Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/372)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

The response is as follows:

This may be answered in several ways.

First, it may be said: What you have attributed to the majority—namely, denying (1) the prophets’ infallibility and allowing that they might lie, steal, (2) or command what is wrong—is (3) a lie against the majority. They unanimously agree that the prophets are infallible in conveying the divine message. By the agreement of the Muslims, no error may remain established in any part of the revealed law. Whatever commands and prohibitions they convey from Allah—Mighty and Majestic—(4) must be obeyed, (5) by the agreement of the Muslims. Whatever they report must be believed, by the consensus of the Muslims. Whatever they command people to do or forbid them from doing (6) must be obeyed, (7) according to every group within the Ummah.

The only exception is a faction of the Khawārij who say: “The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—(8) is infallible in what he conveys from Allah, but not in what he himself commands or forbids.” By the agreement of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamāʿah, such people are misguided. (9)

We have stated more than once that if, among some Muslims, [someone espouses an erroneous view, that does not constitute a criticism of the Muslims] (10). Were it otherwise, then the Rāfidīs’ errors would be

(1) (N), (M), and (W) read: *fī nafy* (“in denying”). (2) (A) and (B) read: “theft and lying.” (3) *Fa-hādhā* (“then this”) is an addition in (A) and (B). (4) “Mighty and Majestic” is an addition in (A) and (B). (5) (A) and (B) read: “then they are to be obeyed in that.” (6) (N) and (M) read: “and whatever they commanded or forbade”; (W) likewise reads: “and whatever they commanded or forbade.” (7) (A) and (B) read: “then they are to be obeyed in that.” (8) “May Allah bless him and grant him peace” is an addition in (A) and (B). (9) (A) and (B) read: “by the agreement of the Muslims, Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamāʿah.” (10) The passage in square brackets is absent only from (N).

فَيُقَالُ: الْكَلَامُ عَلَى هَذَا مِنْ وُجُوهٍ: أَحَدُهَا: أَنْ يُقَالَ: مَا ذَكَرْتَهُ عَنِ الْجُمْهُورِ مِنْ نَفْيِ (١) الْعِصْمَةِ عَنِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَتَجْوِيزِ الْكَذِبِ وَالسَّرِقَةِ (٢) وَالْأَمْرِ بِالْخَطَأِ عَلَيْهِمْ فَهَذَا (٣) كَذِبٌ عَلَى الْجُمْهُورِ؛ فَإِنَّهُمْ مُتَّفِقُونَ عَلَى أَنَّ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ مَعْصُومُونَ فِي تَبْلِيغِ الرِّسَالَةِ، وَلَا يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَسْتَقِرَّ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنَ الشَّرِيعَةِ خَطَأٌ بِاتِّفَاقِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَكُلُّ مَا يُبَلِّغُونَهُ عَنِ اللَّهِ - عَزَّ وَجَلَّ - (٤) مِنَ الْأَمْرِ وَالنَّهْيِ يَجِبُ طَاعَتُهُ فِيهِ (٥) بِاتِّفَاقِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَمَا أَخْبَرُوا بِهِ وَجَبَ تَصْدِيقُهُمْ فِيهِ بِإِجْمَاعِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَمَا أَمَرُوهُمْ بِهِ وَنَهَوْهُمْ عَنْهُ (٦) وَجَبَتْ طَاعَتُهُمْ فِيهِ (٧) عِنْدَ جَمِيعِ فِرَقِ الْأُمَّةِ، إِلَّا عِنْدَ طَائِفَةٍ مِنَ الْخَوَارِجِ يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - (٨) مَعْصُومٌ فِيمَا يُبَلِّغُهُ عَنِ اللَّهِ لَا فِيمَا يَأْمُرُ هُوَ بِهِ وَيَنْهَى عَنْهُ. وَهَؤُلَاءِ ضُلَّالٌ بِاتِّفَاقِ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ وَالْجَمَاعَةِ (٩) . وَقَدْ ذَكَرْنَا غَيْرَ مَرَّةٍ أَنَّهُ إِذَا كَانَ فِي بَعْضِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ [مَنْ قَالَ: قُولًا خَطَأً لَمْ يَكُنْ ذَلِكَ قَدْحًا فِي الْمُسْلِمِينَ] (١٠) ، وَلَوْ كَانَ كَذَلِكَ لَكَانَ خَطَأُ الرَّافِضَةِ

(١) ن، م، وَ: فِي نَفْيِ. (٢) أ، ب: السَّرِقَةِ وَالْكَذِبِ. (٣) فَهَذَا: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٤) عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٥) أ، ب: فَهُمْ مُطَاعُونَ فِيهِ. (٦) ن، م: وَمَا أَمَرُوا بِهِ وَنَهَوْا عَنْهُ، وَ: وَمَا أَمَرُوا بِهِ وَنَهَوْا عَنْهُ. (٧) أ، ب: فَهُمْ مُطَاعُونَ فِيهِ. (٨) صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٩) أ، ب: بِاتِّفَاقِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ وَالْجَمَاعَةِ. (١٠) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) فَقَطْ.