Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (4/21)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

As for the Verse of Purification, it does not state that the People of the House are pure and that impurity has been removed from them. Rather, it commands them to do what brings about their purification and the removal of impurity from them.

For His words:

“Allah only intends to remove impurity from you, O People of the House, and to purify you completely.”

[Surah al-Ahzāb: 33]

are like His words, Exalted is He:

“Allah does not intend to place any hardship upon you, but He intends to purify you.”

[Surah al-Mā’idah: 6]

And His words:

“Allah intends to make matters clear to you, guide you to the ways of those who came before you, and turn to you in mercy. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. Allah intends to turn to you in mercy, while those who follow their desires want you to deviate greatly. Allah intends to lighten your burdens, for the human being was created weak.”

[Surah al-Nisā’: 26–28]

Thus, the intent here encompasses command, love, and approval (1); it is not the will that necessarily entails the occurrence of what is willed. Were that the case, everyone whom Allah intended to purify would have become pure (2). This interpretation is all the more consistent with the position of these Qadarī Shi'a, for according to them Allah wills what does not occur, while what He does not will occurs.

Thus, His words:

“Allah only intends to remove impurity from you, O People of the House, and to purify you completely,”

if this purification comes about by performing what is commanded and refraining from what is prohibited, then (3) it depends upon their will and their deeds: if they do what they have been commanded, they are purified; otherwise, they are not.

They say that Allah does not create their deeds and is unable to purify them (4) or remove impurity from them (5). Those who affirm the divine decree, however, say that Allah is capable of doing so (6),

(1) (A) and (B) read: “command, prohibition, and approval,” which is an error. (2) (A), (B), (H), (W), and (R) read: “became purified.” (3) (A) and (B) read: “and it would be.” (4) Omitted from (A) and (B). (5) Omitted from (A) and (B). (6) (A) and (B) read: “As for those among them who affirm divine decree, they say: ‘Allah does not create their deeds—yet He is capable of doing so,’” which is an error.

وَأَمَّا آيَةُ الطَّهَارَةِ فَلَيْسَ فِيهَا إِخْبَارٌ بِطَهَارَةِ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ وَذَهَابِ الرِّجْسِ عَنْهُمْ، وَإِنَّمَا فِيهَا الْأَمْرُ لَهُمْ بِمَا يُوجِبُ طَهَارَتَهُمْ وَذَهَابَ الرِّجْسِ عَنْهُمْ. فَإِنَّ قَوْلَهُ: {إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا} [سُورَةُ الْأَحْزَابِ: ٣٣] ، كَقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: {مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ حَرَجٍ وَلَكِنْ يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ} [سُورَةُ الْمَائِدَةِ: ٦] وَقَوْلِهِ: {يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَكُمْ وَيَهْدِيَكُمْ سُنَنَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَيَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ - وَاللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَيُرِيدُ الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الشَّهَوَاتِ أَنْ تَمِيلُوا مَيْلًا عَظِيمًا - يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُخَفِّفَ عَنْكُمْ وَخُلِقَ الْإِنْسَانُ ضَعِيفًا} [سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ، ٢٦ - ٢٨] . فَالْإِرَادَةُ هُنَا مُتَضَمِّنَةٌ لِلْأَمْرِ وَالْمَحَبَّةِ وَالرِّضَا (١) ، وَلَيْسَتْ هِيَ الْمَشِيئَةَ الْمُسْتَلْزِمَةَ لِوُقُوعِ الْمُرَادِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَوْ كَانَ كَذَلِكَ لَكَانَ قَدْ طَهُرَ (٢) كُلُّ مَنْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ طَهَارَتَهُ. وَهَذَا عَلَى قَوْلِ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَدَرِيَّةِ الشِّيعَةِ أَوْجَهُ، فَإِنَّ عِنْدَهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُرِيدُ مَا لَا يَكُونُ، وَيَكُونُ مَا لَا يُرِيدُ. فَقَوْلُهُ: {إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا} إِذَا كَانَ هَذَا بِفِعْلِ الْمَأْمُورِ وَتَرْكِ الْمَحْظُورِ، كَانَ (٣) ذَلِكَ مُتَعَلِّقًا بِإِرَادَتِهِمْ وَأَفْعَالِهِمْ، فَإِنْ فَعَلُوا مَا أُمِرُوا بِهِ طُهِّرُوا وَإِلَّا فَلَا. وَهُمْ يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَخْلُقُ أَفْعَالَهُمْ، وَلَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَى تَطْهِيرِهِمْ (٤) وَإِذْهَابِ الرِّجْسِ عَنْهُمْ (٥) وَأَمَّا الْمُثْبِتُونَ لِلْقَدَرِ فَيَقُولُونَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَادِرٌ عَلَى ذَلِكَ (٦) ،

(١) أ، ب: لِلْأَمْرِ وَالنَّهْيِ وَالرِّضَا وَهُوَ خَطَأٌ. (٢) أ، ب، هـ، و، ر: تَطَهَّرَ. (٣) أ، ب: وَكَانَ. (٤) سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . (٥) سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . (٦) أ، ب: وَأَمَّا الْمُثْبِتُونَ لِلْقَدَرِ مِنْهُمْ يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَخْلُقُ أَفْعَالَهُمْ قَادِرٌ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، وَهُوَ خَطَأٌ.