Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (4/511)

alone for six thousand years.” Glory be to Allah! Has that (1) ever been said by any Muslim scholar (2) whose authority is accepted by Muslims? Who but someone exceedingly ignorant would make such a statement? Even if it were true, this could be known only through reports transmitted by the prophets, yet nothing concerning it has been reported from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

Moreover, the claim that one angel bore the Throne (3) contradicts what authentic transmission indicates (4). [Then why did he bear the Throne alone for six thousand years and not (5) bear it alone forever?] (6) Who ever reported that Iblīs was among the bearers of the Throne?

This is among the most outrageous lies (7), for Allah Most High (8) says:

“Those who bear the Throne and those around it glorify their Lord with praise, believe in Him, and seek forgiveness for those who believe”—Surah Ghāfir.

[Thus, He states that the Throne has bearers, not merely one, and that they are all believers who glorify their Lord with praise and seek forgiveness for those who believe] (9).

(1) A, B: “this.” (2) R, S: “a scholar”; H: “the scholar of one…” (3) N, M: “for the Throne.” (4) W: “the authentic transmitted reports.” (5) R, H: “Then why did he bear it alone for six thousand years and was not…”; S: “Then what of him—six thousand years alone—and he was not…” (6) The text between square brackets is omitted from N, M, and W. (7) W: “the hadith.” (8) “For Allah Most High”: thus in A and B. All other manuscripts read: “And Allah Most High.” (9) The text between square brackets is omitted from N and M.

وَحْدَهُ سِتَّةَ آلَافِ سَنَةٍ " فَيَا سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ! هَلْ قَالَ ذَلِكَ (١) أَحَدٌ مِنْ عُلَمَاءِ (٢) الْمُسْلِمِينَ الْمَقْبُولِينَ عِنْدَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ؟ وَهَلْ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِذَلِكَ إِلَّا مُفْرِطٌ فِي الْجَهْلِ؟ فَإِنَّ هَذَا لَا يُعْرَفُ - لَوْ كَانَ حَقًّا - إِلَّا بِنَقْلِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ، وَلَيْسَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فِي ذَلِكَ شَيْءٌ. ثُمَّ حَمْلُ وَاحِدٍ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ الْعَرْشَ (٣) خِلَافُ مَا دَلَّ عَلَيْهِ النَّقْلُ الصَّحِيحُ (٤) . [ثُمَّ مَا بَالُهُ حَمَلَ الْعَرْشَ وَحْدَهُ سِتَّةَ آلَافِ سَنَةٍ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ (٥) يَحْمِلُهُ وَحْدَهُ دَائِمًا؟] (٦) وَمَنِ الَّذِي نَقَلَ أَنَّ إِبْلِيسَ مِنْ حَمَلَةِ الْعَرْشِ؟ . وَهَذَا مِنْ أَكْذَبِ الْكَذِبِ (٧) ; فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى (٨) يَقُولُ: {الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا} سُورَةُ غَافِرٍ، [فَأَخْبَرَ أَنَّ لَهُ حَمَلَةً لَا وَاحِدًا، وَأَنَّهُمْ كُلَّهُمْ مُؤْمِنُونَ مُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ، مُسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينِ آمَنُوا] (٩) .

(١) أ، ب: هَذَا. (٢) ر، ص: عَالِمُ ; هـ: عَالِمُ أَحَدِ. . . (٣) ن، م: لِلْعَرْشِ. (٤) و: الْمَنْقُولَاتُ الصَّحِيحَةُ. (٥) ر، هـ: ثُمَّ مَا بَالُهُ حَمَلَهُ سِتَّةَ آلَافِ سَنَةٍ وَحْدَهُ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ ; ص: ثُمَّ مَا بَالُهُ سِتَّةَ آلَافِ سَنَةٍ وَحْدَهُ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ. (٦) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) ، (و) . (٧) و: الْحَدِيثِ. (٨) فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى: كَذَا فِي (أ) ، (ب) . وَفِي سَائِرِ النُّسَخِ: وَاللَّهُ تَعَالَى. (٩) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) .