Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (5/257)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

they then differed, as stated in Surah Yūnus and likewise in the reading of some of the Companions.

According to the reading of the majority of the Companions and Successors, this means that they had followed the religion of Islam. Ibn Atiyya’s Tafsīr, however, relates from Ibn Abbas that they had followed disbelief(1). This view is untenable. The report attributed to Ibn Abbas in Ibn Atiyya’s Tafsīr is not authentically established from him. Rather, it is authentically established that he said, “Between Adam and Noah were ten generations, all of whom followed Islam.”

Allah also said in Surah Yūnus:

“Humanity was once but one community, but then they differed.”

[Surah Yūnus: 19]

Thus, He condemned them for differing after they had followed one religion, demonstrating that it had been the truth.

The term “differing” is used in the Book of Allah in two ways. The first is when all the parties are blameworthy, as in His words:

“Indeed, those who differ concerning the Scripture are in profound dissension.”

[Surah al-Baqarah: 176]

The second is when some follow the truth and others follow falsehood, as in His words:

“We favored some of those messengers above others. Among them were those to whom Allah spoke, and He raised some of them in rank. We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the Holy Spirit. Had Allah willed, those who came after them would not have fought one another after the clear proofs had come to them. Yet they differed: some of them believed, while others disbelieved. Had Allah willed, they would not have fought one another, but Allah does whatever He wills.”

(1) See *Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr*, al-Sha‘b ed., 1:364–365, regarding this verse. It states: “…Qatāda commented on the words, ‘People were one community,’ saying: ‘They were all upon guidance. Then they differed, so Allah sent the prophets as bearers of glad tidings and warners. Noah was the first prophet sent.’ Mujāhid expressed the same view, as did Ibn Abbās in the first report. Al-Awfī, however, related from Ibn Abbās that ‘People were one community’ means that they were disbelievers, so Allah sent the prophets as bearers of glad tidings and warners. The first view reported from Ibn Abbās is sounder in both its chain of transmission and its meaning, because people followed the religion of Adam—peace be upon him—until they began worshipping idols. Allah then sent Noah—peace be upon him—to them, and he was the first messenger Allah sent to the inhabitants of the earth.”

فَاخْتَلَفُوا، كَمَا فِي سُورَةِ يُونُسَ، وَكَذَلِكَ فِي قِرَاءَةِ بَعْضِ الصَّحَابَةِ. وَهَذَا عَلَى قِرَاءَةِ الْجُمْهُورِ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ وَالتَّابِعِينَ: أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى دِينِ الْإِسْلَامِ. وَفِي تَفْسِيرِ ابْنِ عَطِيَّةَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى الْكُفْرِ (١) . وَهَذَا لَيْسَ بِشَيْءٍ. وَتَفْسِيرُ ابْنِ عَطِيَّةَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ لَيْسَ بِثَابِتٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، بَلْ قَدْ ثَبَتَ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: كَانَ بَيْنَ آدَمَ وَنُوحٍ عَشَرَةُ قُرُونٍ كُلُّهُمْ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ. وَقَدْ قَالَ فِي سُورَةِ يُونُسَ: {وَمَا كَانَ النَّاسُ إِلَّا أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَاخْتَلَفُوا} [سُورَةُ يُونُسَ: ١٩] فَذَمَّهُمْ عَلَى الِاخْتِلَافِ بَعْدَ أَنْ كَانُوا عَلَى دِينٍ وَاحِدٍ، فَعُلِمَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ حَقًّا. وَالِاخْتِلَافُ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَلَى وَجْهَيْنِ: أَحَدُهُمَا: أَنْ يَكُونَ كُلُّهُ مَذْمُومًا، كَقَوْلِهِ: {وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِي الْكِتَابِ لَفِي شِقَاقٍ بَعِيدٍ} [سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ: ١٧٦] . وَالثَّانِي: أَنْ يَكُونَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى الْحَقِّ وَبَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى الْبَاطِلِ، كَقَوْلِهِ: {تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ كَلَّمَ اللَّهُ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَاتٍ وَآتَيْنَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَيَّدْنَاهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ وَلَكِنِ اخْتَلَفُوا فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ آمَنَ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ كَفَرَ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقْتَتَلُوا وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ}

(١) انْظُرْ " تَفْسِيرَ ابْنِ كَثِيرٍ " (ط. الشَّعْبِ) لِلْآيَةِ ١/٣٦٤ - ٣٦٥ وَفِيهِ: ". . عَنْ قَتَادَةَ فِي قَوْلِهِ (كَانَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً) ، قَالَ: كَانُوا عَلَى الْهُدَى جَمِيعًا، (فَاخْتَلَفُوا فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ النَّبِيِّينَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنْذِرِينَ) فَكَانَ أَوَّلُ نَبِيٍّ بُعِثَ نُوحًا، وَهَكَذَا قَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ، كَمَا قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ أَوَّلًا، وَقَالَ الْعَوْفِيُّ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: (كَانَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً) يَقُولُ: كَانُوا كُفَّارًا فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ النَّبِيِّينَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنْذِرِينَ، وَالْقَوْلُ الْأَوَّلُ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَصَحُّ سَنَدًا وَمَعْنًى، لِأَنَّ النَّاسَ كَانُوا عَلَى مِلَّةِ آدَمَ - عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ -، حَتَّى عَبَدُوا الْأَصْنَامَ، فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ نُوحًا - عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ -، فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ رَسُولٍ بَعَثَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ.