Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (4/5)

[The Rāfidī’s discussion of the distinctive qualities of the Twelve Imāms]

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy

Chapter (1).

The Rāfidī said:

“The fourth (3) [aspect] (2): The Imāmiyyah derived their doctrine from the infallible Imāms, who were renowned for virtue, knowledge, asceticism, piety, and constant devotion to worship, supplication (4), and recitation of the Quran. They persevered in this from (5) childhood until the end of their lives, and some of them taught people the various branches of knowledge (6). The following were revealed concerning them: “Has there come” [Surah al-Insān: 1], the Verse of Purification, the injunction to love them, the Verse of Mutual Imprecation, and other such texts. Ali [- may Allah be pleased with him -] (7) would perform a thousand units of prayer every day and night and recite the Quran, despite the grievous trials of warfare and jihad that he faced.

(1) (S), (R), and (H) read: “Chapter Eight.” (2) “Aspect” appears in (A), (B), and (K), but is omitted from the other manuscripts. (3) The following passage appears in (K), p. 96 (M). (4) (N) reads: “in worship—that is, supplication.” (5) (N), (S), (H), (R), and (W) read: “in.” (6) (K) reads: “From them, people learned the various branches of knowledge.” (7) “May Allah be pleased with him” appears thus in (A) and (B); (M) reads: “Peace be upon him”; and (K): “May blessings and peace be upon him.”

[كلام الرافضي على خصائص الأئمة الاثنى عشر] بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ فَصْلٌ (١) . قَالَ الرَّافِضِيُّ: " [الْوَجْهُ] (٢) الرَّابِعُ (٣) : أَنَّ الْإِمَامِيَّةَ أَخَذُوا مَذْهَبَهُمْ عَنِ الْأَئِمَّةِ الْمَعْصُومِينَ الْمَشْهُورِينَ بِالْفَضْلِ وَالْعِلْمِ وَالزُّهْدِ وَالْوَرَعِ وَالِاشْتِغَالِ فِي كُلِّ وَقْتٍ بِالْعِبَادَةِ وَالدُّعَاءِ (٤) وَتِلَاوَةِ الْقُرْآنِ وَالْمُدَاوَمَةِ عَلَى ذَلِكَ مِنْ (٥) زَمَنِ الطُّفُولِيَّةِ إِلَى آخِرِ الْعُمُرِ، وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يُعَلِّمُ النَّاسَ الْعُلُومَ (٦) ، وَنَزَلَ فِي حَقِّهِمْ: {هَلْ أَتَى} [سُورَةُ الْإِنْسَانِ: ١] ، وَآيَةُ الطَّهَارَةِ، وَإِيجَابُ الْمَوَدَّةِ لَهُمْ، وَآيَةُ الِابْتِهَالِ وَغَيْرُ ذَلِكَ. وَكَانَ عَلِيٌّ [- رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ -] (٧) يُصَلِّي فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ أَلْفَ رَكْعَةٍ، وَيَتْلُو الْقُرْآنَ مَعَ شِدَّةِ ابْتِلَائِهِ بِالْحُرُوبِ وَالْجِهَادِ.

(١) ص، ر، هـ،: الْفَصْلُ الثَّامِنُ. (٢) الْوَجْهُ: فِي (أ) ، (ب) ، (ك) . وَسَقَطَتْ مِنْ سَائِرِ النُّسَخِ. (٣) الْكَلَامُ التَّالِي فِي (ك) ص ٩٦ (م) . (٤) ن: بِالْعِبَادَةِ أَيْ بِالدُّعَاءِ. (٥) ن، ص، هـ، ر، و: فِي. (٦) ك: وَمِنْهُمْ تَعَلَّمَ النَّاسُ الْعُلُومَ. (٧) - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ -: كَذَا فِي (أ) ، (ب) ، وَفِي (م) : عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، وَفِي (ك) : عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ.