Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/270)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

And Allah is also the Creator of the effect (1). Thus, when He creates fire in a garment, the burning must (2) occur immediately (3) afterward; and all of it is created by Allah Most High.

As for countering this (4) by appealing to Allah Most High’s own action, the response to that (5) may be given in several ways:

First: This is a certain rational demonstration, and certainties cannot have any counterargument that invalidates them. Even supposing that the one arguing on this basis holds that God acts by intrinsic necessity (6), such a person would not be refuted by what you have mentioned—particularly since, in their view, this question is among the rational matters known independently of revelation. It therefore requires a rational answer.

Second: It may be said: The Lord’s power * (7) [is exercised only in conjunction with His will. Whatever He wills comes to pass, and whatever He does not will does not come to pass; He has not done everything He is able to do.

Allah Most High says:

“Indeed, We are able to restore even his fingertips.”

[Surah al-Qiyāmah: 4].

And Allah Most High says:

“Say: He is the One able to send punishment upon you from above you or from beneath your feet, or to divide you into factions and make some of you taste the violence of others.”

[Surah al-Anām: 65].

It is authentically reported in the two Sahih collections: “Jābir—may Allah be pleased with him—related that when this verse was revealed, ‘Say: He is the One able to send punishment upon you from above you,’ the following was said by

(1) Manuscripts (N) and (M): “the Creator of the effect.” (2) Manuscripts (N) and (M): “then it is inevitable.” (3) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “after”; manuscripts (N) and (M): “at that point.” (4) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “As for countering it.” (5) Manuscripts (N) and (M): “concerning this.” (6) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “one who says, ‘by virtue of the essence.’” (7) After the phrase “the Lord’s power,” a passage is missing from manuscripts (N) and (M).

وَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْخَالِقُ لِلْمُسَبَّبِ (١) أَيْضًا، كَمَا أَنَّهُ إِذَا خَلَقَ النَّارَ فِي الثَّوْبِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا بُدَّ (٢) مِنْ وُجُودِ الْحَرِيقِ عُقَيْبَ (٣) ذَلِكَ، وَالْكُلُّ مَخْلُوقٌ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى. وَأَمَّا مُعَارَضَةُ ذَلِكَ (٤) بِفِعْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَالْجَوَابُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ (٥) مِنْ وُجُوهٍ: أَحَدُهَا: أَنَّ هَذَا بُرْهَانٌ عَقْلِيٌّ يَقِينِيٌّ، وَالْيَقِينِيَّاتُ لَا يُمْكِنُ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهَا مَعَارِضٌ يُبْطِلُهَا، وَقُدِّرَ أَنَّ الْمُحْتَجَّ بِهَذَا مَنْ يَقُولُ بِالْمُوجَبِ بِالذَّاتِ، (٦) فَهَذَا لَا يَنْقَطِعُ بِمَا ذَكَرْتُهُ، لَا سِيَّمَا وَعِنْدَهُمْ هَذِهِ الْمَسْأَلَةُ مِنَ الْعَقْلِيَّاتِ الَّتِي تُعْلَمُ بِدُونِ السَّمْعِ، فَلَا بُدَّ فِيهَا مِنْ جَوَابٍ عَقْلِيٍّ. الثَّانِي: أَنْ يُقَالَ: قُدْرَةُ الرَّبِّ * (٧) [لَا يَفْعَلُ بِهَا إِلَّا مَعَ وُجُودِ مَشِيئَتِهِ، فَإِنَّ مَا شَاءَ كَانَ وَمَا لَمْ يَشَأْ لَمْ يَكُنْ، وَلَيْسَ كُلُّ مَا كَانَ قَادِرًا عَلَيْهِ فَعَلَهُ. قَالَ تَعَالَى: {بَلَى قَادِرِينَ عَلَى أَنْ نُسَوِّيَ بَنَانَهُ} [سُورَةُ الْقِيَامَةِ: ٤] . وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {قُلْ هُوَ الْقَادِرُ عَلَى أَنْ يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابًا مِنْ فَوْقِكُمْ أَوْ مِنْ تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِكُمْ أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعًا وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُمْ بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ} [سُورَةُ الْأَنْعَامِ: ٦٥] . وَقَدْ ثَبَتَ فِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ «عَنْ جَابِرٍ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - أَنَّهُ لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ {قُلْ هُوَ الْقَادِرُ عَلَى أَنْ يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابًا مِنْ فَوْقِكُمْ} قَالَ

(١) ن، م: خَالِقُ الْمُسَبَّبِ. (٢) ن، م: فَلَا بُدَّ. (٣) أ، ب: عَقِبَ، ن، م: عِنْدَ. (٤) أ، ب: وَأَمَّا مُعَارَضَتُهُ. (٥) ن، م: عَنْ هَذَا. (٦) أ، ب: مَنْ يَقُولُ بِالذَّاتِ. (٧) بَعْدَ عِبَارَةِ قُدْرَةِ الرَّبِّ يُوجَدُ سَقْطٌ فِي نُسْخَتَيْ (ن) ، (م) .