Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (4/366)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

For this reason, he said to him in the presence of the Emigrants and the Helpers:

“You are the best among us, our master, and the dearest of us to the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.” (1)

They all affirmed his words, and not one of them disputed them. Indeed, even those among the Helpers who contested the caliphate did not dispute this. No one said, “Rather, Alī or someone else was dearer to the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—or was better or more excellent than he.” (2)

It is well known that, under ordinary circumstances—especially given the customary conduct of the Companions, which reflected the perfection of their faith and their commitment to speaking the truth (3)—it would have been inconceivable that not one of them should speak the truth if it entailed affirming Alī’s superiority. Instead, they all agreed (4) that Abū Bakr was superior, without expectation of any favor from him (5) or fear of him (6).

[The Rāfidī’s remarks concerning Āisha and Muāwiya, and the response to him]

Chapter (7)

The Rāfidī (8) said: “They called her the Mother of the Believers, yet did not call any other woman by that title (9), nor did they call her brother, Muhammad ibn Abī Bakr (10)—despite his eminent standing

(1) This report appeared previously at 1:518. (2) A and B read: “and more excellent.” (3) B alone reads: “and their speaking the truth.” (4) A and B have the plural “in agreement”; the remaining manuscripts have the singular. (5) “In him” is omitted from A and B. R and S read: “from him.” (6) A and B read: “nor fear.” Allah Most High knows best. (7) R, S, and H read: “Chapter Twenty-Seven.” Manuscript M resumes at this point. (8) In K, p. 112 (M). (9) A and B read: “by that name.” (10) R, S, H, and W read: “Muhammad, son of Abū Bakr.”

وَلِهَذَا قَالَ لَهُ بِمَحْضَرٍ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ: " أَنْتَ خَيْرُنَا وَسَيِّدُنَا وَأَحَبُّنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - " (١) ، وَهُمْ يُقِرُّونَهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، وَلَا يُنَازِعُهُ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ، حَتَّى إِنَّ الْمُنَازِعِينَ فِي الْخِلَافَةِ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ لَمْ يُنَازِعُوا فِي هَذَا، وَلَا قَالَ أَحَدٌ: بَلْ عَلِيٌّ أَوْ غَيْرُهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أَوْ خَيْرٌ مِنْهُ أَوْ أَفْضَلُ (٢) . وَمِنَ الْمَعْلُومِ أَنَّهُ يَمْتَنِعُ فِي الْعَادَةِ، لَا سِيَّمَا عَادَةُ الصَّحَابَةِ الْمُتَضَمِّنَةُ كَمَالَ دِينِهِمْ وَقَوْلِهِمْ بِالْحَقِّ (٣) ، أَلَّا يَتَكَلَّمَ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ الْمُتَضَمِّنِ تَفْضِيلَ عَلِيٍّ، بَلْ كُلُّهُمْ مُوَافِقُونَ (٤) عَلَى تَفْضِيلِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ مِنْ غَيْرِ رَغْبَةٍ فِيهِ (٥) وَلَا رَهْبَةٍ (٦) . [كلام الرافضي على عائشة مع كلامه على معاوية والرد عليه] فَصْلٌ (٧) . قَالَ الرَّافِضِيُّ (٨) : " وَسَمَّوْهَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلَمْ يُسَمُّوا غَيْرَهَا بِذَلِكَ (٩) ، وَلَمْ يُسَمُّوا أَخَاهَا مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ (١٠) - مَعَ عِظَمِ شَأْنِهِ

(١) سَبَقَ هَذَا الْأَثَرُ ١/٥١٨. (٢) أ، ب: وَأَفْضَلُ. (٣) ب (فَقَطْ) : وَقَوْلِهِمُ الْحَقَّ. (٤) مُوَافِقُونَ: كَذَا فِي (أ) ، (ب) . وَفِي سَائِرِ النُّسَخِ: مُوَافِقٌ. (٥) فِيهِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . وَفِي (ر) ، (ص) : مِنْهُ (٦) أ، ب: وَلَا رَهْبَةٍ، وَاللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَعْلَمُ. (٧) ر، ص، هـ: الْفَصْلُ السَّابِعُ وَالْعِشْرُونَ. وَهُنَا تَعُودُ نُسْخَةُ (م) ، مِنْ جَدِيدٍ. (٨) فِي (ك) ص ١١٢ (م) . (٩) أ، ب: بِذَلِكَ الِاسْمِ. (١٠) ر، ص، هـ، و: مُحَمَّدًا وَلَدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ. .