Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/307)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

This is impossible in the case of two lords who are necessary in themselves and beginningless; for this one (1) would not possess power (2), nor be a lord or an agent, until the other made him so, and likewise the other. It is equivalent to saying:

“This one would not exist until the other brought him into existence.”

This is necessarily impossible, as was previously indicated (3). Circular prior dependence is intrinsically impossible by the agreement of all rational people, as in the case of circularity among agents and causes. It is therefore impossible for each of two things to be the cause of the other and the agent that produces it, or to be a component of its cause and producing agent. Thus, if each could be capable or an agent only through the other, each would necessarily be an efficient cause—or a cause (4) required to complete that by which (5) the other becomes capable and an agent. This is necessarily impossible by the agreement of all rational people. It follows that a lord must possess power in himself. If he possesses power in himself and can will something contrary to what the other wills (6), then they can differ; but if he can will only what the other wills (7), incapacity necessarily follows.

Thus, if it is posited that this one can will and act only as the other wills and acts (8), the incapacity of each necessarily follows. Indeed, this (9) is also intrinsically impossible, just as, if [this one could not possess power until the other possessed power,] (10) that would be intrinsically impossible. [Thus, if this one

(1) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “here.” (2) The word “capable” is absent from manuscripts (A), (B), (N), and (M). (3) Manuscript (ʿAyn): “as stated above concerning the case in which it was said by way of indication…”; manuscript (N): “as stated above concerning what was said by way of indication….” (4) Manuscripts (N) and (M): “and a cause.” (5) Manuscripts (ʿAyn) and (M): “that by which he becomes.” (6) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “to will something other than what the other wills.” (7) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “but if only what the other wills is possible for him.” (8) Manuscripts (N) and (M): “and does it.” (9) Manuscripts (N) and (M): “it.” (10) The passage enclosed in square brackets is absent from manuscripts (N) and (M).

وَهَذَا مُمْتَنِعٌ فِي الرَّبَّيْنِ الْوَاجِبَيْنِ بِأَنْفُسِهِمَا الْقَدِيمَيْنِ ; لِأَنَّ هَذَا (١) لَا يَكُونُ قَادِرًا (٢) رَبًّا فَاعِلًا حَتَّى يَجْعَلَهُ الْآخَرُ كَذَلِكَ، وَكَذَلِكَ الْآخَرُ. فَهُوَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ أَنْ يُقَالَ: لَا يَكُونُ هَذَا مَوْجُودًا حَتَّى يَجْعَلَهُ الْآخَرُ مَوْجُودًا. وَهَذَا مُمْتَنِعٌ بِالضَّرُورَةِ، كَمَا تَقَدَّمَ فِيمَا قَبْلُ بِالْإِشَارَةِ (٣) إِلَى ذَلِكَ، وَهُوَ أَنَّ الدَّوْرَ الْقَبْلِيَّ مُمْتَنِعٌ لِذَاتِهِ بِاتِّفَاقِ الْعُقَلَاءِ، كَالدَّوْرِ فِي الْفَاعِلِينَ وَالْعِلَلِ، فَيَمْتَنِعُ أَنْ يَكُونَ كُلٌّ مِنَ الشَّيْئَيْنِ عِلَّةً لِلْآخَرِ وَفَاعِلًا لَهُ، أَوْ جُزْءًا مِنَ الْعِلَّةِ وَالْفَاعِلِ. فَإِذَا كَانَ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمَا لَا يَكُونُ قَادِرًا أَوْ فَاعِلًا إِلَّا بِالْآخَرِ لَزِمَ أَنْ يَكُونَ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمَا عِلَّةً فَاعِلَةً، أَوْ عِلَّةً (٤) لِتَمَامِ مَا بِهِ يَصِيرُ (٥) الْآخَرُ قَادِرًا فَاعِلًا، وَذَلِكَ مُمْتَنِعٌ بِالضَّرُورَةِ وَاتِّفَاقِ الْعُقَلَاءِ، فَلَزِمَ أَنَّ الرَّبَّ لَا بُدَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَادِرًا بِنَفْسِهِ، وَإِذَا كَانَ قَادِرًا بِنَفْسِهِ، فَإِنْ أَمْكَنَهُ إِرَادَةُ خِلَافِ مَا يُرِيدُ الْآخَرُ (٦) أَمْكَنَ اخْتِلَافُهُمَا، وَإِنْ لَمْ يُمْكِنْهُ أَنْ يُرِيدَ إِلَّا مَا يُرِيدُهُ الْآخَرُ (٧) لَزِمَ الْعَجْزُ. فَإِذَا فُرِضَ أَنَّ هَذَا لَا يُمْكِنُهُ أَنْ يُرِيدَ وَيَفْعَلَ إِلَّا مَا يُرِيدُهُ الْآخَرُ وَيَفْعَلُ (٨) ، لَزِمَ عَجْزُ كُلٍّ مِنْهُمَا، بَلْ هَذَا (٩) أَيْضًا مُمْتَنِعٌ لِنَفْسِهِ، كَمَا أَنَّهُ إِذَا كَانَ [هَذَا لَا يَقْدِرُ حَتَّى يَقْدِرَ هَذَا، كَانَ] (١٠) ذَلِكَ مُمْتَنِعًا لِذَاتِهِ. [فَإِذَا كَانَ هَذَا

(١) أ، ب: هُنَا. (٢) قَادِرًا سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) ، (ن) ، (م) . (٣) ع: كَمَا تَقَدَّمَ فِيمَا إِذَا قِيلَ بِالْإِشَارَةِ. . . . .، ن: كَمَا تَقَدَّمَ فِيمَا قِيلَ بِالْإِشَارَةِ. . . . (٤) ن، م: وَعِلَّةً. (٥) ع، م: مَا يَصِيرُ بِهِ. (٦) أ، ب: إِرَادَةُ غَيْرِ مُرَادِ الْآخَرِ. (٧) أ، ب: وَإِنْ لَمْ يُمْكِنْهُ إِلَّا مَا يُرِيدُ الْآخَرُ. (٨) ن، م: وَيَفْعَلُهُ. (٩) ن، م: هُوَ. (١٠) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) .