Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (4/202)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

If it is objected:

Some of the examples you have cited necessarily apply specifically to the Muslim community (1). When the duty of obeying the Messenger was mentioned, they were addressed concerning obedience to and love for him, and his being sent (2) to them was mentioned. It was therefore understood that he was not included in that address.

The reply is:

The same applies to the verse concerning the prescribed shares of inheritance. Allah says:

“Your parents and your children—you do not know which of them is nearer to you in benefit.”

[Surah al-Nisā’: 11]

And He says:

“After any bequest that may have been made or debt, without causing harm.”

[Surah al-Nisā’: 11]

Then He says:

“These are the limits set by Allah. Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, He will admit him into Gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein; that is the great triumph. But whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses His limits, He will admit him into a Fire, abiding therein, and he will have a humiliating punishment.”

[Surah al-Nisā’: 13–14]

Thus, He addressed them as lacking knowledge—which does not befit the state of the Messenger—and thereafter mentioned their duty to obey him regarding the prescribed shares He had specified. He also stated that if they obeyed Allah and His Messenger in respect of these limits, they would deserve reward, whereas if they opposed Allah and the Messenger (3), they would deserve punishment (4). This would occur by giving an heir more than his rightful share or withholding from an heir what he is entitled to. This shows that those addressed as not knowing [what He mentioned] (5), those promised reward for obeying the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and those threatened for disobeying Allah and His Messenger and transgressing His limits

(1) A and B read: “the verse”; this is a textual corruption. (2) S reads: “his mission.” (3) A and B read: “if they oppose Allah and His Messenger”; N, M, and W read: “if they oppose the Messenger.” (4) A and B read: “the punishment.” (5) *Lammā dhakara* (“when He mentioned”) is omitted from N and M. A and B read: *lammā dhakarahu* (“when He mentioned it”).

فَإِنْ قِيلَ: مَا ذَكَرْتُمُوهُ مِنَ الْأَمْثِلَةِ فِيهَا مَا يَقْتَضِي اخْتِصَاصَ الْأُمَّةِ (١) ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمَّا ذُكِرَ مَا يَجِبُ مِنْ طَاعَةِ الرَّسُولِ خَاطَبَهُمْ بِطَاعَتِهِ وَمَحَبَّتِهِ، وَذِكْرِ بَعْثِهِ (٢) إِلَيْهِمْ، عُلِمَ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ دَاخِلًا فِي ذَلِكَ. قِيلَ: وَكَذَلِكَ آيَةُ الْفَرَائِضِ لَمَّا قَالَ: {آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ لَا تَدْرُونَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ لَكُمْ نَفْعًا} [سُورَةِ النِّسَاءِ: ١١] ، وَقَالَ: {مِنْ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُوصَى بِهَا أَوْ دَيْنٍ غَيْرَ مُضَارٍّ} [سُورَةِ النِّسَاءِ: ١١] ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: {تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ - وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ نَارًا خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَلَهُ عَذَابٌ مُهِينٌ} " [سُورَةِ النِّسَاءِ: ١٣، ١٤] ، فَلَمَّا خَاطَبَهُمْ بِعَدَمِ الدِّرَايَةِ الَّتِي لَا تُنَاسِبُ حَالَ الرَّسُولِ، وَذَكَرَ بَعْدَ هَذَا مَا يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ طَاعَتِهِ فِيمَا ذَكَرَهُ مِنْ مَقَادِيرِ الْفَرَائِضِ، وَأَنَّهُمْ إِنْ أَطَاعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فِي هَذِهِ الْحُدُودِ اسْتَحَقُّوا الثَّوَابَ، وَإِنْ خَالَفُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ (٣) اسْتَحَقُّوا الْعِقَابَ (٤) ، وَذَلِكَ بِأَنْ يُعْطُوا الْوَارِثَ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ حَقِّهِ، أَوْ يَمْنَعُوا الْوَارِثَ مَا يَسْتَحِقُّهُ - دَلَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى أَنَّ الْمُخَاطَبِينَ الْمَسْلُوبِينَ الدِّرَايَةَ [لَمَّا ذَكَرَ] (٥) ، الْمَوْعُودِينَ عَلَى طَاعَةِ الرَّسُولِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -، الْمُتَوَعِّدِينَ عَلَى مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتَعَدِّي حُدُودِهِ

(١) أ، ب: الْآيَةِ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. (٢) ص: بَعْثَتِهِ. (٣) أ، ب: وَإِنْ خَالَفُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ؛ ن، م، و: وَإِنْ خَالَفُوا الرَّسُولَ. (٤) أ، ب: الْعَذَابَ. (٥) لَمَّا ذَكَرَ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . وَفِي (أ) ، (ب) : لَمَّا ذَكَرَهُ.