Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/406)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

among the Imāmīs? These imams agree (1) upon loving the Companions, remaining loyal to them, and preferring them over every other generation; and (2) that their consensus constitutes authoritative proof; and (3) that they are not permitted to depart from their consensus (4). Indeed, the great majority of the leading mujtahids explicitly state that we are not permitted to depart from the statements of the Companions.

How, then, can someone who maintains that the Companions’ consensus is not authoritative proof, and who attributes unbelief and wrongdoing to them, criticize these imams for opposing the Companions?

If the Companions’ consensus constitutes authoritative proof, it is binding upon both groups; and if it does not, it cannot be invoked as evidence against them.

If he says, “Ahl al-Sunnah regard it as authoritative proof, yet they have opposed it,”

the reply is: As for Ahl al-Sunnah, it is inconceivable (5) that they would collectively agree to oppose the consensus of the Companions. As for the Imāmīs, there is no doubt that they are agreed upon opposing the consensus of the Prophet’s kindred as well as the consensus of the Companions. For there was no one (6) among the Prophet’s kindred—the Banū Hāshim—(7) during the time of the Prophet (8)—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and Abū Bakr

(1) (A): “nor in agreement”; (B): “nor are they in agreement.” (2) (B) only: “nor regarding.” (3) (B) only: “nor regarding.” (4) Ibn Taymiyya’s discussion here concerns the imams of the four schools of law. The editor of manuscript (B) understood it to concern the Shia and therefore altered the text. This was an error on his part. (5) (B) only: “It is inconceivable that Ahl al-Sunnah…” (6) (N): “And indeed, there was not”; (M): “And if there was not.” (7) “The Banū Hāshim” is absent from (N) and (M). (8) (A) and (B): “the Messenger of Allah.”

عِنْدَ الْإِمَامِيَّةِ؟ وَهَؤُلَاءِ مُتَّفِقُونَ (١) عَلَى مَحَبَّةِ الصَّحَابَةِ وَمُوَالَاتِهِمْ وَتَفْضِيلِهِمْ عَلَى سَائِرِ الْقُرُونِ وَعَلَى (٢) أَنَّ إِجْمَاعَهُمْ حُجَّةٌ، وَعَلَى (٣) أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُمُ الْخُرُوجُ عَنْ إِجْمَاعِهِمْ (٤) ، بَلْ عَامَّةُ الْأَئِمَّةِ الْمُجْتَهِدِينَ يُصَرِّحُونَ بِأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَنَا أَنْ نَخْرُجَ عَنْ أَقَاوِيلِ الصَّحَابَةِ، فَكَيْفَ يَطْعَنُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِمُخَالَفَةِ الصَّحَابَةِ مَنْ يَقُولُ: إِنَّ إِجْمَاعَ الصَّحَابَةِ لَيْسَ بِحُجَّةٍ، وَيَنْسِبُهُمْ إِلَى الْكُفْرِ وَالظُّلْمِ؟ . فَإِنْ كَانَ إِجْمَاعُ الصَّحَابَةِ حُجَّةً فَهُوَ حُجَّةٌ عَلَى الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ حُجَّةً فَلَا يُحْتَجُّ بِهِ عَلَيْهِمْ. وَإِنْ قَالَ: أَهْلُ السُّنَّةِ يَجْعَلُونَهُ حُجَّةً وَقَدْ خَالَفُوهُ. قِيلَ: أَمَّا أَهْلُ السُّنَّةِ فَلَا يُتَصَوَّرُ (٥) أَنْ يَتَّفِقُوا عَلَى مُخَالَفَةِ إِجْمَاعِ الصَّحَابَةِ. وَأَمَّا الْإِمَامِيَّةُ فَلَا رَيْبَ أَنَّهُمْ مُتَّفِقُونَ عَلَى مُخَالَفَةِ إِجْمَاعِ الْعِتْرَةِ النَّبَوِيَّةِ، مَعَ مُخَالَفَةِ إِجْمَاعِ الصَّحَابَةِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ (٦) فِي الْعِتْرَةِ النَّبَوِيَّةِ - بَنُو هَاشِمٍ - (٧) عَلَى عَهْدِ النَّبِيِّ (٨) صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَبِي بَكْرٍ

(١) أ: وَلَا مُتَّفِقُونَ، ب: وَلَا هُمْ مُتَّفِقُونَ. (٢) ب فَقَطْ: وَلَا عَلَى. (٣) ب فَقَطْ: وَلَا عَلَى. (٤) كَلَامُ ابْنِ تَيْمِيَّةَ هُنَا عَلَى أَئِمَّةِ الْمَذَاهِبِ الْأَرْبَعَةِ، وَفَهِمَ مُحَقِّقُ نُسْخَةِ (ب) أَنَّ الْكَلَامَ هُنَا عَلَى الشِّيعَةِ، فَغَيَّرَ فِي النَّصِّ، وَهَذَا خَطَأٌ مِنْهُ. (٥) ب فَقَطْ: أَهْلُ السُّنَّةِ لَا يُتَصَوَّرُ. (٦) ن: وَإِنَّهُ لَمْ تَكُنْ ; م: وَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ. (٧) بَنِي هَاشِمٍ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٨) أ، ب: رَسُولِ اللَّهِ.