Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (5/254)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

forbids] (1), forbearing in what he commands, and forbearing in what he forbids.” (2)

Knowledge must precede his command, gentleness must accompany it, and forbearance must come after (3) it. If he is not knowledgeable, he has no right to pursue what (4) he has no knowledge of. If he is knowledgeable but not gentle, he is like a physician devoid of gentleness who treats the patient harshly and is therefore not heeded, or like a harsh instructor whom the child will not heed.

Allah Most High said to Moses and Aaron:

“Speak to him gently, so perhaps he may take heed or become fearful.”

[Surah Tā Hā: 44]

Once he commands and forbids (5), he will ordinarily be subjected to harm, so he must be patient and forbearing. Allah Most High said:

“Enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and patiently endure whatever befalls you. Surely that is among the matters requiring resolve.”

[Surah Luqmān: 17]

In many passages, Allah commanded His Prophet to endure the harm inflicted by the polytheists; and he is the leader of those who command what is right and forbid what is wrong. A person’s enjoining must, first of all, be for Allah, and his intention must be to obey Allah in what He has commanded him to do (6), while desiring either to reform the person he is commanding or to establish the proof against him. If he does this to secure leadership for himself and his faction and to disparage others, it is partisan zeal (7), which Allah does not accept. Likewise, if he does it in pursuit of fame and ostentation, his deed is rendered void. Then, if he is rebuffed over this and is harmed (8), or

(1) The text within square brackets is omitted only from N. (2) I could not locate this hadith. (3) A and B read: “with.” (4) H and R read: “regarding what.” (5) H, R, and B read: “or forbids.” (6) The word *bihi* (“it”) is omitted from N and M; H, B, and R read: *fīmā amara bihi* (“in what He commanded”). (7) H, B, and R read: “a sin.” (8) H and B read: “or is harmed.”

يَنْهَى عَنْهُ] (١) ، حَلِيمًا فِيمَا يَأْمُرُ بِهِ، حَلِيمًا فِيمَا يَنْهَى عَنْهُ» " (٢) . فَالْعِلْمُ قَبْلَ الْأَمْرِ، وَالرِّفْقُ مَعَ الْأَمْرِ، وَالْحِلْمُ بَعْدَ (٣) الْأَمْرِ ; فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ عَالِمًا لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ أَنْ يَقْفُوَ مَا (٤) لَيْسَ لَهُ بِهِ عِلْمٌ، وَإِنْ كَانَ عَالِمًا وَلَمْ يَكُنْ رَفِيقًا، كَانَ كَالطَّبِيبِ الَّذِي لَا رِفْقَ فِيهِ، فَيُغْلِظُ عَلَى الْمَرِيضِ فَلَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهُ، وَكَالْمُؤَدِّبِ الْغَلِيظِ الَّذِي لَا يَقْبَلُ مِنْهُ الْوَلَدُ. وَقَدْ قَالَ تَعَالَى لِمُوسَى وَهَارُونَ: {فَقُولَا لَهُ قَوْلًا لَيِّنًا لَعَلَّهُ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَوْ يَخْشَى} [سُورَةُ طه: ٤٤] . ثُمَّ إِذَا أَمَرَ وَنَهَى (٥) فَلَا بُدَّ أَنْ يُؤْذَى فِي الْعَادَةِ، فَعَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَصْبِرَ وَيَحْلُمَ. كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: {وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا أَصَابَكَ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ} [سُورَةُ: لُقْمَانَ ١٧] . وَقَدْ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ نَبِيَهُ بِالصَّبْرِ عَلَى أَذَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ فِي غَيْرِ مَوْضِعٍ، وَهُوَ إِمَامُ الْآمِرِينَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ النَّاهِينَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ. فَإِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ عَلَيْهِ أَوَّلًا أَنْ يَكُونَ أَمْرُهُ لِلَّهِ، وَقَصْدُهُ طَاعَةَ اللَّهِ فِيمَا أَمَرَهُ بِهِ (٦) . وَهُوَ يُحِبُّ صَلَاحَ الْمَأْمُورِ، أَوْ إِقَامَةَ الْحُجَّةِ عَلَيْهِ فَإِنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ لِطَلَبِ الرِّيَاسَةِ لِنَفْسِهِ وَلِطَائِفَتِهِ، وَتَنْقِيصِ غَيْرِهِ كَانَ ذَلِكَ حَمِيَّةً (٧) لَا يَقْبَلُهُ اللَّهُ، وَكَذَلِكَ إِذَا فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ لِطَلَبِ السُّمْعَةِ وَالرِّيَاءِ كَانَ عَمَلُهُ حَابِطًا. ثُمَّ إِذَا رَدَّ عَلَيْهِ ذَلِكَ وَأُوذِيَ (٨) أَوْ

(١) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) فَقَطْ. (٢) لَمْ أَجِدْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ. (٣) أ، ب: مَعَ. (٤) ح، ر: فِيمَا. (٥) ح، ر، ب: أَوْ نَهَى. (٦) بِهِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) ، وَفِي (ح) ، (ب) ، (ر) : فِيمَا أَمَرَ بِهِ. (٧) ح، ب، ر: خَطِيئَةً. (٨) ح، ب: أَوْ أُوذِيَ.