Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (5/233)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

an example to follow in all others who have repented of major sins, and so he should strive, to the best of his ability, in obedience (1) to Allah and in worshipping Him. Those scholars (2) who instructed him to make up the prayer do not say that merely making it up [removes his sin. Rather, they say that making it up] (3) lessens his sin. As for the sin of allowing the prayer to lapse and delaying it beyond its prescribed time, it is like all other sins, requiring either repentance, good deeds that efface it, or some other means by which punishment is averted.

A detailed treatment of these matters belongs elsewhere. The point here is that whatever is caused by Satan and lies beyond a person’s capacity is pardoned—such as sleep, forgetfulness, error in independent judgment, and the like. Moreover, whenever anyone from this community (4), whether from its earliest or latest generations, is praised for something for which Allah rewards him and raises him in rank, that thing is part of what the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—brought. Reward is bestowed for what the Messenger (5) brought; victory belongs to whoever supports him; happiness belongs to whoever follows him; and Allah’s blessings and the angels’ prayers (6) rest upon those who believe in him and those who teach his religion to people. Truth follows him wherever he goes. Those who know the truth best and follow it most closely are those who adhere most fully to his Sunnah and follow it most faithfully. Any teaching that conflicts with his is either an abrogated religion or an altered religion that was never divinely ordained.

Alī—may Allah be pleased with him—said during an exchange between him and Uthmān—may Allah be pleased with him:

“The best among us is the one who follows this religion most closely.”

Uthmān agreed with him on this, as did all the other Companions [may Allah be pleased with them all] (7).

(1) Manuscripts hā and bā read: “acts of obedience.” (2) “Among the scholars” is omitted from manuscripts nūn and mīm. (3) The text between brackets is omitted from manuscripts nūn and mīm. (4) Manuscripts rā and hā read: “the imams.” (5) “The Messenger” is omitted from manuscripts nūn, mīm, wāw, and alif. (6) Manuscript nūn reads: “and His peace”; manuscript alif reads: “and the angels.” (7) The text between brackets is omitted from manuscripts nūn and mīm.

أُسْوَةٌ بِسَائِرِ التَّائِبِينَ مِنَ الْكَبَائِرِ، فَيَجْتَهِدُ فِي طَاعَةِ (١) اللَّهِ وَعِبَادَاتِهِ بِمَا أَمْكَنَ، وَالَّذِينَ أَمَرُوهُ بِالْقَضَاءِ مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ (٢) لَا يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّهُ بِمُجَرَّدِ الْقَضَاءِ [يَسْقُطُ عَنْهُ الْإِثْمُ، بَلْ يَقُولُونَ: بِالْقَضَاءِ] (٣) يَخِفُّ عَنْهُ الْإِثْمُ، وَأَمَّا إِثْمُ التَّفْوِيتِ وَتَأْخِيرِ الصَّلَاةِ عَنْ وَقْتِهَا فَهُوَ كَسَائِرِ الذُّنُوبِ الَّتِي تَحْتَاجُ: إِمَّا إِلَى تَوْبَةٍ، وَإِمَّا إِلَى حَسَنَاتٍ مَاحِيَةٍ، وَإِمَّا غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا يَسْقُطُ بِهِ الْعِقَابُ. وَهَذِهِ الْمَسَائِلُ لِبَسْطِهَا مَوْضِعٌ آخَرُ. وَالْمَقْصُودُ هُنَا أَنَّ مَا كَانَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ مِمَّا لَا يَدْخُلُ تَحْتَ الطَّاقَةِ فَهُوَ مَعْفُوٌّ عَنْهُ، كَالنَّوْمِ وَالنِّسْيَانِ وَالْخَطَأِ فِي الِاجْتِهَادِ وَنَحْوِ ذَلِكَ، وَأَنَّ كُلَّ مَنْ مُدِحَ مِنَ الْأُمَّةِ (٤) أَوَّلِهِمْ وَآخِرِهِمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ أَثَابَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَرَفَعَ بِهِ قَدْرَهُ، فَهُوَ مِمَّا جَاءَ بِهِ الرَّسُولُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَالثَّوَابُ عَلَى مَا جَاءَ بِهِ الرَّسُولُ (٥) ، وَالنُّصْرَةُ لِمَنْ نَصَرَهُ، وَالسَّعَادَةُ لِمَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ، وَصَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ (٦) عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِهِ، وَالْمُعَلِّمِينَ لِلنَّاسِ دِينَهُ، وَالْحَقُّ يَدُورُ مَعَهُ حَيْثُمَا دَارَ، وَأَعْلَمُ الْخَلْقِ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَتْبَعُهُمْ لَهُ أَعَمَلُهُمْ بِسُنَّتِهِ وَأَتْبَعُهُمْ لَهَا، وَكُلُّ قَوْلٍ خَالَفَ قَوْلَهُ فَهُوَ إِمَّا دِينٌ مَنْسُوخٌ وَإِمَّا دِينٌ مُبَدَّلٌ لَمْ يُشْرَعْ قَطُّ. وَقَدْ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فِي مُفَاوَضَةٍ جَرَتْ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ عُثْمَانَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: " خَيْرُنَا أَتْبَعْنَا لِهَذَا الدِّينِ " وَعُثْمَانُ يُوَافِقُهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، وَسَائِرُ الصَّحَابَةِ [رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ] (٧) .

(١) ح، ب: طَاعَاتِ. (٢) مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٣) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٤) ر، ح: الْأَئِمَّةِ. (٥) الرَّسُولُ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) ، (و) ، (أ) . (٦) ن: وَسَلَامُهُ، أ: وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ. (٧) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) .