Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/289)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

away from them to other innovated paths (1) containing falsehood that caused them to abandon some of the truth common [to them and to others] (2), embrace some innovated falsehood (3), and remove from (4) the scope of tawhīd matters that properly belong to it, such as the oneness of worship and affirmation of the realities of Allah’s names and attributes. They understood no aspect of tawhīd except the oneness of Lordship, which is to acknowledge that Allah is the Creator and Lord of all things (5).

This aspect of tawhīd was acknowledged by the polytheists, of whom Allah said:

“And if you ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they will surely say, ‘Allah.’”

[Surah Luqmān: 25]

He Most High also said:

“Say, ‘Who is the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the Mighty Throne?’ They will say, ‘Allah.’”

—and the verses that follow (6).

[Surah al-Mu’minūn: 86, 87]

He also said of them:

“Most of them do not believe in Allah without also associating partners with Him.”

[Surah Yūsuf: 106]

A group among the early Muslims said: He asks them (7), “Who created the heavens and the earth?” They reply, “Allah,” yet despite acknowledging this (8), they worship others besides Him.

Rather, the tawhīd that Allah commanded His servants to uphold is the oneness of worship, which entails

(1) Manuscripts (N) and (M): “a path.” (2) The text between square brackets is omitted from manuscripts (N) and (M). (3) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “invented.” (4) Manuscripts (N) and (M): “from.” (5) “And Lord” is omitted from manuscripts (A) and (B). (6) The text between square brackets is omitted from manuscripts (N) and (M). (7) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “Thus, the group among the Salaf says to them.” (8) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “that.”

عَنْهَا إِلَى طُرُقٍ (١) أُخْرَى مُبْتَدَعَةٍ فِيهَا مِنَ الْبَاطِلِ مَا لِأَجْلِهِ خَرَجُوا عَنْ بَعْضِ الْحَقِّ الْمُشْتَرَكِ [بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ غَيْرِهِمْ] (٢) ، وَدَخَلُوا فِي بَعْضِ الْبَاطِلِ الْمُبْتَدَعِ، (٣) وَأَخْرَجُوا مِنَ (٤) التَّوْحِيدِ مَا هُوَ مِنْهُ كَتَوْحِيدِ الْإِلَهِيَّةِ، وَإِثْبَاتِ حَقَائِقِ أَسْمَاءِ اللَّهِ وَصِفَاتِهِ، وَلَمْ يَعْرِفُوا مِنَ التَّوْحِيدِ إِلَّا تَوْحِيدَ الرُّبُوبِيَّةِ، وَهُوَ الْإِقْرَارُ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَرَبُّهُ (٥) . وَهَذَا التَّوْحِيدُ كَانَ يُقِرُّ بِهِ الْمُشْرِكُونَ الَّذِينَ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ: {وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ} [سُورَةُ لُقْمَانَ: ٢٥] وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {قُلْ مَنْ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ - سَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِ} الْآيَاتِ (٦) [سُورَةُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ: ٨٦، ٨٧] . وَقَالَ عَنْهُمْ {وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلَّا وَهُمْ مُشْرِكُونَ} [سُورَةُ يُوسُفَ: ١٠٦] . قَالَ طَائِفَةٌ مِنَ السَّلَفِ: يَقُولُ لَهُمْ (٧) مَنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ؟ فَيَقُولُونَ: اللَّهُ، وَهُمْ مَعَ هَذَا (٨) يَعْبُدُونَ غَيْرَهُ. وَإِنَّمَا التَّوْحِيدُ الَّذِي أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ الْعِبَادَ هُوَ تَوْحِيدُ الْأُلُوهِيَّةِ، الْمُتَضَمِّنُ

(١) ن، م: طَرِيقٍ. (٢) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ ن، م. (٣) أ، ب: الْمُبْدَعِ. (٤) ن، م: عَنْ. (٥) وَرَبُّهُ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . (٦) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٧) أ، ب: فَالطَّائِفَةُ مِنَ السَّلَفِ تَقُولُ لَهُمْ. (٨) أ، ب: ذَلِكَ.