Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/407)

, Umar, Uthmān, and Alī—may Allah be pleased with them—(1) who upheld the imamate of the Twelve (2), or the infallibility of anyone after the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—or who believed that the three caliphs were unbelievers. Indeed, there was not even anyone (3) who challenged the legitimacy of their rule, anyone who denied Allah’s attributes, or anyone (4) who rejected divine predestination.

The Imāmīs, then, are undoubtedly united in opposing the consensus (5) of the Prophet’s kindred, just as they oppose the consensus of the Companions. How, then, can they criticize those who have opposed neither the consensus (6) of the Companions nor that of the Prophet’s kindred?

The fifth argument (7): His statement, “They introduced four schools that did not exist during the time of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.” If he means that they mutually agreed to introduce these schools in opposition to the Companions, this is a lie against them. These imams did not live in (8) the same era. Rather, Abū Hanīfa died in the year (9) 150 AH; Mālik in the year (10) 179 AH; al-Shāfiī in 204 AH; and Ahmad ibn Hanbal in 241 AH; and there was no one among them

(1) “May Allah be pleased with them” is an addition in (A) and (B). (2) (A) and (B): “twelve.” (3) “Who” is absent from (N), (M), and (W). (4) “Who” is absent from (N), (M), and (W). (5) “Consensus” is absent from (A), (B), and (W). (6) (A) and (B): “concerning one who does not oppose the consensus of.” (7) (N), (M), and (W): “the sixth,” which is an error. (8) (A) and (B): “concerning.” (9) (N) and (M): “He died in the year.” (10) (N) and (M): “And Mālik died in the year.”

وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ وَعَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ (١) مَنْ يَقُولُ بِإِمَامَةِ الِاثْنَيْ عَشَرَ (٢) وَلَا بِعِصْمَةِ أَحَدٍ بَعْدَ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -، وَلَا بِكُفْرِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الثَّلَاثَةِ، بَلْ وَلَا مَنْ (٣) يَطْعَنُ فِي إِمَامَتِهِمْ، بَلْ وَلَا مَنْ يُنْكِرُ الصِّفَاتِ، وَلَا مَنْ (٤) يُكَذِّبُ بِالْقَدْرِ. فَالْإِمَامِيَّةُ بِلَا رَيْبٍ مُتَّفِقُونَ عَلَى مُخَالَفَةِ إِجْمَاعِ (٥) الْعِتْرَةِ النَّبَوِيَّةِ مَعَ مُخَالَفَتِهِمْ لِإِجْمَاعِ الصَّحَابَةِ، فَكَيْفَ يُنْكِرُونَ عَلَى مَنْ لَمْ يُخَالِفْ لَا إِجْمَاعَ (٦) الصَّحَابَةِ وَلَا إِجْمَاعَ الْعِتْرَةِ؟ . الْوَجْهُ الْخَامِسُ (٧) : أَنَّ قَوْلَهُ: " أَحْدَثُوا مَذَاهِبَ أَرْبَعَةً لَمْ تَكُنْ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - " إِنْ أَرَادَ بِذَلِكَ أَنَّهُمُ اتَّفَقُوا عَلَى أَنْ يُحْدِثُوا هَذِهِ الْمَذَاهِبَ مَعَ مُخَالَفَةِ الصَّحَابَةِ فَهَذَا كَذِبٌ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَإِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ الْأَئِمَّةَ لَمْ يَكُونُوا فِي (٨) عَصْرٍ وَاحِدٍ، بَلْ أَبُو حَنِيفَةَ تُوُفِّيَ سُنَّةَ (٩) خَمْسِينَ وَمِائَةٍ، وَمَالِكٌ سَنَةَ (١٠) تِسْعٍ وَسَبْعِينَ وَمِائَةٍ، وَالشَّافِعِيُّ سَنَةَ أَرْبَعٍ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ سَنَةَ إِحْدَى وَأَرْبَعِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، وَلَيْسَ فِي هَؤُلَاءِ

(١) رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٢) أ، ب: اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ. (٣) مَنْ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) ، (و) . (٤) مَنْ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) ، (و) . (٥) إِجْمَاعِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) ، (و) . (٦) أ، ب: عَلَى مَنْ لَا يُخَالِفُ إِجْمَاعَ. (٧) ن، م، و: السَّادِسُ، وَهُوَ خَطَأٌ. (٨) أ، ب: عَلَى. (٩) ن، م: تُوُفِّيَ فِي سَنَةِ. (١٠) ن، م: وَمَالِكٌ تُوَفِّي سَنَةَ.