Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (4/221)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

Umar handed it over to Ali and al-Abbas—may Allah be pleased with them both—to administer it and deal with it as the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—had done. This is among the considerations that rule out any suspicion (1) against Abu Bakr and Umar in this matter.

The Eleventh Aspect:

It may be said: It has been the customary practice of unjust kings, when they assume power after other kings who had treated them well or raised them (2), and have wrested sovereignty from the house of such a king, to court the goodwill of his family and give them wealth so that they will cease contesting their rule. If it were assumed—Allah forbid—that Abu Bakr and Umar—may Allah be pleased with them both—had seized power by force and usurped it, customary practice would dictate that they contend with the heirs rightfully entitled to rule and to the estate [over the wealth] (3) (4). Rather, they would give them that wealth and many times more so that they would cease contesting their rule. As for withholding both rule and inheritance altogether, it is not known (5) that any king has ever done this, even if he was among the most unjust and wicked of people.

It is thus known that what they did in the Prophet’s case—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was contrary to the natural practice (6) of kings, just as it was contrary to the practices prescribed by the Sharia among believers. This was because the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was uniquely endowed with something Allah bestowed upon no other ruler: prophethood (7), for prophets leave no inheritable estate.

(1) A, B: “suspicions.” (2) N: “made them inherit,” which is a corruption. (3) R, S, H: “would dictate.” (4) The phrase “in respect of wealth” is omitted from N and M. R and S read: “and a share in sovereignty”; H reads: “and inheritance in sovereignty.” (5) A, B: “we do not know.” (6) A, B, M: “customs.” (7) A, B: “and that is the more irreproachable,” which is a corruption.

سَلَّمَهُ عُمَرُ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ وَالْعَبَّاسِ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ - يَلِيَانِهِ وَيَفْعَلَانِ فِيهِ مَا كَانَ النَّبِيُّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - يَفْعَلُهُ. وَهَذَا مِمَّا يُوجِبُ انْتِفَاءَ التُّهْمَةِ (١) عَنْهُمَا فِي ذَلِكَ. الْوَجْهُ الْحَادِي عَشَرَ: أَنْ يُقَالَ: قَدْ جَرَتِ الْعَادَةُ بِأَنَّ الظَّلَمَةَ مِنَ الْمُلُوكِ إِذَا تَوَلَّوْا بَعْدَ غَيْرِهِمْ مِنَ الْمُلُوكِ الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا إِلَيْهِمْ أَوْ رَبَّوْهُمْ (٢) ، وَقَدِ انْتَزَعُوا الْمُلْكَ مِنْ بَيْتِ ذَلِكَ الْمَلِكِ، اسْتَعْطَفُوهُمْ وَأَعْطَوْهُمْ لِيَكُفُّوا عَنْهُمْ مُنَازَعَتَهُمْ، فَلَوْ قُدِّرَ - وَالْعِيَاذُ بِاللَّهِ - أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا - مُتَغَلِّبَانِ مُتَوَثِّبَانِ، لَكَانَتِ الْعَادَةُ تَقْضِي (٣) بِأَنْ يُزَاحِمَا الْوَرَثَةَ الْمُسْتَحِقِّينَ لِلْوِلَايَةِ وَالتَّرِكَةِ [فِي الْمَالِ] (٤) ، بَلْ يُعْطِيَانِهِمْ ذَلِكَ وَأَضْعَافَهُ؛ لِيَكُفُّوا عَنِ الْمُنَازَعَةِ فِي الْوِلَايَةِ. وَأَمَّا مَنْعُ الْوِلَايَةِ وَالْمِيرَاثِ بِالْكُلِّيَّةِ فَهَذَا لَا يُعْلَمُ (٥) أَنَّهُ فَعَلَهُ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْمُلُوكِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَظْلَمِ النَّاسِ وَأَفْجَرِهِمْ. فَعُلِمَ أَنَّ الَّذِي فَعَلُوهُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أَمْرٌ خَارِجٌ عَنِ الْعَادَةِ (٦) الطَّبِيعِيَّةِ فِي الْمُلُوكِ، كَمَا هُوَ خَارِجٌ عَنِ الْعَادَاتِ الشَّرْعِيَّةِ فِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَذَلِكَ لِاخْتِصَاصِهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - بِمَا لَمْ يَخُصَّ اللَّهُ بِهِ غَيْرَهُ مِنْ وُلَاةِ الْأُمُورِ وَهُوَ النُّبُوَّةُ (٧) ؛ إِذِ الْأَنْبِيَاءُ لَا يُورَثُونَ.

(١) أ، ب: التُّهَمِ. (٢) ن: أَوْرَثُوهُمْ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. (٣) ر، ص، هـ: تَقْتَضِي. (٤) فِي الْمَالِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . وَفِي (ر) ، (ص) : وَالشَّرِكَةِ فِي الْمُلْكِ، وَفِي (هـ) : وَالتَّرِكَةِ فِي الْمُلْكِ. (٥) أ، ب: لَا نَعْلَمُ. (٦) أ، ب، م: الْعَادَاتِ. (٧) أ، ب: وَهُوَ الْأَنْزَهُ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ.