Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/310)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

coming together except from someone other than the two of them. But two creators cannot have a third party who grants them power; therefore, they must each possess power when separate.

(* If it is said, “One of them is capable of whatever the other agrees with him upon,” (1) then he would be capable only through the other’s agreement. And if it is said, “He is capable of *) (2) whatever the other does not oppose him in,” (3) each of them would be preventing the other from exercising his power, and so neither of them would be capable.

Moreover, this one could prevent the other only by virtue of his power, and the other could prevent this one only by virtue of his power. It therefore follows (4) that each of them would be capable during their mutual obstruction—that is, when they were in disagreement. Thus, they would both be capable whether in agreement or disagreement.

Moreover, this one would not be prevented unless the other prevented him, and vice versa (5); hence, neither of them would be prevented [except through the other’s prevention.] (6)

Moreover, this one would prevent the other, and the other would prevent this one. Each would therefore be both preventing and prevented, which combines two contradictories.

These and other arguments (7) demonstrate (8) the impossibility of two Lords who either assist one another or prevent one another. Nothing remains, then, except that each of them be independently capable,

(1) Manuscripts (N) and (M): “the other agrees with him upon it.” (2) The passage between the asterisks is absent from manuscripts (A) and (B). (3) “In it” is absent from manuscript (ʿAyn). (4) Manuscripts (N) and (M): “thus it followed.” (5) “And vice versa” is absent from manuscripts (N) and (M). (6) The passage enclosed in square brackets is absent from manuscripts (N), (M), and (ʿAyn). (7) After the word “and others,” an entire leaf of manuscript (M) was not photographed, namely fol. 88v, p. [0–9]9. (8) Manuscript (A): “and other [arguments] demonstrate” (with a masculine singular verb); manuscript (B): “and other [arguments] demonstrate” (with a feminine singular verb).

الِاجْتِمَاعِ إِلَّا مِنْ غَيْرِهِمَا. وَالْخَالِقَانِ لَا يُمْكِنُ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُمَا ثَالِثٌ يُعْطِيهِمَا قُدْرَةً، فَلَا بُدَّ أَنْ يَكُونَا قَادِرَيْنِ عِنْدَ الِانْفِرَادِ. (* وَإِذَا قِيلَ: أَحَدُهُمَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَى مَا يُوَافِقُهُ الْآخَرُ عَلَيْهِ (١) لَمْ يَكُنْ قَادِرًا إِلَّا بِمُوَافَقَتِهِ، وَإِذَا قِيلَ: يَقْدِرُ عَلَى *) (٢) مَا لَا يُخَالِفُهُ الْآخَرُ فِيهِ (٣) كَانَ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمَا مَانِعًا لِلْآخَرِ مِنْ مَقْدُورِهِ فَلَا يَكُونُ وَاحِدٌ مِنْهُمَا قَادِرًا. وَأَيْضًا فَإِنَّ مَنْعَ هَذَا لِذَاكَ لَا يَكُونُ إِلَّا بِقُدْرَتِهِ، وَمَنْعَ ذَاكَ لِهَذَا لَا يَكُونُ إِلَّا بِقُدْرَتِهِ، فَيَلْزَمُ (٤) أَنْ يَكُونَ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمَا قَادِرًا حَالَ التَّمَانُعِ، وَهُوَ حَالُ الْمُخَالَفَةِ، فَيَكُونَانِ قَادِرَيْنِ عِنْدَ الِاتِّفَاقِ وَعِنْدَ الِاخْتِلَافِ. وَأَيْضًا فَلَا يَكُونُ هَذَا مَمْنُوعًا حَتَّى يَمْنَعَهُ الْآخَرُ وَبِالْعَكْسِ (٥) ، فَلَا يَكُونُ أَحَدُهُمَا مَمْنُوعًا [إِلَّا بِمَنْعِ الْآخَرِ.] (٦) . وَأَيْضًا فَيَكُونُ هَذَا مَانِعًا لِذَاكَ، وَذَاكَ مَانِعًا لِهَذَا، فَيَكُونُ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمَا مَانِعًا مَمْنُوعًا، وَهَذَا جَمْعٌ بَيْنَ النَّقِيضَيْنِ. وَهَذِهِ الْوُجُوهُ وَغَيْرُهَا (٧) مِمَّا يُبَيِّنُ (٨) امْتِنَاعَ رَبَّيْنِ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمَا مُعَاوِنٌ لِلْآخَرِ أَوْ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمَا مَانِعٌ لِلْآخَرِ، فَلَمْ يَبْقَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمَا قَادِرًا مُسْتَقِلًّا،

(١) ن، م: يُوَافِقُهُ عَلَيْهِ الْآخَرُ. (٢) مَا بَيْنَ النَّجْمَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . (٣) فِيهِ سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ع) . (٤) ن، م: فَلَزِمَ. (٥) وَبِالْعَكْسِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٦) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) ، (ع) . (٧) بَعْدَ كَلِمَةِ " وَغَيْرُهَا " تُوجَدُ وَرَقَةٌ كَامِلَةٌ لَمْ تُصَوَّرْ مِنْ (م) وَهِيَ ظ ٨٨، ص [٠ - ٩] ٩. (٨) أ: وَغَيْرُهَا يُبَيِّنُ، ب: وَغَيْرُهَا تُبَيِّنُ.