Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (1/22)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

One of the worst forms of corruption in the heart is for a servant to harbor rancor against the finest (1) of the believers, [and the foremost of Allah’s allies] after the prophets. Accordingly, Allah [Most High] (2) allotted no share in property acquired without battle to those who came after them except those who say:

{“Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and place no rancor in our hearts toward those who believe. Our Lord, You are truly Compassionate and Merciful.”}

[Surah al-Hashr: 10]

Thus, they resemble the Jews in [wickedness] (3), following their whims, and other Jewish traits; and they resemble the Christians in extremism, ignorance (4), and other Christian traits. In some respects they resemble the Jews, and in others the Christians. People have always described them in these terms.

Among the most knowledgeable [people concerning them] were al-Shabī (5) and scholars like him from Kufa. It is reliably established that al-Shabī said:

(I have never seen anyone more foolish than the Khashabiyyah (6). If they were birds, they would be vultures (7), and if they were beasts, they would be donkeys. By Allah, if I were to ask them to

(1) M reads: “upon the finest,” which is a textual corruption. (2) “Most High” is absent from N, M, and L. (3) “in wickedness” is an addition found in M and L; part of the word is visible in N. (4) A, B, and L read: “and ignorance and following whims.” (5) He was Abū Amr Āmir ibn Sharāhīl ibn Abd al-Shabī, a highly esteemed and learned Successor from Kufa. He died in 104 AH. See *Wafayāt al-Ayān*, 2:227–229; *Shadharāt al-Dhahab*, 1:126–128. (6) A and L read: “al-Habashiyyah,” which is a textual corruption. The name *al-Khashabiyyah* derives from *khashab* (wood), because they refused to fight with swords and instead fought with wooden clubs, as will be mentioned shortly (p. 22). Ibn Hazm states (*al-Fisal*, 5:45) that some Shiites “did not deem it lawful to bear arms until the one they were awaiting appeared. They therefore killed people by strangulation and stoning, while the Khashabiyyah did so only with wooden clubs.” (7) *Rakham* denotes a type of vulture; its singular is *rakhama*. It is described as treacherous and filthy and is considered among the basest of birds. *Lisān al-Arab*, 12:235 (Beirut ed.).

وَمِنْ أَعْظَمِ خَبَثِ الْقُلُوبِ أَنْ يَكُونَ فِي قَلْبِ الْعَبْدِ غِلٌّ لِخِيَارِ (١) الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، [وَسَادَاتِ أَوْلِيَاءِ] اللَّهِ بَعْدَ النَّبِيِّينَ، وَلِهَذَا لَمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ [تَعَالَى] (٢) فِي الْفَيْءِ نَصِيبًا لِمَنْ بَعْدَهُمْ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ: {رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ} [سُورَةُ الْحَشْرِ: ١٠] . وَلِهَذَا كَانَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْيَهُودِ مِنَ [الْمُشَابَهَةِ فِي الْخَبَثِ] (٣) ، وَاتِّبَاعِ الْهَوَى، وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَخْلَاقِ الْيَهُودِ، وَبَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ النَّصَارَى مِنَ الْمُشَابَهَةِ فِي الْغُلُوِّ، وَالْجَهْلِ (٤) ، وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَخْلَاقِ النَّصَارَى مَا أَشْبَهُوا بِهِ هَؤُلَاءِ مِنْ وَجْهٍ، وَهَؤُلَاءِ مِنْ وَجْهٍ، وَمَا زَالَ النَّاسُ يَصِفُونَهُمْ بِذَلِكَ. وَمِنْ أَخْبَرِ [النَّاسِ بِهِمُ] الشَّعْبِيُّ (٥) وَأَمْثَالُهُ مِنْ عُلَمَاءِ الْكُوفَةِ، وَقَدْ ثَبَتَ عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: (مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحْمَقَ مِنَ الْخَشَبِيَّةِ (٦) لَوْ كَانُوا مِنَ الطَّيْرِ لَكَانُوا رَخَمًا (٧) ، وَلَوْ كَانُوا مِنَ الْبَهَائِمِ لَكَانُوا حُمُرًا، وَاللَّهِ لَوْ طَلَبْتُ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ

(١) م: عَلَى خِيَارِ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. (٢) تَعَالَى: لَيْسَتْ فِي (ن) ، (م) ، (ل) . (٣) فِي الْخَبَثِ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (م) ، (ل) وَظَهَرَ جُزْءٌ مِنَ الْكَلِمَةِ فِي (ن) . (٤) أ، ب، ل: وَالْجَهْلِ وَاتِّبَاعِ الْهَوَى. (٥) هُوَ أَبُو عَمْرٍو عَامِرُ بْنُ شَرَاحِيلَ بْنِ عَبْدٍ الشَّعْبِيُّ، كُوفِيٌّ تَابِعِيٌّ جَلِيلُ الْقَدْرِ وَافِرُ الْعِلْمِ، تُوُفِّيَ سَنَةَ ١٠٤. تَرْجَمَتُهُ فِي: وَفَيَاتِ الْأَعْيَانِ ٢/٢٢٧ - ٢٢٩؛ شَذَرَاتِ الذَّهَبِ ١/١٢٦ - ١٢٨. (٦) أ، ل: الْحَبَشِيَّةِ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. وَالْخَشَبِيَّةُ نِسْبَةٌ إِلَى الْخَشَبِ، وَذَلِكَ لِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَرْفُضُونَ الْقِتَالَ بِالسَّيْفِ وَيُقَاتِلُونَ بِالْخَشَبِ كَمَا سَيَرِدُ بَعْدَ قَلِيلٍ (ص ٢٢) . وَذَكَرَ ابْنُ حَزْمٍ (الْفِصَلَ ٥/٤٥) أَنَّ بَعْضَ الشِّيعَةِ كَانُوا " لَا يَسْتَحِلُّونَ حَمْلَ السِّلَاحِ حَتَّى يَخْرُجَ الَّذِي يَنْتَظِرُونَهُ فَهُمْ يَقْتُلُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْخَنْقِ وَبِالْحِجَارَةِ، وَالْخَشَبِيَّةُ بِالْخَشَبِ فَقَطْ ". (٧) الرَّخَمُ نَوْعٌ مِنَ الطَّيْرِ، وَاحِدَتُهُ رَخْمَةٌ، يُوصَفُ بِالْغَدْرِ وَالْقَذَرِ وَهُوَ مِنْ لِئَامِ الطَّيْرِ. لِسَانَ الْعَرَبِ ١٢/٢٣٥ (ط. بَيْرُوتَ) .