (7) were pelting him with stones. He said to them, “Why are you pelting me?” (9) They replied, “We did not pelt you; rather, Allah pelted you.” He said, “Had Allah pelted me, He would have struck me. But it is you who are pelting me, and you are missing me.”

This is one of the arguments cited by the negationist Qadariyya to show that the Companions did not hold that Allah creates the acts of His servants, just as some who affirm divine decree (10) cited as proof His words Most High:

“But Allah threw.”

[Surah al-Anfāl: 17]

Both arguments are mistaken. For when Allah creates in

(1) The phrase “when you walked” is an addition in (ʿ). (2) (N) and (M) read: “the horse as you mounted it.” (3) (N) and (M) read: “nor did you pray or perform Hajj.” (4) “By necessity” is omitted from (A) and (B). (5) “This” is omitted from (A) and (B). (6) “May Allah be pleased with him” is omitted from (N) and (M). (7) “They” is omitted from (A) and (B). (8) (N) and (M) read: “when he was besieged with stones.” (9) (A) and (B) read: “Why are you pelting me and missing me?” (10) (A) reads: “just as those who affirm divine decree cited it as proof”; (B): “just as those who affirm divine decree cited as proof.”

وَمَا مَشَيْتَ [إِذَا مَشَيْتَ] (١) وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ مَشَى، وَمَا لَطَمْتَ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ لَطَمَ، وَمَا طَعَنْتَ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ طَعَنَ، وَمَا ضَرَبْتَ بِالسَّيْفِ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ ضَرَبَ، وَمَا رَكِبْتَ الْفَرَسَ (٢) وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ رَكِبَ، وَمَا صُمْتَ، وَمَا صَلَّيْتَ، وَمَا حَجَجْتَ (٣) ، وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ صَامَ وَصَلَّى وَحَجَّ. وَمِنَ الْمَعْلُومِ بِالضَّرُورَةِ (٤) بُطْلَانُ هَذَا كُلِّهِ، وَهَذَا (٥) مِنْ غُلُوِّ الْمُثْبِتِينَ لِلْقَدَرِ. وَلِهَذَا يُرْوَى عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ [رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ] (٦) أَنَّهُمْ (٧) كَانُوا يَرْمُونَهُ بِالْحِجَارَةِ لَمَّا حُصِرَ (٨) ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: لِمَاذَا تَرْمُونَنِي؟ (٩) فَقَالُوا: مَا رَمَيْنَاكَ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ رَمَاكَ. فَقَالَ: لَوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ رَمَانِي لَأَصَابَنِي، وَلَكِنْ أَنْتُمْ تَرْمُونَنِي وَتُخْطِئُونَنِي. وَهَذَا مِمَّا احْتَجَّ بِهِ الْقَدَرِيَّةُ النُّفَاةُ عَلَى أَنَّ الصَّحَابَةَ لَمْ يَكُونُوا يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَالِقُ أَفْعَالِ الْعِبَادِ. كَمَا احْتَجَّ بَعْضُ الْمُثْبِتَةِ (١٠) بِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: {وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ رَمَى} [سُورَةُ الْأَنْفَالِ: ١٧] وَكِلَاهُمَا خَطَأٌ. فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا خَلَقَ فِي

(١) عِبَارَةُ إِذَا مَشَيْتَ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (ع) . (٢) ن، م: الْفَرَسَ إِذْ رَكِبْتَ. (٣) ن، م: وَلَا صَلَّيْتَ وَلَا حَجَجْتَ. (٤) بِالضَّرُورَةِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . (٥) وَهَذَا: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، ب. (٦) رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٧) أَنَّهُمْ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . (٨) ن، م: لَمَّا حُصِرَ بِالْحِجَارَةِ. (٩) أ، ب: لِمَاذَا تَرْمُونَنِي وَتُخْطِئُونَنِي. (١٠) أ: كَمَا احْتَجَّ بِهِ الْمُثْبِتَةُ ; ب: كَمَا احْتَجَّ الْمُثْبِتَةُ.