Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/381)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

authority among you. If you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and more excellent in outcome.”

[Surah al-Nisā: 59]

Thus, Allah commanded the believers, whenever they disagree, to refer the matter to Allah and the Messenger. Had there been any infallible person other than the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—(1), He would have commanded them to refer the matter to him (2). The Quran therefore demonstrates that no one is infallible except the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—(3).

[Commentary on his statement concerning the imamate:
“They did not restrict the imams to a fixed number”]

Chapter

As for his statement:

“They did not restrict the imams to a fixed number,”

this is correct. Allah Most High said:

“O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you.”

[Surah al-Nisā: 59]

He did not limit them to any fixed number.

Likewise, in the numerous well-established hadiths authentically transmitted from him, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—did not limit those entrusted with authority to a fixed number.

It is related in the two Sahih collections that Abū Dharr said:

“My close friend instructed me to hear and obey, even if the ruler were an Abyssinian slave with mutilated limbs.” (4)

(1) “May Allah bless him and grant him peace” is an addition in (A) and (B). (2) (N), (M), and (W) read: “It would have been obligatory to refer the matter to him.” (3) “May Allah bless him and grant him peace” is an addition in (A) and (B). (4) The hadith, with variations in wording, is narrated from Abū Dharr—may Allah be pleased with him—in Muslim, 1:448, Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer, chapter “The Dislike of Delaying the Prayer”; 3:1467, Book of Government, chapter “The Obligation of Obeying Rulers”; Sunan Ibn Mājah, 2:955, Book of Jihad, chapter “Obedience to the Imam”; and al-Musnad, al-Halabī ed., 5:161, 171. I did not find the hadith in Sahih al-Bukhārī.

الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا} [سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ: ٥٩] . فَأَمَرَ اللَّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عِنْدَ التَّنَازُعِ بِالرَّدِّ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ، وَلَوْ كَانَ لِلنَّاسِ مَعْصُومٌ غَيْرُ الرَّسُولِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - (١) لَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالرَّدِّ إِلَيْهِ (٢) ، فَدَلَّ الْقُرْآنُ عَلَى أَنَّهُ لَا مَعْصُومَ إِلَّا الرَّسُولُ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - (٣) [فصل التعليق على كلامه عن الإمامة " وَلَمْ يَجْعَلُوا الْأَئِمَّةَ مَحْصُورِينَ فِي عَدَدٍ مُعَيَّنٍ " ] فَصْلٌ وَأَمَّا قَوْلُهُ: " وَلَمْ يَجْعَلُوا الْأَئِمَّةَ مَحْصُورِينَ فِي عَدَدٍ مُعَيَّنٍ " فَهَذَا حَقٌّ؛ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى قَالَ: {يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ} [سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ: ٥٩] وَلَمْ يُوَقِّتْهُمْ بِعَدَدٍ مُعَيَّنٍ. وَكَذَلِكَ النَّبِيُّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فِي الْأَحَادِيثِ الثَّابِتَةِ عَنْهُ الْمُسْتَفِيضَةِ لَمْ يُوَقِّتْ وُلَاةَ الْأُمُورِ فِي عَدَدٍ مُعَيَّنٍ. فَفِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ: " «إِنَّ خَلِيلِي أَوْصَانِي أَنْ أَسْمَعَ وَأُطِيعَ وَإِنْ كَانَ عَبْدًا حَبَشِيًّا مُجَدَّعَ الْأَطْرَافِ» " . (٤)

(١) صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٢) ن، م، وَ: لَوَجَبَ الرَّدُّ إِلَيْهِ. (٣) صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٤) الْحَدِيثُ مَعَ اخْتِلَافٍ فِي الْأَلْفَاظِ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - فِي: مُسْلِمٍ ١ - ٤٤٨ كِتَابُ الْمَسَاجِدِ وَمَوَاضِعِ الصَّلَاةِ بَابُ كَرَاهِيَةِ تَأْخِيرِ الصَّلَاةِ، ٣ - ١٤٦٧ كِتَابُ الْإِمَارَةِ بَابُ وُجُوبِ طَاعَةِ الْأُمَرَاءِ. سُنَنِ ابْنِ مَاجَهْ ٢ - ٩٥٥ كِتَابُ الْجِهَادِ، بَابٌ فِي طَاعَةِ الْإِمَامِ، الْمُسْنَدِ ط الْحَلَبِيِّ ٥ - ١٦١، ١٧١، وَلَمْ أَجِدِ الْحَدِيثَ فِي صَحِيحِ الْبُخَارِيِّ.