Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/351)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

impediments and the things they prevent any relation of prevention. They regard all of this as mere habitual regularity (1), grounded solely in the divine will, and maintain that it may be suspended solely by the divine will.

They therefore say:

“We know that many things known (2) to be possible have not occurred, just as we know that the sea has not turned into blood, the mountains into rubies, or animals into trees.” Indeed, they regard knowledge of such matters as part of the rational faculty by which (3) a sane person is distinguished from an insane one.

Although they contradict themselves [and some of their views are false according to both reason and revelation] (4), their positions concerning the divine decree, the attributes, and the vision of Allah (5) are better than those of the Muʿtazilites and the Shia who agree with them (6). Nevertheless, the correct position is that of the Salaf and the imams of the Sunnah—namely, (7) the position of the four imams and the majority of their leading followers (8) [the transmitted texts establishing this from the aforementioned imams are cited elsewhere] (9).

The complete exposition is (10) that given by the Messenger [may Allah bless him and grant him peace] (11), for he is the most knowledgeable

(1) The word “purely” is omitted from manuscripts (N) and (M). (2) Manuscript (N): “we know.” (3) Manuscripts (A), (B), and (M): “by which it is distinguished.” (4) The text within square brackets is omitted from manuscripts (N) and (M). Manuscripts (A) and (B) read: “They contradict themselves in their statement.” I added the conjunction “and” so that the sentence would read coherently. (5) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “and *rubūbiyya* (lordship),” which is a textual corruption. (6) The phrase “among the Shia” is omitted from manuscripts (N) and (M). (7) Manuscripts (N) and (M): “The correct view is that held by the *salaf*, namely…” (8) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “and the majority of the eminent Companions,” which is erroneous. (9) The text within square brackets is omitted from manuscripts (N) and (M). (10) The word “it” is omitted from manuscripts (A) and (B). (11) The phrase “may Allah bless him and grant him peace” is omitted from manuscript (N).

الْمَوَانِعِ وَمَمْنُوعَاتِهَا مُمَانَعَةٌ، وَيَجْعَلُونَ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ عَادَةً مَحْضَةً (١) اسْتَنَدَتْ إِلَى مَحْضِ الْمَشِيئَةِ، وَيُجَوِّزُونَ خَرْقَهَا بِمَحْضِ الْمَشِيئَةِ. فَهُمْ يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّا نَعْلَمُ انْتِفَاءَ كَثِيرٍ مِمَّا يُعْلَمُ (٢) إِمْكَانُهُ كَمَا نَعْلَمُ أَنَّ الْبَحْرَ لَمْ يَنْقَلِبْ دَمًا، وَلَا الْجِبَالَ يَاقُوتًا، وَلَا الْحَيَوَانَاتِ أَشْجَارًا، بَلْ يَجْعَلُونَ الْعِلْمَ بِمِثْلِ هَذَا مِنَ الْعَقْلِ الَّذِي يَتَمَيَّزُ بِهِ (٣) الْعَاقِلُ عَنِ الْمَجْنُونِ، وَهُمْ وَإِنْ كَانُوا يَتَنَاقَضُونَ [وَفِي قَوْلِهِمْ مَا هُوَ بَاطِلٌ عَقْلًا وَنَقْلًا] (٤) فَأَقْوَالُهُمْ فِي الْقَدَرِ وَالصِّفَاتِ وَالرُّؤْيَةِ (٥) خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَقْوَالِ الْمُعْتَزِلَةِ وَمُوَافِقِيهِمْ مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ (٦) وَإِنْ كَانَ الصَّوَابُ هُوَ مَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلَفُ وَأَئِمَّةُ السُّنَّةِ وَهُوَ (٧) قَوْلُ الْأَئِمَّةِ الْأَرْبَعَةِ وَجُمْهُورِ كِبَارِ أَصْحَابِهِمْ (٨) [وَالنُّصُوصُ الْمَأْثُورَةُ فِي ذَلِكَ عَنِ الْأَئِمَّةِ الْمَذْكُورِينَ فِي غَيْرِ هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ] (٩) . وَالْبَيَانُ التَّامُّ هُوَ (١٠) مَا بَيَّنَهُ الرَّسُولُ [صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ] (١١) ؛ فَإِنَّهُ أَعْلَمُ

(١) مَحْضَةً: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٢) ن: نَعْلَمُ. (٣) أ، ب، م: يُمَيَّزُ بِهِ. (٤) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) ، وَفِي (أ) ، (ب) يَتَنَاقَضُونَ فِي قَوْلِهِمْ، وَزِدْتُ الْوَاوَ حَتَّى يَسْتَقِيمَ الْكَلَامُ. (٥) أ، ب: وَالرُّبُوبِيَّةُ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. (٦) مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) (٧) ن، م: الصَّوَابُ مَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلَفُ وَهُوَ. (٨) أ، ب: وَجُمْهُورِ الْأَكَابِرِ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ، وَهُوَ خَطَأٌ. (٩) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (١٠) هُوَ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . (١١) صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) .