Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/267)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

It may be said:

He mentioned(1) only a little, and he did not set out their proofs in their proper form. Even so, none of the three proofs he cited on their behalf(2) received a sound answer.

As for the first, the person advancing that proof does not contend [that](3) an act’s becoming necessary rules out power. Those who affirm divine decree maintain that the servant possesses power. This is the doctrine generally(4) held by Ahl al-Sunnah—even by the extreme affirmers(5) of divine decree, such as the Asharīs, who agree that the servant possesses power.

Abū Abd Allah al-Rāzī and others invoked this very proof. He openly states that he holds the doctrine of compulsion, yet he also maintains that(6) the servant possesses power—although they disagree as to whether that power has an effect upon what lies within its scope(7), upon some of its attributes, or has no effect at all.

[Abū al-Husayn al-Basrī and other Mutazilites(8) said: Mere power is not sufficient for an act; rather, the act also depends upon a motive. They therefore say: An agent endowed with power and choice does not

(1) Manuscript (A): “one who did not mention”; manuscript (B): “he did not mention.” Among the proofs of those who affirm divine decree (2) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “on their behalf.” (3) “That” is absent from manuscripts (N) and (M). (4) “Generally” is absent from manuscript (‘A). (5) Manuscripts (N) and (M): “the affirmers.” (6) Manuscript (N): “for indeed”; manuscript (M): “that.” (7) After the phrase “has an effect upon what lies within its scope,” manuscripts (N) and (M) contain a lengthy repeated passage previously reproduced at 2–46. This repetition ends with the phrase “or upon some of its attributes, or the effect of.” A lacuna then occurs in both manuscripts; Allah willing, I shall indicate where it ends. (8) Manuscript (‘A): “Rather, Abū al-Husayn al-Basrī and other Mutazilites say.”

فَيُقَالُ: لَمْ يَذْكُرْ (١) إِلَّا شَيْئًا يَسِيرًا، وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ تَقْرِيرَ أَدِلَّتِهِمْ عَلَى وَجْهِهَا، وَمَعَ هَذَا فَالْأَدِلَّةُ الثَّلَاثَةُ الَّتِي ذَكَرَهَا لَهُمْ (٢) لَيْسَ عَنْهَا جَوَابٌ صَحِيحٌ. أَمَّا الْأَوَّلُ فَإِنَّ الْمُسْتَدِلَّ بِذَلِكَ الدَّلِيلِ لَا يَقُولُ [إِنَّهُ] (٣) إِذَا وَجَبَ الْفِعْلُ فَلَا قُدْرَةَ، فَإِنَّ أَهْلَ الْإِثْبَاتِ يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَهُ قُدْرَةٌ. وَهَذَا مَذْهَبُ عَامَّةِ (٤) أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ حَتَّى غُلَاةِ الْمُثْبِتِينَ (٥) لِلْقَدَرِ كَالْأَشْعَرِيَّةِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ مُتَّفِقُونَ عَلَى أَنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَهُ قُدْرَةٌ. وَهَذَا الدَّلِيلُ الْمَذْكُورُ قَدِ احْتَجَّ بِهِ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الرَّازِيُّ وَغَيْرُهُ، وَهُوَ يُصَرِّحُ بِأَنَّهُ يَقُولُ بِالْجَبْرِ، وَمَعَ هَذَا فَإِنَّهُ يَقُولُ: إِنَّ (٦) لِلْعَبْدِ قُدْرَةٌ، وَإِنْ كَانُوا مُتَنَازِعِينَ هَلْ هِيَ مُؤَثِّرَةٌ فِي مَقْدُورِهَا (٧) ، أَوْ فِي بَعْضِ صِفَاتِهِ، أَوْ لَا تَأْثِيرَ لَهَا. [قَالَ أَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ الْبَصْرِيُّ وَغَيْرُهُ مِنَ الْمُعْتَزِلَةِ (٨) : إِنَّ الْفِعْلَ لَا يَكْفِي فِيهِ مُجَرَّدُ الْقُدْرَةِ، بَلْ يَتَوَقَّفُ عَلَى الدَّاعِي، فَيَقُولُونَ: إِنَّ الْقَادِرَ الْمُخْتَارَ لَا

(١) أ: مَنْ لَمْ يَذْكُرْ، ب: هُوَ لَمْ يَذْكُرْ. مِنْ أَدِلَّةِ أَهْلِ الْإِثْبَاتِ (٢) أ، ب: عَنْهُمْ. (٣) إِنَّهُ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٤) عَامَّةِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ع) . (٥) ن، م: الْمُثْبِتَةِ. (٦) ن: فَإِنَّ، م: بِأَنَّ. (٧) بَعْدَ عِبَارَةِ " مُؤَثِّرَةٍ فِي مَقْدُورِهَا " يُوجَدُ فِي نُسْخَتَيْ (ن) ، (م) كَلَامٌ طَوِيلٌ مُكَرَّرٌ سَبَقَ إِيرَادُهُ فِي ٢ - ٤٦ وَيَنْتَهِي هَذَا الْكَلَامُ الْمُكَرَّرُ بِالْعِبَارَةِ التَّالِيَةِ وَهِيَ " أَوْ فِي بَعْضِ صِفَاتِهِ أَوْ تَأْثِيرِ " ثُمَّ يُوجَدُ بَعْدَهَا سَقْطٌ فِي النُّسْخَتَيْنِ سَأُشِيرُ إِلَى نِهَايَتِهِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ. (٨) ع: بَلْ أَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ الْبَصْرِيُّ وَغَيْرُهُ مِنَ الْمُعْتَزِلَةِ يَقُولُونَ.