Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/409)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

a number of scholars, so that if one of them erred (1) in some matter, another would have reached the correct view on it, and thus the truth would not be lost. Consequently, when the view of one of them contained errors on certain issues—such as some of the issues he cited—the correct position was found in the view of another. Ahl al-Sunnah therefore never agreed upon misguidance. As for some of them erring in certain matters of religion, we have explained more than once that this is not detrimental, just as the errors of some Muslims are not. As for the Shia, they are mistaken in every matter in which they oppose all of Ahl al-Sunnah, just as the Jews and Christians were mistaken in every matter in which they opposed the Muslims.

The sixth point (2): It may be said that his statement, “These schools did not exist in the time of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—or the Companions,” if he means that the views they hold (3) were not transmitted from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—or from the Companions (4), but rather (5) that they abandoned the teachings of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and the Companions (6) and introduced contrary teachings, then this is a lie against them. They did not all agree to oppose the Companions. Rather, they—[and the rest of Ahl al-Sunnah] (7)—follow the Companions in what they said (8). Even if it were assumed that some among Ahl al-Sunnah (9) differed from the Companions because they were unaware of their views, the others agree with the Companions and demonstrate the error of those who differ from them. And if he means that the founders of these schools themselves did not

(1) (A) and (B): “if one erred in.” (2) (N), (M), and (W): “the seventh.” (3) The phrase “which they hold” is absent from (A) and (B). (4) (A) and (W): “and from the Companions”; (M): “nor from his Companions”; (B): “or from the Companions.” (5) (B) alone: “that.” (6) (N) and (M): “and his Companions.” (7) The text between square brackets is absent from (N) and (M). (8) (W): “their views.” (9) (N) and (M): “that some of them.”

عَدَدًا مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ إِنْ أَخْطَأَ الْوَاحِدُ مِنْهُمْ فِي (١) شَيْءٍ كَانَ الْآخَرُ قَدْ أَصَابَ فِيهِ حَتَّى لَا يَضِيعَ الْحَقُّ. وَلِهَذَا لَمَّا كَانَ فِي قَوْلِ بَعْضِهِمْ مِنَ الْخَطَأِ مَسَائِلُ، كَبَعْضِ الْمَسَائِلِ الَّتِي أَوْرَدَهَا، كَانَ الصَّوَابُ فِي قَوْلِ الْآخَرِ، فَلَمْ يَتَّفِقْ أَهْلُ السُّنَّةِ عَلَى ضَلَالَةٍ أَصْلًا. وَأَمَّا خَطَأُ بَعْضِهِمْ فِي بَعْضِ الدِّينِ، فَقَدْ قَدَّمْنَا غَيْرَ مَرَّةٍ أَنَّ هَذَا لَا يَضُرُّ كَخَطَأِ بَعْضِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ. وَأَمَّا الشِّيعَةُ فَكُلُّ مَا خَالَفُوا فِيهِ أَهْلَ السُّنَّةِ كُلُّهُمْ فَهُمْ مُخْطِئُونَ فِيهِ كَمَا أَخْطَأَ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى فِي كُلِّ مَا خَالَفُوا فِيهِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ. الْوَجْهُ السَّادِسُ (٢) : أَنْ يُقَالَ: قَوْلُهُ: " إِنَّ هَذِهِ الْمَذَاهِبَ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِي زَمَنِ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَلَا الصَّحَابَةِ إِنْ أَرَادَ أَنَّ الْأَقْوَالَ الَّتِي لَهُمْ (٣) لَمْ تُنْقَلْ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَلَا عَنِ الصَّحَابَةِ (٤) ، بَلْ (٥) تَرَكُوا قَوْلَ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَالصَّحَابَةِ (٦) وَابْتَدَعُوا خِلَافَ ذَلِكَ، فَهَذَا كَذِبٌ عَلَيْهِمْ. فَإِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَتَّفِقُوا عَلَى مُخَالَفَةِ الصَّحَابَةِ، بَلْ هُمْ - [وَسَائِرُ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ] (٧) مُتَّبِعُونَ لِلصَّحَابَةِ فِي أَقْوَالِهِمْ (٨) ، وَإِنْ قُدِّرَ أَنَّ بَعْضَ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ (٩) خَالَفَ الصَّحَابَةَ لِعَدَمِ عِلْمِهِ بِأَقَاوِيلِهِمْ، فَالْبَاقُونَ يُوَافِقُونَهُمْ وَيُثْبِتُونَ خَطَأَ مَنْ يُخَالِفُهُمْ، وَإِنْ أَرَادَ أَنَّ نَفْسَ أَصْحَابِهَا لَمْ

(١) أ، ب: إِذَا أَخْطَأَ الْوَاحِدُ فِي. (٢) ن، م، و: السَّابِعُ. (٣) عِبَارَةُ الَّتِي لَهُمْ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . (٤) أ، و: وَعَنِ الصَّحَابَةِ، م: وَلَا عَنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، ب: أَوْ عَنِ الصَّحَابَةِ. (٥) ب فَقَطْ: بِأَنْ. (٦) ن، م: وَأَصْحَابِهِ. (٧) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٨) و: أَقَاوِيلِهِمْ. (٩) ن، م: أَنَّ بَعْضَهُمْ.