Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/503)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

The seventh aspect:

The imam whose salvation is attested is either one who must be obeyed in all matters, even if another believer contests him, or one who is obeyed when he commands obedience to Allah and His Messenger, and in what he states on the basis of his independent reasoning (1), provided that it is not known that someone else is more entitled to be followed than he is, and similar matters (2).

If the imam is of the first kind, then Ahl al-Sunnah have no imam in this sense other than the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—[for they hold that no one must be obeyed in all matters except the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—] (3). They say, as Mujāhid, al-Hākim (4), Mālik, and others said: “Everyone’s words may be accepted or rejected, except those of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.” They testify (5) that their imam is the best of all creation, and they testify that everyone who follows him, does what he commands, and refrains from what he forbids will enter Paradise. In their testimony to both these matters, they are more complete than the Rāfidah are in their testimony concerning the two al-Askarīs (6) and others like them—that whoever obeys them (7) will enter Paradise.

It is thus established that the imam of Ahl al-Sunnah is more perfect, and that their testimony concerning him—and concerning themselves if they obey him—is (8)

(1) (A) and (B) read: “on the basis of independent reasoning.” (2) (N) reads: “and the like.” (3) The passage in square brackets is omitted only from (N). (4) (A), (B), (S), and (R) read: “and al-Hakam.” (5) (A) and (B) read: “and they testify.” (6) (A) reads: “In both these matters, they are more complete than the Rāfidah’s testimony concerning the two al-Askarīs”; (B): “In both these matters, it is more complete than the Rāfidah’s testimony concerning the two al-Askarīs”; and (N) and (M): “In both these matters, they are more complete therein than the Rāfidah are in their testimony concerning the two al-Askarīs.” (7) (A), (B), and (R) read: “that whoever obeys the two of them.” (8) (A) reads: “and his testimony concerning them and concerning him, if”; and (B): “and their testimony concerning him, if.”

الْوَجْهُ السَّابِعُ: أَنَّ الْإِمَامَ الَّذِي شُهِدَ لَهُ بِالنَّجَاةِ: إِمَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ هُوَ الْمُطَاعَ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، وَإِنْ نَازَعَهُ غَيْرُهُ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، أَوْ هُوَ الْمُطَاعَ فِيمَا يَأْمُرُ بِهِ مِنْ طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَفِيمَا يَقُولُهُ بِاجْتِهَادِهِ (١) إِذَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ غَيْرَهُ أَوْلَى مِنْهُ، وَنَحْوُ ذَلِكَ (٢) . فَإِنْ كَانَ الْإِمَامُ هُوَ الْأَوَّلُ، فَلَا إِمَامَ لِأَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ بِهَذَا الِاعْتِبَارِ إِلَّا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -، [فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ عِنْدَهُمْ مَنْ يَجِبُ أَنْ يُطَاعَ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ إِلَّا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -] (٣) وَهُمْ يَقُولُونَ كَمَا قَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ وَالْحَاكِمُ (٤) وَمَالِكٌ وَغَيْرُهُمْ: كُلُّ أَحَدٍ يُؤْخَذُ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ وَيُتْرَكُ إِلَّا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -. وَهُمْ يَشْهَدُونَ (٥) لِإِمَامِهِمْ أَنَّهُ خَيْرُ الْخَلَائِقِ، وَيَشْهَدُونَ بِأَنَّ كُلَّ مَنِ ائْتَمَّ بِهِ فَفَعَلَ مَا أَمَرَ بِهِ وَتَرَكَ مَا نَهَى عَنْهُ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ. وَهَذِهِ الشَّهَادَةُ بِهَذَا وَهَذَا هُمْ فِيهَا أَتَمُّ مِنَ الرَّافِضَةِ مِنْ شَهَادَتِهِمْ لِلْعَسْكَرِيَيْنِ (٦) وَأَمْثَالِهِمَا بِأَنَّهُ مَنْ أَطَاعَهُمْ (٧) دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ. فَثَبَتَ أَنَّ إِمَامَ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ أَكْمَلُ، وَشَهَادَتَهُمْ لَهُ وَلَهُمْ إِذَا (٨) أَطَاعُوهُ

(١) أ، ب: بِاجْتِهَادٍ. (٢) ن: وَنَحْوُهُ. (٣) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) فَقَطْ. (٤) أ، ب، ص، ر: وَالْحَكَمُ. (٥) أ، ب: وَيَشْهَدُونَ. (٦) أ: بِهَذَا وَهَذَا هُمْ أَتَمُّ مِنْ شَهَادَةِ الرَّافِضَةِ لِلْعَسْكَرِيَيْنِ، ب: بِهَذَا وَهَذَا هِيَ أَتَمُّ مِنْ شَهَادَةِ الرَّافِضَةِ لِلْعَسْكَرِيَيْنِ، ن، م: بِهَذَا وَهَذَا وَهُمْ فِيهَا أَتَمُّ مِنَ الرَّافِضَةِ مِنْ شَهَادَتِهِمْ لِلْعَسْكَرِيَيْنِ. (٧) أ، ب، ر: بِأَنَّ مَنْ أَطَاعَهُمَا. (٨) أ: وَشَهَادَتُهُ لَهُمْ وَلَهُ إِذَا، ب: وَشَهَادَتُهُمْ لَهُ إِذَا.