Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (4/90)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

either in religion or in worldly affairs(1). Nor has he taught anyone anything(2), nor is he known(3) to possess any quality of either good or evil. Thus, none of the purposes or benefits of the imamate(4), whether specific or general, has been realized through him. Rather, if he is presumed to exist, he is an unmitigated harm to the people of the earth, without any benefit whatsoever. Those who believe in him have derived no benefit from him(5), nor have they attained any grace or benefit through him, while those who deny him are punished [according to them](6) for their denial. He is therefore pure evil, with no good in him, and creating such a being is not the act of the All-Wise, the Just.

If they say:

“He has concealed himself from people because of their wrongdoing,”

it is replied:

First: Wrongdoing already existed in the time of(7) his forefathers, yet they did not conceal themselves.

It is also replied:

[Second]:(8) Those who believe in him are spread throughout the earth. Why, then, has he not met with them at some point, or sent them an envoy to teach them something of knowledge and religion?!

It is further replied:

Third: He could have taken refuge in many places inhabited by his followers, such as the mountains of Greater Syria, where the Rāfidah were in rebellion, as well as other such(9) rebel-held regions.

It is also replied:

Fourth: If, then, he is unable to impart anything of knowledge and religion

(1) A, B: “neither in the religion nor in worldly life”; H, R, S, W: “neither in religion nor worldly affairs.” (2) N, W: “nor did anyone know anything.” (3) B: “nor was [he] known.” (4) A: “among the imam’s objectives and benefits”; B: “among the objectives and benefits of the imamate.” (5) A, B: “they derived no benefit from him whatsoever.” (6) “According to them” is omitted from (N) and (M). (7) A, B: “Wrongdoing existed during the time of…” (8) “Second” is omitted from (N). (9) N, M: “and other [places].”

لَا فِي دِينٍ وَلَا فِي دُنْيَا (١) ، وَلَا عَلَّمَ أَحَدًا شَيْئًا (٢) ، وَلَا يُعْرَفُ (٣) لَهُ صِفَةٌ مِنْ صِفَاتِ الْخَيْرِ وَلَا الشَّرِّ، فَلَمْ يَحْصُلْ بِهِ شَيْءٌ مِنْ مَقَاصِدِ الْإِمَامَةِ وَلَا مَصَالِحِهَا (٤) لَا الْخَاصَّةُ وَلَا الْعَامَّةُ، بَلْ إِنْ قُدِّرَ وَجُودُهُ فَهُوَ ضَرَرٌ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ بِلَا نَفْعٍ أَصْلًا، فَإِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِهِ لَمْ يَنْتَفِعُوا بِهِ (٥) ، وَلَا حَصَلَ لَهُمْ بِهِ لُطْفٌ وَلَا مَصْلَحَةٌ، وَالْمُكَذِّبُونَ بِهِ يُعَذَّبُونَ [عِنْدَهُمْ] (٦) عَلَى تَكْذِيبِهِمْ بِهِ، فَهُوَ شَرٌّ مَحْضٌ وَلَا خَيْرَ فِيهِ، وَخَلْقُ مِثْلِ هَذَا لَيْسَ مِنْ فِعْلِ الْحَكِيمِ الْعَادِلِ. وَإِذَا قَالُوا: إِنَّ النَّاسَ بِسَبَبِ ظُلْمِهِمُ احْتَجَبَ عَنْهُمْ. قِيلَ: أَوَّلًا: كَانَ الظُّلْمُ مَوْجُودًا فِي زَمَنِ (٧) آبَائِهِ وَلَمْ يَحْتَجِبُوا. وَقِيلَ: [ثَانِيًا] : (٨) فَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ طَبَّقُوا الْأَرْضَ فَهَلَّا اجْتَمَعَ بِهِمْ فِي بَعْضِ الْأَوْقَاتِ، أَوْ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولًا يُعَلِّمُهُمْ شَيْئًا مِنِ الْعِلْمِ وَالدِّينِ؟ ! . وَقِيلَ: ثَالِثًا: قَدْ كَانَ يُمْكِنُهُ أَنْ يَأْوِيَ إِلَى كَثِيرٍ مِنَ الْمَوَاضِعِ الَّتِي فِيهَا شِيعَتُهُ، كَجِبَالِ الشَّامِ الَّتِي كَانَ فِيهَا الرَّافِضَةُ عَاصِيَةً، وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ (٩) مِنَ الْمَوَاضِعِ الْعَاصِيَةِ. وَقِيلَ: رَابِعًا: فَإِذَا هُوَ لَا يُمْكِنُهُ أَنْ يَذْكُرَ شَيْئًا مِنِ الْعِلْمِ وَالدِّينِ

(١) أ، ب: لَا فِي الدِّينِ وَلَا فِي الدُّنْيَا، هـ، ر، ص، و: لَا فِي دِينٍ وَلَا دُنْيَا. (٢) ن، و: وَلَا عَلِمَ أَحَدٌ شَيْئًا. (٣) ب: وَلَا عُرِفَ. (٤) أ: مِنْ مَقَاصِدِ الْإِمَامِ وَمَصَالِحًا، ب: مِنْ مَقَاصِدِ الْإِمَامَةِ وَمَصَالِحِهَا. (٥) أ، ب: لَمْ يَنْتَفِعُوا بِهِ أَصْلًا. (٦) عِنْدَهُمْ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٧) أ، ب: الظُّلْمُ كَانَ فِي زَمَنِ. . . (٨) ثَانِيًا: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) . (٩) ن، م: وَغَيْرِهَا.