Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (5/122)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

This concerns the outward judgment: even if he is killed (1) and subjected to the same ruling as disbelievers, Allah will raise him according to his intention. Likewise, the hypocrites among us are outwardly accorded the ruling of Islam (2), but they will be raised according to their intentions. Recompense on the Day of Resurrection is based on what lies within hearts, not merely on outward appearances (3).

For this reason, it is related that al-Abbās said, “O Messenger of Allah, I was compelled.” He replied, “As for what was outwardly apparent of you, it was against us; as for your inner state, that is for Allah.” (4)

In sum, there is no disagreement among Muslims that if a person is in the abode of unbelief, has embraced faith, and is unable to emigrate, none of the prescriptions of the Sacred Law that lie beyond his capacity are obligatory upon him. Rather, obligation is commensurate with ability. The same applies to matters whose ruling he does not know. Thus, if he did not know that prayer was obligatory upon him and went for a period without praying, he would not be required to make those prayers up, according to the stronger of the two scholarly opinions. This is the position of Abū Hanīfa and the Zāhirīs, and it is one of the two positions within the school of Ahmad. The same applies to all other obligations, including fasting during Ramadan and paying

(1) N, M, W, A: “was fought against.” (2) N: “by outward appearance, according to the ruling of Islam”; H: “outwardly, according to Islam.” (3) N, M: “the outward appearance.” (4) I have not found the hadith with this wording. Ahmad, however, relates in his Musnad, al-Ma‘ārif edition, 5/105–106, a hadith from Ibn Abbās, may Allah be pleased with them both, stating that Abū al-Yusr ibn Amr captured al-Abbās. It also reports that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “O Abbās, ransom yourself and your nephew.” Al-Abbās replied: “I had already become a Muslim, but they compelled me.” He said: “Allah knows your circumstances best. If what you claim is true, Allah will reward you for it; but as far as your outward position was concerned, you were against us…” Ahmad Shākir, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Its chain of transmission is weak.”

وَهَذَا فِي ظَاهِرِ الْأَمْرِ وَإِنْ قُتِلَ (١) وَحُكِمَ عَلَيْهِ بِمَا يُحْكَمُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ، فَاللَّهُ يَبْعَثُهُ عَلَى نِيَّتِهِ. كَمَا أَنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ مِنَّا يُحْكَمُ لَهُمْ فِي الظَّاهِرِ بِحُكْمِ الْإِسْلَامِ (٢) وَيُبْعَثُونَ عَلَى نِيَّاتِهِمْ، فَالْجَزَاءُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَى مَا فِي الْقُلُوبِ لَا عَلَى مُجَرَّدِ الظَّوَاهِرِ (٣) . وَلِهَذَا رُوِيَ «أَنَّ الْعَبَّاسَ قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، كُنْتُ مُكْرَهًا. قَالَ: " أَمَّا ظَاهِرُكَ فَكَانَ عَلَيْنَا، وَأَمَّا سَرِيرَتُكَ فَإِلَى اللَّهِ» " (٤) . وَبِالْجُمْلَةِ لَا خِلَافَ بَيْنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَنَّ مَنْ كَانَ فِي دَارِ الْكُفْرِ، وَقَدْ آمَنَ وَهُوَ عَاجِزٌ عَنِ الْهِجْرَةِ، لَا يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الشَّرَائِعِ مَا يَعْجِزُ عَنْهَا، بَلِ الْوُجُوبُ بِحَسَبِ الْإِمْكَانِ. وَكَذَلِكَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ حُكْمَهُ، فَلَوْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ الصَّلَاةَ وَاجِبَةٌ عَلَيْهِ، وَبَقِيَ مُدَّةً لَمْ يُصَلِّ، لَمْ يَجِبْ عَلَيْهِ الْقَضَاءُ فِي أَظْهَرِ قَوْلَيِ الْعُلَمَاءِ. وَهَذَا مَذْهَبُ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ وَأَهْلِ الظَّاهِرِ، وَهُوَ أَحَدُ الْوَجْهَيْنِ فِي مَذْهَبِ أَحْمَدَ. وَكَذَلِكَ سَائِرُ الْوَاجِبَاتِ مِنْ صَوْمِ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ وَأَدَاءِ

(١) ن، م، و، أ: قُوتِلَ. (٢) ن: بِالظَّاهِرِ بِحُكْمِ الْإِسْلَامِ، ح: فِي الظَّاهِرِ بِالْإِسْلَامِ. (٣) ن، م: الظَّاهِرِ. (٤) لَمْ أَجِدِ الْحَدِيثَ بِهَذَا اللَّفْظِ، وَلَكِنْ أَوْرَدَ أَحْمَدُ فِي مَسْنَدِهِ ط. الْمَعَارِفِ ٥/١٠٥ - ١٠٦ حَدِيثًا عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا جَاءَ فِيهِ أَنَّ أَبَا الْيُسْرِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو أَسَرَ الْعَبَّاسَ. الْحَدِيثَ، وَفِيهِ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: يَا عَبَّاسُ افْدِ نَفْسَكَ وَابْنَ أَخِيكَ، وَقَالَ (الْعَبَّاسُ) : إِنِّي كُنْتُ مُسْلِمًا قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ، وَإِنَّمَا اسْتَكْرَهُونِي، قَالَ: اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِشَأْنِكَ، إِنْ يَكُ مَا تَدَّعِي حَقًّا فَاللَّهُ يَجْزِيكَ بِذَلِكَ، وَأَمَّا ظَاهِرُ أَمْرِكَ فَقَدْ كَانَ عَلَيْنَا،. . . الْحَدِيثَ، قَالَ أَحْمَد شَاكِر رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ: " إِسْنَادُهُ ضَعِيفٌ ".