Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (4/291)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

in question. In that case, Abū Bakr, Umar, and Uthmān—may Allah be pleased with them—have a greater claim to this, because, together with the believers—the people of truth—they fought the disbelievers (1), the people of falsehood. The distinction brought about through their actions was therefore more complete and excellent. No rational person doubts that those whom the three fought had a greater claim to falsehood than those whom Alī fought (2); and the greater an enemy’s falsehood, the greater his opponent’s claim to truth.

For this reason, those who will suffer the most severe punishment on the Day of Resurrection include one who killed a prophet or [one whom] a prophet killed (3). Likewise, the polytheists who personally confronted the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—with denial and hostility, such as Abū Lahab and Abū Jahl, were worse than others. Thus, if those whom (4) the three fought were greater in falsehood, those who fought them were greater in truth and would, in this respect, have a greater claim to the designation “Criterion.”

If it is said:

“He is the one who distinguishes truth from falsehood because love for him is what separates the people of truth from the people of falsehood,”

it may be answered:

First, this is not an action of his, such that it would make him the one who distinguishes truth from falsehood.

Second, love (5) for the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—distinguishes between the people of truth and the people of falsehood to a far greater degree, by the consensus of the Muslims (6).

Third, if an opponent were to counter this (7) by maintaining that love for Uthmān is what distinguishes

(1) R, H, and W read: “for the disbelievers.” (2) N and M read: “than those whom [Alī] fought.” (3) N and M read: “one whom a prophet killed or one who killed a prophet”; R, H, S, and W read: “one who killed a prophet or whom a prophet killed.” (4) A and B read: “whom the three killed.” (5) A and B read: “Indeed, love…” (6) “The Muslims” is omitted from A and B. (7) “This” is omitted from A and B.

الْمُعَيَّنَةِ. وَحِينَئِذٍ فَأَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَعُثْمَانُ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ - أَوْلَى بِذَلِكَ لِأَنَّهُمْ قَاتَلُوا بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَهْلِ الْحَقِّ الْكُفَّارَ (١) أَهِلَ الْبَاطِلِ، فَكَانَ التَّمْيِيزُ الَّذِي حَصَلَ بِفِعْلِهِمْ أَكْمَلَ وَأَفْضَلَ ; فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَشُكُّ عَاقِلٌ أَنَّ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلَهُمُ الثَّلَاثَةُ كَانُوا أَوْلَى بِالْبَاطِلِ مِمَّنْ قَاتَلَهُمْ (٢) عَلِيٌّ، وَكُلَّمَا كَانَ الْعَدُوُّ أَعْظَمَ بَاطِلًا كَانَ عَدُوُّهُ أَوْلَى بِالْحَقِّ. وَلِهَذَا كَانَ أَشَدُّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مَنْ قَتَلَ نَبِيًّا أَوْ [مَنْ] قَتَلَهُ نَبِيٌّ (٣) ، وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ الَّذِينَ بَاشَرُوا الرَّسُولَ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - بِالتَّكْذِيبِ وَالْمُعَادَاةِ، كَأَبِي لَهَبٍ وَأَبِي جَهْلٍ، شَرًّا مِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ. فَإِذَا كَانَ مَنْ قَاتَلَهُ (٤) الثَّلَاثَةُ أَعْظَمَ بَاطِلًا، كَانَ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوهُمْ أَعْظَمَ حَقًّا، فَيَكُونُوا أَوْلَى بِالْفُرْقَانِ بِهَذَا الِاعْتِبَارِ. وَإِنْ قِيلَ: إِنَّهُ فَارُوقٌ ; لِأَنَّ مَحَبَّتَهُ هِيَ الْمُفَرِّقَةُ بَيْنَ أَهْلِ الْحَقِّ وَالْبَاطِلِ. قِيلَ: أَوَّلًا: هَذَا لَيْسَ مِنْ فِعْلِهِ حَتَّى يَكُونَ هُوَ بِهِ فَارُوقًا. وَقِيلَ: ثَانِيًا: بَلْ مَحَبَّةُ (٥) رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أَعْظَمُ تَفْرِيقًا بَيْنَ أَهْلِ الْحَقِّ وَالْبَاطِلِ بِاتِّفَاقِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ (٦) . وَقِيلَ: ثَالِثًا: لَوْ عَارَضَ هَذَا (٧) مُعَارِضٌ فَجَعَلَ مَحَبَّةَ عُثْمَانَ هِيَ الْفَارِقَةُ

(١) ر، هـ، وَ: لِلْكُفَّارِ. (٢) ن، م: مِنَ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلَهُمْ. (٣) ن، م: مَنْ قَتَلَهُ نَبِيٌّ أَوْ قَتَلَ نَبِيًّا، ر، هـ، ص، و: مَنْ قَتَلَ نَبِيًّا أَوْ قَتَلَهُ نَبِيٌّ. (٤) أ، ب: قَتَلَهُ. (٥) أ، ب: إِنَّ مَحَبَّةَ. (٦) الْمُسْلِمِينَ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . (٧) هَذَا: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) .