Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/485)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

to the exclusion of them.”(1)

It may be said to them: “Ahl al-Sunnah are more numerous than you, so the truth would be with them to the exclusion of you. At most, the other Imāmī sects(2) stand in relation to you as you stand in relation to the rest of the Muslims. Islam is the religion of Allah that unites the people of truth.”(3)

[Section: The Rāfidī’s Statement, “The Third Argument Is That the Imāmīs Are Certain They Will Attain Salvation,” and the Response to It]

Section.(4)

The Rāfidī(5) said: “The third argument is that the Imāmīs are certain that they and their Imams(6) will attain salvation—categorically certain of this(7)—and that the opposite fate will befall others(8). Ahl al-Sunnah neither guarantee nor affirm this with certainty(9), whether for themselves or for anyone else. Following the former would therefore be preferable. Suppose, by way of example, that two men left Baghdad intending to reach Kufa. They came upon two roads, and each took one of them. A third man then set out for Kufa and asked one of the two, ‘Where are you going?’(10) He replied, ‘To Kufa.’ He then asked him, ‘Does your road

(1) “To the exclusion of them” is omitted from (N) and (M). (2) (N) and (M) read: “the Muslim community.” (3) After the word “truth,” (A) and (B) add: “And Allah knows best.” (4) (H), (S), and (R) read: “Section Seven.” (5) In (K), p. [0–9] 5 (M) 96 (M). (6) (K) reads: “and for their Imams—peace be upon them.” (7) (K) reads: “categorically certain of that.” (8) “For others” is omitted from (N), (M), (W), and (H). (9) (S) and *Al-Maqālāt* read: “Ahl al-Sunnah do not affirm with certainty.” (10) (A) and (B) read: “Where are you going?”; (N), (M), and (W): “Where do you intend to go?”; and (S) and (R): “Where is he going?”

دُونَهُمْ (١) . قِيلَ: لَهُمْ وَأَهْلُ السُّنَّةِ أَكْثَرُ مِنْكُمْ، فَيَكُونُ الْحَقُّ مَعَهُمْ دُونَكُمْ، فَغَايَتُكُمْ أَنْ تَكُونَ سَائِرُ فِرَقِ الْإِمَامِيَّةِ (٢) . مَعَكُمْ بِمَنْزِلَتِكُمْ مَعَ سَائِرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَالْإِسْلَامُ هُوَ دِينُ اللَّهِ الَّذِي يَجْمَعُ أَهْلَ الْحَقِّ (٣) . [فصل قول الرافضي " الوجه الثالث أن الإمامية جازمون بحصول النجاة لهم " والرد عليه] فَصْلٌ. (٤) . قَالَ الرَّافِضِيُّ (٥) .: " الْوَجْهُ الثَّالِثُ: أَنَّ الْإِمَامِيَّةَ جَازِمُونَ بِحُصُولِ النَّجَاةِ لَهُمْ وَلِأَئِمَّتِهِمْ (٦) -.، قَاطِعُونَ بِذَلِكَ (٧) .، وَبِحُصُولِ ضِدِّهَا لِغَيْرِهِمْ (٨) . . وَأَهْلُ السُّنَّةِ لَا يُجِيزُونَ وَلَا يَجْزِمُونَ (٩) . بِذَلِكَ لَا لَهُمْ وَلَا لِغَيْرِهِمْ. فَيَكُونُ اتِّبَاعُ أُولَئِكَ أَوْلَى ; لِأَنَّا لَوْ فَرَضْنَا مَثَلًا خُرُوجَ شَخْصَيْنِ مِنْ بَغْدَادَ يُرِيدَانِ الْكُوفَةَ فَوَجَدَا طَرِيقَيْنِ سَلَكَ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمَا طَرِيقًا، فَخَرَجَ ثَالِثٌ يَطْلُبُ الْكُوفَةَ، فَسَأَلَ أَحَدُهُمَا: إِلَى أَيْنَ تَذْهَبُ (١٠) ؟ فَقَالَ: إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ. فَقَالَ لَهُ: هَلْ طَرِيقُكُ

(١) دُونَهُمْ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) (٢) ن، م: الْأُمَّةِ (٣) بَعْدَ كَلِمَةِ الْحَقِّ فِي (أ) ، (ب) وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ (٤) هـ، ص، ر: الْفَصْلُ السَّابِعُ (٥) فِي (ك) ، ص [٠ - ٩] ٥ (م) ٩٦ (م) (٦) ك: وَلِأَئِمَّتِهِمْ - عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلَامُ (٧) ك: قَاطِعُونَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ (٨) لِغَيْرِهِمْ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) ، (و) ، (هـ) (٩) ص، " الْمَقَالَاتِ ": وَأَهْلُ السُّنَّةِ لَا يَجْزِمُونَ (١٠) أ، ب: أَيْنَ تَذْهَبُ، ن، م، و: إِلَى أَيْنَ تُرِيدُ، ص، ر: إِلَى أَيْنَ يَذْهَبُ.