16
by some of us to others.” This is because the foundation they share is corrupt, being founded on ignorance and injustice. They are united in wronging all other Muslims and have thus become like highway robbers united in wronging people. There is no doubt that a learned and just Muslim treats them—and each of them—more justly than they treat one another.
The Khawārij declare the members of the united Muslim community to be unbelievers. Likewise, most of the Mu‘tazilah declare those who oppose them to be unbelievers, as do most of the Rāfidah; those whom they do not declare unbelievers they brand sinners. Similarly, most followers of caprice devise an opinion and declare anyone who disagrees with them over it to be an unbeliever (1). Ahl al-Sunnah, however, follow the truth from their Lord that the Messenger brought. They do not declare those who disagree with them concerning it to be unbelievers; rather, they possess greater knowledge of the truth and show greater mercy to creation, just as Allah described the Muslims in His words:
“You are the best nation ever raised for mankind.”
[Āl ‘Imrān 110]
Abū Hurayrah said:
“You are the best people for humankind.” (2)
Ahl al-Sunnah are the choicest of the Muslims and are therefore the best people for humankind. It is well known that there was a great mountain on the Syrian coast inhabited by thousands of Rāfidah who shed people’s blood and seized their wealth. They killed a great many people and took their property. When the Muslims were defeated in the year of Ghāzān (3), they seized the horses and weapons
(1) “And they declare [him] an unbeliever”: thus in H and B. All other copies read: “So they declare [him] an unbeliever.”
(2) This report appears in al-Bukhārī, 6/37–38, Book of Tafsīr, Surah Āl ‘Imrān, chapter: “You are the best nation raised up for humankind.” Its wording there is: Abū Hurayrah—may Allah be pleased with him—reported concerning “You are the best nation raised up for humankind” that he said: “You are the best people for humankind: you bring them in chains around their necks until they enter Islam.” See also Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr on this verse, 2/77, Dār al-Sha‘b edition.
(3) N and M: “in Ghāzān”; W: “the year of Qāzān”; A: “the year of ‘Azāb.” The latter is a corruption. Muhibb al-Dīn al-Khatīb—may Allah have mercy on him—states the following in his notes on al-Muntaqā min Minhāj al-I‘tidāl, p. 329, *t* [0–9]: “The year of Ghāzān was 699. Ghāzān (670–703) was the brother of Khudābandā (680–716), for whom the Rāfidī composed the book that was refuted. He and his predecessors were introduced earlier in the notes on the preface to this book, p. 18. The incident to which Shaykh al-Islām referred was as follows: Damascus was then under the Egyptian kingdom. The king of Egypt was al-Nāsir Muhammad ibn Qalāwūn, who had returned from exile in al-Karak following the killing of al-Mansūr Lājīn in the preceding year, 698. The Egyptian sultan’s deputy in Damascus and greater Syria was Āqūsh al-Afram, after his predecessor, Sayf al-Dīn Qibjaq al-Mansūrī, fled to Iran and joined its aforementioned ruler, Ghāzān. Near the end of 698, reports arrived that Ghāzān was advancing from Iran toward Aleppo. When al-Nāsir Muhammad ibn Qalāwūn learned of this, he left Egypt for Gaza in Muharram 699 and remained there for two months, preparing and monitoring Ghāzān’s movements. In Rabī‘ al-Awwal 699, al-Nāsir reached Damascus. It was winter, in December 1219 CE [as printed]. He provisioned his army from Damascus with men, money, and equipment—to the extent that funds belonging to orphans were borrowed—and then advanced northward. He met the Tatars in the valley of Salamiyah on 27 Rabī‘ al-Awwal 699. A fierce battle ensued in which al-Nāsir Muhammad ibn Qalāwūn’s armies were defeated. Ghāzān continued his advance and seized Baalbek and al-Biqā‘. The leading figures of Damascus fled to Egypt, following King al-Nāsir in his retreat, and Damascus was left without protectors. The Syrians rallied around Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah and asked him to go out to meet Ghāzān and seek safe-conduct for the people.” Muhibb al-Dīn then related what transpired between Ibn Taymiyyah and Ghāzān when they met, followed by an account of the Tatars’ actions through the middle of Sha‘bān 699. See the marginal notes on pp. 330–332. On the year or campaign of Ghāzān, see al-Bidāya wa-l-Nihāya, 14/6–11.
بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا. وَهَذَا لِأَنَّ الْأَصْلَ الَّذِي اشْتَرَكُوا فِيهِ أَصْلٌ فَاسِدٌ مَبْنِيٌّ عَلَى جَهْلٍ وَظُلْمٍ، وَهُمْ مُشْتَرِكُونَ فِي ظُلْمِ سَائِرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَصَارُوا بِمَنْزِلَةِ قُطَّاعِ الطَّرِيقِ الْمُشْتَرِكِينَ فِي ظُلْمِ النَّاسِ. وَلَا رَيْبَ أَنَّ الْمُسْلِمَ الْعَالِمَ الْعَادِلَ أَعْدَلُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَعَلَى بَعْضِهِمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ.
وَالْخَوَارِجُ تُكَفِّرُ أَهْلَ الْجَمَاعَةِ، وَكَذَلِكَ أَكْثَرُ الْمُعْتَزِلَةِ يُكَفِّرُونَ مَنْ خَالَفَهُمْ وَكَذَلِكَ أَكْثَرُ الرَّافِضَةِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يُكَفِّرْ فُسِّقَ. وَكَذَلِكَ أَكْثَرُ أَهْلِ الْأَهْوَاءِ يَبْتَدِعُونَ رَأْيًا، وَيُكَفِّرُونَ
(١)
مَنْ خَالَفَهُمْ فِيهِ، وَأَهْلُ السُّنَّةِ يَتَّبِعُونَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ رَبِّهِمُ الَّذِي جَاءَ بِهِ الرَّسُولُ، وَلَا يُكَفِّرُونَ مَنْ خَالَفَهُمْ فِيهِ، بَلْ هُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَرْحَمُ بِالْخَلْقِ،
كَمَا وَصَفَ اللَّهُ بِهِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ بِقَوْلِهِ:
{كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ}
[آلِ عِمْرَانَ ١١٠]
.
قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ:
كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ النَّاسِ لِلنَّاسِ
(٢)
.
وَأَهْلُ السُّنَّةِ نَقَاوَةُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَهُمْ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ لِلنَّاسِ. وَقَدْ عَلِمَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ بِسَاحِلِ الشَّامِ جَبَلٌ كَبِيرٌ، فِيهِ أُلُوفٌ مِنَ الرَّافِضَةِ يَسْفِكُونَ دِمَاءَ النَّاسِ، وَيَأْخُذُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ، وَقَتَلُوا خَلْقًا عَظِيمًا وَأَخَذُوا أَمْوَالَهُمْ، وَلَمَّا انْكَسَرَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ سَنَةَ غَازَانَ
(٣)
، أَخَذُوا الْخَيْلَ وَالسِّلَاحَ
(١) وَيُكَفِّرُونَ: كَذَا فِي (ح) ، (ب) وَفِي سَائِرِ النُّسَخِ فَيُكَفِّرُونَ.
(٢) وَرَدَ هَذَا الْأَثَرُ فِي: الْبُخَارِيِّ ٦/٣٧ - ٣٨ كِتَابُ التَّفْسِيرِ، سُورَةُ آلِ عِمْرَانَ، بَابُ {كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ} وَنَصُّهُ فِيهِ: عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ قَالَ: خَيْرُ النَّاسِ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْتُونَ بِهِمْ فِي السَّلَاسِلِ فِي أَعْنَاقِهِمْ حَتَّى يَدْخُلُوا فِي الْإِسْلَامِ، وَانْظُرْ تَفْسِيرَ ابْنِ كَثِيرٍ لِلْآيَةِ ٢/٧٧ ط. دَارَ الشَّعْبِ.
(٣) ن، م: فِي غَازَانَ، و: سَنَةَ قَازَانَ، أ: سَنَةَ عَازَابَ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ وَذَكَرَ الْأُسْتَاذُ مُحِبُّ الدِّينِ الْخَطِيبُ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ فِي تَعْلِيقِهِ عَلَى الْمُنْتَقَى مِنْ مِنْهَاجِ الِاعْتِدَالِ ص ٣٢٩ ت [٠ - ٩] مَا يَلِي: سَنَةَ غَازَانَ هِيَ سَنَةُ ٦٩٩ وَغَازَانُ ٦٧٠ - ٧٠٣ هُوَ أَخُو خَدَابِنَدَاهُ ٦٨٠ - ٧١٦ الَّذِي أَلَّفَ لَهُ الرَّافِضِيُّ الْكِتَابَ الْمَرْدُودَ عَلَيْهِ، وَقَدْ تَقَدَّمَ التَّعْرِيفُ بِهِ وَبِأَسْلَافِهِ فِي التَّعْلِيقِ عَلَى خُطْبَةِ هَذَا الْكِتَابِ ص ١٨ وَالْوَاقِعَةُ الَّتِي أَشَارَ إِلَيْهَا شَيْخُ الْإِسْلَامِ هِيَ أَنَّ دِمَشْقَ كَانَتْ فِي ذَلِكَ الْحِينِ تَابِعَةً لِلْمَلِكَةِ الْمِصْرِيَّةِ، وَكَانَ مَلِكُ مِصْرَ النَّاصِرُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ قَلَاوُونَ الَّذِي عَادَ مِنْ مَنْفَاهُ بِالْكَرْكَ بَعْدَ قَتْلِ الْمَنْصُورِ لَاجِينَ فِي السَّنَةِ الْمَاضِيَةِ ٦٩٨ وَكَانَ نَائِبُ السُّلْطَانِ الْمِصْرِيِّ فِي دِمَشْقَ وَبِلَادِ الشَّامِ آقُوشَ الْأَفْرَمَ بَعْدَ أَنْ فَرَّ سَلَفُهُ سَيْفُ الدِّينِ قَبْجَقُ الْمَنْصُورِيُّ إِلَى إِيرَانَ وَالْتَحَقَ بِمَلِكِهَا غَازَانَ الْمَذْكُورِ، فَوَرَدَتِ الْأَخْبَارُ فِي أَوَاخِرِ سَنَةِ ٦٩٨ بِزَحْفِ غَازَانَ مِنْ إِيرَانَ نَحْوَ حَلَبَ، وَعَلِمَ بِذَلِكَ النَّاصِرُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ قَلَاوُونَ فَخَرَجَ مِنْ مِصْرَ إِلَى غَزَّةَ فِي مُحَرَّمٍ ٦٩٩ وَلَبِثَ فِيهَا شَهْرَيْنِ يَسْتَعِدُّ وَيُرَاقِبُ حَرَكَاتِ غَازَانَ، وَفِي رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ ٦٩٩ وَصَلَ النَّاصِرُ إِلَى دِمَشْقَ، وَكَانَ الْوَقْتُ شِتَاءَ دِيسِمْبِرَ ١٢١٩ م فَتَمَوَّنَ مِنْ دِمَشْقَ بِالرِّجَالِ وَالْأَمْوَالِ وَالْعَتَادِ حَتَّى اقْتَرَضُوا أَمْوَالَ الْأَيْتَامِ، وَزَحَفَ إِلَى الشَّمَالِ، فَالْتَقَى بِالتَّتَارِ فِي وَادِي سَلَمْيَةَ يَوْمَ ٢٧ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ ٦٩٩ وَكَانَتْ مَلْحَمَةً انْكَسَرَتْ فِيهَا جُيُوشُ النَّاصِرِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قَلَاوُونَ، وَوَاصَلَ غَازَانُ زَحْفَهُ فَاسْتَوْلَى عَلَى بَعْلَبَكَّ وَالْبِقَاعِ، فَنَزَحَ أَعْيَانُ دِمَشْقَ إِلَى مِصْرَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الْمَلِكَ النَّاصِرَ فِي انْسِحَابِهِ، وَبَقِيَتْ دِمَشْقُ بِلَا رُعَاةٍ، وَالْتَفَّ الشَّامِيُّونَ حَوْلَ شَيْخِ الْإِسْلَامِ ابْنِ تَيْمِيَّةَ يَطْلُبُونَ مِنْهُ الْخُرُوجَ لِمُقَابَلَةِ غَازَانَ وَطَلَبِ الْأَمَانِ لِلشَّعْبِ، وَذَكَرَ الْأُسْتَاذُ مُحِبُّ الدِّينِ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ مَا جَرَى بَيْنَ ابْنِ تَيْمِيَّةَ وَغَازَانَ فِي لِقَاءٍ بَيْنِهِمَا، ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ مَا جَرَى مِنَ التَّتَارِ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى أَوَاسِطِ شَعْبَانَ سَنَةَ ٦٩٩ انْظُرْ هَامِشَ ص ٣٣٠ - ٣٣٢ وَانْظُرْ عَنْ سَنَةِ غَازَانَ أَوْ وَقْعَةِ غَازَانَ: الْبِدَايَةَ وَالنِّهَايَةَ ١٤/٦ - ١١.